Hi

I know this is maybe a bit off topic here but can anyone recommend any material about tuning ?

I have been reading a book called "Street turbocharging" and for me it has been a really good starting point to get mor knowledge.

I have also been looking at EFI school but I would like read more and understand more about ignition timing and every other aspect aswell before I go to any courses.

regards
Gudmundur

 

A good book is 'Force Induction Performance Tuning', by A. Graham Bell.


Eric

 

Tuning is more than just "tuning". Its about getting your hands dirty on motors, drive train parts, and electrical stuff. You have to know the whole car inside and out. When you start learning about engines and their associated parts you can then learn the typical types of failures. You can do analysis on broken parts and do the "cause effect" relation ship. Was it the chicken or the egg is what it commonly comes down too. By doing this you can learn which parts you can lean on and which ones you need to be careful with. You learn the typical types of failures and tune to be sensitive to their needs and push the parts that are stronger. It is, and always will be a learning process.

Some limitations:
-fuel systems specifically fuel flow (with respect to pressure) and injector limitations
-Types of piston failures (the cause/effect) and how to tune around common types of failures
-Types of rod failures and how to tune around them
-Types of bearing failures, the why, cause/effect
-valve train failures etc.....

Learn to think in the "big picture". Commonly people look at peak hp #'s or some arbitrary meaningless goal.

EFI101 is good but not great. Its a basic course that gets you started. You'll learn some good info on sensing and control related to engines which is important. However no course will teach you how to break parts and learn from your mistakes, learn the warning signs, learn when not to take it that far.

 

'How to tune and modify engine management systems" by Hartman was the best I could find after looking at quite a few books.

 

Thanks for an Excellent answer.
I have been getting my hands dirty for some time but I want to learn about engine management systems.
Your points regarding what causes failures and thinking about the big picture are really good.. thanks
I know that this is nothing that I will master overnight ... it will take years to get some good knowledge.


regards
Gudmundur

 

short article..but nicely written

http://enginelogics.com/embasics.html

 

Here is a link that has Ben Straders new book. It is very comprehensive. There is also info on the site about the tuning classes that they offer. Highly recomended! I loved it. http://www.efi101.com/