Anyone recommend a good book to read to learn about tuning?

 

Better than a book.
www.efi101.com

 

awesome site, but I would like to have a better grasp on everything before attending one of their classes

 

The beginner class starts w the basics down to how a 4 stroke engine works. Plus there you keep the textbook for the class. Handy reference. A lot of the commercial tuning books were written 15 years ago about topics then 15 years old.
The only books I would recommend would be stuff published by www.sae.org . Most anything else you can go to the book store and purchase applies to 2 valve/cylinder and carbed motor.

 

Hello!


My Boss Ben Strader wrote a good overview to the subject.

Building and Tuning High-Performance Electronic Fuel Injection


It is a great place to start prior to taking the class. You can order the book from Amazon.com


I hope to see you at a class!
Chris Macellaro

 

I don't think there is such a thing as a book on tuning. That would mean that less people would actually go to the tuners.

 

I've taken one of their first classes back in 2003 when Earl Laskey was there (RIP). I drove a turbo Integra back then and I can honestly say it was the best money spent towards that car especially if you're running an aftermarket engine management system. It was good back then and I bet the course has gotten much better. I still refer to my notes and the binder you get from the class from time to time. You should definitely take an EFI University class if you want to get into tuning.

 

hey chris whats up , good to see you on here, i was thinking about taking the 5 day class but only offered in cali, im over in florida, any thing that you would recommend on this coast??


i can tune most systems and own a shop with dyno already, i just want to learn more about writing codes and setting up full custom motec Autronic etc??


thanks man, please pm me some info if you have it

 

Hey John,

Check out this book, How to Tune and Modify Engine Management Systems (Motorbooks Workshop) by Jeff Hartman. You can find it on Amazon. I've been reading it. It's DENSE, like a text book. This book won't tell you HOW to tune, but if you want to know what every component of an engine is, what it does, how it does it, and why, this is probably the book for you. The back half discusses various project cars, unfortunately no Z's :-( but it's interesting stuff.

BTW I'm also thinking about going to the EFI 101 course, some day.

Matt

 

Mike Kojima wrote a book on tuning cars as well. Pretty good read...

 

I am also reading How to Tune and Modify Engine Management Systems by Jeff Hartman. Good book... I recommend it highly.

I found the Designing a Virtual Fuel Injection System topic in the first chapter to be very informative. The author starts with a long block and gradually adds individual pieces to make up a complete fuel injection system and then a complete engine management system. He starts with a fuel pump, and how it differs for a fuel injected system... how the fuel is metered... what intake manifolds do in different systems... how to meter air flow... how injectors work... different kinds of injection systems and injectors... how to control the injectors.

This book doesn't teach you to be a tuner. It gives you the basics that you need to start to understand how the things work that can be tuned. For me, the first chapter has probably been worth the price of the book.

 

Hello and thanks for the comment!



The school offers a 101 and a Advanced EFI class. I just taught a class in Orlando about 2 weeks ago. We will do another class in Florida in the future. The more interest in any given area of the country, the sooner we will offer a seminar in that area.


We also offer a Motec specific class. The same rule applies, the more people that want the class the sooner it will come to that area.


Our future plans include, holding the ACP class out on the east coast. The problem is that a shop with 2 load bearing dynos is needed to teach the class. Our California facility is set-up for this. We are working with a shop up north that is suitable for this class. So it may just be a matter of time before that becomes a reality.


Check the school's website often for updates on that situation.



thanks again
Chris Macellaro

 

thanks man, i will keep up with the schedule on there...

 

Thanks for everyones feedback. That you also to those of you that PMed me with info (sorry if I didnt respond, been crazy here lately)

 

Sorry to revive the thread....

Ben Strader book mentioned baove is gold!

Another really good one, and even more comprehensive one is this:

http://www.amazon.com/Modify-Managem...6165613&sr=8-2

This one is pure gold too.

 

i'll buy anything jeff hartman puts out!thanks for tip i didnt know it existed

 

I'm with you. I think his fuels/fluids books is incredible...though definitley not aimed at someone without the knowledge of basic concepts of chemistry and combustion.

 

Thanks for the tip - looks good - ordered

 

Really thinking of doing the 5 day course in January.
I want to be in control of my car and not rely on a someone else.

 

Not sure why there's such a dirth of reading material (as in 'real' textbooks). Would be nice to have real world examples, problems, with answers and solutions based on real world measurement data, trouble shooting algorithms and/or mathematical formulas. Take some of Corky Bell's books: great reading, provides insight, but you have no idea how he derived some of the data presented (graphs just come out of nowhere).