How did u learn to tune?
 

For those that didn't know how to tune, how did u learn?
I have HPTuners & was curious how others learned? If you were clueless goin in, even better. Even if you're experienced, I like any HELPFULreplies.

How long did those unfamiliar take to pick it up. Or what would be the fastest way to go about learning?

I asked this question to 1 of my TX buddies, & wanna see others replies.

I'm not computer saavy but I can find the internet, PT & Ebay.
So ya, kinda starting from Square 1. I'm pretty sharp, & even tho I don't know how to tune, I wanna learn. I have always had an interest in vehicles, & even tho I'm not a tech, as I do more, my confidence goes up. So I figure since I like automotive stuff, I might stumble my way thru this cause the hobby interests me. :D

read the tutorials that comes with the software.
hptuners.com/forums
Google.com
and the numerous people and threads here on the site.

Just gotta try to do 1 thing at a time.

I worked in a gas station/shop and we got to doing performance stuff and ended up gettin a chassis dyno and tuning software and I did the majority of the tuning until I quit to make more money.

I asked a member to help me via MSN chat. He would give me instructions and I would follow them. Once I started doing it it made more sense. I was really aprehensive about it but in the end it worked out really well. The only thing I couldn't do was timing, so I had that done on a dyno. It's really the only way to squeeze the most out of it safely and damn if I can hold steady state in 2nd at anything over 4000rpms :P

Tyler, u guys got a chassis dyno just cause of you? What software did u guys use there?

Bill, I thought Rick did all your tuning save for u doing the trans stuff? Cause I went some old threads, & back in '07 or '08, that was all u planned. So yes, I did a search. :P

I'm kinda shocked how few posted up. So that must mean Wheatley & Justin are tuning all of PT's rides.
What software, HPT or EFILive are people using?

1) Don't think of it as tuning via a computer. Think of it as a fancy interface to your old school engine and start with what you are comfortable with tuning there.
2) Don't think of it as tuning via a computer. Think of it as debugging your engine. Debugging requires small steps, and changing one thing at a time to observe the effect.
3) Go slow -- make sure you understand what you are being told to do (in the tutorials or whatever) and that you get what effects your changes should have.
4) Learn the language. We all speak in some jargonized geek speak about tuning now -- you can't jump into the conversation without knowing all the jargon. If someone says something you don't recognize, don't be proud -- ASK what they mean.
5) Be prepared to dig and dig and dig on the internet until you find the right guy saying what you need to read for it to click into place. Patience is a HUGE part of it.

I'd tuned old school cars, I'd tuned 5.0 mustanges with eproms and hex editors, I still HATED tuning when I started with HPT (part of the reason was because LS1Edit had trained a lot of REALLY bad habits into the tuning community -- stuff that worked but made NO sense what-so-ever lol and had become absolute gospel...) When I switched to EFI, there was the huge interface cognitive load again, but I actually liked the EFI interface so much better, it was easier to stomach.

The hi lited things I believe will help me the most. I'm curious why u said, "Don't think of it as tuning via a computer", twice? Did u mean to or was that for emphasis?

Erik, I never tuned old school, so it's all kinda new. Kinda. I read a lot over the yrs, but that's not the same as doin. :nono:
Now, on this truck, I'm starting to do more. I've done motor swaps, tranny swaps & intake/ carb swaps. Other little things. Even tossed go-fast goodies onto my 3rd Gen Camaro. Even tho it was never tuned, it screamed for what I did. I can only imagine how tuning would improve that car. I still have it, tho she sits patiently. :D

Tip #3 I think we be the most vital of all, & also, not gettin frustrated.

I just now started to learn, but this vehicle will be more built than others.
So you've tuned both HPT & EFILive or did u mean just EFI cars/ trucks in general?

He didnt get it just because of me. The shop owner and I were both performance oriented, he had some old street cars back in the day and I had grown up around dirt track racin. We got efi live for the GMs, SCT Custom for Fords, and he recently got Diablo for Dodges. I still go up there and help him on bigger projects.

Interesting how he's got a little different medicine for all the brands. :)
So what are u runnin in your own truck?

See, I don't just post EVERYTHING I do :P
I tuned my Injector tables, offset tables, some other Inj. tables, but I spent close to 30 hours tuning VE in OL. Adjusted my PE and BE tables. Again, I did this with very good help from an expert via MSN. I'd give credit where due but I'd be afraid he'd get swamped with requests :P

It's pretty simple process, just make sure you back-up everything!

Continuing trial and error. That's what I'm doing. Talk with knowledgable people, read all you can on here. Hell, I just used Krambo's idle tuning sticky, about to get flash it and see how it works. A lot of great info online.

Pure trial, error, reading, more trial, more error, more reading, more..... You get the picture. :jest:

I hear ya, Ben. I just don't wanna blow a bunch of shit up. Not cause it wouldn't be fun, but cause I can't afford to. :)

But ya, 1 thing at a time is somethin I've seen since I got the software. In Nov. 05 BTW. Wow, I thought I had it since '07 or '08. And just now beginning. :disgust:

I'd actually be pretty good if I'd started using it way back then. :rolleyes:

hey if I can do it, you can too!

You wont blow anything up. Tuning a near stockish engine is nearly idiot proof. The worst thing I ever did was forget to tune out the PE delay and I was running stoich at WOT :eek: To my amazement, GM set up the HD 6 liter truck not to go into power enrichment at WOT for 60 seconds. I was baffled. However, as you know, engine is still alive and well.

:thumb: Thanks for vote of confidence.

It's near stockish now. :secret2: If I tune & make some gains, I'll be happy. Honestly, if I get overwhelmed after some mods are added, I may be forced to go to a pro so my truck isn't down for long.
Learning is great, but it can't be down for long periods of time. It's my DD.

Of course, when I did my efans/ 160 stat I thought the cooler stat killed mileage. Turns out, it's right where it was, so that RFG blend prolly did it as some knowlegable ones said.

If it's PE @ WOT for 60sec., that's dumping fuel. 60 sec. is a long time to be hammeering the daylights outta somethin @ WOT. Yes, it's on the ragged edge now u threw that came in tho, right? :)

Still learning :D

A little off topic, but relevant...

How much better is HPT Pro vs. the regular version? The regular version is pretty cheap..just wondering if it'd be a good place to start or if it's not worth it?

pro will allow you to log your wideband into your scanner, and stand alone logging.

i am still reading and learning too :)

1) Automotive Tech College
2) HPtuners.com, EFIlive.com, enthusiast forums
3) Research, Research, Research
4) Trial and error + a little common sense

Don't be afraid to ask. Somebody somewhere has had the same problem as you and already knows how to solve it, or at least point you in the right direction. You never stop learning.

http://www.hollandms.com/newbie/tuning_new.htm

any time I see a good write up I start reading, and save it so I can read it again. this one seems pretty good...

Joe, I need to update my sig. Ya, I already have Pro & I have a W/B too. But I have yet to hook my W/B up. :nono: Even if I did no tuning whatsoever, W/B will be a monitoring tool. :hmmm:

I need to check out this stand alone logging. How's that work, cause don't ya still need your laptop?

Mykk, u went to Auto Tech College? Cause that's not an option w/. work.
Sounds like u go on a variety of tuning forums, not just the brand u have. Is this correct? Sounds like outside the box thinkin cause if u have HPT, u can still learn from EFILive. I never thought of that. BTW, sweet lookin truck!

I know some guys have both systems. Pros/cons to both I'm sure. :nod:
Common sense is the easy part. :D

Joe, that just got favorited. Thanks a bunch. :thumb:

i really want to buy HP, but i feel like my build is to the point that i would be jumping in the deep end with a engine block tied to my feet.

Thank you. I went to three different Auto Tech Colleges (consecutively) while working full time in the auto field. There weren't very many classes that got to in depth with the PCM and it's control tables. So mostly the learning has all been online, in fact now I give a lecture once a semester at the local auto tech college out here giving the students an inside look at PCM control tables using HPTuners. I don't get into the how and why of modifying a tune because that's not what the class is about, but rather just looking at MAF tables, VE tables, fuel injection controls, trans shift tables...what affects what, etc

I visit as many auto forums as possible trying to soak up information. I do personally use HPtuners but EFIlive lets you download the program for free and even has a few tunes to walk around in. While I'm teaching myself on diesel tuning, there aren't a whole lot of people using HPT. So I had to view what and why people changed what they did by using EFIlive and viewing tunes from dieselplace.

for stand along logging you have to set up your box, with the config you want to use, save it to the box.

then when you have just the box and no laptop you just hit the record button to start recording and push it one to leave a mark.

You would set this up for your truck only, wont work if you set it up for a certain car then pulg it into a different car the config file will not be happy.

I started by downloading the efilive software and literally spent months looking at tunes and researching the forums to get an idea of what to do and why to do it. Thats the key, you have to know why you are changing what you are changing and that takes time. Get a wideband if you dont have one. But in the end it comes down to 3 things, spark, fuel and air. Airflow and driveability on cammed and fi setups can be tricky, but with a wideband and logging data, wot is easy once you get familiar with what to change.

Everyone goes about things different to reach their end result, for example...alot of people tune the wot fuel via the pe table only. I like to set the pe table to my commanded #'s to what i want (from mid 11's on fi to mid to upper 12's on motor), and then tune the fuel with the maf and ve tables. It's a learning curve for sure and i learn something on each vehicle i do, even 60 cars later i still learn something new all the time. Just dont give up on it and research research research, thats the key.

I had a local tuning shop (Dyno-Comp) tune my truck on there dyno with HPtuners, i do plan on buy HPtuners and i would like to learn how to tune my own personal rides someday.

I started tuning in prep for my turbo set up. Ended up with a NA 4.8 that was set up 2-bar OLSD with 42lb injectors, lol, then just added the turbo to it. Just jump in and start learning, save old tunes, not every one but hte ones with relevant changes

:jest: can I say his name? That'd be great if he got slammed! :D

However...Those PE delays are some of the first things people delete when learning to performance tune. If you change chose tables as time goes on you can take a supposedly idiot proof item and make it a 300 pound coffee table.

:jest: ya been around long enough to know the truth to that. LOL


I always suggest get a freaking wideband. Can you tune without? Hell yeah, but why bother? A wideband will help you always stay in YOUR comfort zone. Get a wideband and read the tutorials on tuning your ve table. Spend months doing that. You will learn so many things just by simply trying to get your trims to zero (impossible btw). Wideband and tune the hell out of the ve/maf. From there you'll learn a ton. Forget to zero this, click that, open this..."there's a table for that"?!?! :)

Thanks for replies guys.
I'd still like to know who's tuning w/. what software.

Dewey, I saw your name & thought...Oh great, I don't even have to read that one, cause it's prolly a smart remark.
To my surprise, I think I can get some useful info outta that. :P

In case it was missed, I do have a W/B. Never hooked it up. :(
Cause I thought I had to drop the headliner, cause I'm goin to be running it (W/B) in overhd. console. Apparently, it's way easier than that & only requires a screw or 2 to be removed to drop down o/h console. I have the small console. I was gonna run a So-Cal mount, but I may make my own if things work out.

hey hey hey...I give reasonable and thoughtful comments every so often....6 out of 10.



Alright, maybe 4 out of 10.

:jest:
From what I understand running W/B up in overhd. console is easy. So, I drop it & run some wires. Oh ya, electrical isn't my forte. :cry: But, IIRC, Autometer only has like 4 wires to run. Ya, I got their good 1, not the lightshow.

I proly should figure out what other gauge I'm puttin up there & do all at once. I though of throwin a D-PIC up there I have. Figured a FP gauge & boost/vac gauges are gonna go elsewhere. I want those more visible to me, but not to others. Security & non-ricer look is why. :D

.4 times 8 million posts is a lot of good info

8,153,294 thank you very much! :D

Sorry I missed your reply Tom.

Yeah I said the "Don't think of it as tuning via a computer" bit twice because, IMO, people get wrapped up in the computer part and tend to forget this is just tuning with a different tool.

I've tuned in both HPT and EFILive on current GM PCMs and have done EFI tuning the "old fashioned way" (eprom chips and hex-editors back in the early 90s). The new way is MUCH bettterer :)

Agreed... x1000

I may not know much but a good resource is efi101.com, quite a few classes offered.

No worries Erik.

Even if a person told me they didn't know much, if they have helpful, valid links, sometimes that's just as valuable. Plus, I know a sponsor or 2 on PT knows how to tune if I get in over my head. ;)

I read for about 2 months prior to buying the software. Then i took baby steps. Change 1 thing at a time, flash it in and see what it does. Then do a lot of reading on here, tech, EFILive and Hptuners...

Also another thing i did, do a search in the tuning sections for 1 member at a time, for example look up all posts by DC Justin, the all posts by Wheatley, etc etc... Read the question that was asked then read how they anwered it.. Kinda stalkerish but oh well....