Tuning 101
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 961
Likes: 0
From: Albuquerque NM
Tuning 101
Guys,
Looking for advice from those that have been there. I'm retiring soon after 32 years in the USAF (currently in Afghanistan for a year), and intend to spend much time in my garage tinkering with my toys, including my '02 C5. I'm proficient with car mechanics, having built several large and small block chevys, but would like to get smart with tuning. I realize that all I need are a laptop, tuning program, but that's the easy part - I also need knowledge. How do you recommend getting smart on this? Are there books available on computer tuning? I know experience is best, but I think I need a baseline knowledge before trying to screw with A/F ratios, tuning tables, etc.
Your thoughts?
Thanks, Gordon
Looking for advice from those that have been there. I'm retiring soon after 32 years in the USAF (currently in Afghanistan for a year), and intend to spend much time in my garage tinkering with my toys, including my '02 C5. I'm proficient with car mechanics, having built several large and small block chevys, but would like to get smart with tuning. I realize that all I need are a laptop, tuning program, but that's the easy part - I also need knowledge. How do you recommend getting smart on this? Are there books available on computer tuning? I know experience is best, but I think I need a baseline knowledge before trying to screw with A/F ratios, tuning tables, etc.
Your thoughts?
Thanks, Gordon
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
Guys,
Looking for advice from those that have been there. I'm retiring soon after 32 years in the USAF (currently in Afghanistan for a year), and intend to spend much time in my garage tinkering with my toys, including my '02 C5. I'm proficient with car mechanics, having built several large and small block chevys, but would like to get smart with tuning. I realize that all I need are a laptop, tuning program, but that's the easy part - I also need knowledge. How do you recommend getting smart on this? Are there books available on computer tuning? I know experience is best, but I think I need a baseline knowledge before trying to screw with A/F ratios, tuning tables, etc.
Your thoughts?
Thanks, Gordon
Looking for advice from those that have been there. I'm retiring soon after 32 years in the USAF (currently in Afghanistan for a year), and intend to spend much time in my garage tinkering with my toys, including my '02 C5. I'm proficient with car mechanics, having built several large and small block chevys, but would like to get smart with tuning. I realize that all I need are a laptop, tuning program, but that's the easy part - I also need knowledge. How do you recommend getting smart on this? Are there books available on computer tuning? I know experience is best, but I think I need a baseline knowledge before trying to screw with A/F ratios, tuning tables, etc.
Your thoughts?
Thanks, Gordon
Tuning is a crazy thing, to some it comes easy to some it dosent.. My advice would be to d-load the trial versions of HP-tuners & EFIlive and see what you like best. Go on each site and do reaserch on what program can do what, depending on what you plan to do w/ the car down the line.
I have EFIlive and love it. I wouldent trade it for HP-tuners at all. EFIlive does things HP dosent.. To find out you need to read the boards, efilive's site as well as hp's site.
You will get mixed reviews on each software, I prefer EFIlive, and Ive seen both. Just my prefrence...
P.S. Be safe over there!!!!!
Andy
Former Vendor
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,876
Likes: 8
From: Las Vegas NV
St. Jude Donor '06 & '12
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 5,786
Likes: 6
From: Lafayette Colorado
www.hptuners.com
Go into the tuning forums and start reading..
Go into the tuning forums and start reading..
HP Tuners is one of the best, if not the best, tuning packages out there. The forum is a great place to get info.Keith
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 8,840
Likes: 43
From: State of Confusion.
You can't download the trial version of HP Tuners because it's not available.
I looked at both and went with EfiLive because they have the current version of the software available to try before you buy. The trial version won't let you load tunes, but will let you look through the software to get a feel for what it can do and to the different tables.
They also have Incredible Customer Support and their forum is Very helpful and the Guys on there have a vast amount of knowledge and are willing to share it with us Newbies.
I was a bit overwhelmed when I first started tuning, but am getting the hang of it now. The learning curve is steep, but with persistence and determination you'll get it, and when you do there is no better feeling than the pride that you'll have knowing that you did it yourself!
Good Luck!
By the way, a couple of good books that I've gotten are:
Gives some Advanced tuning insight.....................
Ben Strader's book, Excellent choice to set some basics. He is the Guy who runs Efi University Schools........................
It says for cars up to 2001, but gives you Great explanations on how the fuel injection works on our cars.....................
EfiLive forum..............
I looked at both and went with EfiLive because they have the current version of the software available to try before you buy. The trial version won't let you load tunes, but will let you look through the software to get a feel for what it can do and to the different tables.
They also have Incredible Customer Support and their forum is Very helpful and the Guys on there have a vast amount of knowledge and are willing to share it with us Newbies.
I was a bit overwhelmed when I first started tuning, but am getting the hang of it now. The learning curve is steep, but with persistence and determination you'll get it, and when you do there is no better feeling than the pride that you'll have knowing that you did it yourself!
Good Luck!
By the way, a couple of good books that I've gotten are:
Gives some Advanced tuning insight.....................
Ben Strader's book, Excellent choice to set some basics. He is the Guy who runs Efi University Schools........................
It says for cars up to 2001, but gives you Great explanations on how the fuel injection works on our cars.....................
EfiLive forum..............
