The Tuning School's EFI Tuning Class - Knowledge Is Power

Even if you never plan on tuning your own car, a strong working knowledge of what goes on inside your computer will make you a much better and more educated customer. While we often work with the best in the business on the dyno, we now have the ability to accurately describe a problem or diagnose a tuning issue without wasting valuable time. In all honesty, I truly believe this should be mandatory learning material for anyone making over 350 hp in a late-model LSx-powered vehicle. While it is possible to acquire this knowledge on your own, the amount of time and money it would take is staggering. Plus, why not benefit from the work of others and get the correct answers the first time, instead of wading through internet babble and half-written tutorials?

Of course, to learn something worthwhile, you need a good teacher. Luckily for us, The Tuning School is run by a renowned tuning author, an education-training specialist, and controls engineer/rocket scientist. It is a somewhat strange mix, but the classroom style and pace lends itself nicely to each individual style, which made everyone from car guys to engineers understand what was going on. We were impressed by the ease of absorption, given such tough topics. Bob Morreale and crew do a great job of breaking down complex concepts, making them easy to understand and then build upon them. The course promised to take us through everything from the complete basics of how an engine works all the way to actually tuning a 500-plus-horsepower car on the dyno, and it did not disappoint.

The actual school itself is broken into two separate days, of which the first is spent in the classroom and the second on the dyno. The material was definitely well thought out and flowed down a smart and predictable path. Upon arrival, we were given a large amount of supporting material, which was well presented and easy to use. The main manual, Tuning the Right Way, is over 215 pages, each of which contained helpful and relevant information. Each student was also given a Quick Start Guide, several laminated tuning checklists and a copy of The Tuning Tree, an almost invaluable workflow checklist.

If you can't attend any of these schools, we suggest you check out the Learn-at-Home courses offered by The Tuning School. All of the techniques are included in the "at home" workbook, along with a CD full of valuable tune files, scan files, and step-by-step movies. Either way, you get a full year of email support along with three months of phone support. Bob Morreale and Ian Thomson are there full time to answer any questions, which is something we plan to abuse over the coming months. Whatever you choose, we highly recommend getting up to speed on EFI tuning. This stuff is never going to go away and what you learn in a weekend at school or a couple months at home will prove invaluable.