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Thread: Novice Tuning/learning

  1. #1
    Potential Tuner
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    Novice Tuning/learning

    Hello, Just figured I would introduce myself. I am learning to tune mainly as a side job. I have some experience with tuning already just basic 6l80 TCC apply/release modifications for a local transmission shop. Looking forward to learning and tuning my personal vehicle before diving into "customers" vehicles. I have been reading the forums, watching goat rope garage, matt sanford, and several others. I luckily have ample free time at work so I'm getting paid to learn the process already. I am wanting to make my Silverado a street/strip build with about 5-600 hp to the wheels. Just enough to make some people mad lol

    Look forward to the wealth of knowledge others have and "soaking" up as much as I can to better my ability!
    2006 Chevy Silverado 1500 2wd 5.3 4l60

  2. #2
    Advanced Tuner abc's Avatar
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    This is just a hobby for me. My experience with this forum currently: not a great place to learn the fundamentals. Most of the ones that have the knowledge to help, seem to be fed up with helping beginners. I think your better off buying tuning books, buying lessons from the likes of HP academy, Evans tuning, the Tuning School and so on, that is of course if you want to fast track it. I do advocate for using this site as a resource but it is far from the end all be all. I think if you have a product specific question for HPT, this is the best place to find the answer. If you have a general tuning question for any specific OEM, you can post it here but lately, it's probably not going too far here.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by abc View Post
    This is just a hobby for me. My experience with this forum currently: not a great place to learn the fundamentals. Most of the ones that have the knowledge to help, seem to be fed up with helping beginners. I think your better off buying tuning books, buying lessons from the likes of HP academy, Evans tuning, the Tuning School and so on, that is of course if you want to fast track it. I do advocate for using this site as a resource but it is far from the end all be all. I think if you have a product specific question for HPT, this is the best place to find the answer. If you have a general tuning question for any specific OEM, you can post it here but lately, it's probably not going too far here.
    Definitely leaning on more of the hobby side as I make decent money and really just want to learn for personal vehicles. I have thought about purchasing some lessons and probably will at some point in the future. I appreciate the input and taking the time to reply.
    2006 Chevy Silverado 1500 2wd 5.3 4l60

  4. #4
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    do you use google maps?

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by LilSick View Post
    do you use google maps?
    I prefer to use Waze lol
    2006 Chevy Silverado 1500 2wd 5.3 4l60

  6. #6
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    well then you are ass out...

    tuning is just like using google maps

  7. #7
    Advanced Tuner
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    Quote Originally Posted by LilSick View Post
    tuning is just like using google maps
    go on...

  8. #8
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    Well, in Google maps there is a blue dot (1) which is your starting point.

    And there is a red pin (2) that is your destination. Like a red X on a treasure map.

    Then there’s the map (3) for how to get from the blue dot to the red X.

    HPTuners works exactly the same way. In Google maps you have to know exactly where you are to use the app. If you are not underground, the app can determine this because by itself because it incorporates a global positioning sensor. HPT does have that sensor or feature. So you have to manually find the data that places the blue dot. The way we do that is with the scanner. But the scanner comes with a lame channel list from the 1940s so first we need to learn how to create one that will give us the data we require. AND we have to know how to read the data. Good data is Paramount. If we have good data, and we know how to read it, we have our starting point. (1)

    What good is a map if you don’t know where you wanna go? Gotta know what you want the log to look like when yer done with the tune. A destination (2)

    The tune is the map that gets you from the blue dot to the red X. Having both, you know which direction you need to go but tuning is a lot of trial and error. You can’t change too many things at one time because if you do you won’t know what pushed you in what direction. Sometimes changing this thing over here that pushes you north simultaneously changes something over there that makes you veer off to the east or west. When it is right the tune is the map that gets you to the red X (3)

  9. #9
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    Reece0325, you can learn a lot on here about tuning your on own vehicle. Just know that finding a local dyno tuning, if you ever get to that point of needing one, is best. If you do decide to use a dyno tuner, and you are considering remote tuning, do your research, ie. look at as much history of the individual, ask for legitimate references, and I highly recommended to avoid using PayPal “Friends & Family” as a form of payment. You have no protection if something goes wrong. Insist on a PayPal invoice if you ever decide to go down that road. Just my personal advice.