Sample Page - Chapter 2 (PDF)

Sample Page - Chapter 7 (PDF)

Engine Management: Advanced Tuning
CarTech Publishing
www.cartechbooks.com
Available everywhere in May, 2007.

Summary of the book:

This gives the educated reader insight into exactly what happens inside electronic engine control systems. Both educated enthusiasts and engineers without specific calibration experience will learn how to apply their existing knowledge to the calibration of EFI systems. The book explains how the EFI system determines engine operation and how the calibrator can change the controlling parameters to correct actual engine performance. The book begins with a review of engine operation theory and tradition methods of control. This is the foundation for expanding into electronic control systems and their operation.

This book contains more technical background and reasoning than most currently available enthusiast publications, exposing readers to the actual engineering principles at work inside the engine and EFI system – with a minimum of cumbersome jargon. The book also contains valuable practical examples often omitted in formal texts, including real-world examples based upon the author's experience that will help more advanced readers apply this new information to situations that are commonly seen during calibration. With the increasing number of “Do It Yourself” tuners in enthusiast circles, this book will serve as a useful tool to those wanting to learn how to tune better. Likewise, shop owners who perform tuning services professionally will learn to fine-tune their craft in order to give better results to their customers.

Much of the book’s focus is on high-performance applications, as this seems to be the market with the largest demand for calibration support. Most OEMs already have training systems in place for calibrators, but enthusiasts and college students will be more eager to read about the topic when it applies to the more interesting subject matter of performance.

Specific features that will cause informed readers who already own several titles on the subject to spend time and money on this additional one:

Most existing enthusiast books are written by authors with experience somewhere other than engineering. As a result, they lack the direct ability to educate the reader as to why some changes must be made in specific circumstances. This book focuses intensely upon what is actually happening inside the engine and how the calibrator can effect changes to actual engine operation by modifying the correct parameters. The approach to EFI calibration taught in this book is the same as used in OEM production vehicles. Many existing enthusiast books focus too much upon ways to make the EFI system work around problems rather than starting the tuning process with a logical approach that prevents these issues in the first place. The key point is to avoid getting the right result from the wrong action by educating the reader on the engineering principles at work in the engine system.

Currently available texts often omit practical applications that would otherwise allow a wider audience to relate the information to their own interests. Most college level texts are, frankly, "over the head" of most enthusiasts. Although they give excellent technical background on the subject matter, they do not cover the actual EFI calibration process. U.S. enthusiasts are also not accustomed to working with the SI units that have become the standard of the engineering community and its publications, further adding to confusion and lack of interest. This book will bring the solid engineering principles to a wider audience using language and units that are easily understood. Many of these texts can be listed as references or further recommended reading.