im new. and want to learn how to tune cars

[sam2608]

hey guys.

ive always loved cars nd goin fast. ive just left school nd i want to learn to tune cars and engines. but i dont no where to start. can you help?
and what would be a good car for a beginner to start on?

all help appreiciated

thanks

[Prince]

Start with a college course mate. Get yourself an old car (I would say a Honda as I love them), maybe something like a CRX. Learn how to do simple things first and then just build from there mate.

Welcome to the forum by the way!

[StevieDB9]

we all love to drive fast now and then but youve got to do it responsibly, theres a time and place. i remember when i just left school and started driving, you think you know it all but youll get caught out, be safe!

nagging over, best thing to do to a car first is not make it go faster but stop quicker. start upgrading brakes (even if its just good quality pads) before you make any car go faster. when you want to start increasing power start by letting the engine breathe easier. start with a decent exhaust (full system) and decent air intake. if your just starting out im taking it its a relatively small engine so panel filter is best, with a cone filter it will sound good but youll lose power. same goes for the exhaust, too big with a small engine and youll lose power. next you want to chip the ecu to set the engine up for power rather than economy. taking off excess weight from the car is effective but it depends how extreme you want to go.

thats all you can really do unless you want to start spending serious money on the engine like re-bores, racing cams, lightening, racing flywheel, injectors etc etc unless anyone else can think of simple mods?

[pgarner]

What steves said.
if youve just left school try and get a job at a garage. its a good apprenticeship to do at the min. (some garages charge nearly £90 an hour, and thats an independent) this will give you the change to work on cars and get showing how to do it properly

[StevieDB9]

buy yourself a vw and youll soon learn all there is to fixing cars lol!

[pgarner]

at least theyre easy to fix, most issues are just sensors.

[StevieDB9]

mmm, sensors (temp, crankshaft, handbrake, brake, etc) bulbs, springs, bulbs, shocks, bulbs, brakes, bulbs, clutch, water pump, gearbox, thermo housing (which is a lot bigger and more complicated than you first think), abs, handbrake, bulbs, window motors to name but a few

[pgarner]

yip between me an the wife were doing not to bad with VW
hers- coolent sensor and brake switch
me - waterpump

[StevieDB9]

oh yeah, forgot coolant sensor

[sam2608]

thks guys. i jus wana start o basic then get more advanced

[pgarner]

simple thing to do on any car are the likes of
sparks
HT leads (older cars)
Coil (coils on newer cars)
dizzy cap
rotor arm
air filter
oil filter
brake pads

[waynne]

Hi sam and welcome to TorqueCars. You will find that older cars can be eaiser to work on and are simpler than modern ones which are so reliant on computers and gadgets to keep them running.

[sam2608]

thanks guys. do any of you know of any good websites and online stores for good car parts and accessories etc etc

[aky]

my first time tuning a car was tuesday 30th october 2008 a remap to 175 from 130.i got 200 yrds down the road and it went bang!my heart hit the floor.but it ain't gunna put me off. just be careful what you do and do it on a car you know will handle it.my car has done 99654 miles and i think the turbo had seen it's day anyway!

[pgarner]

Ouch when you said it went bang, i was waiting for you to say the intercooler pipe blew off.

[aky]

for two seconds it went like a rocket then bang then oil smoke then tears lol

[Country Bumpkin]

Before attempting to enter the world of engine tuning, you need to learn how engines work, what components they have and how they all knit together. Without that knowledge you will never tune an engine properly because you will not understand what everything does.
When tuning an engine there are many things to monitor and you need to know how to deal with these things to be able to correct them if they are not correct.
Invest in some good quality books, written by real engine tuners and builders. Internet forums are a great means of conveying information but you have to be careful what you digest as there are many people who have good intentions but pass on complete and utter drivvel.
Building and tuning engines correctly is an art which takes a long time to learn. Rest assured that you never stop learning.
To get a proper college placement you will need to gain an apprenticeship with a garage/tuning specialist.
Our apprentices will be going to Silverstone in December to start at the National Motor Sport College. http://www.nc4m.ac.uk/ This is a block release course for our lads due to our location. They will be attending there in two and four week periods then coming back to the workshop for more practical experience.

[dallara]

Cone filter with as big a chamber behind it (3"aluminum pipe) preferably to the front of the car, remove as much restriction in front and around the airfilter, DONT take baffle plates out of engine bay, locate the oil breather on the cam cover and replumb it with hose of the same diametre to bottom of engine bay, far far away from the top of the engine but make sure you block the hole in the intake it went into use a unrestrictive backbox, dont change the diametre of the exhaust as it doesnt need it on a car under 2litre. Do that and she'll fly but if the engine isnt in good working order its a waste. I left college last year because i was sick of school, earlier this year i left my good job because i earn more money tuning and fixing cars on my own best of luck and stick with it