Technical Write-Ups

About These Write-Ups

This is where I share insights from engine calibration. Some are personal reflections on the real-world process of remote tuning, platform integration, diagnostics, and system-level problem-solving in high-performance and motorsport builds. Some are more focused on the technical aspect of the craft.

  • When I started diving into tuning ECUs in 2016, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what it meant: adjust a few tables, increase power somehow, and make the car drive okay . Ignorantly, I assumed it was just about chasing horsepower. I came to a realization: engine calibration is its own trade — just like being an electrician, a machinist, or a fabricator. It demands a working knowledge of internal combustion engines, electrical systems, software ecosystems, diagnostic workflows, and more! It requires time, repetition, and exposure to hundreds of real-world edge cases — the kind of learning you only get through hands-on experience, not reading a manual.

    Each platform — Syvecs, MoTeC, Life Racing, EcuTek — comes with its own workflow, quirks, limitations, and diagnostic tools. Each engine, drivetrain and project in general come with their or unique quirks and challenges. I’ve diagnosed ground faults, failing sensors, and improper crank trigger setups all on the same platform.

    This is where the process really becomes valuable. These aren’t things you guess your way through. These are solved with process, understanding and experience.

    Methodical Problem Solving

    When I'm working through an issue — whether it’s idle instability or launch control — I treat it like a testable problem. I form a hypothesis: If I reduce this table by X , the outcome should be y. I think through what the expected result should be. Then I make the change and test it — always with some form of datalogging.

    Sometimes the outcome is what I expected. Sometimes it's not. Either way, I analyze the results, determine why, and adjust. This loop is the core of how I calibrate. I’m not guessing — I’m applying structured logic, backed by experience and validated by data.

    I don’t think of the craft as "tuning" in the casual sense — it’s calibration and science, each requiring testing. Calibration requires precision and repeatability. Science requires a hypothesis and validation. The goal isn’t just to make power — it’s to deliver optimized engine torque, exceptional drivability, and consistent performance under real-world demands.