EFI University Review (101, Advanced)
I thought I'd dump my thoughts while they're fresh. Might be interesting if anyone is considering the course. First, about the classes: EFI 101 is two days in a classroom-like setting (20ish people) consisting mostly of lecture and study with a tuning demo at the end. EFI Advanced is a much smaller group (6 people in this case). Despite being a separate class, IMO it is really the "lab" portion of EFI 101. So much so, that I really can't imagine NOT doing it after EFI 101.
Day 1 of EFI 101:
8:45 AM. I show up at the shop. There's a GT-R and a Z06 parked outside. I figure I've got the right place. I meet the instructor. In the idle time before class, some people are already asking questions about their individual pet projects. It's pretty clear right away that he knows his stuff.
9:00 AM. Class starts. We introduce ourselves. Most people here are NOT total noobs. Several have experience with a particular EMS. A couple are shop owners.
9:15 AM. Man, we're starting with the bare basics here: the four-stroke cycle. I'm slightly concerned, but after 15 minutes of "duh", he bails on the book material and starts discussing real-world stuff. Camshaft duration, valve overlap, compromises for power vs economy, etc. Draws a diagram of cylinder pressure vs volume over time. We discuss various engine configurations and considerations. Good explanations. OK, I'm reasonably intrigued.
10:00 AM. Mathematics. The class becomes math, entirely. Formulas, units, conversions. With accompanying explanations by the instructor, all of which are good. Computing VE, VAF, MAF, BSFC, BSAC, etc. A few "duh" subjects, such as lambda and A/F ratios, but honestly it doesn't hurt to hear it again. We work a few examples, starting with engine specifications and deriving all sorts of theoretical estimations and expected performance. I'm scribbling 6G72 stuff in the margins.
12:00 PM. Lunch. Pizza is provided. That's cool.
1:00 PM. It's now Electronics 101. Ohm's Law. Seriously? Fortunately, we blow through this section.
1:30 PM. We move on to wave forms. Sine waves and square waves. Amplitude, frequency, pulse width, duty cycle. Falling edges, rising edges. Instructor diverges from the book a bit and gives examples on various engine setups, sensor types, and how you might set up an EMS to use them. I'm having Stealth 316 flashbacks.
3:00 PM. Components of an EFI system. MAP, IAT, TPS, etc. Another "duh" subject, until we get to injectors, at which point he launches into a pretty detailed explanation of considerations and selection.
4:30 PM. Today's class is pretty much done. Instructor chats a bit about his experiences and some funny stories.
First day thoughts: Good material. The pacing is a bit weird. We alternate between "duh" and "OMG I CAN'T WRITE FAST ENOUGH", depending on whether we're covering book material or the instructor is dropping golden nuggets, respectively. So far my opinion of the class is that the experience is HIGHLY dependent on the instructor. Fortunately ours is good.
More to come...
