SCT tuning courses

[shmustang]

have any of you guys done any of the sct tuning courses if so what did you think as i am considering doing the first four modules.
any feed back greatly appreciated.
thanks
mike

 

[twisted_GT500]

I talked to SCT last year about it and they said they would only take certified dealers...no 'off-the-street' enthusiasts who wanted to learn tuning.

After that, a local mechanic bought in and became certified and went to their school....he said he learned a few useful things, but overall wasn't worth the money. Also said they didn't even mention anything about drive-by-wire...which all 05+ mustangs have. And when he contacted them afterwards about it they kept giving him conflicting information that he eventually found out was completely wrong...and that their 'tech' guys are their lowest paid employees with little to no real-world experience.

Once again, this is what HE told me from HIS first-hand experience. After hearing that I never even contacted them (SCT) about the online courses, if those are what you're asking about.

If you do get more info though, please share!

 

[HAPPY HIPPO]

http://www.thetuningschool.com/products/home-training-courses/3121/

 

[shmustang]

many thanks for your opinions on this i have sent 2 emails to sct about this and at this moment i only have a reply to the email i sent telling them i was a dealer with price lists for becoming a dealership.
if i hear any more i will post up an info i get.
once again many thanks for your help

 

[Jinx]

Would be nice to learn to tune without have to sell their stuff.

 

[BruceH]

Would be nice to learn to tune without have to sell their stuff.

There are books on engine management that will get you started. Once you purchase prp access is granted to the sct prp support forum. I also believe Greg Banish has a traveling engine management class.

 

[Jinx]

Sweet. Is it true that some parameters are locked in versions of the SCT software that can be unlocked by attending certain level course via SCT and registering your software with certification validation? I heard this crap from a tuner and I didn't know the truth of the matter.

 

[BruceH]

Sweet. Is it true that some parameters are locked in versions of the SCT software that can be unlocked by attending certain level course via SCT and registering your software with certification validation? I heard this crap from a tuner and I didn't know the truth of the matter.

There's stuff I can't get to. Drive by wire, some of the vct tables, there's more but off the top of my head it's all I can remember. I'm fortunate enough to have a pro tuner who treats me pretty good when I use his dyno. He will tweak things I don't have access to and show me where I'm going wrong with some of my thinking.

 

[Jinx]

That's what I was thinking, I wish there was a hack for that if someone was knowledgable about those functions.

DSMs are lucky to have DSMlink. lol. Who up for some Stanglink? Jk.

 

[Towelly]

I've taken the SCT Dealer training and gotten the Calibrator access. I took it when Greg Banish was still teaching the class, two years ago now. I don't know who you talked to that said they don't let any "enthusiasts" in the class, but that is bullshit. I don't work for a shop and I'm not a professional tuner. I tune my Uncles EFI dragster and mess around with tuning myself. I read Greg Banishs book (http://www.amazon.com/Engine-Manage...4421/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1327049015&sr=8-1) and after that I took the class. If the training is the same level, it is worth every penny. Just know there isn't really any "Trick" to tuning. It is a process, once you have the process down your golden. From there it's just perfecting your skills and learning what the car's you're tuning like and don't like.

 

[Towelly]

I talked to SCT last year about it and they said they would only take certified dealers...no 'off-the-street' enthusiasts who wanted to learn tuning.

After that, a local mechanic bought in and became certified and went to their school....he said he learned a few useful things, but overall wasn't worth the money. Also said they didn't even mention anything about drive-by-wire...which all 05+ mustangs have. And when he contacted them afterwards about it they kept giving him conflicting information that he eventually found out was completely wrong...and that their 'tech' guys are their lowest paid employees with little to no real-world experience.

Once again, this is what HE told me from HIS first-hand experience. After hearing that I never even contacted them (SCT) about the online courses, if those are what you're asking about.

If you do get more info though, please share!

Your mechanic was full of shit if he said has taken the Advanced Ford course in the last couple of years. When I took it we spent a good bit of time on drive-by-wire.

 

[Towelly]

many thanks for your opinions on this i have sent 2 emails to sct about this and at this moment i only have a reply to the email i sent telling them i was a dealer with price lists for becoming a dealership.
if i hear any more i will post up an info i get.
once again many thanks for your help

To become a dealer you need to "invest" in the company. When I took the course it was $2500 (the investment, not the course). Which is the same cost as buying the Advantage 3.0 software for Mustangs only. That doesn't include any hand held devices, which are required to upload the tunes to the vehicles or licenses. I think the packages come with some licenses but not many. Also, it's $500 a year for updates. The course itself, when I took it, was $1500. I think it is more than that now.

 

[Full_Tilt]

There are lost of places to learn basic tuning theory, such as the PGMFI.org Libraray and The Megasquirt "Mega-manual". The problem is that it is mostly aimed towards speed density tuning.
I have zero experience tuning a mass air-flow EMS, but I believe that the maps you tune are in calculated % load as opposed to speed density which goes by unmodified manifold pressure. But I think that the same basic concepts should apply.

 

[Towelly]

There are lost of places to learn basic tuning theory, such as the PGMFI.org Libraray and The Megasquirt "Mega-manual". The problem is that it is mostly aimed towards speed density tuning.
I have zero experience tuning a mass air-flow EMS, but I believe that the maps you tune are in calculated % load as opposed to speed density which goes by unmodified manifold pressure. But I think that the same basic concepts should apply.

IMHO, start with Greg's book. It's super cheap and FULL of good info. If you still interested after reading the book from cover to cover, then it's time to step up. Any new tuning "manuals" or "guides" will have both MAF and Speed Density (MAP) material unless you are getting a book specifically for one or the other.

 

[Towelly]

That's what I was thinking, I wish there was a hack for that if someone was knowledgable about those functions.

DSMs are lucky to have DSMlink. lol. Who up for some Stanglink? Jk.

For anything 04 and older we (Ford Guys) have Moates Quarter Horse. But Fords new EEC's are far to fast for most "piggy-back" systems.

 

[twisted_GT500]

Just to clarify...that was what HE told me. Don't know which of the courses he took...wether it was the beginner or advanced course.

As for the other....that's what they told me when I called...between 12-18 months ago. They said at that time they were only taking dealers. Haven't called back since. Have no idea what their policy before or after than has been!

 

[Franchi]

Awesome info thanks! I just ordered Greg's book as I've been curious to learn more as well. Plan on going over and reading it cover to cover....

 

[Swarzkopf]

I also wish we had a better self tuning option. I've tuned my '05 with SCT PRP. It works OK I guess, but it's very primitive and limited compared to what I've tuned my GMs with (HP Tuners). I wish HP Tuners provided better/more/any real Ford support.

 

[Towelly]

I also wish we had a better self tuning option. I've tuned my '05 with SCT PRP. It works OK I guess, but it's very primitive and limited compared to what I've tuned my GMs with (HP Tuners). I wish HP Tuners provided better/more/any real Ford support.

LoL - This is why you need calibrator certification. HP Tuner's doesn't have shit on full PRP or Advantage 3.0. However, EFI live is Bad fucking Ass.... I am jealous of that, slightly. SCT really allows you to do everything you need to make a real badass car. 800+ RWHP can be achieved on using the stock EEC and SCT. Also, it will still be streetable if you do it right. IMHO, there is only two things that suck about SCT. One, you have to use the handheld and go between your Laptop, to handheld, to car. Rinse Wash repeat. Two, SCT is super expensive. You can literally buy Big Stuff 3 AND a harness for what you will have into SCT PRP, the training and a handheld. Which is, in my opinion, pretty steep.

 

[Towelly]

Just to clarify...that was what HE told me. Don't know which of the courses he took...wether it was the beginner or advanced course.

As for the other....that's what they told me when I called...between 12-18 months ago. They said at that time they were only taking dealers. Haven't called back since. Have no idea what their policy before or after than has been!

Right on. No worries. I'm not saying your full of it, but I think your mechanic might be. Unless he took some universal beginner class.