Automobile Tuning : Why and How??

Today I am writing off after a week long gap because I was busy celebrating Diwali :)..I got a question from one of my friend about Automobile Tuning on my facebook page..So here I am with the information. I will tell about what this term means "Automobile Tuning" means. So lets start up with what is Automobile Tuning..

Automobile Engine tuning

What is Automobile Tuning:

Automobile tuning is nothing but a term given to the process of optimizing your automobile to give the best on road. It includes checking up the vital functioning of main components and changing up the ones worn out but the process doesn't end here. The whole tuning process is divided into three major sections as per the work involved in it. If you ever visited a car/bike workshop with an intention of getting it serviced, then you must be knowing that tuning is a part of your servicing. After servicing the workshop returns your vehicle with the performance it is made for. Now take a look at the types of Automobile Tuning.

Types of Tuning:

Well there are uncountable people living on earth and everyone may have a different perception about types of tuning but as far as I am concerned, I categorize them into three:

1. Engine Tuning
2. ECU Tuning
3. Performance Tuning

Now the engine and performance is known word but what's ECU?? Don't you worry I will take this up a bit later, first lets see what happens in Engine Tuning..

Engine Tuning:

Engine tuning involves the very basic things but important things to check primarily. I will tell them in bullet points with specifying why it's done, here are these:

• Replace Engine oil : As due to regular usage the viscosity of engine oil decreases which in turn will increase friction in engine.
• Replace Air Filter : The dust and other particles keeps settling on the filter part which needs to be replaced.
• Replace Oil Filter : The worn out tiny particles from the engine gets clogged into the oil filter and may block the flow of oil inside. 
• Replace Spark Plugs: This part of your vehicle is necessary for igniting the engine and needs to be checks for any fault.

Replacing Timing Belt

• Replace Belts: Belts are responsible for transferring power from engine to the axle and these need to be replaced periodically.
• Fill Up Coolant: It keeps flowing to keep the engine cool and thus gets evaporated by a certain amount and hence needs to be filled back periodically.
• Battery Check-Up: Adding distilled water into the battery and cleaning up the terminals.
• Re-Fastening the Bolts: Due to engine vibrations the bolts get loose so a check is necessary.

And many more...

ECU Tuning:

First let me tell you whats ECU..it is Engine Control unit which takes care of all the specific tasks in engine. Although ECU thing is not very new but old automobiles were ECU free as the controls were analog not digital. But now every automobile has it be it a Car or a Bike. 

ECU of a Car

ECU does so many tasks like Control of  Air/Fuel Mixture,  Ignition Timing, Variable Valve Timing and many more stuffs..These ECU's are coded by the companies with specific timings and settings to obtain a controlled output from the engine.

      Few automobiles have programmable ECU's which can be programmed for various settings to achieve different performances. The company which manufactures ECU's also provides workshop guys a device that they can use for programming ECU's. Although these tasks are done only by experts as a minor change in setting can result in a major change.

Performance Tuning:

This type is tuning is exclusive as it is done as per the specific tasks to be done by the automobiles. This tuning makes sure that your machine gives its best performance even better than the company specified it to give. Suppose a bike is used for Motorsports then its obvious that all the major components should be able to withstand extra heat that would be burdened over them during high performance or for example take case of rally sport where the suspension used needs to be replaced with better sustainability which would have not been used otherwise. Performance tuning is not a regular process for regular automobiles but its done only where it is needed. Beside changing up the component, the timing and ratios are of great importance.

That's all I have to tell about the Automobile Tuning...share your views or suggestions with me..

Happy Reading!!