Automotive Tuning Classes and Performance Courses

Key Points

- Comprehensive Training in Power & Performance: The Power & Performance portion of the 51-week Automotive Technology program at Universal Technical Institute (UTI) offers a specialized nine-week set of three courses.^7,37 They focus on engine building, tuning and performance enhancements, including the use of turbochargers, superchargers and nitrous oxide for power boosts.

- Hands-On Learning Experience: Students engage in practical learning in the Power & Performance courses by performing a full engine teardown, blueprinting and rebuild.¹⁸They then test and tune the engines they've built using a T-bucket setup, develop performance tuning maps and apply these skills on various vehicles using a chassis dynamometer.

- Collaboration with Industry Leaders: UTI collaborated with Roush Yates Engines, a leading engine builder for Ford Performance, to develop a curriculum that reflects the modern racing experience. This ensures that students are learning the latest techniques and practices in engine performance.

- Three-Stage Structure: Power & Performance is divided into three distinct three-week courses covering engine building, bolt-on performance enhancements and computer performance tuning. This structure allows students to progressively build their knowledge and skills, culminating in the ability to optimize vehicle performance through advanced tuning methods.

- Accessibility and Career Preparation: No prior experience is required to enroll in UTI's Power & Performance courses, making the curriculum accessible to individuals with varying backgrounds. The classes are offered at 12 campus locations across the United States, providing students with the opportunity to start training for a career in automotive tuning and performance enhancement at their convenience. ¹

The smell of the octane, the sound of motors revving and the sight of beautiful, eye-catching rides can only mean one thing … you’re in the Power & Performance lab at Universal Technical Institute.

If you’re passionate about making cars faster and more powerful, you’ll feel right at home in UTI’s Power & Performance courses. As a student in the 51-week Automotive Technology program, you’ll take automotive tuning classes that in just nine of those weeks cover topics like engine building, exhaust systems and everything in between.^7,37

Keep reading to learn all about this exciting curriculum and get a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on in the Power & Performance lab.

Automotive Tuning Classes at UTI

UTI’s Power & Performance courses are included in the 51-week Automotive Technology program. To develop curriculum based on the modern racing experience, UTI teamed up with Roush Yates Engines, the exclusive engine builder for Ford Performance and winner of more than 350 races.

Designed with speed enthusiasts in mind, Power & Performance covers converters, camshafts and cylinder heads, turbochargers, cold-air induction and even nitrous oxide power boosts.

Students learn to perform a full engine teardown, blueprint and engine rebuild. They drop the engine they’ve built into a T-bucket to test and tune, build performance tuning maps and then upload those maps to vehicles for testing and tuning.

Once they master the basics, students take their training to the Chassis Dyno lab. Here, they work with performance tuning chips by uploading them to different cars and running them on the dynamometer to test horsepower and torque.

The Power & Performance classes are a favorite among students on campus — and for good reason! These high-power courses are designed to equip you with valuable skills you can build upon as you pursue a career in the industry.¹

Hear from one of UTI’s instructors and follow along as he tests a 2004 Pontiac GTO on the dyno:

A Breakdown of the 3 Power & Performance Classes

So what exactly will you learn in the Power & Performance lab? It is broken into a series of three-week courses, each with a different focus:

Power & Performance I: Engine Build

In this first course, you’ll learn the intricacies of how a bare engine comes together. You’ll learn how to rebuild an engine when given an exact set of specifications, with an emphasis on high-performance engine building techniques and practices.

From cylinder-head designs, to valve-train geometry, to roller rockers and lifters, you’ll learn all aspects of building an engine and how to select components that complement each other for optimum results. According to UTI instructor Mike Salvo, students in this course create a relationship with what they’re building — it becomes their own.

Power & Performance II: Bolt-On Performance

In this next course, students put their engine into a T-bucket and run it on the dyno. They learn about the operation of dynamometer testing, with an emphasis on tuning and computer selection for optimum performance. Both chassis and engine dynamometers are used to help students understand engines and rear-wheel horsepower.

As students run their engine on the dyno, they’re able to see how it performs. They’ll use dynamometer data to understand how changes to an engine’s induction, exhaust and fueling system affect its performance.

Read: What is Dyno Tuning?

Power & Performance III: Computer Performance Tuning

In this last course, students focus on all things tuning. They learn how vehicle modifications and performance equipment can change the engine’s ability to function at its peak.

Using aftermarket software, students change the calibration of the vehicle’s powertrain control module to manage performance enhancements and modifications. The objective is to build an engine that creates as much horsepower and torque as possible but is also long-lasting.

By the end of the Power & Performance courses, students should feel accomplished. In just nine weeks, they learn what goes into building and testing an engine that’s ready to hit the track!

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the Power & Performance course?

Power & Performance comprises three, three-week courses, making it nine weeks in total, which are included in the 51-week Automotive Technology program.³⁷

What is dyno tuning?

Dynamometer tuning involves adjusting a vehicle’s ignition, fuel and air supply to achieve as much horsepower and torque as possible while keeping the proper air-fuel ratio. Power & Performance teaches students how to tune an engine after they learn about engine building.

Do students learn about superchargers and turbochargers?

Students in our automotive tuning classes learn about both superchargers and turbochargers. They learn to size superchargers and turbochargers correctly in order to make power.

Does UTI use nitrous in the cars?

Yes. Nitrous, which is often referred to as “horsepower in a bottle,” is used in the program. Students learn to identify what an engine can handle in order to use nitrous correctly.

Horsepower vs. torque: What’s the difference?

Horsepower and torque are covered in Power & Performance. Essentially, torque is a rotating force produced by the crankshaft in an engine. The more torque, the more work the engine is producing. Horsepower is the measure of how quickly an engine can accomplish this work (a helpful way to look at it is torque multiplied by RPM).

When do students get to use the dyno?

Once students learn about engine building and demonstrate their understanding, they have the opportunity to test on the dyno.   

Do I need prior experience to train at UTI?

At UTI, we have students from all backgrounds and skill levels. Our programs are designed to build your knowledge from the ground up, so no prior experience is required!

Start Training for Your Career in UTI’s Tuning Courses

UTI’s Power & Performance courses, which are part of the Automotive Technology program, are available at multiple campus locations across the country.

The Automotive Technology program starts multiple times throughout the year, which means you can get going and start preparing for a career sooner. To learn more, visit our program page and request information to connect with one of our Admissions Representatives today.