Trying to get a reputable tuner and dyno devotee to give up their best ECU mapping techniques and recalibration hacks is like asking a toddler to hand over the Häagen-Dazs. It ain’t happening. And if it does happen, chances are it will transpire via brute force or intense negotiation.

Being that knowledge is power, a company called Elite Tuned School aims to offer up all the best tuning tips and secrets. According to the Elite Tuned School website, its primary intent is to: “…be 100% transparent in sharing ALL of our trade secrets, real-world knowledge, and results…”

Broken down into a series of lessons that cater to an array of learning curves, Elite Tuned School’s multi-stage classes are the way to go if you want to learn how to tune.

The number of enrollment options is staggering, too, from entry-level GEN III LSX basics to bundles with every OE option or swappable solution being outlined for that particular powerplant. 

Oh, and did we mention the rewards program, which pays you back and enters you to win prizes based on your training needs and purchases? So, that basically makes this a tuning school that pays you back for your studies. So, where do we sign up?

Meet The Elite Tuned School Founding Fathers

Founded by Mike Carnahan and Brandon Leeb, Elite Tuned School offers online learning for anyone interested in the GM LS and LT engine, as well as the Coyote-powered Mustang.

A few of the more well-known shops that rely upon Mike and Brandon’s expertise include Brian Tooley Racing, Trans Am Worldwide, and Vengeance Racing. The latter of these is actually how Mike and Brandon first met. However, long before he was a dedicated tuning instructor, Mike Carnahan was a very different sort of shop owner.

As the story goes, Mike started Vengeance Racing way back in 2005. By late 2010, Mike stepped down as owner of Vengeance Racing and officially opened Vengeance PCM so he could focus solely on tuning. Although Mike remained within the Vengeance Racing building as its exclusive tuner, he eventually built a large volume of tuning clients outside of the shop. This led to Branden Leeb coming on board Vengeance Racing in 2019. An accomplished tuner himself, Branden proved to be the perfect partner, which resulted in the creation of Elite Tuned and the Elite Tuned School. 

Here at the Elite Tuned School, we are always looking for ways to improve, grow, and bring you the most innovative ideas and solutions for your tuning needs. –Mike Carnahan, Elite Tuned School

After many months of planning and production, Mike and Brandon are thrilled to announce a fresh round of partnership programs, along with some new learning tools and a bunch of perks for freshmen enrollees.

Elite Tuned School Experience Exclusives

From a perks perspective, Elite Tuned School is generous in what it offers—starting with the all-new Elite Tuned Credit Reward Program. As far as we know, this is the only program of its kind that rewards customers for utilizing Universal Credit purchases from HP Tuners.

Simply purchase the number of Universal Credits you might need via the Elite Tuned Store, and the brand will reward you. Aggressively priced discounts, swag, and even FREE tuning courses are up for grabs, all backed by a buy more, earn more mentality.

Speaking of free tuning courses, Elite Tuned School also offers a Free Mini Course. Broken down into five easily digestible lessons, this intro class provides answers to the most common tuning questions Mike and Brandon get on a weekly basis.

Topics like VVE adjustments, injector flow adjustments, basic data logging, and the Gen V LT1 MAF rescale are all covered in brief in this free online beginner course.

What About Pricing And Package Deals???

Since free college courses are in short supply nowadays, and Elite Tuned’s mini course is limited, the topic of tuner school tuition must be discussed.

For Elite Tuned School enrollees, pricing starts at about $150 for a basic GM 4L60E/4L80E 7-lesson course. After that, pricing moves into the $295-$500 range for older LS tuning courses at basic and advanced levels, respectively. Of course, you can also take many other classes, including Coyote motor-oriented lessons, LT motor guides, and more advanced transmission classes.

Elite Tuned School also offers package bundle deals. For example, the Ultimate Gen IV E38/E67 Bundle from Elite Tuned runs $1,399. This may sound steep, but when you consider all that this course covers, you realize the value of these bundles.

Everything from the C6 Z06/ZR1 and CTS-Vs, to the Camaro ZL1/SS and GM Trucks are covered here. All rolled into three (3) Elite Tuned School Courses: Gen IV Basic, Gen IV Advanced, and 6L80/6L90 Transmissions. There’s even an “Ultimate Professional and Shop Bundle,” which runs about $5,000 and comes with one-on-one training and a year of support.

Keeping The Streets Safe, One Tune At A Time

For Mike and Brandon, “drivability tuning” remains just as crucial to their cause as tuning neck-snapping seven-second straight-line race machines. For many, this is often considered the most challenging (and rewarding) side of aftermarket ECU/PCM reprogramming.

Being tutored in the art of simultaneously concocting a safe, reliable, and potent street/strip tune is not only beneficial. It is also socially responsible. When it comes to high-performance automobiles, the safety of those around us remains paramount.

Parting Pulls

Elite Tuned has made a splash since its recent inception. As the only tuning company to provide 100-percent unlocked TCMs for the 2020+ Camaro SS/ZL1, there has been a lot of talk about what the future entails for this unique tuning operation.

Offering services such as these to anyone who needs them is not only admirable but attention-grabbing as well. This is precisely how Elite Tuned caught the eye of none other than HP Tuners and ultimately formed a partnership. With devices like the MPVI3 on hand and ready to ship at a moment’s notice, enrollees can order the remote tuning device tools they need for more advanced classes.

A one-on-one training session for the inexperienced and aspiring automotive tuner, all made possible thanks to screen sharing, car computers, electronic programming tools, and the jolly old internet. Ain’t technology grand?