While perusing the PRI show, we stopped to see our friends over at the School of Automotive Machinists and Technology, also known as “Sam Tech.” We were intrigued as they had an engine run-stand on display. For some, this may just be an ordinary engine on a run stand, but this one means much, much, more. In fact, the instructors are using every part of this setup to further educate our future automotive leaders.

Jim Maynus, a SAM Tech official, explained to us that this is one of the biggest parts of their course. “Each of our students will reach this point in the class. This is for the EFI calibration class. They will be given an engine with a blank slate and a clear Holley standalone ECU,” he said. “They must be able to get this engine to fire with a press of the button.” Seems simple enough, right?

“What the students will have to do is take everything they’ve learned from previous areas of the course and apply it here,” Jim continues. “It isn’t just getting the engine to start. It has to start, it has to idle, and then the instructors will make RPM adjustments and make sure the engine will follow as ordered. The engine must rev without falling on its face. Our go-to scoring on this test is that it starts within three revolutions. If it doesn’t, students then use their new knowledge on how to get this engine to where it is supposed to be using diagnostic skills.” Before SAM Tech had this technology, it was a waiting game for something to be towed in.

We haven’t always had this luxury. We would have to wait for cars to come in or we would have to teach these principles in the classroom. Now, regardless of the class size, every single student gets this opportunity. – Jim Maynus

Once students have figured this out and passed this section of the course, they then move into the final stage, which is live tuning on the track. They take the students out and force them to adapt to different weather temperatures and track conditions. We’re excited for SAM Tech on the newest technology and look forward to seeing what else they can teach the future of our automotive generation.