Tuning Basics
How to Read a Dyno Sheet: kW, Nm and What Matters
· 1 min read · PTEB Tuning
Every PTEB tune comes with a dyno sheet. It's more useful than a single peak number — if you know what to look for.
Power and torque curves
The sheet plots power (kW) and torque (Nm) against engine speed. Torque is the twisting force you feel as acceleration; power is torque multiplied by rpm. A strong mid-range torque curve is what makes a car feel fast on the road.
Wheel power vs engine power
A chassis dyno measures at the wheels, so figures are lower than the manufacturer's engine rating. Losses vary with the drivetrain — all-wheel drive and automatic gearboxes lose more. That's normal.
Look at the area under the curve
Two cars with the same peak can drive very differently. A tune that adds torque across a wide band of rpm is faster in the real world than one that spikes at the top. Compare the before and after lines across the whole range.
Only compare like with like
Different dynos, settings and weather produce different numbers. Before-and-after runs on the same dyno, on the same day, tell you the real gain.