Tuned In

This week's HPA Tuned In podcast guest, Anthony Daher of Dahtone Racing, is an expert on all things Nissan RB and Skyline GT-R. 

Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in

Based in Sydney Australia, Anthony is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to Nissan's legendary R32-34 GT-R platform and its enduring RB26 powerplant. Over a couple of decades worth of experience building and racing countless Skylines, he's learnt everything there is to know about these imperfect pieces of 90s engineering and is more than happy to drop some of that knowledge during his conversation with our host, Andre Simon.

This episode is a real deep dive into the RB world as Anthony and Andre look into Nissan's legendary straight-six to discuss its strengths and its weaknesses, how to overcome the engineering shortfalls, as well as how to get the absolute most out of it.

Anthony also takes the time to discuss the business side of the equation, talking us through how he started his Dahtone Racing shop, the lessons he's learnt, and what he thinks is key to running a successful company in the aftermarket performance industry. There's plenty of good advice here for anyone wanting to sharpen up their performance business or looking to start something new.

Before wrapping up, Anthony also discusses the ins and outs of the two-time WTAC-winning Hammerhead Nissan S13 Silvia, which his shop is now looking after since it changed hands last year.

Even if RBs and GT-Rs aren't your thing, this episode makes for a great listen for anyone with an interest in engine building, motorsport, or business success in the industry.

Follow Anthony's work here:
FB: Dahtone Racing
IG: @dahtone_racing

Learn more about Performance Engine Building by coming along to the next FREE lesson: https://hpcdmy.co/engineb

Forged pistons are better than cast in the aftermarket performance world, but why?

Using JE Ultra Series pistons for the example with Jeremy at The Sema Show we dive into how forged pistons hold up better to knock/detonation, can handle more boost pressure/load and heat as well as having greater tensile strength. When it comes to the JE Ultra Series line these forged pistons also have a ceramic coating that helps keep the heat where you want it in the combustion chamber and away from the bottom end of your engine.

JE''s 'perfect skirt coating is also discussed along with how a window is left in the coating which allows machinists to still make accurate measurements when preparing the block. Also discussed is how JE forged pistons also have an aligned grain structure due to their production technique which allows JE to have the grain optimised in high-stress areas of the piston for extra strength (up to 20% but it will depend on the specific piston design).

Not discussed directly but an important aspect of the likes of JE's perfect skirt application is how it not only reduces friction as you would assume but in the case of forged pistons also helps eliminate the piston slap they usually have from cold start as well as false knock.

Lateral and vertical gas ports which allow your piston to seal against the bore are also explained along with the reason pistons have an accumulator groove and of course how the JE Ultra Series pistons come with their Alloy Steel 9310 wrist pins which offer superior tensile strength.

Learn more about Performance Engine Building by coming along to the next FREE lesson: hpcdmy.co/enginebuildingf 

A whole lot of knowledge is dropped and plenty of myths get busted on this week's episode of the High Performance Academy Tuned In podcast. 

Our guest, Tyler Hassing of Force Engineering, is a multi-talented performance engine builder and machinist, tuner, and fabricator with a passion for building things right and going as fast as possible.

Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in

In this tech-focused episode, Andre and Tyler get into the weeds on a wide range of topics, starting with the nightmare that is early Ford EFI tuning, before moving on to some serious Mitsubishi 4G63 nerdery, and a discussion on the pros and cons of different engine prep blasting methods.

A lot of Tyler's work is in the performance engine building and machining world, and this gives Andre an opportunity to discuss building for big power, as well as the common mistakes that Tyler sees time and time again when people build their own performance motors.

This also leads to a very in-depth discussion around cylinder head porting, in which Tyler clears up a lot of mystery surrounding what can sometimes be thought of as a bit of a black art.

Tyler also currently claims the world record for a stock-block Gen-1 Ford Coyote with an 8.59 @ 155mph in his S197 Mustang, and has learnt plenty of lessons along the way. The interestingly minimalistic build is discussed in detail, delving into the reflash vs aftermarket ECU debate, finding the limit of a stock Coyote V8, turbo sizing, and much more.

This episode contains a tonne of interesting and useful info for anyone interested in going fast reliably, and you'll probably end up at least three percent smarter if you listen to it.

Follow Tyler here:
YouTube: Force Engineering
Facebook: Force Engineering

Learn more about Performance Engine Building by coming along to the next FREE lesson: https://hpcdmy.co/engineb

Starting life as a 2015 Acura TLX GT, this RealTime Racing monster is now a twin turbo, 500HP mid-engined Pikes Peak 2018 Open class winner.

Mike gives us a rundown on the car which has been extensively modified with the dry sumped V6 J35 engine, prepared by Honda Performance Development, being mid-mounted to allow for an AWD setup to be installed with a 60:40 split on the Xtrac transmission and front and rear differentials. The engine is controlled by a McLaren ECU with the paddle shift system being managed by a MEGA-line pneumatic shifting package.

Also discussed are some of the cooling considerations for Pikes Peak, how useful the data from testing (which is not a full run) is and also some of the work that went into getting the engine to fit in this configuration.

Want to learn how to EFI tune? Start with some free lessons right here: hpcdmy.co/efilesson

What's the best way to tackle a big build project and actually follow through to its completion? Just how useful is learning how to design in CAD? Is stance dead? And just how the hell did Ferrari manage to build such an overweight and underpowered car?

These questions and many more interesting head-scratchers are all answered on this week's episode of the High Performance Academy Tuned In podcast with our guest, Mike Burroughs of StanceWorks.

Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in

From humble beginnings, Mike became one of a few key figures that helped to push the automotive landscape in a whole new direction during the 2010s. This week's conversation kicks off by exploring Mike's emergence onto the international car scene through his founding of StanceWorks and his internet-breaking builds, before discussing the 'stance' scene's meteoric rise, unavoidable peak, and inevitable decline.

 Mike was able to translate that early success into a full-time career, and now runs a successful YouTube channel alongside the ever-popular StanceWorks site. Andre digs into this transition and how it's actually financially viable, before discussing Mike's biggest selling point — his insane builds.

Mike has zero relevant qualifications and has simply learnt everything as he goes, documenting it all for the world to see. This means he's picked up plenty of lessons along the way, and talks Andre through the most important things he's learnt when it comes to tackling big builds — and that means learning how to fabricate, weld, CAD design, and everything else in between.

Then there's the bright yellow elephant in the room — Mike's Honda-powered Ferrari 308 project. Although the purists might turn their noses up at this build, Mike dives deep into explaining exactly why he took a pristine classic Ferrari and tore it to pieces in order to create a 1000hp, K24-powered, street-legal time attack weapon.

If you love the buzz that comes with getting another job done on your build, or you're just about to pull the trigger on a new project car, or maybe you just love a little controversy — this is going to be a great listen for you.

Want to learn how to do your own fabrication work on your build? Here's the perfect place to start: https://hpcdmy.co/fabb

Follow Mike here:
www.stanceworks.com
IG: @mike_stanceworks
YT: Stanceworks

It’s not long ago that trying to get 200HP more from an engine at its limit without forced induction or nitrous would have left you scratching your head with 0 results.

Sasha Anis of MoTeC Canada and Mountain Pass Performance runs us through their Lotus Evora (Blue Lightning) EV conversion project and 700HP Nissan 350Z Hybrid setup which all use a mixture of OEM Tesla, Chevrolet and BMW motor and battery components

Sasha discusses how the goal for the Blue Lightning project was to have a complete OE feel including stability and traction control built-in using a MoTeC M150EV control unit rather than all the manual switches you often find in a race car. The limitations including software, range, heat and voltage management are touched on along with cost being one of the biggest barriers to entry for motorsport level setups at the moment. Luckily there are some options that MoTeC offer and some other simpler controllers out there already getting the ball rolling with plug and play solutions in the pipeline for the industry also.

On the Hybrid 350Z front we learn about the 500HP All Motor VQ35 and its KERS system that sees up to 200HP extra on tap once more than 80% throttle has been requested. This setup gives the flexibility of going all out for a Time Attack application or having smaller amounts of power on tap for an entire race depending on driver and track demands. A MoTeC GPRP is used for engine and sequential gearbox control with a lot of the custom Blue Lightning firmware handling the electric motor side of the car.

Lastly, we dive into the charging limitations for a KERS system. As the BMW i8 battery has some unknown parameters and is expensive, Sasha explains that it’s a constant balance of managing voltage and heat to ensure batteries are not overcharged when they’re close to full but have as much charge as they can safely when depleted to maximise performance, meaning the scale of charge is always shifting.

Want to learn more about motorsport wiring? Claim your spot to the next FREE lesson: hpcdmy.co/wiringlessonf

From fighting the government, to the final word on which Honda motor is best, to cleaving a block into two pieces on the start line — this week's episode of the High Performance Academy Tuned In podcast with PFI Speed's Brent Leivestad is a wild ride.

Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in

Brent joins us from snowy Colorado for an interesting and in-depth conversation that covers a wide range of topics. Andre and Brent kick off by discussing PFI Speed and its metamorphosis from a used parts sourcing company into the well-known fixture of the import scene that it is today. The conversation then — inevitably — turns towards all things Honda, of which Brent is very well versed. The big topic that comes up here is the pros and cons of each Honda engine series, and which is definitively the best.

The guys then dive deep into a recent incident at Sick week, which saw one of the PFI Speed cars split a B18C block completely in half. Brent discusses the ongoing diagnosis journey, as well as the steps that can be taken to ensure this sort of catastrophic failure doesn't happen again.

The convo then pivots in a completely different direction, focusing on Brent's recent battle with the US Government, in which he was handed massive fines for selling aftermarket ECUs. This is a really important topic that concerns most of us in the industry as the world's emissions and environmental protection measures ramp up. Why was Brent singled out amongst the hundreds of resellers in the US? How did they come up with the dollar amount in fines? What does this mean for the tuning industry in the coming years and what can we do about it?

Follow PFI Speed's journey here:

Youtube: PFI Speed
Instagram: @PFISpeed
Facebook: @PFI.Speed

Want to learn how to EFI tune? Start with some free lessons right here: hpcdmy.co/tuneb

V12 LS, that’s probably not an engine code and configuration you see around very often, if at all.

Matt Corish of V12LS.com runs us through what it takes to take a V8 platform and transform it into a V12, bank angles, what parts are still interchangeable and also some specific areas and where the team improved on the existing LS design while they had the chance to ensure reliability up to around 2000HP which with the likes of Haltech and their quad setup of Garrett turbos and Josh Robinson's twin Magnuson supercharger build, it’s not that far off.

Learn more about Performance Engine Building by coming along to the next FREE lesson: hpcdmy.co/enginebuildingf

A large focus of the design was to ensure as many aftermarket performance parts were available for engine builders to make things more affordable (as far as V12 builds go!) and easier. The fact that companies like JE Pistons, K1 Technologies and Wiseco among many others have already put a lot of time and research into components for the LS platform add plenty of merit to this focus.

Matt also discusses some balancing and firing aspects of a V12 compared to a V8 and inline 6, along with advantages beyond parts in sticking with a 90-degree bank angle. Production processes are also discussed including 3D printing into sand in order to get the cooling system perfect, and Ford Barra fans can share the love too with the same sized crank journals being utilized.

As a side note, Matt and his team actually managed to cut and shut two junkyard LS engines together to make a test platform before production, not just to the point it ran, but to the point it produced 700HP. Now that's a sign of talent and a solid effort.

This week's episode of the HPA Tuned In podcast features one of the biggest names in the motorsport aerodynamics world — Andrew Brilliant of AMB Aero.

This conversation is an absolute gold mine of information for anyone who's interested in the aero world — whether you're considering adding a package to your car, wondering why your times have got slower after fitting your new splitters and wings, or even if a career in the field sounds like something you might want to look into.

Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in

Based in Sapporo, Japan, Andrew has spent his career designing and testing aero for some of the fastest track cars in the world — including the hyper-secretive world of Formula 1. He is, of course, probably best known for his involvement in the time attack realm, in which he's had a hand in pushing the absolute limits of what's possible through the most dominant vehicles in the game. The best of the best — Scorch Racing's S15, Lyfe Motorsport's GT-R, Gobstopper 3, Black Mamba, and many more — all use AMB Aero's advanced design work to crush the competition and lap records alike.

Over an hour and a half, Andre gets Andrew to break down and explain many of the key principles of aerodynamics, as well as discuss how someone even becomes an aerodynamicist, what makes time attack cars so fun to design for, and just how many seconds racers are leaving on the table by not optimising their aero packages. 

What might be the most helpful, though, is Andrew taking the time to detail the big mistakes that people make when designing and fitting an aero package to their car, and how the vast majority of these mistakes and their consequences could have been easily avoided. 

This episode is a real deep dive into the fascinating world of aerodynamics, and it's essential listening for anyone interested in going faster on track.

Interested in learning how to do your own wheel alignment for the track or street? Start with a free alignment & suspension 101 lesson now: hpcdmy.co/alignmentpod

We love a good Starlet, and they don’t come much better than a turbocharged KP61 with some severe aero.

Originally a drift school car back in Japan, Angel of Horsepower Techs KP61 Toyota Starlet has had more than a few changes over the years. After running the supercharged 4agze at 180HP Angel wanted more power so turned to a turbocharged Honda F20C engine he already had kicking around. The new F20C setup makes 650HP thanks to the Garrett 3582 Turbo strapped to it and One Ethanol fuel, but with stock internals, there are some more modifications planned to ensure reliability on track during Grid Life’s Time Attack season next year.

Want to learn how to EFI tune? Start with some free lessons right here: hpcdmy.co/efilesson

While the car already had a TRD widebody kit, it was nothing compared to the APR Performance and custom rear diffuser now fitted which will be dialled in over the winter. This will be done with the help of Angels AEM Electronics package via more than a few hours spent comparing data and making logical adjustments based on it to ensure there is traction where and when it’s needed on track.

ECU wise the car retains the AEM Series 2 ECU that came with the F20C transplant from another project, and it is complemented by an AEM 3 port boost controller, CD-7 dash and IMU. The fuel system sports a solid Radium Engineering kit, Injector Dynamics ID2000’s and a Horsepower Techs in house fuel rail. Needless to say, we’re excited to see what Angel and this setup can do once dialled in and if he utilises parts mentioned like Turbosmarts new electronic wastegate and AEMs Infinity series ECUs.