Tuned In

Have you always avoided messing with late-model European vehicles? Does the idea of strapping a modern Audi, Merc, or BMW to the dyno sound like a bad one? Does the mere mention of WinOLS make you turn the other way?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, bFlash's Aurélien Turban is here to help clear some things up.

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

Based in Paris, Aurélien joins us for an interesting and in-depth conversation about the European side of the tuning market — admittedly not something that there's a lot of information out there about, nor something we get the opportunity to discuss very often on this podcast.

Aurélien works as the Technical Director at late-model Euro reflashing specialist bFlash, he's spent years working with the incredibly complex factory engine management systems found in modern European vehicles, and dives into what's involved in gaining access in order to reflash them as security gets better and better.

Aurélien works as the Technical Director at late-model Euro reflashing specialist bFlash, he's spent years working with the incredibly complex factory engine management systems found in modern European vehicles, and dives into what's involved in gaining access in order to reflash them as security gets better and better.

Naturally, the conversation turns towards the increasing difficulty of using an aftermarket standalone ECU in these cars and the many advantages that reflashing the stock unit offers instead. Most of these OEM ECUs now use torque-based systems, and the guys spend some time discussing the ins and outs of working with this kind of setup.

This episode is an interesting look behind the curtain of the late-model Euro reflashing world, and there are a lot of technical discussions around WinOLS, overcoming OEM security measures,  how the bFlash interface works, and much more.

Follow bFlash here:
IG: @bflash.eu
FB: @bFlash.eu
WWW: bflash.eu

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

An F20 powered 960HP Honda S2000 work whip/drag car. This man is living the dream.

At the latest TX2K we caught up with Stuart Leiby of T1 Race to talk about his excellently presented, Nyan Cat approved F20 Powered Honda S2000 drag car, that he also drives to work a few days a week.

The car runs a ‘beefed up’ Honda F20 that had a casual 120,000 miles on the block before modification. The block has Golden Eagle Mfg sleeves to ensure it survives the 960HP output at 42 PSI of boost from the Precision 64-66 turbocharger along with Pauter Rods, CP Carrillo pistons, Brian Crower cam, Ferrea valve train components with copper valve seats and head work done by Watshop? A factory Honda crank and head gasket are used, but Inline Pro 12mm head studs are used to help it all stay together.

A MoTeC M130 and C127 dash take care of the engine management and monitoring while a Quaife 6 speed sequential box helps get power to the ground along with the RPS carbon clutch, Magnus Motorsports flow control valve, RSS 5.9 axles, carbon driveshaft and Nissan R200 rear end. Ignite red, an E90 ethanol fuel blend is fed to the F20 via a set of Injector Dynamics ID1000 primary injectors and ID1700 secondaries via a brushless fuel pump.

Stuart talks to Andre about how he can double the boost pressure on a prepared surface like that at Texas 2K compared to what can be run on the street, and traction control is also discussed along with his clutch slipper system. Also touched on is how the Honda 6 speed was stubbornly held onto until 600HP before switching to the Quaife box in order to maintain some reliability. Solid effort!

Start learning how to reflash tune. Sign up for the next free lesson now: hpcdmy.co/hptuners101f

Drivetrain systems are getting more and more complex, and that makes modifying them increasingly difficult. Thankfully, there are people out there like this week's Tuned In podcast guest, Jake Hershorin of Motiv Motorsport, poking and prodding in order to gain control and unleash all that potential power hidden within motors like BMW's B58, as used in the A90 Toyota Supra.

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

Jake, along with his partners Ty Sayman and Chris Kontos at Motiv Motorsport, is leading the charge when it comes to working with (and sometimes around) the complex control systems found in modern performance cars, and is currently producing a popular 'Reflex' standalone controller that allows for the addition of port injection to the direct-injected BMW B58.

In this podcast, Jake and Andre get deep into how the controller works, as well as why you'd even need to add port injection to a capable motor like the B58 in the first place.

Jake also details how — even though it wasn't the original plan — the tuning bug bit and he got into the business, as well as how that business has changed over the years, and his eventual migration from Japanese vehicles towards BMW platforms like the always-popular N54/55 turbo straight sixes.

The pros and cons of 'e-tuning', AKA remote tuning, are also discussed — as are the finer details of direct injection, FlexRay, and the A90 GR Supra.

If you're wanting to stay ahead of the curve as the automotive scene continues to grow more advanced every year, this discussion is one that'll be well worth listening to.

Follow Motiv Motorsport here:
IG: @motiv_motorsport
FB: @motivmotorsport
WWW: motivmotorsport.com

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

With a power range of up to 3500HP and the possibility of 200PSI of boost, this Cummins based diesel engine is producing more power than anyone can yet get to the ground efficiently.

At PRI, Drew Pumphrey of D&J Precision Machine gave us some insight into what goes into tuning a high performance diesel engine using this 410 cubic inch Cummins based billet application as an example. Drew and the team around him have so far produced 3214 hp and 3351 lb/ft of torque with plenty left in the tank since this interview.

Drew gives some tips on safe EGT temps for drag racing and towing rigs, along with an explanation on what starts to fail first when you start to push temperatures too far. The use of 1000HP+ of nitrous to get the most out of the 98mm turbo used in this application, and why you see tractor pullers using compound setups instead of nitrous is covered too 🤘

Also discussed is how some racing setups prefer to keep things cool with more fuel, similar to a gasoline application, with AFRs around 12:1 to 14:1 however this carries more risk and as a by-product produces more smoke. For drag racing examples it is easier to use airflow to help reduce temperatures and keep things on the learner around 19:1 to 20:1 which gives a better safety margin and more control along with the ability to run nitrous setups from the likes of Nitrous Express.

Learn more about performance diesel engine tuning. Start instantly with 4 free lessons: hpcdmy.co/essential-diesel

How do you dyno tune an F1 car and how hard is it to replace their specialist electronics in order to keep the cars running?

Originally touted as a 740bhp at 17,000 RPM 3L V10 engine, Milan of PerSysTec gives us a rundown on the 650HP, 16,000 RPM 1997 Williams FW19 car that helped earn both the constructors title plus first and second places in the driver's championship for Jacques Villeneuve and Heinz-Harald Frentzen. Discussed are how the electronics on what is now a classic F1 car can be modernized, the level of integration that involves along with some of the reasons this was required.

Despite the car still being an impressive piece of kit and well ahead of the technology trend that we see filtering down to our own personal cars, unsurprisingly, there is not much on the Williams FW19 that was ever mass-produced to supply the car with spares 20+ years into the future. Combine this with the fact that computer technology from the time now has legacy status and many of the talented people who worked on tuning the original Magneti Marelli ECU have long since changed careers or retired, it’s only natural a modern Cosworth ECU that is used at professional levels of motorsport today such as LMP1 and LMP2 is instead utilized.

The original Williams VCM that controls the cars remaining hydraulic systems (clutch, gearbox) has been retained due to the fact parts and support are still available from the team. Interestingly, the latest version of CAN Bus was published in 1991 (CAN 2.0B) and utilized in F1 shortly after so it is surprisingly easy to integrate this into the modern Cosworth ECU right back to the 1992 FW14B. While capable of a lot more, in this application the Cosworth ECU is in some cases left in the backseat simply as a failsafe to shut down the engine if any other systems run into trouble.

While all of this electronic work is essentially irreversible, it does mean that with some RPM limits and ignition cut safeties in place the car can still be driven by a professional driver at events such as the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Hearing the V10 Renault RS9 run is certainly something we enjoy a lot more than staring at a static display piece personally.

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

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