DSPORT Issue #254 By Michael Ferrara // Images by Jun Chen Why copper? With the increasing availability of high-performance, multi-layer-steel (MLS) head gaskets, one might question why anyone would want to use something different. While MLS head gaskets might make sense on the majority of high-performance engine builds, copper head gaskets […]
Read More
How To | Electrolytic Rust Removal
DSPORT Issue #249 Text by Michael Ferrara Rust sucks, but it’s a Reality foR iRon and many steel alloys that encounter moisture and air. Once you have a part that develops rust, you’ll probably want to find a way to remove the rust. While there are numerous chemical, mechanical and even […]
Read More
Tech Series | Nitrous Basics and Beyond: Pt. 2
DSPORT Issue #252 Text by Michael Ferrara // Photos by Joe Singleton Feeling a little hot? Under some massive pressure? Chances are that you act differently in hot and high-pressure situations versus cooler, low-pressure circumstances. Like most chemical compounds, nitrous oxide also behaves differently based on the temperature and pressure of […]
Read More
Tech Series | “L” is for LEGAL, The Ultimate Swap?
DSPORT Issue #267 Text by Michael Ferrara No matter how new you are to the performance market, chances are you know something about engine swaps. Old hot-rodders swapped small block Chevy (SBC) engines in place of Ford flatheads beginning in the late 1950s. This trend continued for the next 40 years […]
Read More
Tech Series | Nitrous Basics and Beyond: Pt. 1
DSPORT Issue #251 Text by Michael Ferrara Dollar for dollar, there isn’t another “power adder” that can deliver the power increases of a nitrous-oxide system. In the early days of the import performance movement, hidden “dry” single nozzle nitrous kits were the reason why a few cars were killing it at […]
Read More
Fuel Tech | A Fuel for Your Lovin’: Part 1
DSPORT Issue #226 Text By Michael Ferrara One size never fits all and there is no one that is perfect for every application. When we visit a gas station, we usually have three or four different fuel options for the spark-ignited, internal combustion engine in our vehicle. When we choose […]
Read More
Quick Tech | Sleeving Gives New Life
2JZ, RB26, 4G63, B-series, SR20 and now even K-series and 4B11 are becoming harder and harder to find. Until a few years ago, finding good used core engines or cheap Japanese import engines was relatively easy. If you didn’t have luck locating one, purchasing a new block from the dealership […]
Read More
Turbo Tech | Xona Rotor XR Green GT-R V2 Turbo
The R35 GT-R is Nissan’s most capable and impressive vehicle to date. Nissan teamed an exceptional engine with a capable dual-clutch transaxle and tied everything together with arguably the world’s best AWD torque management system. While Nissan never designed the vehicle to be a record-setting drag and top-speed machine, owners, […]
Read More
Quick Tech | Fuel Efficiency Tips and Tricks
We are looking forward to the promise of having an average gas price over $6 per gallon in the next two weeks right now in California. Sanctions on the importation of Russian oil is pushing crude prices through the roof. While Californians are hit the hardest, residents of all 50 […]
Read More
Engine Tech | Catalytic Converters
Every car enthusiast loves the sound of an engine starting. We all look forward to starting the combustion process so we can hear that sweet sound from our engine – but not the way I experienced it. Roughly two months ago, I got in my car to get to DSPORT so […]
Read More
Engine Tech | Choosing the Right Head Studs
Today’s import-performance engines are generating more power per cylinder than ever before. On the street or at the track, it is not uncommon for these engines to be modified to generate four to six times the original horsepower output. There are now four-cylinder engines generating over 1,500 horsepower while six-cylinder […]
Read More
Quick Tech | RB26 Cylinder Head and Valvetrain Survival Guide: Part 1
While the recent influx of RB-powered GT-Rs has caused a flood of RB engine builds, DSPORT has been developing the RB26 engine for the past 20 years. While others are relying upon an abundance of misinformation on the internet, we know what works and what doesn’t and we’ve been the […]
Read More
Engine Tech | Dumb Ways to Die…for your Engine
You finally get back your valve cover from the powder coater with the sick new finish that sets off your engine compartment. Days later, your engine has spun a rod bearing and needs to be rebuilt. Can these seemingly unrelated events be connected? Can a simple cosmetic upgrade kill an […]
Read More
Engine Tech | Maximizing 10th Gen Civic Si Performance
All Honda Civics are happier turbocharged and the import performance aftermarket figured this out back in the mid ‘90s when a DRAG turbo kit was king. It took Honda nine generations of the Civic to finally concede that Boost is Best! Today, the 10th-generation Civic relies upon the efficient and […]
Read More
Quick Tech | Drive-By-Wire Throttle Systems
Drive-by-wire (DBW) throttle is a technology that is hated by some and praised by others. Purists often claim that DBW throttle bodies disconnect the driver from the engine. They argue that throttle response is slower than a cable throttle and that the OEM uses DBW throttle bodies to limit the […]
Read More