While performance camshafts are the most important component selection on an “All-Motor” build, many underplay the importance of proper camshaft selection on forced-induction applications. However, the reality is that a proper set of cams might easily add 100 horsepower or more at the wheels without changing boost pressure. With or […]
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FUEL SYSTEMS 101: Ensuring Your System is Well-Fed
Your car’s fuel system encompasses the following components; the gas tank (or fuel cell), the fuel pump(s), the fuel rail(s), and the injectors. There are two main types of fuel delivery found in modern engines: the return system and the non-return fuel system. In a return-type system, the fuel not […]
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ENGINE 101 PART 2: Engine Basics for Dummies
Now that you know all of the basic parts of an engine and what they do, it’s time to understand how they work together in a system. Almost all cars use 4- stroke engines to turn the chemical energy of gasoline into power. Manipulation of the 4-stroke cycle is essential […]
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ENGINE 101 PART 1: Engine Basics for Dummies
DO YOU FIND THAT YOU’RE ADDICTED to the thrill and speed of driving fast, but don’t know the first thing about what’s actually going on under the hood? Do you want to know more about what’s happening without having to attend Auto Shop 101? Are you intimidated by the tech […]
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SUSPENSION 101: Everything You Wanted To Know About Vehicle Handling
Making your car handle well is a really complicated task if you overthink it. Ride frequencies, roll centers, camber curves, scrub radii; it’s enough to make you build show cars instead. So, I have an easy solution for you: ignore all of that stuff. Odds are that you can make […]
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Chassis Tuning 101: Minimizing Flex Improves Performance and Handling
TAKE TWO NEARLY IDENTICAL VEHICLES equipped with the same drivetrain, brakes, suspension, and aero. Set both vehicles to have the same exact final weight and weight balance. If the only difference is the rigidity of the chassis, do you think it will make a difference on the race track or […]
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AVO Turboworld FR-S / BRZ Turbo System
There are few (if any) naturally-aspirated vehicles on the road that wouldn’t benefit from forced induction for increased output. This is particularly true of vehicles with plenty of potential right from the factory. With neutral and predictable handling, a low center of gravity that rivals all but the most exotic […]
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Straight Flexin’: The Benefits of Polyurethane Suspension Bushings
When cars get old, things begin to rattle, vibrate and become loose. Most people looking to improve the suspension of their vehicle seek out performance upgrades such as a set of adjustable coilovers, sway bars and even adjustable arms. Few people realize that trying to improve a vehicle’s suspension without […]
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Flex-Hone for Brake Rotors
Dingleberry hone, ball hone, glaze buster or bead brush. Whatever nickname you might have for the tool, the original Flex-Hone was designed in 1972 to refinish cylinder walls in automotive applications. Used by machine shops, do-it-yourselfers and just about everyone in between, the Flex-Hone tool allows users to achieve a […]
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Science of Performance Spark Plugs
Today’s performance spark plugs perform feats never before attempted by spark plugs of years past. Factory engines and race engines are pushing more horsepower per liter than ever before thanks in part to forced induction and direct injection. Both of these technologies put an additional stress on the engine’s ignition […]
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Nano Paint Protection
Prudence demands that you protect your investments. When that investment is your vehicle’s paint, it’s easy to see how difficult it is to defend. Rock chips, oxidation, ultraviolet light, bird droppings, sap, tar, brake dust…the list is long and harrowing. Fortunately, paint-protection technology has come a long way. Prior to […]
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Science of Boost, Part 1: Solenoids
Like cayenne pepper on a mushroom risotto, boost pressure is the seasoning in a serving of turbocharged performance. Too little boost hampers performance and produces a bland dish, while too much boost, like too much seasoning, kills your engine and puts you back in the kitchen to start all over. […]
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Comp Cams Vacuum Canister
There is nothing as unnerving as blasting through the traps at triple-digit speeds only to find that the brake pedal has turned into a cinderblock. If you have ever been in a car that’s lost the assistance of the power brake booster, you know how “rock hard” and uncooperative the […]
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CTEK Battery Charger
Dead or dying batteries suck. Did you leave the lights on? Is your alternator going bad? Does that high tech alarm that can start the car and communicate with you from two miles away leave your battery drained after you go away for a week? Or has your once-great battery […]
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MoTeC M1 Plug-In ECU Kit for R35 GT-R: Ultimate Plug-In Solution
“Impressive” is a massive understatement when referring to the capabilities of Nissan’s R35 GT-R. With highly-tuned factory-engine/factory-turbo R35s breaking into the 9s and highly-modified, big-turbo/built-engine variants in the high 7s and low 8s, the performance potential is simply unbelievable. Today, trap speeds indicate that some of these GT-Rs are putting […]
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