How-To Archives - DSPORT Magazine

How To: Tuning Wastegate Actuators for Twin-Turbo Duty

There is nothing more frustrating than being part of a two-man team where you are doing more than half the work. When subtle hints don’t get the lazy half up to speed, the end result can be a very vocal argument. Each of the turbos on a twin-turbo engine feel the same way. When the work is unbalanced between the two turbos, you may even hear the turbos arguing (in the form of compressor surge). Fortunately, twin-turbo engines that utilize actuator-type integral wastegates (with adjustable rods) can be “synched” to provide similar wastegate performance from each turbo. After outlining the…

2000 Honda S2000 | McLeod Street Tuner Clutch Installation

2000 Honda S2000 Clutch Install Our project Honda S2000 clocks in with 366,000 miles on the odometer, with only two clutch changes in its whole life. As put together plans to bring the car back up to snuff, a new clutch was added to the list. Given that the car will likely see some mild power upgrades and track time in the future, we opted for some more capable hardware, McLeod’s Street Tuner clutch. Scroll down and learn some of the essentials in swapping a clutch on the Honda S2000. Text and Photos by Cameron Parsons A lift isn’t a…

2000 Honda S2000 | Energy Suspension Polyurethane Bushings Installation

2000 Honda S2000 Polyurethane Bushings Install In Issue #170 of DSPORT Magazine, we upgraded our project 2016 Mazda MX-5 from factory rubber suspension bushings to Energy Suspension’s Hyper-Flex polyurethane bushings. Although the car was new and the stock bushings were in perfect condition, we still discovered significantly improved lap times along with better driving characteristics. These benefits are only exaggerated when upgrading heavily aged cars to polyurethane bushings. Our D’Garage project S2000 had stacked up 366,000 miles on the chassis, still running on the factory rubber. As a result, the car inhibited unwanted driving characteristics and even a level of…

How To: DIY Paint Chip & Scratch Repair

It’s going to happen. No matter how hard you try to avoid it, there’s going to be an incident that causes a paint chip on your vehicle. It can happen in your garage, at the track, in a parking lot…anywhere. Recently our GT-R received a nasty chip on the edge of its door while visiting a fabrication shop. After a flash of rage and a five-minute cool-down session, it was time to come up with a solution. Text and Photos by Michael Ferrara Step #1: Assess the damage A chip or scratch can be categorized into one of four stages…

2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata ND Energy Suspension Polyurethane Bushings Installation

Polyurethane Bushings: Getting the Most Out of Your 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata If you’ve had a look at issue #170, you’ve seen the benefits of making the switch over to polyurethane suspension bushings. When we tested Energy Suspension’s Hyper-Flex polyurethane bushings on our 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata, we found notable improvements in both lap times and the car’s driving characteristics. Installing a new set of bushings is no simple task, but the proper tools and know-how come a long way in getting the job done and reaping the benefits. In this How-To, we’ll take a look at the installation process…

 How to Increase the Power Handling of Any Engine | The Five Elements of a Bulletproof Block

What is bulletproofing? In terms of high-performance engines, bulletproofing refers to increasing the power handling capacity of an engine beyond the desired power level. Depending on the design of the engine and the magnitude of the power handling increase desired, the bulletproofing process will vary. The parts and processes needed to build a Honda B20 and a Mitsubishi 4G63 to be bulletproof at 700whp are going to be different despite the fact that both engines are 2.0-liter, four cylinders with DOHC 16 valve cylinder heads. Additionally, the process and parts to bulletproof a Toyota 2JZ to support 800whp is going…

Why and How to Degree Your DOHC Engine | Proper Camshaft Timing for Peak Performance and Minimal Headaches

Have you decked your block? Resurfaced your head? Installed an aftermarket crankshaft or camshafts? If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, your camshaft timing may not be what the camshaft manufacturer specified. Improper cam timing can lead to reduced performance, increased fuel consumption and an increased likelihood of detonation. Text & Photos by Michael Ferrara TOOLS NEEDED: Degree Wheel ($25-$40) Piston-Stop Tool ($9~$15) 1.000-inch Dial Indicator and Stand ($25-$150) Wire Coat Hanger (from your closet) – – A Single-Issue If you have a single overhead camshaft (SOHC) engine, a camshaft that was not degreed-in properly can cause the…

Dry Ice Tech: Doesn’t Fit? Freeze It!

Sometimes tough luck will find you at the worst possible moment. The only thing you can do is assess the situation, formulate a game plan and execute it. Project Silvia’s SR23 presented an unusual hurdle as we prepared for a NASA HPDE track event. During a routine oil change, an unexpected part had found its way into the oil pan. Attached to the magnetic oil drain bolt was the oil jet that lubricates the timing chain. Text and Photos by Richard Fong Small Part, Hard To Access The press fit oil jet somehow dislodged itself from the block and luckily…

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