Rotary versus Piston: The rivalry between rotary and piston owners has long been established before many of us were born. The rotary engine represents the epitome of small displacement engines that pack a heavy punch. The first 10A rotary engine was used in the Mazda Cosmo in 1965. With a […]
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Ignition 101: Understanding Ignition Systems for Maximum Performance
In the 4-stroke symphony performing in your engine bay, when a spark plug misses its cue and doesn’t fire, the results are definitely not harmonious. There is a loss of power and fuel is sent through the engine without ever extracting any of its energy. All of your attempts to […]
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Test & Tune: 2011 Mitsubishi EVO X GSR Part 2 | More Power Under the Curve, Same Boost Levels
In our last installment of the Mitsubishi EVO X Test & Tune, we added an intake system and a turbo-back exhaust upgrade and fine-tuned our way to a peak increase of 71 WHP. The addition of the COBB AccessPORT and Boost Pill allowed increased levels of boost pressure from the […]
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Nitrous Oxide 101: The Last Laugh
More power at the push of a button. We’ve all been in a situation where we wished we could just floor the throttle, hit a button and have an extra 50, 100 or 150 horsepower to break-off an opponent while our car accelerates quicker than ever before. What sounds like […]
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Test & Tune: Mazdaspeed3 | FWD Renegade
The import performance movement has always featured an ever-changing marketplace. During the ‘80s, the predominant weapons of choice were Mazdas, Datsuns or Toyotas. These lightweight RWD platforms made for perfect pocket rockets. In the ‘90s, the FWD import movement was spurred by turbocharged Honda Civics and Acura Integras tearing up […]
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ECU 101: Engine Management Systems Explained
In many modern vehicles, more and more systems are controlled by microprocessors. As technologically advanced sensors are able to measure various engine and driving conditions on- the-fly, the input from these sensors is collected, analyzed and submitted to a master computer. This master computer, the engine control unit (ECU) or […]
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Camshaft Showcase: 4G63 EVO Build
Mitsubishi’s 4G63 engine is arguably one of the best four-cylinder engines ever built. While the early variants set records powering DSMs, later versions of the engine propelled the EVO VIII and EVO IX. In terms of strength, power potential and ease of service, the 4G63 engine simply has no equal. […]
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Test & Tune: 2001 Nissan Silvia S15 | Uncorking the Silvia’s SR20DET Engine
Rare and different. Two words that epitomize the Nissan Silvia S15. It carries a mystique almost as captivating as Nissan’s Skyline GT-R. Nissan ceased production of the Silvia S14, known in the U.S. as a 240SX, at the end of 1998. America never received the Silvia S15. Like its Skyline […]
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Camshaft Tech 101
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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Test & Tune: 2011 Mitsubishi EVO X GSR | Big Power Gains for the 4B11
The Mitsubishi EVO X is still one of the most popular choices for tuners and for good reason. The 4B11T long block has proven to be stout, capable of handling in excess of 500-plus horsepower regularly. Additionally, the GSR model’s five-speed manual transmission is able to hold equivalent power levels […]
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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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