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 […]
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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 […]
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LSPI: Low-Speed Pre-Ignition
For every action, there is going to be a reaction. Over the past few years, automakers have taken action to develop turbocharged gasoline direct-injection (TGDI) engines to deliver a previously unachievable balance of specific output (horsepower-per-liter) and fuel economy. Today, a 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder TGDI engine can put out the horsepower […]
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Variable Compression Engines | Are Boosted Variable Compression Engines the New Way to Go?
“For every action, there’s going to be a reaction. And if the repercussions of the reaction are worse than the benefits of the action, you are going to get screwed.” In automotive engineering, balancing between power and efficiency is crucial. One of the factors that can affect an engine’s power […]
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EMS | Part:1 Everything You Need to Know About Your Sensors
Overkill or insufficient. When it comes to selecting the standalone solution for your racecar, it’s really easy to spend too much on an Engine Management System (EMS) that does more than you actually need. For those that have tons of disposable income, that’s probably not a major concern. Just buy […]
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Quick Tech | Automotive Relays
It’s the current that kills you. Currents above 10 milliamps can induce muscle contractions so strong that the victim cannot let go of the wire that’s shocking them. At 20 milliamps, breathing can become labored, while 75 milliamps can cause breathing to cease. At 100 milliamps, ventricular fibrillation of the […]
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Engine Tech | Air Flow Bottlenecks
In the manufacturing of an issue of DSPORT Magazine, the speed and capabilities of the bindery at our printer represents the bottleneck. You can get faster presses to print more pages and forms per hour, and you can get more automation and labor to box and package the final magazines. […]
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Brake Tech 201 | Part 1: Understanding Upgrades
If you build enough project vehicles, there will come a time when you either have a need or a want to improve the braking system. In most cases, the parts you need to meet your goals will be available off the shelf. However, you may need a custom solution to […]
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Everything You Need To Know About Limited Slip Differentials
Imagine a world where you couldn’t simply add more power to improve performance. You were stuck with what you have. What could you do to make your vehicle quicker? Higher grip tires and a suspension that keeps your tire planted to the ground will help, but the addition of the […]
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How to: Avoid and Fix Automotive Electrical Issues
Bad grounds, voltage drops, ground offsets, open circuits, dirty power and electrical noise are all terms that you are likely to come across when dealing with automotive electrical systems. Today’s production vehicles have more electrical connections and wiring than ever before. Even full race cars are challenged by more wiring […]
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Find Your Center | An Intro to Suspension Geometries
Just like with a turbo upgrade, you can’t expect to bolt on new suspension hardware and realize gains right out of the gate. Obtaining peak performance requires adjustments, tuning and an understanding of how the pieces work in conjunction with each other. Perfecting a suspension system is a daunting task, […]
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