Over the weekend we headed to a very chilly Wakefield Park for the AUS Time Attack Challenge. Our team for the weekend consisted of Dennis Resi piloting Lightning the R32 GT-R, and Ben Schwer in his 180SX. Apart from the cold start to the day, both Saturday and Sunday were absolute cracker weather conditions. Big thank you to the AUS Time Attack crew they put on a very smooth event.
It was a slow start for pretty much everybody in the paddock as the track temperatures just weren’t there until midday’ish. The first two sessions were very much just feeling out the track, and making sure all the mechanicals/temperatures were in check. Carrying on the niggling brake knock off issues from the previous outing, Lightning was not inspiring Dennis with much braking confidence. This is a huge issue and we are working to rectify it as soon as possible. We covered the brake issue in greater detail with our previous race feature. In a nutshell the R32 chassis naturally suffers from pad knock off/flex, although with this amount of power Wakefield really pronounces the issue with its short and undulated nature.
KUDOS to Dennis for turning a 1:03.63, as you can see from the video above Lightning is nothing short of a handful to control! Lightning turned well over 35 laps combined across both days, mechanically he’s on point, but we’ll definitely be back with an adequate braking system.
We are super stoked for Ben’s efforts over the weekend! Finishing up 3rd in Clubsprint with a 1:05.6.
Needless to say conditions were hard for everybody. Early on Ben was having under-steer issues which he slowly improved by adjusting the suspension, softening the front damper and sway bar as the day went on. It definitely helped. In combination with track conditions getting better, Ben went from turning mid 1:08’s to his best time of 1:05 by Sunday’s end. There is always room for improvement and Ben is still very much getting to grips with his 180SX. There is room to improve on the suspension as well, especially in the setup combined with the AD08R. A tyre Ben has had very limited track time with.
A true grass roots racer, Ben is improving with every event he enters and we’ll be following all his progress right here on our site. To Follow all his races hit Ben’s YouTube Chanel right here.
Just for good measure, below we’ve attached a much faster 1:03.7 that Ben has run at a previous Wakefield event. When conditions are good aye! Oh and slicks…
Over the past few weeks engine builder George has been busy assembling the 2.2L NITTO Stroker engine for this clean EVO-8. Now that the power plant was snug inside its nest it was time to fit the car with the supporting hardware it needed.
Last week saw us dropping in the motor and getting busy installing a surge tank in the boot, which also houses twin Walbro 450 fuel pumps. Naturally with the built NITTO motor and the increased fuel supply we will be turning up the power, but to accommodate for the soon to be increased boost we also needed greater exhaust flow. We’ve left the pre-existing exhaust in place as it is already 3.5inch. But the existing 3inch dump-pipe will need widening to increase the flow. In the images below Adam gets to custom fabricating a wider 3.5inch dump and V-band pipe out of 6064 Stainless Steel. As we have extensive photo coverage we thought we’d let the images do the talking in this feature. This project is yet to be tuned as the freshly built engine is still being run-in, be sure that as soon as we get it on the Dyno we will be updating this feature with the results. So, video and tuning feature yet to come!
Installing the Surge tank.
Fabrication of the 3.5″ dump & V-band pipe.
Custom fabrication on the 3.5″ Intake pipe.
Installation of the dump & V-band pipe after ceramic coating.
Keep an eye out for an update to this feature as we get the EVO back from run-in, and get it on the Dyno for tuning.
It really isn’t often that we are surprised by an outcome of an engine build, but this Corolla’s 2ZZ-GE has left us all with our jaws open. We have completely rebuilt the motor from the block up, the specs are in the image below. Using the current Haltech Sport 1000 ECU we’ve extracted an impressive 323Kw to the front wheels! On one of the earliest Dyno runs the motor was making power beyond 8,800rpm, and up to a ridiculous 9,200rpm. But to future proof the build and ensure safety we are limiting the red-line at a screaming 8,500rpm.
You’re thinking traction right..? Yup, needless to say it has traction issues, but we have a plan to help it put the power to the ground.
The next step will be to switch to a MoTeC M130 ECU. By using the drive-by-wire feature of the MoTeC we can use Torque Limiting to help traction, this process has two functioning elements to it. One ; the ECU computes the difference in wheel speed between the front and the rear wheels. Then applies ignition timing to guide the power through the drive-train. Two ; the drive-by-wire allows the ECU to over-ride the physical throttle position at the throttle body. With a combination of the two processes, the ECU computes the differences between all these factors and applies both ignition timing and throttle position to release the 323Kw to the wheels.
This EVO-X came to us not too long ago in need of some mechanical revisions after the owner wasn’t completely satisfied with the build outcome at another workshop. As most tuners will tell you, a project is never really complete and this was very much the case with the EVO Ten. The engine build itself was A-Ok, although we did make revisions to the fuel system by completely redesigning it to accommodate the owner’s target goal of 400Kw. When the EVO arrived, the engine was being fed by a single fuel pump and being controlled by a factory ECU that had simply been flashed. Just as we have stressed in our past tuning features, it is imperative that the correct amounts of fuel are being delivered to the motor. With a 400kw target goal, a single fuel pump will simply not suffice.
So with that in mind, our first job was to install the 1800hp Holley Dominator fuel pump into the (already existing) under-car surge tank. The Dominator is essentially a twin fuel pump in a single-billet body. We know from previous experience, that it will consistently provide our preferred minimum of 2L per minute of fuel delivery at the desired power level of 400Kw. On top of the fuel system update we have replaced the factory ECU with a MoTeC M800 paired with a C125 Display. A flashed ECU unit does not allow for custom tuning in real time, meaning that Chea cannot simply put the car on the Dyno and tune the parameters as he normally would. More importantly, we cannot stand behind a flashed ECU unit when a person has poured tens of thousands of dollars into their engine build. Not only is it impossible to tune live but we are also unable to add any protection sensors, which could spell disaster on the next spirited drive.
Spec List :
Built 2.3L 4B11T motor with standard block, no sleeves
Standard 5-speed manual, upgraded single-plate clutch
Under-car Surge Tank
Holley Dominator 1800HP fuel pump system
1300cc ID Injectiors
Radium fuel rail
Full Race exhaust manifold
Borg Warner EFR 8374 (internal wastegate)
Powertune Custom 3.5inch dump pipe
Powertune Custom 3.5inch exhaust
Varex Muffler MoTeC M800 ECU MoTeC C125 Dash Display
Fuel Flex sensor
Tuned to Flex 98/E85
After we completed the revisions to the fuel system and upgraded to the M800, Chea could finally get the EVO up on the Dyno to see if we could reach the owner’s target of 400Kw. Instantly Chea could physically feel that the Turbo’s flow was being smothered by a very restricted exhaust system. We could only yield around the 370Kw mark. Now this is where we could take one of two paths: One; Keep increasing the boost pressure until we reach the desired 400Kw target. (Needless to say this is NOT the safe or correct way!) Or two; Redesign the exhaust system to allow for greater flow. Together with the owner we decided that option two was the more sensible one (obvious, right? You’d be surprised!).
To increase exhaust flow, we decided to go from a 3 inch exhaust and dump pipe setup, to a more free-flowing 3.5 inch system ending with a single outlet Varex muffler. This essentially makes it a straight-through exhaust when the valve is in the open position. Our technician, Adam, custom designed and fabricated the new exhaust and dump pipe out of 304 grade Stainless Steel. As you can see from the fabrication photos, the EVO-X makes for a very tight work space but with Adam’s attention to detail, the new setup was done in no time.
Now that we had a high flow dump pipe and exhaust system installed, Chea once again got the EVO up on the Dyno. To no one’s surprise and with NO increases being made to the boost pressure, the EVO hit the 400Kw mark. This immediately justified the modifications because we were not having to increase boost pressure to compensate for the restricted flow. In turn, this meant that we were NOT adding excessive stresses to the motor. Instead, it was quite the opposite. We now had unrestricted exhaust flow, which at the same boost pressure actually took a massive amount of stress off the engine.
In terms of tuning, the MoTeC M800 had completely opened up the tuning capabilities of the EVO’s engine package. Now that we could safely monitor and adjust the parameters, Chea was finally able to start dialing in the settings. Immediately after the Dyno run, Chea noticed that the Air/Fuel ratio was leaner compared to the previous run that had the restrictive exhaust. This was an immediate indication that the wider diameter 3.5 inch exhaust and dump pipe modifications were effective. (In a nutshell, the leaned out Air/Fuel ratio was directly linked to the increased exhaust flow).
Another very important aspect of the MoTeC ECU is that it enables individual cylinder knock control and monitoring. This is a huge benefit in regards to tuning because if there is a problem in one cylinder, we don’t have to adjust the ignition timing across all four. Instead, we can adjust the single problematic cylinder, which in turn will yield more overall power. Essentially, we are tuning four 575cc engines and with the individual knock control, we can maximise the power output for each cylinder. After all was said and done, we reached a final safe output power of 425Kw, superseding the owners target!
Lightning has been turning laps at various race days for well over 3 years now. Mechanically the RB28 power-plant is rock solid day in day out with plenty of power at hand. Since WTAC 2016 we have put in place a new engine program. Where by we have specifically modified the N1 RB26 block to be able to withstand 600kw of power in RACE mode. In the past years we have been limiting output power to around the 500kw mark as the N1 blocks seem to start giving way at around that point. But since 2016 we have put in place our new RB26/28 engine program, and Lightning Resi has been turning laps at well over 550kw without any signs of wear or damage. Just to make sure, and for our piece of mind we have been working closely with Nulon in sending away engine oil samples away after every race meet for testing. They are able to analyse the samples, and if any fragments or traces of metal are found in the oil we can find the problem area way before any damage is actually one. So far so good!
Now running the MoTeC M150 GPRP ECU package, the Albins gearbox has been optimised and tuned. As you can hear from the video above, the shifts are smooth and fast! 232km/h down the straight to be exact. This time at Wakefield though, we were yet again dealing with braking issues. Any R32 Skyline owner that has pushed their car to the limits will eventually complain about the Hub Flex or Pad Knock Off that occurs naturally on the R32 platform. Since WTAC last year, we have tried a few different methods to rectify this problem. We’ve replaced the OEM bearing for a much wider one, in hopes that it would centralize the hub and not allow movement, this did not work. We then tried installing some Pad Knock Off Springs, again in the hopes that it would stop the brake pad from opening up during steering wheel inputs and cornering. This did not work. Our latest attempt just prior to arriving at Wakefield was to try and use 5psi pressure valves in the brake lines with the aim to hold much more brake pressure in the lines, again to no avail. We have now literally exhausted all of the ‘off-the-shelf’ avenues to rectify the Pad Knock Off.
Our next plan of attack is to completely redesign the front hub assembly, which will be designed specifically to counteract the Hub Flex issues that come factory fitted with the R32 Skyline. Obviously we did not see the times we were after with a 1:02 at Wakefield, but in saying that every test is very important, and yet again we completed a full race meet without any mechanical issues from the workhorse Lightning Resi. It was also great chance to test all of the MoTeC data logging, and being such a short track a great circuit to optimise and tune the gear shifts. Until next time!
With a great starting platform that is the Nissan S-Chassis, it really doesn’t take much to bring the car’s potential out whether it be for drifting or circuit work. With the correct suspension modifications, and a little bit more power than factory, the S-Chassis range of cars can be amazing on track!
It does not take much for one to get addicted to circuit racing! After just a few laps as passenger in a friends race car, Ben found himself hooked on the track life! He quickly found himself this tidy 180SX to fuel that adrenaline rush he had experienced as a passenger. It wasn’t long after the purchase that Ben came to us for some much needed SR20 power upgrades.
When it comes to adding that ‘little’ bit more power Powertune has you covered with intimate knowledge of the SR20 platform. Ben’s 180SX features our 300Kw Stage-1 SR20 Power Package, and as you can see from the above video it is the perfect entry level track package. Kudos to Ben with a impressive time of 1:03, and setting a new PB for both driver and car. With continued commitment to support our grassroots level drivers it is needless to say we are very excited to see this car and driver combination evolve into the future. Stay tuned for a complete Drivers Bio page coming to our site soon.
John may be the latest driver to join our grassroots racing team, but is no noob when it comes to the track by any means of the word! Prior to taking ownership of the Red S15, John has turned many laps with motorbikes, various RWD / AWD cars, and even tried his hand at a few drifting events.
John entered WTAC 2015 in the Clubsprint class with his Stage-2 Golf R, but by the time WTAC had come around he’d already decided that he wanted to build a RWD track car. Having always loved the S chassis, and thinking the best bang for buck would be a Silvia. John found this red S15 which had previously been built here at Powertune with a 300Kw Stage-1 SR20 Power Build. The only other upgrades we made prior to the Wakefield track day was the RB25 gearbox conversion, and a few engine protection sensors just to keep an eye on the systems while it is being punished out on track. You can see the track preparation feature in greater detail here.
John’s plans for the moment are to do as many track days as possible, and compete in the Super-Sprint series, with the first event coming up in June. After completing his first track day since buying the S15, John is very happy with the swap to the S-Chassis. “It is a much more challenging drive, I have a lot to learn, and much confidence to gain.”
And again, with the continued support for our grassroots drivers the future for John and his S15 will be to further develop the S15 platform, with the car transitioning into a dedicated track car. The end game for John will be to race it around the infamous Mt Panorama Bathurst circuit. Stay tuned for a complete Drivers Bio page coming to our site soon.
Most in Sydney will recognise IFSU with it’s distinctly aggressive widebody by Pete at Bodyform. Now fitted with a freshly built 2.2l SR20 motor by F&E Autoworks it was time to extract as much safe power as possible. With it’s current configuration of a single Walbro 450 fuel pump we cannot expect figures beyond 350kw without entering into VERY unsafe territory. Keeping that in mind lets have a closer look at how we can extract safe power, and more importantly recognising when we’re simply pushing too far!
Spec List :
Built SR20 Nitto 2.2L with upgraded Pins and Rod bolts
ARP main/head Studs
Tomei 1.3mm Metal Head Gasket
BC Valve Springs
BC Stage-3 Cams
BC Adjustable Cam Gears
6Boost Manifold
Garrett gtx3076 with .61 Rear Housing
Tial 44mm External Gate
BPP Top Feed Fuel Rail Kit
Bosch 2000cc Injectors
Walbro 450 Fuel Pump RB25 Gearbox Conversion Haltech Pro Plugin ECU
Our main purpose of this article is to give a realistic idea of what power can be achieved with the single fuel pump setup. Too often we come across damaged engines because they were excessively leaned out during tuning, a direct correlation to not understanding the limits of the fuel system.
We begin every Dyno tune by first checking and confirming the ignition timing, making sure that the displayed timing on the engine side matches the displayed timing on the ECU side. This ensures that the tuning procedure is correctly synchronized, and adjusting 2 degrees ignition timing on the ECU side will actually result in the correct 2 degrees being adjusted engine side. In effect if you’re timing is incorrectly offset between ECU and the motor, you have no way of knowing if your adjustments ECU side will be correctly passed on to the engine. It is needless to say that with incorrect synchronizing of the ignition timing you will no doubt be damaging the motor.
Target AFR Log
Once the ignition timing has been physically confirmed, we move on the the actual ECU tuning. We begin by adjusting the Air/Fuel Ratio to safe functioning levels. From years of experience with tuning all things SR20, we know that a safe level of Air to Fuel ratio under high load is between 11 and 12 (as pictured in the above target AFR log). By increasing the boost you directly need to increase the amount of fuel being delivered to the engine. To keep the Air Fuel Ratio in the safe region between 11 and 12 you need to be able to provide the engine with adequate fuel flow. This is where the limits of the single fuel pump come in to play. When a car is being Dyno tuned, the power run itself only lasts approximately 10 seconds. This is a very short time, and in the real world the driver would hold the power down for a much longer period of time. It is only during a longer run that you will notice if your fuel system is at, or beyond it’s safe operating limit. But by the time you have noticed an overworked fuel pump, the chances are you have already caused catastrophic damage, and melted your pistons from an excessively lean Air/Fuel Ratio. It is absolutely imperative that the limits of the chosen fuel pump are understood, and tuning kept within the safe operating limits.
After a correct AFR has been set, we move on to tuning the Ignition Timing. We will revisit the Air/Fuel Ratio once again for a fine tune adjustment once we have set the Ignition Timing. One of the easiest ways to explain how Ignition Timing affects the engine is by using the simple push bike as the analogy, as pictured in the above illustration.
Imagine yourself peddling along. When you’re pedaling, ideally you will push down on the pedal at the point where the torque of your push will propel you forward the most. If you push on the pedal too early it will lift you out of your seat (a too advanced ignition timing), and if you push too late you will not generate enough torque to propel you forwards (a too retarded ignition timing). Now imagine that those very pedals are the connecting rods, and the pistons are your feet. If the timing is too retarded, the downward stroke of your engine will not produce torque and will feel like it is bogging down. This does not cause any damage to the engine, but the tune is obviously not correct. On the other hand If your timing is too advanced, the ignition point of the fuel will be occurring when the piston’s position is too high up in the cylinder, and will cause your top-end to physically be lifted upwards. Just as it caused you to lift out of your seat on the push bike. Unlike the overly retarded timing, an over advanced timing WILL cause significant engine damage. The pressure caused inside the cylinder will literally force the engine’s top-end upwards, so just imagine the potential damage from such forces. Once we have set the Ignition Timing we will once again go over the AFR settings. Now that the ignition timing is set in it’s final configuration we can fine tune the Air Fuel ratio, which will now just be a matter of a few micro adjustments.
In this particular Dyno run we did not hook up the Fuel Flow & Pressure module of our Mainline Dyno to log the fuel flow. From years of experience, and tuning hundreds of SR20’s fitted with this exact same single Walbro 450 fuel pump has given us an intimate understanding of the tuning limits. As a safe precaution we like to keep a minimum of 2L/min of fuel flowing from the exit of the fuel regulator. This amount of fuel flow ensures that the engine will NOT run lean when under high power for extended periods of time. It directly relates to the point mentioned above regarding the AFR. If we cannot provide 2 litres per minute of fuel delivery then we know that the fuel pump is operating beyond its capabilities, and MOST importantly we know that the AFR will lean out and cause catastrophic engine damage.
The final tune resulted in a safe, and very healthy 335.3kw at the wheels. The future for IFSU is looking great! To go forward and squeeze power beyond the 350kw mark out of this built 2.2L SR20 we will have to upgrade the fuel system to a twin pump surge tank setup. This will allow for ample amounts of fuel delivery. Upgraded cooling will also be required.
We hope this article has shed some light on the tuning process, but more importantly established a realistic outlook on what is to be expected out of a single fuel pump setup. We have focused heavily on the fuel flow side of things in this particular article as it is an area where we see many mistakes being made. Gaining 350+kw on a single fuel pump just is not safe, and do not let anyone tell you otherwise. Keep an eye out on our next tuning article, where we’ll be focusing on the tuning of Ignition Timing in much greater detail.
Erin’s S13 has now been fitted with our custom SR20 Turbo Manifold. Using 3.32mm thick 304 grade Stainless Steel with 1 1/4 runners, the manifold features a long merge collector for improved spool and top-end grunt. 16mm flanges insure it can handle the high heat stresses with minimal warping, essential for high revving drift requisites. Previous to running this manifold in Erin’s S13 was putting down 288Kw on 25psi. After installing the long merge manifold and getting the S13 back up on the dyno, the manifold proves its effectiveness by increasing the efficiency and power output. Now putting down 294Kw on a lower 23psi, it is clear to see the redesigned manifold is indeed increasing the top end grunt right through the rev range.
Installation and tuning yet to come, check in for updates!
Assembly begins on the stroker VR41 power-plant that will propel this GTR into the 8’s. We’ll be keeping a visual diary here until project completion, at which time we’ll put together a detailed look at everything you see here…
