Right out of the box, the VR38DETT that has propelled the R35 to world-domination has proven to be an absolute powerhouse, allowing skilled tuners to squeeze-out an additional three to four hundred horsepower with relative ease. However, as well-engineered as the VR may be, once you exceed the limitations of the factory connecting rods...you now have a very expensive paperweight on your hands (or the makings of a bad ass coffee table). Typically when the motor gives up the ghost, the collateral damage can be pretty nasty too. The cylinder head(s), turbo(s), and oil cooler will likely also need to be repaired or replaced in the event of a rod failure. This can all quickly add up to a repair bill that would make your bank account look like it just got hit with a Dyson.
But as the old adage goes...an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of dollars cure. Now thanks to Manley Performance, prevention just got a lot easier. They've just released their ‘Platinum Series' pistons for the VR38.
These forged pistons are machined of high strength 2618 material. The design is lightweight, yet robust enough to deliver long service life. An offset wrist pin design is utilized for quiet start-ups, and perfect ring groove-to-skirt squareness is achieved through Manley's unique "one fixturing" manufacturing method. All GT-R pistons come with moly-coated skirts, round wire locks, premium chrome moly wrist pins, and premium steel top ring with napier second sets from Total Seal are included with every kit at no additional charge. 9310 alloy upgraded wrist pins are available as well.
In an industry first, the Platinum Series pistons are engineered with skirt diameters that correspond directly to the OEM ‘grade' (1, 2, or 3) that Nissan associated with the bore of each cylinder, as the engine was being assembled. This means that in order to determine the correct size (or ‘grade') pistons that your specific engine will require, you can simply open your hood, and transcribe the 6 digit sequence that's stamped on the passenger side/upper portion on the back of your block (see pic below). Once you get the 6 digit number, you're ready to place your order. Keep in mind that while the pistons are sized individually, they are sold as a complete set of 6.
Another huge benefit of using the Manley Platinum Series pistons is the fact that they are a ‘drop-in' replacement for your factory pistons. No machining is required to the block prior to installation (although ring gaps will still need to be properly set). When coupled with Manley's Turbo Tuff Rods, you can literally rebuild your bottom-end without making a single trip to a machine shop, saving additional time and money in the process. With this combo installed you can rest assured that the weak links in the VR38 have been addressed, and catastrophic failure prevented. So crank up the boost...and let the ass kicking begin.
Titan Motorsports has released its stroker kit for the VR38DETT engine found in the 2007+ Nissan GTR. The kit features a 94.4mm stroke crankshaft which increases the factory 3.8L engine to 4.1L with standard bore pistons, up to 4.3L with overbore pistons. The billet crank features scalloping as well as knife edged counterweights to reduce weight and increase crankshaft aerodynamics. The crank also features a 2.200" rod bearing which allows for a larger variety of bearing material availability over the factory Nissan bearings. The kit includes Carillo rods and CP pistons produced to Titan Motorsports specifications, designed for an increase in RPM range and horsepower. The pistons are available in standard bore, over bore, or custom bore to customer specifications. The complete kit including crankshaft, rods, pistons, wrist pins and rings retails for $9,995.00 and is available for shipment worldwide.
Ever since Nissan pulled the covers off of the R35 GTR Concept in 2001, two very simple words seem to echo in my mind every time I see one of these beasts... ‘I WANT'. Unfortunately my bank account always seems reply with ‘CAN'T HAVE'. Working at T1 and seeing some of the fastest GTRs in the country being built on a daily basis means that I have this unfortunate conversation with myself quite often. And between the $95k price of entry and the scarcity of these Giant Killers, I don't think I'll be making my own VR38DETT scream anytime soon. But someday...
In the meantime, I can keep myself motivated by making engine / turbo / blowoff valve sounds while wearing my new T1 GTR hoodie. And now you can too. Or if you already own a GTR...you can let everyone know what a lucky bastard you are by picking one up and rocking it for the entire world to see. And when summertime comes, you can just cut off the sleeves and convert it to a hooded t-shirt(ish) thingy...or you can just stop being a cheap-ass and buy the T1 GTR T-shirt too! Thanks to our friends at Konstant Design, you've got options...
This past weekend cool weather and clear skies prevailed, which provided us with an opportunity to begin
dialing in Shin’s R35 GTR. After a long and somewhat bumpy upgrade path (thanks to some sub-standard work
done by a previous 'tuner' whose name we shall not mention) the project is finally nearing completion.
Along the way, a host of upgrades were performed on the GTR, with a focus on maximizing the power
potential of the engine while maintaining full streetability and reliability. At the centerpiece of the build lies the
VR38DETT, which has been punched out to a nice and even 4.0 liters of displacement. As part of the T1 Stage 2
treatment, the rotating assembly was balanced and blueprinted as the block was fitted with big-bore forged
pistons and billet connecting rods. The cylinder heads were treated with the T1 Stage 2upgrade package as well,
which consists of a full valvetrain upgrade and a proper port-and-polish job. JUN camshafts are employed to
handle the valve opening and closing events, with ARP L19 studs holding the heads in place.
The task of turning wasted exhaust energy into horsepower is managed by the HKS GT800 turbo kit,
supplemented with a GReddy Titanium exhaust system. Fueling needs were addressed by adding the T1 Stage
4 Fuel System, which consists of triple in-tank Walbro 400lph Fuel Pumps, Injector Dynamics 2000cc Injectors,
T1 GTR Fuel Rails, Weldon Fuel Filter, and upgraded lines and fittings. Tuning duties are handled with the ever
-ubiquitous Cobb AccessPORT.
With the objective of running mid-to-low nines in true-street trim, the engine was tuned on standard E85
pump gas. The net result was 834 awhp on the state-of-the-art Mainline All Wheel Drive dyno, with torque
peaking at 763 ft/lbs. Datalogging EMAP (exhaust manifold backpressure), we were also able to verify that the
HKS turbos are at the limits of their power-producing capabilities.
Once the engine was tuned on the dyno and transmission programming was perfected on the street, the
final phase of dialing-in the GTR was to be done on the drag strip. So we headed to the Dallas Raceway for a
few quarter-mile shakedown runs. Straight off the highway and into the gates, the car was tech’d and staged.
When the hammer was dropped the GTR squatted, clawed for traction, and flew down the quarter in 9.69
seconds at 145 mph. Not bad for it’s very first run. A slight tweak of the Launch Control program prior to the
second pass netted an improvement of a full tenth of a second, and an e.t. of 9.59 @ 148 mph. With the sun
setting and the test-and-tune session coming to a close, we were able to squeeze in one last pass before the
track closed for the day. The result: 9.54 @ 145 mph, which securely places it amongst the fastest GTRs in the
country. And as timeslips stack, we fully expect e.t.s to fall. Be on the lookout for this beast…
Regardless of the sport involved, there is definitely something to be said for having the home-court advantage. This proved to be true once again this past weekend as T1 Race Development hit the highway and headed down to our home-track...the Texas Motorplex in Ennis. After last weekend's first round defeat (.048 MOV) in the World Cup Finals at Maryland International Raceway, we had one thing on our mind...retribution. Thank goodness we only had to wait a week to get it...and what better place to get it than at home.
Fresh off the trailer and ready to hit the track, the T1 Integra was staged for its initial qualifying pass, and the first pass of the day. Tony dropped the hammer and managed to match his previous personal-best with an e.t. of 8.57 (at 177 mph) to secure the number 1 qualifying spot. Not a bad way to start the day, but the day was far from over. After a quick review of the logs in the Motec and a few minor tweaks the car was lined up for the next hit. Pre-stage...stage...anti-lag engaged. The pro-tree lights dropped and 8.38 seconds later the car blazed through the traps at 181 miles per hour. As the board flashed, both the crowd and the crew went crazy over the new personal-best. Also of note, this pass was a mere hundredth of a second off the current world record for elapsed time, held by our east coast archrival Chris Miller. Check the incrementals:
After a first round win with a 9.20 pass, we advanced to the next round as the T1 crew prepped the car for the semi-finals. In the meantime, Tony jumped into the daily-driven T1 GTR and squeezed out a quick 9.90 @ 144 before jumping back in the Integra. When the call came to line up, both car and driver gave peak performance. The result? Another win, with an 8.52 at a mind numbing 186 miles per hour. World record for mile per hour: reset. On to the next round, where the Finals had us lining up against our friend and fellow shop-owner, Max Ramos of JJ's Motorsports. When the green light lit, Max managed to run a great pass but was edged out by Tony in the T1 Integra for the class win to close out the event. The timeslip read: T1 8.48 @ 185.92 to Max's 9.01 @ 172.83. With a new personal best of 8.38, a new mile-per-hour record, and an IFO win...retribution never tasted so sweet.
Big thanks to the whole T1 Crew for coming out. Special thanks to the expertise of our Crew Chief, Mike Morris along with Wayne Potts, Matt Owen, Augie Hidalgo, and Ryan Raney for their hard work in the pits. We'd also like to thank our sponsors for all of their help; you guys are truly the best in the business:
Last but not least, we'd like to send a big shout out to all of our fans, wives, friends and family who came out to support us. You all are the real motivation that drives us to keep pushing the envelope and keep getting faster and faster.
Oh...and one last thing. We've decided that it's time to take the Integra to the next level. Be on the lookout for falling e.t.'s and rising trap speeds in the forecast for next season.
The T1 cooks are in the kitchen....and it smells like sevens.
As engine technology continues to advance and horsepower production continues to increase, the need for an in-tank pump that can supply a higher volume of fuel more efficiently has arisen. To meet this need Walbro has introduced the 39/50 Dual-Channel Single-Stage fuel pump. The pump was designed around the 39mm armature that has been proven in OEM applications for years. In testing, this pump has been shown to flow 400 lph at 40 psi when supplied with 13.5 volts. This is enough flow capacity to support 750hp on gas, and 525hp on E85. Not recommended for applications making less than 500 hp.
Hot-fuel test results have also shown the Walbro 39/50 to retain its superior flow capabilities when compared to other single-stage fuel pumps, losing only 5% of its capacity versus losses of 18% - 32% in the others (at fuel temps of 150 degrees F). This is an important consideration for any high horsepower street car, as any large decrease in flow can result in a lean condition and subsequent engine damage if compensations are not made.
Due to the specifications of this fuel pump, please take note of the following:
The larger diameter at the base of the fuel pump will prevent this from being an OEM drop-in replacement on most applications. Modifications to the mounting bracket, wiring, and connector may be required for proper fitment. We recommend 14 AWG wiring to account for the current draw this pump has.
Pop quiz: What happens when you strap a bottle-fed 1300 cc four-banger to an aluminum frame, attach a seat, handlebars, and a couple of wheels, then grab your 'sack' and head to the track? For most people...this would not end well. However, if you happen to be HTP Performance and Ryan Schnitz and you do this...records will fall. Just as they did at the MIRock Superbike Series Fall Nationals held at Maryland International Raceway in Budds Creek Maryland.
Adhering to the rules in the Pro Street Class, which consists of 7-second sportbikes running a power adder and street tires (but no wheelie-bars), Ryan and HTP Performance built this nitrous-fed, Injector Dynamics ID1000-equipped, and MoTeC-managed Hayabusa with one objective: to break records. On October 1st, that's exacty what they did when their GSXR1300 shattered the 6-second barrier. With a pass of 6.90 @ 203, Ryan Schnitz rode into the record books in what became the quickest pass ever made on a street bike, and the first Pro Street-legal motorcycle to break this barrier. For the sake of comparison and perspective, slick & wheelie-bar equipped NHRA Pro Stock Bikes run similar times. But this is a street-bike. Consider our minds blown. Check the incrementals, then witness the record breaking pass:
We'd like to take a moment and tip our hats to Mr. Schnitz and the crew at HTP Performance for having the expertise and the fortitude required to build, tune, and ride what is essentialy a street-legal Hayabusa to such an insane quarter-mile pass, and many more to come! Congrats on such a huge milestone accomplishment
MoTeC is excited to announce the release of the new CDL3 Club Dash Logger and the new CDL3 Kits. This is a great value that has been developed for entry-level markets such as club racing.
The CDL3 follows the familiar design of the SDL3 and ADL3 Dash Loggers; however, it uses an economical plastic connector and offers more modest features to keep it competitively priced. It is a configurable unit that can be expanded with logging and I/O options.
The kits are designed for customers to install quickly and easily, even if they have no previous experience with MoTeC systems. Each component simply plugs into the supplied loom, which is labeled to identify the corresponding connector. Savings are included in CDL 3 Kit pricing so it makes sense to purchase the kit rather than the unit alone.
Customization of the display, alarms, logging channels, ECU connections and inputs can be done after installation to suit individual requirements, but the system will work straight out of the box.
A number of optional accessories are available, including adaptors for communicating with existing ECUs and the factory OBD-II on later model vehicles. Customers wishing to expand the CDL3 system can also add inputs and outputs with an upgrade and pre-wired I/O loom.
It's that time of year again. SEMA: where all of the latest greatest go-fast parts get shown off to the tuning world for the very first time by bikini clad babes (who will also be showing off their own set of goods). Some get to attend, while others are stuck dreaming about it. Either way, this is the equivalent of a candy store for car guys...and I'm getting a tooth ache just thinking about it. Yet, while most aftermarket companies are burning the midnight oil prepping their cars for SEMA, Fox Marketing has already pulled the covers off their 2012 Civic Si and rolled it out for your drooling pleasure.
The objective of the build was to showcase the potential of the newest Honda Civic, now entering its 9th Generation (you've come a long way since '73 baby!). The crown jewel of the ‘Sport injected' coupe is the K24Z7, which has been massaged by Fox Marketing to produce over 450 horsepower. With the help of some industry heavy hitters like Full Race, Hondata, Competition Clutch, Chase Bays, Brad Penn, and (ahem!) Injector Dynamics/T1 Race Development, the setup is rumored to be reliable enough to last for 100,000 miles worth of shenanigans. While we have no reason to doubt this (especially with the ID1000's installed)...alls I'm sayin' is...they might want to keep those keys out of these hands. I'm pretty sure I can shave at least 3 zeros off that claim.
The build didn't stop with go-fast parts though. To slow the car down from break-neck speeds, 13-inch SSBC brakes with 4 piston calipers were added to the front, with 12-inch / 2 piston brakes added in the rear. Road Magnet lowering springs help keep the Civic stuck to the ground while 10.5 inch wide Vossen CV3 wheels wrapped with 255/35/20 Toyo Proxes get the ponies to the pavement. To give the car it's bulldog stance, the 20-inch rollers are left barely poking out of the hand-built wide body kit, which has been candy-coated with BASF Ultrasonic Blue Pearl, reminiscent of the Electron Blue Pearl found on the ‘99 & 2000 Civic Si. Pretty tasty looking...
If you're one of the lucky people attending SEMA this year, you'll be able to check out this delicious looking piece of eye candy for yourself from November 1st through November 4th. If you're one of the unlucky (like me)...these pics will have to tide you over until Fox Marketing releases more pics, info, and dyno results on their Facebook and YouTube pages. Enjoy.
In preparation for the 16th annualWorld Cup Finalsat Maryland International Raceway on November 5th and 6th, we took the T1 Outlaw Integra out to the Texas Motorplex in Ennis for a little test-n-tune. The objective was to test out a few new 'things' on the car, and gather some data with the Wastegate Position Sensor. Off the trailer, Integra was able to lay down successively faster passes throughout the night. After the initial shakedown, the car went 8.89 @ 170, 8.81 @ 175, and 8.76 @ 175. We'd say that the session was a success. And if a picture is worth a thousand words, these videos speak volumes. See you guys in Maryland...
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