High Performance Academy Presents: Tuned In. A podcast interviewing influential people from around the world at the top of their respected fields. Covering topi...
Field Report: This Build Makes Your 4x4 Look Like a Prius.
2000HP, twin turbos, and a manual transmission – is this the ultimate fun off-roader?A 2000hp twin-turbo Lamborghini V10 in a street-legal off-road monster? That’s exactly what @MorganClarkeDesign1 aka MCD1 built with this prototype Range Rover Velar Dakar-inspired hyper off-roader.Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-inDesigned as a luxury play car rather than a full race build, this machine blends extreme off-road capability with high-end comfort. Featuring a pressurized cabin, air conditioning, full Range Rover infotainment, and an Albins 5-speed synchromesh manual gearbox, it delivers an unmatched high-performance driving experience—whether blasting through dunes or cruising on the street.Morgan explains the design process, balancing form and function, and why CAD modelling vs. hands-on fabrication played a unique role in the build. With carbon fibre body panels, fully billet CNC suspension, and a fully custom chassis, every inch of this machine has been engineered for both durability and aesthetics.With just 7 units being produced, this million-dollar build is set to redefine the limits of off-road luxury performance.
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133: The Dos and Don’ts of Diesel Tuning.
What’s the deal with diesel tuning? Is it really that different? Yes… But also no.This week Matt Smith of Just Autos joins us to discuss all things diesel tuning — operating principles, combustion temperature, reflash options, and a whole lot more.Use JUST50 to get $50 off HPA’s Diesel Tuning Starter Package: https://hpcdmy.co/dieselstarterbJust Autos, based out of Queensland, Australia, specialises in diesel performance tuning — but perhaps not the platforms you’re more familiar with. Matt has gone down the Japanese diesel path — specifically Toyota’s Hilux, Prado, and Landcruiser platforms. These workhorses are common on Aussie roads, and Matt is at the very forefront of developing their stout Toyota diesel motors to get the absolute best performance from them. In this conversation, Matt tells us how he got into the business, and how it’s changed and improved to become the very professional outfit it is today.We then jump into the real meat and potatoes of this episode — a very deep dive into the world of diesel engines and tuning. Matt takes the time to really go through how a diesel engine operates and how that differs from a petrol engine, as well as why we need fuel pulses, the general dos and don'ts of diesel tuning, controlling combustion temperatures, and the usefulness (or not) of exhaust gas temperature sensors in a diesel application. Matt is a great communicator and manages to get tech heavy without leaving the real world, so if you’ve always wanted to better understand diesel technology and how to get the absolute most performance out of it, this episode is a great place to start.Follow Matt here:IG: @justautosmechanicalFB: Just AutosYT: Just Autos MechanicalTKTK: justautosWWW: justdieselperfomance.com.auDon’t forget, you can use JUST50 to get $50 off HPA’s Diesel Tuning Starter Package: https://hpcdmy.co/dieselstarterbTimestamps:0:00 The Dos and Don’ts of Diesel Tuning.3:41 How did you become interested in cars?10:57 Are we losing key mechanical skills these days?15:30 What drove you towards the diesel world?22:48 How does a diesel engine work?26:15 Diesel engine timing.29:16 What is pilot injection for in a diesel engine?32:36 Diesel fuelling and tuning.40:12 EGTs on a diesel engine.50:47 Common rail diesel fuel pressure.54:19 Diesel fuel system failures. Are people pushing them too hard?1:03:32 How much power can you pull out of a turbo diesel with just a tune?1:06:03 How do you go about tuning different engines for different applications?1:09:39 What instrumentation should we add to help monitor our tuned diesel engine?1:13:33 Diesel engine flow, intercoolers, exhaust etc.1:14:39 What do we need to know about sizing a turbo for diesel engines?1:23:05 Why does Toyota not have good support for reflashing?1:26:23 How are you reverse engineering the factory Denso ECUs?1:33:19 What do you think about emission devices?1:38:49 What does Just Autos look like today?1:46:03 Final three questions.
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1:53:45
Field Report: This 900hp Air-Cooled Sleeper is WILD!
With 903hp at the wheels, a 9.71-second quarter-mile at 161mph on an unprepped strip, and a fully air-cooled 3.6L turbocharged engine, this Porsche is the definition of a sleeper. In this video, we chat with Arthur to uncover the secrets behind his beastly build.Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-inOriginally a 230hp Carrera Supersport, Arthur's Porsche now runs 102mm @lnengineeringllc Nikasil barrels, ARGO conrods, a GT3 RS crank, CMW Racing billet heads prepared by @ramsheadservice8427 , and a @precisionturbo 8385 pushing 38 PSI. The drivetrain features a 996 Holinger sequential gearbox, billet 32-spline axles, and OEM @Porsche (yup!) CV joints.Cooling is a unique challenge for this air-cooled monster, with dual oil coolers, fuel cooling strategies, and a switch to a water-to-air intercooler keeping intake temps in check so far without the need to use ice on the strip. Engine management comes from a tried-and-true Autronic ECU, once a leader in the market but now a little long in the tooth but an @AEMpowerTVelectronics dash/logger helps keep it ticking the boxes it needs to for this particular project.Running on E85, with dual 1000hp @WeldonAutomotive pumps and a @BoschMotorsportAustralia 044 primer, this car shows what’s possible when you push air-cooled tech to its limits and it was awesome to see running in the Flying 500 at the @WorldTimeAttackChallenge. A sleeper? Absolutely. And one that’s redefining what these classic Porsches can do at that.
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9:33
Field Report: You've Been Living A Loctite Lie! (Maybe).
When it comes to performance parts and tools we all want to reach 'straight for the top shelf' and get the best we can. While that isn't always possible for some high price components, when choosing between purple, blue or red Loctite at the same price point, many assume that red must be the strongest and therefore 'best' option.These people are wrong, and they're possibly also applying the compound incorrectly too!Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-inMatthew Eager of Henkel (they own the Loctite brand) helps clear up some of our fair, but incorrect assumptions around red vs blue Loctite and its application, including a common but useless way many of us have been guilty of applying the compound directly to fasteners.
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132: The Best Stock Turbo System?
He co-invented one of the top (and earliest) standalone ECU companies on earth, helped develop unique V10 F1 engines, created ignition systems for top-tier motorsports, and finished it all off by producing stock-frame turbocharger upgrades that push the limits of what a factory turbo is capable of.Mark Boxsell has had a varied and fascinating career in the performance industry, and he’s ready to unpack it all in this episode of Tuned In.Use GTPUMPS100 to get $100 off HPA’s Tuning Starter Package: https://hpcdmy.co/starterbHaving grown up on a farm in rural Australia that instilled a drive towards resourcefulness and ingenuity, by his early twenties, Mark Boxsell would latch on to the emerging EFI revolution and create his own fuel injection system for his personal Mazda rotary. And that was just the start. Mark went on to invent one of the world’s first aftermarket standalone ECUs, which we all know today as Haltech. In this episode, we get straight into the mind-blowing history of how Haltech came about, discussing what was involved in creating it, the incredibly basic tools he had at his disposal to make it happen, and how it actually worked.We next discuss Mark’s stint developing a unique V10 Formula 1 engine that used rotary valves instead of the traditional poppet valves. Mark goes into detail about how it worked, and why we never saw it on the grid. Then it’s time to talk about ignition systems, which Mark knows a lot about as one of the founders of M&W Ignition — which supplies series like Australia’s top-tier V8 Supercars.We finish the episode off by moving into Mark’s current venture, GT Pumps. This company specialises in stock-frame turbocharger upgrades, which are currently aimed squarely at the WRX and Evo markets. This gets into some heavy turbo tech, covering the benefits of journal-bearing turbos, stock turbo system capabilities, and more.If you’re into tuning history and love a dose of nostalgia, this episode with Mark Boxsell is an absolute must-listen. Follow Mark here:IG: @gtpumpsFB: GTpumpsWWW: gtpumps.com.auDon’t forget, you can use GTPUMPS100 to get $100 off HPA’s Tuning Starter Package: https://hpcdmy.co/starterbTimestamps:0:00 The Best Stock Turbo System?3:43 How did you get into the automotive industry?7:57 Why did you decide to try and make your own EFI? And how?12:53 How did that first EFI system perform?15:13 How did Haltech start?23:47 How does the HC11 chip compare to modern ECU chips?26:49 Once you got the ECU working, how did you sell it?28:52 Why did you decide to use bar graphs for the interface?33:23 What were the biggest challenges building those first ECUs?36:28 Marketing first Haltec ECU continued.43:15 Why are there so many ECU manufacturers from Australia?46:05 When and how did you leave Haltec?53:52 Can you explain the different ignition systems?59:05 M&W ignition system.1:00:43 Transition from electronics to F1 engine development1:05:04 Had the rotary valve been tried by other competitors?1:09:10 Why did this rotary valve never make it to the track?1:12:25 How did your current business GTpumps come about?1:13:25 Why focus on a stock frame turbocharger?1:17:52 Are journal-bearing turbos dead?1:21:53 Are you looking to produce stock frame turbos for different models?1:28:12 Final three questions.
High Performance Academy Presents: Tuned In. A podcast interviewing influential people from around the world at the top of their respected fields. Covering topics such as Tuning, CAD, Performance Engine Building, Automotive/Motorsport Wiring, Data Analysis, Driver Coaching/Training, Motorsport Fabrication and Car Setup.
Australia