For most builds, gone are the days of zip-tying an old Bosch 044 fuel pump into place with a healthy dose of sealant, partly because these days there are simply more options but also because builds have gone from 400hp up to 1000-1500hp+ for many performance street applications, and the budgets have increased to match.

Use ‘PODCAST75’ for $75 off your first HPA course here: https://hpcdmy.co/hpa-tuned-in

Kevin from Frenchy's Performance Garage runs us through some of the main considerations that go into some aftermarket solutions, including their own for the GTR platform being used as an example.

The 3 main problems Kevin and the team hope to solve with an aftermarket fuel pump setup are:

• Surging (lack of fuel supply)
• Mounting (lack of tidy solutions for popular pump options)
• Powering (easy to source wiring connectors)

We'll take a quick look at these points and touch on how aftermarket solutions can be integrated into your stock fuel lines and what exactly it is about stock solutions that don't work on many street-turned-race cars.

Have you ever wondered how small aftermarket companies are able to drastically improve on parts from OEMs and huge players like Garrett or Borg Warner that have massive R&D departments and even bigger budgets behind them? If you ask this week’s guest, Robert Young of Forced Performance and Xona Rotor, he’ll tell you: “We try harder and we’re better at it”.

Of course, the reality isn’t quite that simple… Luckily we’ve got a full two hours to dig into this topic and many others surrounding the world of performance turbocharging.

Use FORCED25 to get $25 off HPA’s Boost Control Tuning Course: https://hpcdmy.co/boostb

On this episode of Tuned In, we start by looking at how Robert became the turbocharger guru he is today as the name behind Forced Performance and Xona Rotor — the latter formed in partnership with Greg Jones of Tial Sport.

This is a story that involves years spent studying physics and mechanical engineering, as well as hands-on experience at turbo shops and with his own projects that ranged from old Ford Fairlanes and fast air cooled VW drag cars, to the early DSM drag world of rapid Mitsubishi Eclipses.

Both Robert’s companies produce ultra high performance aftermarket turbochargers and turbocharger components for a range of vehicles, and as one of the main brains behind these sought-after products, Robert is an absolute goldmine of turbo knowledge.

This means that the conversation quickly dives very deep into the world of boost, discussing a huge range of topics — journal vs ball bearing, billet compressor wheels, compressor maps, turbo sizing, and so much more.

This episode is a true turbo tech info dump in the best way possible. If you have any interest in going fast, don’t sleep on this fascinating conversation with a big brain of the forced induction world.

Follow Robert here:
IG: @forcedperformance, @xonarotor
FB: Forced Performance Turbochargers, Xona Rotor
WWW: forcedperformance.shop, xonarotor.com

Don’t forget, you can use FORCED25 to get $25 off HPA’s Boost Control Tuning Course: https://hpcdmy.co/boostb

Time Stamps:
3:35 How did you get involved with cars?
8:52 Where did the passion for turbocharging come from?
20:15 Starting your own turbocharger business?
25:10 How hard was it to design a cast stainless steel exhaust housing?
29:06 Ball bearing vs journal bearing turbos
38:51 Forced Performance overview
43:35 Turbos for Subaru’s EJ engine
47:10 How did Xona Rotor start?
51:42 Why didn’t you copy Garrett’s bearing technology?
59:46 Why is Xona Rotor its own company?
1:01:51 How are Xona Rotor turbos so good, frustrations of copied turbos
1:11:40 Development process for the compressor wheels?
1:31:34 Evolution of turbine wheels
1:44:06 How do we find the right size turbo?
1:59:22 Final three questions

Many people think driving skills can only be a 'gift you either have or don't' and something that doesn't need any work or effort to build and maintain. Those people are wrong.

Mike McGinnis of Innovative Tuning shows how 'the science of speed', aka data analysis, is used by both professional and amateur (Pro-Am class) drivers, using Cole Powelson of LYFE Motorsport and Jeremiah Burton of Donut Media & Big Time as examples at the World Time Attack Challenge.

🔥 The LYFE Motorsport R35 GT-R boasts 1200hp from a 4.1L VR38DETT engine and MoTeC electronics package including their i2 Pro data analysis software. This setup is designed to optimize the car's performance, especially in competitive environments including WTAC and hill climb events. The vehicle features twin Garrett GTX3076 turbos, which contribute significantly to its power output and performance capabilities.

Despite the advanced electronics and data systems, Mike highlights that valuable insights can still be gained from a more limited range of sensors. In some cases, even the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) sensors can be leveraged for purposes different from those initially intended. This approach allows for flexibility and innovation in data collection and analysis, potentially improving vehicle performance without the need for extensive additional equipment, making it much easier to get started with.

There are also a few helpful tips here on how to best leverage your data including why you might consider overlaying your data based on distance rather than time and where pro drivers can pick up huge amounts of time with their more aggressive braking confidence, a skill that is certainly learnable with some data, rather than just 'butt dyno' opinions.