Building for the road course...again

[Enki]

I think that tire size is more of a final drive type of gearing change, and won't really help how I think you're thinking.

 

[gotovato]

Hows Eric Kutil keeping his motor together. compared to what your program is?

If you watch his videos he’s very specific with the rev limit. He’s typically shifting below 8000rpm only going above in those very specific situations where it’s worth it. On a long straight you can shift a little early and it’s not a big deal. Really goes along way.

I also feel he does off season engine swaps and just doesn’t say anything. A lot of the GLTC engine failures you’ll see it in the stream but then it’s never talked about again after. This was brought up on the k20 forums and a lot of theories arose lol

So part of the benefit of the high rpm was that the gearing was better matched right? What if you started running smaller wheels and tires to change the effective gear ratios?

If anything in the future I’d go to an 18” wheel. Width matters, but diameter also brings grip.

That’s why you see those golden era Hondas that come on 14’s but they’re running 17’s on track. Way more grip. More tire life. Better everything.



The beauty of the aim system is I can review my track logs at any time. We can clearly see what rpm I’m using and where, where I stay in it, where I lift. Even 8600rpm gives me problems at the one track. We raised that to 9000 and that landed me P2 with a 450whp wrx behind me and a 300whp wrx infront of me. Can’t argue with that lol.


My other mind set is…HONDA. Who the fuck builds a Honda that you aren’t revving the dick off of? That’s literally why Honda exists. Not for grocery shopping engines that sure they make torque at 4000rpm where I spend maybe 5 tenths of the entire lap. We’ve proven we can make plenty of torque from 4500rpm onwards and we know from my logs my lowest rpm on track is maybe 4400. If I can run that to 9000 without a need to upshift then immediately downshift, that’s tenths of free laptime


Plus rpm is fun. Expensive but fun. That said, all of this bullshit is expensive. We don’t race because it’s cheap that’s for damn sure lol

 

[Crazycanadian]

If you watch his videos he’s very specific with the rev limit. He’s typically shifting below 8000rpm only going above in those very specific situations where it’s worth it. On a long straight you can shift a little early and it’s not a big deal. Really goes along way.

I also feel he does off season engine swaps and just doesn’t say anything. A lot of the GLTC engine failures you’ll see it in the stream but then it’s never talked about again after. This was brought up on the k20 forums and a lot of theories arose lol



If anything in the future I’d go to an 18” wheel. Width matters, but diameter also brings grip.

That’s why you see those golden era Hondas that come on 14’s but they’re running 17’s on track. Way more grip. More tire life. Better everything

It's one of those things. Do you dial it back to help save the motor or keep pushing and accept the shortened life span.

 

[gotovato]

It's one of those things. Do you dial it back to help save the motor or keep pushing and accept the shortened life span.

With the oem long blocks im limited to 8500rpm which is a compromise but it’s safe.


The goal is to get a forged engine to 9200 and give me 2 full seasons. That doesn’t sound hard but apparently for Wiseco it’s hard. The new long block should be rock solid but we’ll see when we get there lol. I enjoy being the only 2liter at the track. Everything’s got a k24 or a turbo or it’s a brz/frs.

I like being different even if it is a challenge. I was the only guy like almost on earth time attacking a Mazdaspeed3. That was part of the fun of that car. It was different.



Problem with k24, if I went that route it wouldn’t be a junkyard swap like most guys. It would have to be a full build, forged everything, ported head cause that would be necessary, 8800rpm, and rod bearings every single season. Maybe even rod bolts. It would make 300whp and be fucking disgusting but that’s expensive and the maintenance becomes more involved

 

[gotovato]

It might sound dumb but honestly my favorite engine setup so far was the early 2025 spec.

Oem bottom end with type R oil pump (balance shaft delete), nice valve train, nice stage 2 basic cams. That thing laid down 165wtq and 230whp on my shitty up hill logging road. That setup pulled hard and made so much usable torque from 5-9k.

With the 2026 spec engine it’s mostly the same formula but now we’re adding compression which those cams need. That should bump up torque and hp everywhere.

If I can land around 240whp 170wtq that would be a killer setup

 

[gotovato]

Shipped out my dampers today. Talked to FA on Friday and they said turn around time for me would be mid to late January which is honestly impressive.

Machine shop is still closed and after taking to the man yesterday sounds like he is out for the foreseeable future. Long road to recovery were his words.

That said, 2026 will start with the engine that’s in the car. Only upgrade will be the re valved dampers which is still exciting but not as exciting as a fresh engine with camsssss.


Tuner asked me about ordering another cam to do some on dyno back to back testing. I’m 100% down but buying another cam right now seems like a dumb thing since I don’t have an engine.

At this rate, seems like engine build/swap might be spring time or maybe a mid season full send weekend.


This shit sucks sometimes lol but here I am.

 

[gotovato]

So we have hit a roadblock with my suspension.

Dampers are set to arrive tomorrow or Thursday to fortune auto.

I received an email from UPS today requesting $511usd in fees. This is $720 Canadian. I am not eating this. There’s no way in hell.

I called UPS. They tell me this is the trump fee. UPS wants 50$ trump wants $460. This is a fucking return. An RMA. This is used damaged goods and this idiot is charging these fees on it?

511 duties. Then 600+ for the rebuild. Then return shipping. Then equal or more fees on return. I will be like $3000+ Canadian maybe more. INSANE. This is lunacy.

I have so many bad feelings right now. Every single bad word or derogatory term in the English language is all that I can think to call this piece of shit leader. Fucking awful.

I told UPS I will not pay it. They said it will get charged to the receiver. I called FA told them the situation. They are as upset as I am. They will also refuse the package and we pray it gets returned to me.

UPS return to sender rate is about 50% successful. When you don’t pay the leaders bullshit fees that success rate is good luck.

Very upset. If I lose these dampers the race program is fucked. I am only seeing red now.

 

[Enki]

Glad I built my computer when I did. Dampers coming across the border I take it?

 

[gotovato]

Yup. Canada to USA border. Lots of fees. Sucks but I’m not paying it so I guess that’s it

 

[Enki]

Any way to reduce the fees by changing the description to used car parts or something? That's not inaccurate...

 

[Easter Bunny]

Isn't UPS notorious for being assholes about cross border shipping?

 

[gotovato]

It’s already marked as RMA. Returned for service. In the past this always bypassed all fees. I’ve done it with video cards for warranty.

This is something new. Tariffs and whatever bullshit made up fees

Isn't UPS notorious for being assholes about cross border shipping?

They’ve always charged fees normal shit I’d expect 40-80usd for something like this which I’d just pay. They told me the break down is $50 for ups fees, 460 for “government fees”


Hopefully I get the shit back.

 

[Mauro_Penguin]

We might have another 3 years of this madness to deal with.

Hopefully not.... like really, hopefully not...

 

[Easter Bunny]

don't think for a moment that once we are used to paying the tariffs who ever is in charge next will just keep them. government loves nothing more than more money.

 

[gotovato]

Made more phone calls today. I’m basically fucked. They’ll try to collect the fees from me which I ain’t fucking paying.

This is a hostage situation straight up and I am not playing I ain’t paying I don’t give a fuck. I will sooner part the car out and be done with this misery


The amount of no help, no fucks given with all the people I’ve talked to this is retarded. The amount of fucking hoops…I don’t have the patience or the energy or the time. It’ll die here. Fuck the build and fuck me

 

[gotovato]

Had a buddy offer me a chunk of cash for the civic. I would take a few parts off and sell those but otherwise it would be a quick and easy way to get out of this. His offer is fair. The car isn’t worth much in its current state.


I would be able to afford nothing and build nothing with the money. It would be retirement. I’ve been thinking about it alot

 

[Crazycanadian]

Had a buddy offer me a chunk of cash for the civic. I would take a few parts off and sell those but otherwise it would be a quick and easy way to get out of this. His offer is fair. The car isn’t worth much in its current state.


I would be able to afford nothing and build nothing with the money. It would be retirement. I’ve been thinking about it alot

Full on retirement doesn't sound like an enjoyable path.. A way to move on and get into something else would be a good idea.

 

[gotovato]

Spent 3 days thinking about it. Really seriously thinking about it.

Retirement wouldn’t be the answer for me and it wouldn’t be enough money to start another build. It wouldn’t even be enough to replicate this build. Not even close.

All paths lead to keeping to car. It’s definitely in my best interest to do so

 

[Enki]

 

[gotovato]

Received some JDM goodies direct from Japan this week. Mostly boring stuff.

Type R oil pump kit, some timing parts, some nice Japanese valve springs. They look OEM lol it’s interesting how these guys do stuff.


I have everything needed to assemble the cylinder head. Just need to measure the valve guides first and make sure they are not way out of spec. The manual has a procedure for checking valve stem to valve guide clearance using a dial indicator gauge. Gonna give that a shot.


If the guides come out OK then I’ll just lap the valves, test for leakage and if all good I’ll just assemble it. Not that it’s gonna be doing anything for a while