1991 Nissan NX2000 - Eric Hsu - Import Tuner Magazine

So if you had any doubts to the immense knowledge Eric Hsu stores in that shiny dome of his, flip to page 40. See those two guys manning the laptops at the top of the page? The one closest to the camera is Eric, and he's interpreting track data for Sierra Sierra, whose EVO VIII won the past Super Lap Battle finals, running the third-fastest lap ever set by a production-bodied car at CA's Buttonwillow Raceway in the process. Next year, he'll probably break the record, then go home and take a nap to celebrate.

Check Yo Self
I just read the letter titled "Transmission Upgrade" in "Question IT" in the December '09 issue of 2NR, regarding which transmission to use for a 1JZ or 2JZ swap into an MK III Supra. Eric advised that the R154 out of an MA70 bolts right up, but this is wrong. For a R154 to bolt up to a 1JZ or 2JZ, you would need the 1JZ bell housing and flywheel, and the 7MGTE clutch. Just putting my $0.02 in. Keep up the good work otherwise!
-Anthony Cusumano via importtuner.com

Actually, if you re-read my answer, I never said "R154 from an MA70". There are R154s from the JZX90 Chaser that use 1JZ bell housings. My answer was a bit confusing, but I assumed if the guy was going to buy a 1JZ, he would also have the turbo clutch and flywheel. You are right that I should have specified which one to use. Good lookin' out.

Twin Power
I began modifying my '91 Nissan NX2000 and was thinking of installing a Y-pipe to convert the exhaust to a dual setup. Would this modification add some horsepower and torque to the NX2000, or would it be a waste of time?
-Ryan Stocker via importtuner.com

For the amount of power that can be gained from an exhaust system on a nearly stock engine, a dual exhaust would just be extra cost and weight. Dual exhausts can be beneficial in lowering noise, but it depends on what you're looking for and if you're willing to spend the extra cash for a quieter exhaust. I don't think it would make any extra horsepower on a nearly stock engine.

NSX-Powered MR2
I own an '88 Toyota MR2 and have seen dozens of 3SGTE and V-6 swaps, but I was contemplating dropping in an NSX engine. I think it's the perfect engine swap, since its mid-engine and makes plenty of power. Hopefully you can provide me with more information on this crazy engine swap.
-Kevin Houston, TX

Any engine swap involves lots of money and a long down-time, unless there's a ready-made kit available. I guarantee you there is no NSX to AW11 mount kits currently on the market, so if these factors don't work for you, I would seriously reconsider the idea. If you've got more money than time, then take the AW11, NSX engine, and a blank check to a good fabricator with an engineering background and pray he can get it to work. Or, you can stick to what's been proven to work and enjoy your car.

Voltage Stabilizers: Hype Or Horsepower?
I recently purchased an '06 Scion xA and have been itching to start modifications. I want to start off small and one of the items I came across was a voltage stabilizer. I've been reading about these things' advertisement claims of reducing electrical noise while allowing your electrical system to deliver optimal performance. Others say it will increase horsepower and torque. I'm not looking for a miracle from this device, but if it helps at all, I'm on board. Are these stabilizers really worth their $60-$250 price?
-Adrian Reyes Mission, TX

In my own experiences, I haven't found voltage stabilizers to do much. Voltage regulation is handled quite well by your alternator's built-in IC regulator. In fact, even with high-speed data logging, you will find that the voltage is already very stable on a newer car with a solid electrical system. I have found that the high-quality Japanese grounding systems, such as the Sun Auto Hyper Ground system, actually do make power and can increase fuel economy. However, it seems that the older the car is, the greater the gains are. This could be because of an older car's electrical system degrading over time. I don't think you'll find very large gains from a voltage stabilizer or grounding kit system on your new(ish) Scion.

Single-Cam Engines Rule!
I own an '02 Mitsubishi Lancer ES and always been asked the same question, "why didn't you just buy an EVO with its 4G63 engine?" A friend of mine and fellow Lancer owner claims that single-cam engines build quicker turbo spool over twin-cam engines. Is this true?
-Alexander Morgan Upland, CA

It's not so much single- vs. twin-cam, but how well the cylinder heads flow. There are multiple books written on the subject of cylinder head design, but to sum it up: your buddy is probably full of it and doesn't know shit from shinola. The truth is that modern engines with dual (or quad) variable camshafts can spool a turbo quicker while generating more top-end power than a single cam engine. Running more than one camshaft enables twin cam engines to fill the cylinders with more air (or boost), and run cleaner and more efficiently than ever before. That's a win-win situation for a twin-cam engine, if you ask me.