Season 243 wraps with a farewell tone while the hosts and guests trade real-world track lessons. The conversation moves from open-lapping formats and SVRA/IMSA paddock sightings to practical repair stories: transmission swaps, alternator/charging trouble, cam changes, oil blow-by catch-can improvisation, and spark-plug seal oil leaks. They also cover event logistics, condensed schedules, traffic and braking-zone close calls, plus tire failures and visibility gear. Between racing talk, they compare coaching approaches, discuss telemetry/sector analysis, and share travel and home-repair detours.
0:00
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03:01
Term
tech inspection
Before a race or track session, officials do a quick safety and rules check on the car. They make sure it’s set up correctly and is safe to run.
03:23
Term
SVRA
SVRA is a racing organization that puts on events for older or vintage race cars. If you hear “SVRA,” it usually means the event is organized around vintage-car rules and classes.
04:26
Term
dyno time
Dyno time means testing the engine on a special machine that simulates driving conditions. It helps you see how much power and torque the engine makes before you go out on track.
04:40
Term
light to light cams
This means the camshafts are chosen to make the engine feel strong right off the line. The goal is quick acceleration and torque at lower-to-mid engine speeds.
04:45
Term
1000 RPMs
RPM is how fast the engine is spinning. Saying it gained “1000 RPMs” means the engine is able to rev higher than it used to, which can make it feel stronger when you keep it in the power band.
05:18
Term
full chat
“Full chat” just means you’re really pushing the car—revving it high and using a lot of throttle. It’s basically the “go all out” mode.
05:32
Term
torque
Torque is the engine’s “pulling power.” It’s what helps the car accelerate without needing to rev all the way up.
05:42
Term
cam profile
A cam profile is the cam’s shape that controls valve timing. That can change how the engine feels and sounds, and where it makes power.
05:51
Term
pistons
Pistons are the parts that move up and down inside the engine cylinders. Changing piston shape can change how the engine burns fuel and can even affect the sound.
06:01
Term
mid range
Midrange is the part of the rev range where the engine feels strongest for everyday driving and track acceleration. It’s the RPM zone you use most often between corners.
06:08
Term
peak
Peak power is the highest power number the engine hits at one RPM. The speaker is saying the car is better where you drive it, not just at the absolute top number.
06:08
Term
wheel horsepower
Wheel horsepower is power measured at the wheels. It’s a real-world number because it includes losses through the drivetrain.
06:25
Term
VQ
VQ is Nissan’s name for a specific family of V6 engines. They’re talking about how the modified parts change how that V6 makes power.
06:35
Term
GLTC tune
A tune is a software update that changes how the engine computer controls things like fuel and spark. The speaker is saying their specific tune keeps the engine running aggressively without backing it off.
07:05
Place
mid Ohio
Mid-Ohio is a well-known race track in Ohio. They’re talking about how the car’s gearing makes it easier to drive there without constantly shifting.
Hi. I'm Scott. And I'm Seth. And I'm Robbie. And we are trackwalking. Robbie's such a
professional, we didn't even have to tell him how the intro worked. He just.
Listen to your podcast. And I listen to it all day today to get fully caught up on all of the
episodes. That's too bad. I've listened to both of your sultry voices for almost six hours today.
That's too. Wow.
Which is like three hours longer than I expected to be in the pickup today. So I wasn't
expecting to get caught up. So we are recording this podcast with special guest and host co-host
co-co-host Robbie because this is our annual. We're not going to do this for a while.
Because we're busy and Seth has a house to finish and sell and I have race tracks to go coach at
and trailers and vans to fix because that's part of my life. Robbie is actually driving his race car.
Is this the first time out for it in a while?
First time since grid life auto, right? Autobahn last year. Yeah. Yeah, because I ruined that
transmission and then did the transmission swap in the paddock. I mean, it's just a two hour job.
Not a big deal. That's just what we do now. And that was on top of all the alternator nonsense.
Yes. Which turned out to just be the dead wire. Yes. Which made note that's whatsoever.
But I'm not bitter about it. I mean, you'll just remember it forever and ever.
Forever and ever. I'll check that first no matter what from that one.
So yeah, you went out since you live fairly close to mid Ohio now. You are three hours or?
No, no, no. I'm an hour and a half. But you drove six hours.
Yeah. How do you spend six hours in a car being an hour and a half on the track?
Because I went there twice today.
Was it because of those seals we mentioned? So we'll do a quick recap. So I did a track
list. I call it a test day, but it's an open lapping day. And so I got up before this morning,
drove to a middle house so I could be there by six, like luckily I kind of dragged my feet,
you know, stop, get coffee, stuff like that so that I show up around 6am
so they can get there when they open and then do the tech inspection and be there
early for their meeting, stuff like that. So you're prepared.
Yeah. And since this is one of those like it's their advanced group, they had an
team practicing. They had three vintage, what's that called? The vintage series?
SVRA. That's the one. So they had three NASCARs, X NASCAR cars that racing that were testing
there. So I mean, there's some decently fast cars there today. So I wanted to not be a complete
knob. So I could be just be there and see how they do the thing just because this is my first time
with them. The imposter syndrome was strong and you want?
Yep. Well, it's funny because he called and he's like, yeah, I didn't recognize your name,
so I just wanted to see what your track experience was. And I just kind of listed off,
you know, what I've been doing the last six years and he's like, okay, you'll be fine.
Yeah, I assumed, but yeah. Fair enough.
But I get it. Do you know who I am? I definitely did not do that. But I'm always weird out when
people are like, oh yeah, I know who you are. And I listen to your show. It's weird.
I was about to say you really should lead with, well, maybe you've heard me on my podcast.
I'm not that guy. I cringe even thinking about saying that.
That made me feel weird when I said it.
Yeah. So then I did, I went out for a first session and this is a new built engine that I've
never had out. All we've had is just dyno time on it. And it's not much more power,
but it's all like the cams are considered light to light cams. So it's like all the acceleration
and torque as fast as possible on these engines. So it also gave me an extra 1000 RPMs that I
didn't have on the previous setup. So it's more power everywhere and then 1000 more RPM. So it's
not 9000 RPM, but still better. So the first time I'll track with it and then I blew
everyone to your drums out. First of all, but I'll have you know that the organizer came up to
me throughout the day and went, your car sounds amazing. And I was standing next to it. So he
knew which car I was. He had no excuses. Yeah. I mean, that, that thing at full chat, 9000,
it's got to sound like, were you kind of giggling a little bit in the car?
Well, it doesn't go to nine because the cams I got are the early torque ones. If I would have
got the other cams that would, they would go to nine. So it only goes to like just shy eight.
Okay. I mean, that's not, but with this cam profile and the, uh, the
don't domed pistons, whatever you want to call them, those pistons completely change the tone
for the better. So it actually does sound better. Nice. Okay. Which is important,
more important than the power itself. So we're talking like, so you said it doesn't make more
power like peak, but how much, how much mid range meat we talking about? So it's like
15 wheel horsepower everywhere. Good God. More, more. And then instead of just like
on the stock VQ is it gets to like 6,600 and then just, you know, that's it. That's all it can do.
Yeah. And then even then it's like trailing off before it hits there. So like they'll out, like
previously I've just been running it full, full chat. Like that's, that's all she can give me
and nothing more. That's my GLC, GLTC tune. There's no detuning. That's, this is it. Right.
And then this cam, yeah, it comes on immediately more power everywhere and then
has the ability to like maintain that power all the way to past 7,500 RPM. Nice. So it's like,
yeah, so it's wide a bit more power under the curve compared to what I had before.
The gearing and drivability is going to be wild. Not having to go to sixth gear at mid Ohio is
excellent because I hated that. Yeah.
So it went well. It started going well.
It started going not well. So I had a couple of laps and it was like,
had a bunch of oil blow by out of the vent of the, the valve cover. So I have two that go
to like the catch can and then one that doesn't. And that was just like puking oil out,
which has never been an issue in the past, but the built engine it is. And so I had to like
Jerry rig up like a hose to a Gatorade bottle to make my own little catch cam.
That actually works really well. And then, and then the next session I went out and it like
completely blew all of the oil past the smart plug seals and they were like
five out of six were just full of oil and just like, you know, smoking everything, everything.
So like I get, I get it all cleaned up and I'm just kind of like sitting in my trailer and like,
I don't know anybody at this event. So I'm just kind of like, well, it's 1030.
I got all day homes only 90 minutes away. And I have at least four sets of valve covers sitting
there, two of which I know are excellent shape. So yeah, spent, I guess I'm going to get them.
Yep. I unhooked the trailer and then drove all the way back. And then luckily I caught a group
of people that were dead set on driving like 85 the whole way north. I just followed them.
That saved a bunch of time. So were the seals just old or what?
Yeah. And they don't make replacements for like the seals themselves. So like you can get the
gasket that goes around the outside, but the seals for the spark plugs are like built into the
valve cover. And of course they're like $200 a piece for the aftermarket ones and those suck
or either like 360 a piece from Nissan. Jesus.
So that there are people that like cut out the old ones and put them like, I think there's
out of a Honda Civic that they'll fit the same. But I knew I had one back here that was good.
And I popped off the old ones to put the new one on and like the old ones just kind of came right
off like no problem whatsoever. And the new one you had to kind of like work it around. It's like,
oh, these seals actually do something. It's always whenever I have to replace a ball joint,
you know, it always seems like nice and free, right? And I'm like, why is this bad? Like,
why is this clunking? This seems fine. And I go to put the brand new one in and like you can
barely move it by hand. I'm like, this doesn't seem better. But like, I guess.
Yep. All right.
Yeah. And that's, that's all that. And then the rest of the day was just burning down laps
and getting comfortable. I mean, the car was immediately a second faster than it was last year.
And I felt like I was driving worse. Because I also put non boosted brakes in it this year.
Oh, so that I think there's a little bit of air still in there, just just enough that I couldn't
get out on my own. And obviously it breaks a little bit different than boosted brakes. So
adjusting to that took a little bit of time. And basically I just need to break like I mean it.
I haven't been doing that. So it took all day to kind of get to that point.
You don't get to skip leg day anymore.
No. So I got to do a little bit of adjustment there. Definitely got to replete those. And then
yeah, just kind of keep getting comfortable with actually breaking like I mean it.
Well, it sounds positive though.
Yeah. All in all, very positive. Not how I wanted the day to go, but
way better than it could have gone. So I'll take it.
Yeah. So are you, do you have a GLTC ticket? Are you planning on racing this year?
No, I'm doing the Austin Hurdle method. Okay.
I'm letting fate decide.
Nice. Good.
So my plan is I have a test day. I haven't signed up yet. It's Memorial Day in Gratton.
Um, uh, with the Canakery and then that guy. Yep.
And then my plan is to do, uh, Midwest Fest, Watkins Gun and Lime Rock.
Actually, I think I just saw a festival GLTC ticket go up for sale.
Yeah. R.J.'s was.
Yeah. That must have been his.
And it's not sold out yet. So it's fine.
Yeah.
It sounds like fate.
Fate will work its way. It's fine.
Yeah. So it's a great excuse for not planning.
The, and, and I do appreciate the, as you started this story, that your test day
is really an HPD open lapping day. Like we, I, I do enjoy hearing people
at kind of our corner of the universe use very professional terms for what we do.
You know, this is a test day, you know, over my career and stuff like that.
And it's like, it's, it's hard because there aren't like better terms for it,
but let's be real. Like sure we may be testing some things, but it's a practice day.
It's a, at an HPD event, like we're not doing these apex track day rentals where you're, you know,
you're spending 10 grand to go drive the track with like eight other teams sort of thing.
Yeah. I've done that, but that was not what today was.
No.
But I mean, legitimately there was an IMSA team there and three SVRA teams.
And so like it sounds like he was playing the right game.
Yeah. I mean, it's the budget way to do it.
Yeah.
And dirtbag IMSA alive and well, apparently dirtbag NASCAR too.
No, it was real IMSA.
Which, uh, what car was it?
The, oh shoot.
I was sitting there looking right at a close park right next to him.
It was the D1, not Benetton.
Oh shoot.
I even took a mental note to be like, remember this and then I can't remember D1 something.
They were, that's a Porsche GT4 team.
Nice.
Those are cool cars.
Yep. Yeah. He was, he must have came out of pits, uh, going down the front or the
after turn one, right as I was cresting it.
So like all of a sudden we're in the brake zone.
He's right there.
I was like, oh shit.
Thinking I, thinking I cut him off or something, but I just gave him the point by
He probably saw exactly what was going to happen.
But it was, yeah, it was totally fine.
They, they spent a bunch of time talking about like the NASCAR cars and a couple other cars
were like, we can't put our windows down and our mirrors are terrible and we have
containment scenes and, and, and it's like, so we won't see.
It was like, great, great attitude guys.
Cool.
But I mean, it was, it was a non issue, but it was still just kind of like the way they
were saying it was like, I don't, I don't love the way you're saying this.
There's an attitude I'm hearing, but luckily it was all in my head.
They were fine.
Yeah.
It's pre excuses for why they're going to turn down on you going into China beach.
Yeah, completely non issue.
There was a couple of cars that were, I mean, there's a huge disparity in, in pace between
the cars that were there.
So everyone were, everyone worked together.
The, my only real concern was there was an SRF car there and that is terrifying to me.
Those are fun cars though.
Oh, I don't doubt that.
I'm all about it.
But to put that on track with the three NASCAR cars seems a little dangerous.
It's like,
You say how hard are those to see for you to see?
I mean, they're about as hard as a Delta wing and that went fine.
So.
Define fine.
I mean, they did laps.
Yes.
I also remember how their laps ended.
Yup.
It was literally the first episode of my podcast.
It didn't help at all that they, like the first year they entered them,
they painted them like chrome or they wrap them in chrome and it's,
it's the dumbest thing.
Like I would want to wrap it hot pink.
Like chrome doesn't make it easier to see.
No, that's for sure.
If anything, it's like camouflage makes it harder.
It's the closest thing to camouflage, like pure camouflage that you could do to a car
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A twisting force that causes rotation. More torque = quicker acceleration.
Horsepower
Power output
Rev limiter
Engine protection
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