Vote
This is the time to remind you to visit www.syntectopshop.com
At the site you can vote for your favorite motor and enter a sweepstake to win your favorite motor - which should obviously be ours!
The way it works is you enter the sweepstakes by choosing the motor you think has the best chance of winning the Castrol Syntec Top Shop Challenge. If your chosen engine does win the challenge, your name will be entered to win that engine. And just in case you don't think it's worth taking the time to complete the sweepstake entry form, we should mention 034 Motorsport estimates the engine to be worth in excess of $30,000. Do we have your attention now?
The winning engine builder receives $25k in prize money, but you can see our builder won't cover their costs if they do win - they're simply in it for pride and honor.
When you visit www.syntectopshop.com you can also see a video from 034, catch up on our stories, and even play games in Castrol's Torture Chamber.
The opposition
Having looked at our fellow competitors, we pretty confident of winning. Below is a summary of where everybody stands at present but you can find all the details and videos at www.syntectopshop.com
Import Tuner is building a 2.2 liter SR20DET at G-Dimension and is also aiming for 1000hp. It should be a competitor to our 2.3 liter but it's still not finished past the deadline and should technically be disqualified!
Lowrider went from a ZZ427 big block to a 350 small block. The twin-turbo motor has apparently tested to 1500hp, which is impressive until you employ the two-times turbo multiplier that was designed to help naturally aspirated V8s. Then we're facing a 12 liter motor that only makes 1500hp, so we should beat it.
Modified is having AMS build the Evo's 4G63 motor. They're expected to be a major competitor but again, the motor wasn't ready on time and should have been DQ'ed!
Sport Compact Car had Cosworth build them a Nissan VQ35DE from the 350Z. Fortunately, it's a naturally aspirated motor so will struggle to match the turbos.
Super Street went to Bisimoto to build an F22A Honda Accord engine. It's about 20 years old, single cam and non-VTEC, so it's a long shot.
Turbo magazine and SP Engineering were building a Toyota Supra twin-turbo but later switched to the Skyline's RB26DETT motor. It has a 2.8 HKS stroker kit and a single turbo so could be a contender.
The Rules
All the engines in the Castrol Syntec Top Shop Challenge will be judged on various criteria. These will include peak horsepower and torque per liter of displacement. Forced induction engines will be given a multiplier of two, making our 2.3 liter Audi motor equivalent to a 4.6 liter. Power under the curve will also be assessed, making it important to have a broad powerband, rather than a peaky motor. There will also be a 30-minute drive cycle to test longevity and build quality. Finally, build quality and craftsmanship will be judged.
Only production engines are allowed. Only one forced induction system is permitted (either a turbo or a supercharger, but not both). Fuel is limited to 100 octane, no additives. However, methanol, auxiliary fuel or water injection is allowed. The final testing will be done on an engine dyno. Teams will have the ability to fine-tune the engines before the official runs are made.