Imagine being a self-taught engineer who mastered the intricacies of engine design and is now building bespoke engines from the ground up. That’s exactly what Josh Valman from Motorsport_Engineering has done.

We welcome Josh back for his second appearance on the podcast. This time, we catch up on his wild Alpha V8 Hayabusa project and dive into his latest creation — a turbocharged hot-vee V6 bespoke engine.

👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: https://hpcdmy.co/podvip

In this episode of Tuned In, Josh shares his journey from self-taught engineer to bespoke engine designer and builder. We check in on his progress with the Alpha project before unpacking the details of his new V6 design.

We explore the technical side of engine performance — including pre-ignition chambers, variable valve timing, and the unique benefits of a V6 engine configuration. Josh also discusses the finer points of engine design and the importance of balancing stroke and bore ratios while selecting the right compression ratios for boosted engines.

With deep expertise in machining and manufacturing, Josh offers valuable insights into precision machining, materials selection, heat treatment, and maintaining tight tolerances in high-performance engine parts.

If you’re fascinated by engine design, engine building, machining, or CAD, this episode is packed with knowledge. Josh’s passion for sharing his experience makes it a must-listen for anyone interested in the art and science of building engines.

👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: https://hpcdmy.co/podvip

Follow Josh here:

Instagram: Motorsport_engineering
Youtube: Motorsport_engineering

Timestamps:

0:00 The Self-Taught Way: Building Wild Engines from Scratch
3:34 Welcome back, Who are you? Where are you from and what do you do?
8:45 How did you learn your CAD skills?
2:11 What’s the complexities with manufacturing in China?
18:31 What’s happening with the Alpha project?
21:31 What is the process for making the tooling for carbon fibre body panels?
23:20 When do you see this competing in the British Hillclimb Championship?
23:46 What engine changes would you make to run the car at Pikes Peak?
27:05 What is a pre-ignition chamber and what’s the advantage?
34:40 What is pre-ignition and what causes it?
38:04 What’s the advantage of variable valve timing?
40:26 How did you go from a manufacturi
45:49 How do you choose the V angle for an engine?
51:17 How do you design parts & get them right without years of experience?
55:25 Why would a V6 require balance shafts?
58:27 Is it easier to design an engine from scratch than modify an existing one?
1:04:12 What are the factors that affect deciding on a stroke length?
1:06:36 How critical is the rod to stroke ratio?
1:07:55 How do you choose a compression ratio?
1:11:05 How do you confirm the strength of your engine parts?
1:13:53 Why do we need to heat treat our parts?
1:17:11 How do you keep accurate tolerances while machining these parts?
1:21:09 Why are you using a liner over a coated bore?
1:22:31 How hard is it machining coolant passages into the block & Head?
1:25:45 How are you confirming you have sufficient cooling when designing these engines?
1:30:40 How are you sealing the head on this engine?
1:34:12 How did the V8 engine go when you got it on the dyno?
1:35:53 Why did you go gear drive between the crank and cams?
1:40:09 How long between over

CAN communication might seem like a secret, nerdy language spoken only by electronic components —and, in a way, it is. But behind that digital chatter lies the key to unlocking integration between different electrical systems.

Mitch Minton from Minton Performance joins us to unpack CAN communication—how it really works, and why it’s become such a crucial part of the aftermarket performance world.

👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: https://hpcdmy.co/podvip

In this episode of Tuned In, Mitch shares his journey from a casual interest in cars, sparked by ‘The Fast and the Furious’, to becoming a skilled automotive technician and data analyst. He reflects on the evolution of his expertise and his experiences in race engineering and mobile diagnostics.

We then dive into the fascinating world of CAN communication, exploring its vital role in modern automotive systems. Mitch breaks down the complexities of CAN protocol, explaining data transmission, how to decode negative values, and the purpose of his CAN gateway.

We explore the challenges of integrating aftermarket ECUs and how intricate modern vehicle data networks have become. Mitch explains why continuous learning in this field is essential for anyone serious about automotive technology.

With modern vehicles packed full of electronic modules, traditional engine swaps, gearbox conversions, and standalone ECU upgrades aren’t as straightforward as they once were. Without the understanding and use of CAN communication a lot of these modifications are no longer possible.

👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: https://hpcdmy.co/podvip

Follow Mitch here:

WWW: mintonperformance.com
Youtube: @mintonperformance
Facebook: Mitch Minton

Timestamps:

0:00 Cracking the CAN Code: Mastering Integration in Performance Builds
4:37 How did you get interested in cars?
9:11 At what point did you decide to go down the IT road?
12:45 What is your work history and where are you today?
14:54 Can you tell us which HPA courses you took and how you found them?
19:34 What sort of race engineering and data analysis did you get involved in?29:40 How easy is it to understand and use different data loggers?
34:34 Why did you stop doing data analysis?
36:16 What does your current working role look like?
38:33 What is CAN?
45:30 How do the CAN high and CAN low wires work?
47:25 Is there a limit of nodes depending on the Bus length?
48:33 What is the benefit of using CAN Bus?
54:12 What does a CAN message look like?
1:03:29 Why can’t we send the data in the numbers we want to see?
1:05:04 What hardware and software do we need to reverse engineer a CAN Bus? 1:14:10 What is a CAN gateway?
1:19:20 How do we run a modern DCT gearbox on a standalone that doesn’t accurately log torque output?
1:23:09 How do you actually control and program the CAN gateway?
1:24:55 Could you offer a standard and a pro version for different users?
1:28:21 What is CAN 2.0 and what is CAN FD?
1:31:57 Where do you place the data in addresses of importance?
1:33:43 How mainstream is CAN FD at the moment?
1:35:20 What is FlexRay?
1:37:50 Is it going to get harder and harder to make stand alone ECU’s work on late model vehicles?
1:45:08 Final 3 questions

Want a high-revving, F1-sounding, naturally aspirated V10 on a budget? Sounds impossible—until Jack and Diego from Build It Yourself made it happen. They took a humble Ford V10 truck engine, crafted custom four-valve heads, and engineered headers that deliver that unmistakable F1 scream.

👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: https://hpcdmy.co/podvip

In this episode of Tuned In, Jack and Diego share their backgrounds in automotive engineering and their journey into the performance automotive world. They discuss their current roles at Ford, the skills they bring to their YouTube channel Build It Yourself, and the innovative technologies they leverage, such as CAD, 3D scanning, and 3D printing.

The conversation dives deep into the highs and lows of building a one-off V10 engine. From the headaches of welding cylinder heads and perfecting cooling and oil flow to the science of exhaust sound engineering. They unpack machining, camshaft design, and the creative process behind documenting the entire build on YouTube.

Then there’s the bold decision to drop this beast into a 2017 Lincoln Continental, a choice that might not seem obvious to many enthusiasts. With the added challenge of a rear-wheel-drive conversion, it was definitely no straightforward swap.

What they’ve pulled off in their home workshop is nothing short of extraordinary. Blending solid engineering know-how with hands-on ingenuity, their Build It Yourself attitude is truly inspiring.

👉 Use the code ‘PODCAST500’ to get $500 OFF HPA's VIP Package: https://hpcdmy.co/podvip

Follow Jack & Diego here:

Youtube: biy_buildityourself
Instagram: biy_buildityourself

Timestamps:

0:00 The “Impossible” Backyard V10 Screamer
4:22 How did you get into cars? (Jack)
6:34 How did you get into cars? (Diego)
12:43 Opinion on the future of EV’s side quest
14:32 What would you say your key skills are?
18:38 How hard is it to learn 3d scanning?
26:36 How did you learn the CAD skills?
29:53 Why do we all need 3d printers?
39:40 How did the BIY channel start and why the V10?
42:15 What is an even fire engine?
48:25 How did you convert the engine to 4 valve double overhead cam?
56:15 What issues did welding two heads together cause?
59:44 No one wanted to line bore your cam journals?
1:02:15 How did you find someone to make you custom cams?
1:04:30 Did you consider using any other V10’s?
1:08:07 What's the power and rpm to date?
1:09:40 What chassis did you decide to put it in?
1:13:42 How hard is the rear wheel drive and engine swap?
1:16:29 How does header design affect sound?
1:27:51 3D printed 5 to 1 exhaust collector
1:30:15 Why did you decide to make a YouTube channel for the build?
1:39:21 Why didn’t you try to tune the car yourselves?
1:43:44 Final 3 Questions