It seems like we all had a chance to air out some feelings here, which is always good.

Perhaps some guidelines for future communications would be helpful. I propose that anyone feel free to ask any question they like, with one exception: HRC customers should not use this board as a customer service / tech support conduit. We have many established, convenient channels for them to get the info they need, and it is now apparent that airing their questions here leads to all sorts of chaos. Juan lets us play pretty loose here, and many other message boards come down on such customer service questions firmly with no exceptions. Sure, free speech rules, but full blown anarchy is dangerous: this ain't the Wild West! I will post a thread describing how HRC customers should achieve assistance.

If any question can be asked, then I will answer (or decline to) in the method that I feel is most appropriate. I will not criticize the question or questioner. In turn, my answers (or lack of them) will not be analyzed and critiqued for hidden agendas. This seems to me like a fair approach for all. We all have better things to do than argue about the he say/she says bulls#!t. Diversity breeds adversity, but if you spend more time enjoying your car than reading between the lines, everyone will be happier.

As you might imagine, I am walking a tightrope for the moment as I decide what to do that will not inflame, while still maintaining a helpful and sociable presence. But this is a big world, with many points of view. Something about human nature has always struck me as exquisitely odd: we all agree that variety is the spice of life, yet we spend all our lives trying to make everyone else exactly like ourselves. What a drab world this would be if we succeeded and everyone was the same!

OK: philosophy off.

Our experience to date (have to say it: these statements are based upon our sole experience with HRC equipped cars, and may not apply to others):

As Stan mentioned, the 420A is a very detonation resistant engine by design. While this is good thing, it has one bad side: the ability to resist detonation is so high, it seems to encourage people to go too far! Even with an excellent design such as the 420A, there is a threshold that, once passed, will lead to detonation damage. Where does it lie? Many variables affect this answer, and no single yardstick exists. We have seen no problems with our Stage II systems at their standard boost level of 8 PSI. The tuning manual that is provided with the systems addresses the important aspects of trying to run higher boost. Anything over 8 PSI should be set up by a professional, as outlined in the manual. In testing, we have effectively run as much as 10-11 PSI, but only for quarter mile sprints, and only with professional prep and instrumentation (air-fuel meter, EGT, fuel pressure). Only skilled tuners / operators should attempt these boost levels, and they do so at their own risk. Our higher Stage systems (III-V) employ ignition enabled spark retard for safety. Our RS runs 15-16 PSI of boost on the street (93 octane) with its Stage V system, and 25 PSI at the track (114 octane) for 11.70's @ 122.

Here's your favorite part: further info on the above (should HRC customers need more info than comes in their installation / tuning / troubleshooting guide) is available through our standard tech channels, whether via email or telephone.

Bill