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Greetings Saturn Enthusiasts!
Please enjoy the latest December SPS Updates…
Check Your Ceramic-Coated Powerstack for a Potential Flaw
Recently, we accidentally stumbled upon an odd phenomenon that could be affecting the performance of some ceramic-coated Hotshot Powerstack intakes.
During the coating process, the Powerstack tubes are submerged into a bin that contains thousands of tiny beads. Some of the beads are small enough to become lodged into the nipple to which the crankcase vent hose attaches to the Powerstack. If the bead is not dislodged from the nipple, then it could cause a blockage. If you happen to be using a separate filter to vent your crankcase, then the blocked nipple has no effect on performance. But if you use the supplied hose attached to your Powerstack, then a clogged nipple could prevent the crankcase from venting properly.
Fixing this problem is as simple as removing the Powerstack and pushing the bead out of the nipple with a wire or small screwdriver.
We strongly urge all owners of ceramic-coated Powerstack intakes to check for a clogged nipple immediately! If you have further questions, please Contact Us.
Product News
Our latest strut tower brace offers a change from the norm. While most competing bars use a flat cross-bar that spans the front side of the strut tower gap, this adjustable bar utilizes a round silver cross-bar that sits at the rear of the strut tower gap against the firewall. This makes the bar less noticeable to onlookers, provides an original-equipment look, and maintains access to the oil-fill cap and other underhood items. The RACS001 bar is in stock now for $70.00 each.
Sprint’s one-piece strut tower brace is not as aesthetically pleasing as some of it’s adjustable counterparts, and despite its one-piece welded design, it cannot offer superior stiffness. But they are often sold elsewhere for as much as $109.00 – which is a crime! We do not recommend the Sprint bar, but if this is the bar that you want, we can deliver it at a much lower price! The SB8500 is in stock now for $79.00 each.
Nothing loses a race faster than a mechanical malfunction. And perhaps no mechanical malfunction is as frustrating as when an ignition cable boot falls off the ignition module (coil pack) terminal. Our new ignition cable connectors from Delphi secure the boots of the ignition cables to the ignition module (coil pack) with a bolt. This will prevent disconnection or poor connections from ever slowing you down again. (For all 91-98 Saturns. Compatible with stock Saturn, Nology, and Magnecor wires. Kit includes boot connectors for 4 wires and 2 replacement bolts.) The DEL3694 is in stock now for $9.95 per kit.
Our latest snow tire deal combines the awesome Yokohama Guardex 600 with factory steel wheels. Ranked as one of the best winter tires for traction on snow and ice, the Yokohama Guardex 600 offers Yokohama quality and peace of mind in poor weather conditions. And our package arrives mounted and balanced for additional bolt-on convenience. Package includes four 15-inch steel wheels, four 195/60/15 Yokohama Guardex 600 tires, mounting, and balancing. (Does not include wheel covers.) The STL/YOKG6015 package is available now for $409.00.
Many more new products will be introduced very shortly. But although we are excited about the new items, we are trying very hard to use discretion about releasing new product information because sharing any information before solidifying all of the facts can inadvertently mislead customers, employees, and supporters. Please visit our web site often and watch for future updates. Many more exciting items are on the horizon!
December Specials
Hotshot’s Powerstack intake system is our best selling item because it provides a safe, easy, and inexpensive boost in performance. And it also makes a great gift! Both chrome and ceramic models are on sale now for December. Get the Chrome Powerstack with filter (PWRSTK01) – normally $150 – now for only $140.00. Or choose the Ceramic Powerstack with filter (PWRSTK02) – normally $180 – now for only $170.00 (Don’t forget to also order the SPSB002 mounting bracket!)
Nology’s 10.5mm Hotwires use a capacitor within each wire to amplify spark energy to each cylinder. They are on sale for December in combination with the Beru Silverstone Plugs, Nology wire separators, and Delphi cable connectors. This package would normally Total $200.85, but the December Package Special price is Only $179.00!
Close-out Kayne exhaust piping is still on sale at blowout prices while supplies last!
Features include: 2.0-inch mandrel bent construction, integrated resonators, T-304 stainless steel material, a special flange at the catalytic converter that fits both SOHC and DOHC models, modified rear sections for easier installation, and included gaskets and clamps. Save $100! The T-304-grade systems are only $249.00 each! (Does not include muffler. Only "SS" short wheelbase systems are left!)
We also still have a few leftover items and returned items on hand that we would love to sell fast. These items include:
1 set of Forgeline LS 16x8 forged polished aluminum wheels – never installed – only $299.00 each.
SCRT001 – scR motorports T-Shirts – now only $14.95 each – Save $5.00 each!!
Please visit the SPS web site (ln:http://www.spswebpage.com}) for more details!
SPS Racing
Those of you who follow SCCA club racing are probably aware of the controversy surrounding "trunk kits" – approved performance packages that may be used on certain cars to increase competitiveness within their class. These kits were originally intended to "level the playing field," but they have seemingly been used in some cases as political tools to boost or handicap the dominance of models from particular manufacturers.
Fortunately, the Saturn has managed to avoid some of the politics surrounding the trunk kits. Prior to the 1997 season, scR motorsports, Thundersport Racing, and SPS teamed-up to propose a trunk kit to the SCCA competition board. This kit contained off-the-shelf H&R springs, Carrera dampers, the 16.5mm adjustable rear sway bar, and the rear disc brake conversion. As was the stated intention of such packages, the Saturn kit successfully allowed the Saturn to be competitive with what was then the benchmark of showroom stock C: the Neon ACR – which came from Chrysler with Koni dampers, larger sway bars, and many other race-prepped modifications. And while the Saturn’s SSC package allowed the Saturn to compete evenly with the Neon, it did not allow the Saturn to dominate its class nor consistently trounce well-prepared versions of the benchmark Neon.
But there was a new ringer in the field for the 1999 season: the Honda Civic Si. The new Civic came straight from Honda with such features as a high-revving 160HP DOHC Vtec engine, larger sway bars, and rear disc brakes. Normally a car with these features would be classed in the faster showroom stock B class, as evidenced by the 150HP DOHC Neons. But for some reason, the Civic Si was allowed to compete in SSC. But as though this were not enough, the Civic was also granted a very aggressive trunk kit that included Koni dampers, adjustable coil-overs, an even larger rear sway bar, and changes to the ECU.
Not surprisingly, this combination allowed the Civic to absolutely dominate the SSC class in 1999. In fact, Civics stole the class at the annual championship Runoffs at MidOhio, taking six of the top seven spots in SSC.
Feeling as though they had been targeted for exclusion, Chrysler protested the dominance of the Civic through written protests to the SCCA and eventually pulled all official corporate support. (For years, Chrysler’s involvement with SCCA club racing had been unprecedented and included Neon-sponsored races and many lucrative contingencies for Neon racers.)
So the controversy surrounding trunk kits concluded with a desperate effort at the end of the 1999 season to calm the emotions and the politics and to establish a new set of rules that would allow "parity" among brands and models. The key would be a day of testing in which a panel of experienced drivers would test various cars at the MidOhio track, thus allowing SCCA officials to record and compare lap times. There was a catch, however; manufacturers were to present cars for testing, and any model that missed the test would lose any previously-approved trunk kit.
This was a very serious matter for SPS Racing – since, without manufacturer support, we could not afford to present a car for testing. Yet losing the trunk kit would seriously compromise the ability of the SC2 to compete in SSC for the 2000 season! Our only hope was that the Civic would be so fast as to distract attention from our absence. (After all, why worry about the Saturn’s trunk kit if a bone-stock Civic Si still runs faster lap times?)
Our wish came true after the test day, but many changes were announced that will affect SPS Racing for the 2000 season. For starters, the Civic Si will remain in SSC, but it lost almost all of its trunk kit with the exception of the larger rear sway bar. Granted, it will most likely still be the car to catch in 2000, but the loss of the coil-over suspension should hopefully reduce some of the four-plus second advantage that it enjoyed over the rest of the 1999 SSC field!
Fortunately, the SCCA allowed the Saturn to keep most of its trunk kit as part of a grandfather clause. However, the rear disc brake conversion is no longer an approved part of the kit. While this is unlikely to significantly impact on-track performance, it will unfortunately make service and repair issues much more difficult in the paddock. It also means that if you are preparing an SC2 or SL2 for competition in the SCCA’s SSC class for the 2000 season, then you should choose the PKG005 suspension kit instead of the PKG-SSC-9798 kit.
In other news, scR motorsports star James Walker has begun the preparation necessary to rebuild the ill-fated motor in his ITA SC2. For now, most of the preparation has been on paper, but the physical work will begin soon and James plans to be racing at the start of the 2000 season in April.
Mark Rushbrook has still not committed to racing alongside James Walker in ITA for the 2000 season. But the many encouraging emails that he has received has helped nudge him toward a decision. Please continue to send encouragement to Mark and James via email at
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For more information about scR motorsports and the rebuilding of the ITA motor, please visit the scR motorsports website at http://www.teamscr.com.
New Exhaust Development Continues
We know that many SPS customers are very anxious for the new Saturn performance exhaust components to be released. And while we still do not yet have a product ready for sale, we are working very hard to iron-out the remaining "bugs" and solidify a design that everyone will appreciate.
Certain important details - like pricing - have not yet been determined, since final production costs will be influenced by changes that are still being made to the design. But other elements have already been designed and tested on pre-production prototypes.
What we know for sure is that the cat-back piping will use 2.0-inch diameter tubing, mandrel bends, an adjustable flange that will fit both SOHC and DOHC models, an advanced center resonator that will provide a very deep tone without restricting flow or creating resonance, a rear section that installs without modification to the pipe or the suspension cross-member, and a slip-fit between sections with one expanded end – so that exhaust flow is not compromised by the connection. We expect the piping to be available in both aluminized and T-304 stainless steel materials.
Our new mufflers will include 3.5-inch oval polished resonated exhaust tips that will exit straight from the muffler without angling downward. To ensure proper clearance with the bumper cover, they will utilize a unique outlet that will be offset toward the bottom of the rear of the muffler and include a redesigned mounting strap with extra downward adjustment. Like the piping, we plan to offer mufflers made from your choice of aluminized or T-304 stainless steel materials.
As soon as more information about the new exhaust components becomes available, it will be added to the SPS website, so check the site often at http://www.spswebpage.com for new information, pricing, and availability.
SPS Events
The SPS schedule for 1999 is winding down. But if you have suggestions for a 1999 or 2000 event that you would like us to attend, please Contact Us.
SPS 1999 Schedule (tentative)
Dec 24: Closed for Christmas Eve.
Dec 31: Closed for New Year’s Eve.
If you have any questions about anything in this newsletter, please Contact Us.
Until next month, HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY SEASON! |
