Flex Fuel Testing on Mitsubishi Evo 9

These are the results of preliminary testing of our Flex Fuel test car, a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 9.

So what is Flex Fuel? It is a system which allows you to run E100 (100% ethanol) or 98 RON unleaded petrol or anywhere in between on the same car with the same fuel system.


The test car is an Evo 9. In order to manage wide range of parameters of the flex fuel system, it is fitted with a wideband O2 sensor, fuel composition meter, Insight Motorsports Evo twin pump upgrade, ViPEC V88 ECU, Xspurt 1000 injectors, fuel pump controller and digital individual cylinder knock control.


The test engine is an 124000 km old Evo 9 engine (as per the photo) that is totally standard mechanically apart from the aforementioned support system improvements and a Turbo XS 3 inch exhaust.

Once more road testing with varying levels of fuel composition is completed, we will replace the wastegate actuator since it has been limiting the boost due to its age (original turbo remember). We expect the engine to run about 20 psi, which from our experience should produce close to 260 kW ATW on E100.

The next step will be to install an adjustable fuel pressure regulator to allow for an increase in fuel pressure. This will allow higher injector flow capacity and therefore more boost.

Flex Fuel kits will be offered from early 2011.


This particular car has a 700 hp race engine ready for installation and will also be setup with Flex Fuel.

Insight Motorsports Dry Sump Systems

We are excited to say that we have two new dry sump systems available. The first is designed for the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. The second is a “generic”, but more extreme race kit.

The Insight Motorsports engineering team has been busy developing a range of high end products for the performance Evo market.  Over the past 18 months we have been actively working on a dry sump system which we feel will be the most complete and highest quality system on the market.  Our system incorporates a CNC billet plate which takes the place of the original oil pump and includes upgraded oil passages for improved flow.

The test version of our system saw action at Superlap 2009 at Oran Park the Tilton Interiors/InsightMotorsports Evo 9 RS, with blistering results. Since then, we have made many improvements and the kits have undergone rigorous in-house testing.

For starters, the new kit has engineering to bypass the original oil pump drive and strengthened pulley support for the timing belt idler.

Furthermore, the Peterson 3 stage pump has been upgraded to a new R4 4 stage pump. This will be used by a second Tilton Interiors/Insight Motorsports Evo 9, which has yet to race. Many of you would have seen the first TI/IM white Evo 9, which has been quite successful, with wins under its belt at Oran Park and Eastern Creek. The second TI/IM silver Evo 9 is a step up again. We are going to need some nicknames for these two. At the moment, it is just New Evo and Old Evo, which is a bit harsh towards Old Evo considering that she is the same model as New Evo.

If a 4 stage pump is not enough, we can offer a 6 stage pump which will be used as a part of an all out race kit. Scott Kuhner will be fitting this to his famous Datsun Stanza. Scott already has a sub 9 second pass under his belt at the helm of the Stanza and will hopefully be returning to Sydney International Dragway very soon. Scott has promised me some pictures of the build of his Stanza. I will get them up here very soon.

The kit includes:

• Dry sump pump, screw type – 4 stage Peterson R4 for Evo or 6 stage for race kit 
• Front oil pump bypass plate and balance shaft elimination – CNC machined billet aluminium 
• Sump pan with internal pan scavenge cross over – CNC machined billet aluminium 
• Windage tray 
• ATI race harmonic balancer and spline drive - same as original design 
• Replacement oil pump idler and bearing assembly. 
• All associated fittings and oil filter fitting and adapters.

Check it out here.