Nissan GTR with a Power Stroke Diesel V8

LYFE Motorsport specializes in race car design and construction. They also enjoy racing their Nissan R35 GTR. In 2015 the team was racing up Pikes Peak when it crashed. It sat in a corner at their shop for six years until they had a new goal. The car’s new destiny would be breaking Pikes Peak diesel record held by Scott Birdsall.

The idea for the diesel record came from LYFE Motorsport’s relationship with RiffRaff Diesel in Eagle Point, Oregon. So it was RiffRaff Diesel who built the GTR’s new heart, a compound-turbocharged 6.0 L Ford Power Stroke diesel V8. RiffRaff reports the engine made 822 hp and 1,299 lb-ft of torque on a break-in tune and without nitrous.

The motor starts with a 2004 6.0 L block and features Mahle ceramic coated pistons, Stage 2 billet camshafts, Anderson HS lifters, Smith Bros pushrods, and ODawg 6.4L inverted intake manifold. The compound turbo setup uses a KC Turbo Jetfire Stage 1 turbocharger and BorgWarner 80 mm turbocharger. The fuel system uses a Terminator T500 HPOP and 250 cc injectors while Motul’s new Tekma Ultima+ 10W-40 oil is fed through a custom dry sump system.

LYFE Motorsport considered keeping an AWD drivetrain but the cost was too high. So behind the V8 sits a John Wood custom 4R100 four-speed automatic. To get the engine and transmission to fit, LYFE Motorsport cut the firewall and tunnel out and fabricated a new one. Out back sits a Winters quick-change rear end supported by a Sikky R35 rear subframe.

LYFE Motorsport installed the radiator in the back of the car with custom ducting to feed air across it. However even with a large radiator, the cooling become less efficient the higher you go on the mountain. So they will also be using a large water/ice tank to help cool the car.

Even though the team focused on reducing weight and using carbon fiber panels, the GTR still weighs over 4,000 lbs. Because of this LYFE Motorsport had to remove the 1.75-inch roll cage and build a new roll cage using 2-inch diameter tubing.

Unfortunately oil pressure issues caused the team to withdraw early from the race. LYFE Motorsport expects to be back next year with an even stronger car to break the diesel record.