I noticed a SKUSA rulebook update and later this week a statement on EKN.
https://www.ekartingnews.com/2024/03/14/industry-statement-high-rev-engineering/
TLDR;
They modified the piston of a Mini Swift on the clients request and got caught.
My question / concern is this…
This sets a precedent that one can have an engine blue printed by X. Open it up and modify things in the cylinder or piston and have X banned by SKUSA…
One assumes there’d need to be some evidence that the work was requested and that the request was fulfilled. I assume there’s some evidence the engine was modified by the individual in question when the ban was put on him. So that would be the precedent strictly speaking rather than if someone modifies an engine and then says “well, I didn’t do it my engine builder did”. That’d also open up some serious litigatorical consequences.
High-Rev has been a known “rule bender” aka cheater for the better part of two decades, so their work is pretty well known. This isn’t like an isolated one-off.
There are always rumors that some engine builders farm out some of their stuff that they want “more in the grey area” to High-Rev without anyone knowing. So there are some High-Rev built engines out there with other builder’s names on them.
Post-race tech among the big national series here is about as thorough as you can get, and there is actually a good amount of cooperation behind the scenes between different series with regards to things they are seeing come through the tech barn. So most series are on the same page when it comes to which builder is doing what and who is pushing the limits or going over them more than others.
Conversation topic, not my personal opinion:
At what level is rule bending acceptable? The consensus seems to be club level cheating is morally bad.
But “professional” level grey area pushing? Would that be encouraged?
I think the spirit of the rules is definitely what should be followed in club and amateur racing. You will save yourself lots of $$$ and frustration chasing your hobby if you approach it that way.
Now, when money is on the line…it is all about what is written in the rules. Take a literal and legal reading of the rules and go try to find some speed. This is how the sanctioning body will apply the rules to you should they have cause to apply them. This is how an outside arbiter will apply the rules should there be some form of formal legal protest.
“You don’t race cars, you race the rulebook.”
Play in the gray for sure. If I’m spending the money, I want it to be the best it can be within the rulebook.
Blatant cheating is another story.
Puts on RD hat
Follow the rules!
The ban happened in 2017. He’s since started re-appearing with motors in other series, so he’s presumably getting demand to build engines for SKUSA, but the ban is still in place.
I suspect there have been multiple offenses over the years, some less public than the article referenced here, and perhaps that’s why SKUSA put the ban in place. Other engine builders have had non-compliant equipment in play (see Swedetech & Darren Elliott stock honda), but Swedetech has not been banned.
Not sure where the line should be. I think a few years ago the capability of the rule benders exceeded that of the tech officials, so SKUSA was probably just grumpy they had to put additional tech measures in place. To me, banning builders almost sends a message that a series isn’t fully up to the task of implemening the necessary tech procedures. I understand if they “don’t want to have to”, but new/existing builders will always be looking to find an edge.
The punitive force does seem to be very strong alright… To call out a specific business in a rulebook… not sure if I’ve seen that before. Let’s try to avoid too much speculation\rumor mill stuff. We all know where to find that on the internet 
I thought they were banned previously. I also heard rumors that they were still doing engines under a different name…
There have been lots of rumors.
Reminds me of the JAG Rotax controversy too. I’m guessing they were called out, I can’t remember.
I think everyone deserves a 2nd or 3rd chance in racing. Maybe he has had a series of violations that are only known by a few but in this age of instant and wide communication, transparency is key to legitimacy, so it’s not just rumors. I think the root of the issue is a personal issue as both are pretty big personalities. Why hold a grudge for 7 years, that’s crazy, especially in racing. They should get over it and move on, like drivers are expected to do.
First it is slight, so it shouldn’t be a big deal, then it is someone else’s fault. 
He continued to provide engines for SKUSA events while being banned. I (and others) never saw any high rev stickers on mini/micro engines until last year at MCCC USPKS. The rumor was that he was rebuilding and not changing the previous builders stickers. I am curious why that was not addressed.
What controversy? The frankestein engines?
Offset crankpins is what I recall. I’m going from memory, but if someone can confirm via some sort of sources that would be good. I wasn’t able to find anything. Otherwise I’ll just retract my comment.
IIRC on the Minis it was a fairly comprehensive shaving down of the upper block and head to noticeably change the port timing of the engine.
EKN had an article outlining it in fairly comprehensive detail when it happened. It was a pretty big scandal as far as cheating goes.
There’s ‘cheating’ where something is a little out of spec, wrong spark plug used, etc, and then there’s going 50 yards down the field outside of the rulebook cheating.
Best I could find after a quick google.
So it looks like it wasn’t actually JAG that modified them then?
JAG are the distributors. Adam Christodolou’s dad was fined and I think he got a 6 month ban