b18c1 build

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I supPOSE you can build an ok NA street engine on a budget... harumph...

To be completely honest, I would have to recommend a full head package for starters. It seems you are trying to build an engine without any\much machine work, so, the least you can do is make sure she is breathing well mechanically if you can't yet open the ports.

I'm going to be a big proponent of using the Stage 1 items from Skunk2 for this current recommendation. Their intake manifold was a step in the right direction. A few key things to remember about the head:

- Throttle body ID should match the intake manifold. Buy an appropriately sized TB for your application, after-market or OE.

- Without port work, the valvetrain and cams won't be able to fully realize their potential. However, that does not mean you won't have a lot of room for improvement\tuning with this newer version of your old head.

- OE is best. For an application like yours, try using as many OE sized parts as possible, like your valves and pistons for instance. This is because you are not altering your bore or reconfiguring your valve seats, so you shouldn't change the hardware.

- You may consider plumbing more oil to the head even though your engine is factory set up for VTEC. This should help improve cam lobe life, as well as minimizing wear on other head components. It will also provide you a nice "tap" for an oil pressure gauge, which you should buy whether you are going with forced induction or not!

- If you are building on a budget, I think you should leave your bottom end alone. The head is going to be expensive enough to upgrade and will show you the most improvement without upping your displacement or using FI. If your engine has less than 110-120K miles, you should be fine. If it's around there or over, perhaps consider building your block and leaving the head completely untouched. Then, when it's time for the head, you can just pull it off, send it off, and slap it back on. That way, you have a lot less work before you go to the dyno. Unless you alter the stroke, rod length or pistons when you do the bottom end, you won't need any tuning after it's over. A change in your compression ratio will require that you tune, however, if it's basically stock, just stronger now (and has a fresh rebuild goin on as well), then you can save the tuning money for after you get your head done. If you did the head first, then the block, that would be two trips to the dyno instead of one, which is a lot mor costly!

I'll think of more stuff later, I can't concentrate on anything right now, lol
 
Once again, touche!

I still believe though that the head and block should be built separately. I believe it would save a lot of time and work on his part, however, doing things more times than necessary was how I've learned a lot of what I know!

I'll return to this thread after work and try to sketch up a halfway decent build on a budget for this guy as well (doing it for another thread too).
 
gas porting ftw! hahaha =]

blanco, once i end up getting enough funds, i'll probably end up going with the nippon racing pistons later, since it's pretty much OE replacement. i dont mind going back to the dyno / shop a few times. i wouldn't mind seeing the numbers increase :p haha. but for now, i'll probably stick with a stage 1 setup just so i can run it, and then once i get better at driving my car with a stage 1 setup and understand how it reacts more, i may go stage 2, since at that time i'll probably have pistons.

exodus, the skunk2 intake mani is already installed. i think it may be the stock TB size (64mm i think) but i had it done by my local shop.

so after i get my money, i'll probably get a street port, and look around for a good deal for cams. IF ANYONE FINDS A GOOD DEAL ON SKUNK2 STAGE 1 CAMS, LET ME KNOW PLEASE :) i'm also planning on going with skunk2 cam gears, so i'm also going to look around for that. that's a good philosophy to go by, the not buying parts for full price on a first build.

since i'll probably end up going with a stage 1 set up, is changing the valvesprings / retainers necessary?
 
I second the nippon racing piston's. Running them on my PMR as we speak. They even received some gas porting. :eek:
you had a lot more then gasporting done to those pistons, lol. hell your B16 head was milled so much that it looked like a GSR head,lol.
 
I'm running the stock P30 ecu right now & it seems to be doing okay... Which scares me because I should be somewhere in the 12's compression. I guess the stock ecu is pretty capable of keeping a/f safe. I also just read about detonation they can't be really heard that will effect the motor's longevity... I think i'm gonna go easy till tuning. :eek:

You must have been following the build.... ;P You know Mike?
 
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