so im rebuilding my engine soon. i need to know what setup is best. im not looking to build it to the max i just want something better than stock.
what would be the best setup?
i want to use eagle rods and ctr pistons,arp head studs and acl bearings with my old crank. i dont want to spend over $1500.
I think you’re setting yourself up for failure if you don’t have specific goals in mind. To say that “what setup is best”, “not looking to build it to the max”, “something better than stock” is not helpful. Stating that you want to use Eagle rods, CTR slugs, etc. without the context of a goal is useless as well. The only thing useful in your statement is the $1,500 budget, but even that loses relevance without a goal. Think about those goals first and the rest would just fall into place. So, what are your goals?
Then already with what you posted you’re over budget.
Expect to spend at least $500 on OEM parts (timing belt, gaskets, seals, fluids…etc). Expect to spend at least $1000 on machine work (bore, hone, mill/deck, balance, assemble…etc)
If you plan on running higher compression, larger cams and those sort of modifications then add the cost of a tunable ECU and $200-$500 worth of dyno tuning as well.
Also, aftermarket rods are overkill if you’re staying naturally aspirated.
Better than stock to me is poor mans type-r or an lsvtec. this is my opinion from looking at a b17 GSR motor to begin with.
Or perhaps mild P&P larger cams ecu for tuning and thats it. gain 25whp and be happy with it. perhaps higher piston if more power.
my old motor was a gsr killer and some more hehe thanks to the low end tq plus short b16
Now i am all stock with bolt on i/h/e port matching and b16 tranny and my chipped ecu rom thats it coz i plan to drive for 1 yr then boost. currently 9k miles only.
b18a1
i/h/e port matched in/mani
stage 2 cam + gear
obd1 ecu street tuned
b16 tranny with ls 5th gear
that was it and and if i remember right even if i got parts cheaper or new part of rebuilding my motor it surely was over $1500 to say.
So imagine about the same thing u can be gaining with more power of course with vtec and roughly $1500… Depends what u already have loaded in ur car
If $1500 is what you are expecting to pay to rebuild your motor, then that’s exactly what you will end up doing is REBUILDING the same motor with minimal gains from stock. If you want to BUILD, you might want to wait and save more money. Give yourself a buffer of a few hundred dollars too, something always seems to pop up at the last minute…