hey guys…ive been researching for a while but i really want to get started…and i dont know what to do…because i want a reliable street car cause this is my daily driver, im not looking to build a race car just something that will hold up under 8-10psi…but i dont know if i should rebuild to stock or sink all this money into my bottom and top end…i mean i want around 200whp which should be fine for the stock components…so i dont know if i should just buy like a jdm b18b and put some better head bolts and rod bolts on it to keep everything there or if i should take and build the block with pistons and rods and all that good stuff…i have a guy trying to sell me a fully built bottom end including darton sleeves, pistons, rods, bearings all that good stuff for 2k but for that money i could buy a jdm and get alot of my turbo stuff too…so what do you guys think i should do…would a stock block with a blockguard and some better bolts to hold it together work or do i need to get it done all the way…like i said i want this to be reliable so i will spend what i have too but i dont want to die triying to pay my way out of debt…thanks for all your help i wouldnt be able to make it without you guys!!!
If you are only shooting for 200 WHP on a turbo car you will be fine with just replacing the rod bolts, rod and main bearings, and head studs…
There is a post right above you on somones full race setup, tuned on 8 psi with a ls/vtec…stock bottom end making almost 300 WHP (at 8200 RPM) But what im trying to say is that you will not need to do very much to the block to make a reliable 200 hp motor, go to much more than that and you need to do some bottom end work.
Also you will want to replace your timing belt and water pump and all that on this rebuild, and you may want to think of adding in a vtec oil pump for just added safty!!
EDIT: Also maybe a new fuel pump, even the walbro ones are like 100 bucks…
yeah i plan to do a full rebuild with oem parts…and my turbo setup is almost identical to chunks so it should give me aroun 210-220whp cause im at a much lower elevation…does anyone have any suggestions on bearings and what would it take to get my rotating assembly balanced just for safe measure…and would a block guard be a good idea? gonna use uberdata with dsm injectors and a walbro fuel pump
i used king bearing but clevitte are also good i think if your going to rebuild it you might as well do piston and rods .just in case you want more down the road . that way you don’t have to rebuild it again for it . as far as a block guard you can use that or use block post
Use OEM bearings, and find a good shop to balance your rotating assembly…about the block gaurd, I have heard good and bad things about them, and I really dont know the anwser to it, I would say just dont get a cheap one, get one that will work, and be good quaility and not cause heat spots and whatnot that cheap ones do…
i think im going to rebuild to stock…if i can get a good deal on some pistons and rods then I may upgrade those and i think everything else will be oem with the exception of rod and head bolts…i dont think i will do the block guard…does anyone know how much balancing the rotating assembly and having the bottom end assembled would be at a decent shop…i would do it myself but i dont have the proper tools to do it so i would rather let someone else do it then try to do it myself the wrong way
The block gaurd is not needed unless you have aftermaket pistons. stock pistons will crack before the sleeves do. use ACL bearings 
only $80 shipped on h-t. a completely stock LS can handle ~225-240whp without a catch. for that HP you’d be wasting money upgrading the engine.
well i have a wholesale sponsorship so i maybe getting some eagle rods and cp pistons for added protection so if i got these would i need a blockguard? i have read good and bad things about them so i wasnt sure…i just want my engine to last thats why i want to have it put together by someone who knows what they are doing, the balancing was a just in case kind of thing
If you do put the blockguard in, rememebr to rehone the cylinders as it somtiems shfits them around… IMo I would rather run stock sleeves then stock sleeves with block guard
i believe thats what im going to do…i just want to get started because the sooner i start the sooner i get to hear that sweet bov!!!
also what do i need to do to take my car to 7k rpms…nothing drastic and def. not something i would do all the time but i have seen and ridden in turbo cars and sometimes it can get away from you and i was going to have the rev limiter set at 7k to keep me from messing up my motor
up to 7.5k is fine with a completely stock LS head. aftermarket valvesprings and titainium retainers are extra insurance against floating a valve when over-revved.
what about the bottom end would it be ok at that 7.5k as well…nothing im gonna do on every shift just maybe and 1 or 2 time a day thing