FAQ: For engine block internals (updated july 06)

supermex · 08-10-2004

Here is the only COMPLETE FAQ with real info on how to build your d17 the right way.
No short cuts where taked when building this engine, Sleeves whether are needed or not they are there doing their job.
All my parts where research and developed from scratch other than the obious (turbo,block, guard and,,, just it) I didn't purchase any bolt on parts.
The need of notching the D17 was first discovered and done by yours truly the same goes for the ARP studs, fuel system, intakes etc.
Pistons developed specialy for me by Racing Enginering out Florida and they have being already available since 2004

NOW THIS ENGINE IS ON A FULL STREET TUNED CAR. This engine is driven almosty every day for the last 3 years with no problems at all.
(exteremely relaiable)
Fully functional with A/C and all the amenities, the motor is done done no excuses here!

I was at NOPI 2006 in Atlanta and will go to NOPI 2007 I'm driving there and back to Florida like the last year for anyone that cares to check the car in person.

Well, I read all the stories of engines go bad after turbocharging.
I figured since some of you already bought the turbo kit and had a bad experience with the engine cause of improper installation or to much boost is time to rebuild.
If you are going to all the trouble get it done, then do it right with the proper internals.

I had my engine done in preparation for a turbo and I would like to share my experience with the project.

Project starting date Jan 03

First it will help to get a Honda Factory service manual, it will be your bible when building your engine
You can order one from Factory Manuals.com

Is better to get a motor to work with , keep your original as spare.
Q: Were can I find another motor?
A: By now you may be able to get one at the auto recyclers.
Try your local places or the website http://car-part.com/ there is a lot of places that will have one for sure.
I bought my block and head from a car that blew a head gasket after an accident and ran with it for awhile the insurance paid for a new one.
I got it for $600.00 back in 2003 now you may find them a lot cheaper.

Q: Can I use my own block?
If you didn't have a major malfunction that cracked the block or sleeves you may still use your own motor.
You may have a mechanic take it out of your car or if you have the tools and garage rent an engine hoist and do it your self.

Q: Once I have the block what do I do?
A: Since my stock engine was running fine and I purchase the block I was able to safe money by take in it apart in my garage.
I bought an engine stand for $80.00 an the Honda service manual for $100.00
It was very educational and a lot of fun striping that block bare.
I could do no harm since it was already messed up.
(note) save all the screws, bolts and extra parts you'll need them on the future.

Q:What parts do I need and were do I get them?
A: At the time there was no pistons or sleeves for this block so I hit the web and started calling manufacturers.
I found a place in Lake Worth Florida were they do research and design parts for well known manufacturers.
The place is call Race Engineering Tel: (561) 533- 5500 ask for Jonh if you call him, deffinately tell him I, Hector told you about them and he'll work you a discount also tell him about our 7thgencivic site.

Any way I took the bare block to him with a stock piston.
And they designed a full floating piston and had Wiseco build it.
(Full floating piston are pistons that use a losse connecting pin that attaches them to the rod as opposed to the pressure conecting rods from stock reducing friction,they are a bit noisy and rattle when the engine is cold)
At the time I went for a bigger size piston 76mm (stock 75.02mm)

Piston part # XT- 519P76 Wiseco 76mm 9:01 compression about $450.00
I check my compression at about 95 lbs after installing this pistons
(stock 135- 145 lbs)
Wiseco now makes 75mm pistons (stock size)

Tell them that you are turbocharging and they will recomend the right set of rings and gap clearence.
depending on how much HP and size of turbo you'll be using the type of rings will be suggested.
Heat will expand and contract this rings so gap and type of rings will make a difference if you are racing at the track of just if you just driving day to day

Definately talk to the ppl at Racing Eng. for your application
Sleeves part #DS-300-010 Darton flanged sleeve from a D16- 75mm
I had to bore this babes out to 76mm to fit my oversized pistons.
Skip this step if you are using 75mm pistons.
About $210 a set of 4

Rods where already available CR- BR3740B Crower Billet Honda 1.7 $600.00
The good thing about Racing Engineering is that they will give you all the specs and measurements that you need for the machine shop.
This sure helps if you are not a car guru.

Q: And theeeen?
Take the block and parts to a machine shop and give them the specs that you'll get from Racing Eng. along with the Honda service manual
The block will have to be bored to fit the sleeves about 78mm and the cranck shaft line honed.
Also make sure the shop resurface the top of your block so is nice and flat.

Sleeves pressed in and bore out to fit the size piston you choose 75mm or 76mm and the bottom of sleeves noched to make room for the crower bigger rods to clear ( bigger rods will touch the bottom of the sleeves as they turn up and down,

I found this out the hard way half way into the install.

Q: Now that I have all done how do I put it all together?
A; I deffinately recomend getting a good shop to do the job.
Make sure they are proficient in Hondas and take with you the service manual and ask them to see it carefully and use all the torque recomendations.

I would also purchase a gasket kit and new cranck shaft bearings $160.00
Check the manual book to learn how to order your bearings they come in colors yellow brown green etc.There are numbers on the block and the camsaft as well as on the rods.
The bearings can be any combination of colors and almost unique to your block.VERY IMPORTANT!
I went OEM you may choose after market.

KMS Block Guard if you want one, $40.00 http://www.7thgencivic.com/forums/sh...ms+block+guard
The BG is an insurance agains cathastorphic failure on your internals.
It sort of keeps thing togerher.
It works great on racing cars one 1/4 of mile at the time, but on a daily driver can get the engine overheated on hot days
(there has being issues with Block Guard heating up the head because it obstructs the free flow of water to the head)
So I modifed the BG to flow more water by opening the holes on a side to side configuration as shown below

Also I intalled a huge superthin front pusher fan placed between the intercooler and the A/C core Autozone $50.00

Now you can apply a Nippon head gasket sold at the dealership $40.00.

Follow up with a set of ARP heat studsARP headstuds
ARP part # 2084301 Honda D-16 HSK for 1.6 SHOC vtec application. 10 studs
NOTE: ARP makes two types Z&Y (OURS is Z) about a $100.00

Q: What about the head?

I had the head P&P and valves installed a month later (stage 3 regrinded cam a yers later 2007) and end up having a shop make an Intake manifold with a big throttle body 75mm

But that will be another FAQ all together.
P&P Head KMS
If I was you I would only have my head cleaned and a 3 angle valve job just to get the thing going again without spending more money.
Can always take the head out later and deal with it like I did.

Before the mechanic installs the engine I ask for a full day with it to polished the block and the head cover

YEAR: LATE 2004 ---My engine installed looks like this

Just need that turbo now. Sep 04
But I know that engine will take it for sure.
I didn't bother on dyno it cause of the low compresion configuration and would do good numbers.
Price for all the labor varies from shop to shop.
So get quotes before you start doing anything.

JUNE 2005--A year later
The engine was turbo charged
Precision t3 t4 .69 trim .48 exhaust
Tial gaste gate
Custom piping
Greedy boost controler
Greddy type S BOV

Then I got an equal lenght manifold builded by a local guy nicked name GATO
and had it ceramic coated.
Did the same with the turbo housings
It helps move the air smoothly as it twirles inside the turbo housings.

Update July 4-05

UPDATE JULY 2006 fuel system taking care off, the return line was installed, on the bottom left you'll see a canister that holds a liter of fuel ready

available for when boosting at WOT won't dry out your line.
A Walbro 240 intank pump and a Mighty might inline pump is installed on front with a custom made fuel rail with Precision 550 injectors

Working together with an Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator holding 40 lbs of pressure.

With all put together it looked like this

75 SHOOT OF NITROUS
Courtecy of NX

Fogger system on the Precision IC

IN 2007 was time to change the old stage 2 ACT clutch and replaced it with the ACT stage 4

Wtih all nitrous / alchy injection and nitrous systems working plus racing fuel 104 and boosting 21 lbs I was able to dyno the following numbers

Tunning with an AEM EMS

This is the final result

up until now July 2007 the engine is holding up and I haven't had any engine problems at all

Hope this will help future D17 builders.
Don't let anyone tell you that the D17 is not a good plataform
Is actualy a very durable engine when modified.
You'll have a unique set up.

If you do what every one else is doing you'll be just like every one else.

modifing the vic and representing Since 2001 babe

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abmerop18 · 08-10-2004

great post! this should be stickied

civic01vtec · 08-10-2004

good post

civic01vtec · 08-10-2004

btw..........weren't u prepping for a 150 shot or sumtin?

What you spraying ?

xian · 08-10-2004

Nice...I noticed you with the link you provided you have a "A custom made one of kind billet alum. Tubular air intake was installed with a 75mm Mustang GT racing throttle body.".

Did you notice any difference with this on?

Btw, what do you do for a living??? Drop some serious cash!!! Sorry, just had to ask.

jwcardy · 08-10-2004

hopefully you will come over to jeffs on the 21st in tampa so that i can check this setup out first hand...i would love to see it, and we would love for you to ride out....if i can make the 12hr drive for the weekend, you can make the short trip too

supermex · 08-10-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwcardy

hopefully you will come over to jeffs on the 21st in tampa so that i can check this setup out first hand...i would love to see it, and we would love for you to ride out....if i can make the 12hr drive for the weekend, you can make the short trip too

21st of this month?

Man I love too but I'll be in Atlanta for HIN's I have a comitment with couple of sponsors.

supermex · 08-10-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by civic01vtec

btw..........weren't u prepping for a 150 shot or sumtin?

What you spraying ?

I spray 75 shoot of nitrous NX after that I'll need more fuel.
It runs very good no numbers on track or Dyno yet.

supermex · 08-10-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by xian

Nice...I noticed you with the link you provided you have a "A custom made one of kind billet alum. Tubular air intake was installed with a 75mm Mustang GT racing throttle body.".

Did you notice any difference with this on?mmmmm

Btw, what do you do for a living??? Drop some serious cash!!! Sorry, just had to ask.

You mean this thing

That was me, after a few adjustments it work very good for a part made at my friends shop.
I lost cruise control, and still have a few vacum lines lose so I have check engine code.
Doesn't seem to affect performance but is bothering me.
I would off radder have a Honda throtte body but this Mustang Gt 75mm is very simple and it seems to be doing the job.
The car runs good but I will not know till I have the turbo on cause I'm running on low compresion pistons

And no, I don't sell drugs for a living I work as a trade show tech at a local display shop