I want more HP
Thread Starter
Jeremy's Iron
Joined: May 2002
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From: Baytown, Texas, US
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I want more HP Ok, so my budget is pretty limited at the moment, and as much as I would like an RSX-S motor, I think I'm going to settle into buying a D17A2 and building it up. But that's a project for next year.
So this is what I'm thinking. I know that Chrissy from this site installed some GX pistons in her car, and it was running like crap because the compression was too high. So would getting some GX pistons and shaving them down to an 11.0:1 compression be reasonable? I just want some extra "kick" for my car, cuz it's killing me that I can't go any faster with bolt-ons. And I don't want to have to deal with the fuel problem either. Does anyone know up to how much fuel our cars can put out before we need to start using different injectors?
And if I just got some custom-made pistons, what else is needed to install them? Thanks for any input at all...
Cliff's Notes: I want more compression in my engine. What compression would be nice enough so that I don't have to upgrade my fuel injectors or invest in a fuel management system?
So this is what I'm thinking. I know that Chrissy from this site installed some GX pistons in her car, and it was running like crap because the compression was too high. So would getting some GX pistons and shaving them down to an 11.0:1 compression be reasonable? I just want some extra "kick" for my car, cuz it's killing me that I can't go any faster with bolt-ons. And I don't want to have to deal with the fuel problem either. Does anyone know up to how much fuel our cars can put out before we need to start using different injectors?
And if I just got some custom-made pistons, what else is needed to install them? Thanks for any input at all...
Cliff's Notes: I want more compression in my engine. What compression would be nice enough so that I don't have to upgrade my fuel injectors or invest in a fuel management system?
Registered!!
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 588
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From: Hilliard, Ohio, US
Rep Power: 0 we all want more power, im guessing the whole thing with the pistons would work, but its up to you if you want to try it or not (wait for others to reply, they might have a better knowledge), but my best suggestion is turbo also, or just save that money from your limited budget towards that k20a swap
Thread Starter
Jeremy's Iron
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,469
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From: Baytown, Texas, US
Rep Power: 0 No, I don't want a turbo. If I'm going F/I, it'll be on a K20 motor. All I want is something that can be done within $1000. Pistons are at the top of the list, so that's why I'm asking. And I'm still new to the whole engine building world so I'm not sure what else is involved in changing the pistons to raise compression in the D17A2. And I don't see why it would be that hard, either.
I want to add a question to the thread
Say i had 2grand thats half a turbo kit...and i cant get anymore $$
What could i get that would give me signifact gains?
What kind of headwork!!?
Say i had 2grand thats half a turbo kit...and i cant get anymore $$
What could i get that would give me signifact gains?
What kind of headwork!!?
Registered!!
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Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Redmond, Washington, US
Rep Power: 0 The problem with doing engine work, is that you have to either 1, take the engine out, or 2 buy another engine to work on it. Both of those idea's are going to cost you some money, so you're 1000 dollars isn't going to actually be 1000 dollars.
If you're going to build an engine you need to get the block and head i know that new, those are at least 2K+, now used would be cheaper, BUT then you still have to get the engine installed and all that. Now I'm not sure on this exactly, but MINIMUM someone's gonna wan't like 500 bucks to drop an engine in. Now if you're doing all this yourself that's a different story.
I'd say, buy the GX pistons, get them shaved to 11:1 since that can be run off of premium. I actually think something like 11.2:1 will work, not sure on that. I think the Gx pistons cost something like 50$ bucks a piece + 4 sets of rings (30 bucks a piece) + 4 wrist pins ( 10 bucks a piece) that's like (4X50+30X4+4X10 = 360) give or take some money.
Now if you're building a new engine and not modifying yours, you're going to have to add the block, head, rods (75 a piece), crank, valves (whole lotta money) + a bunch of other stuff that costs probably more than 1000 dollars. SO, my suggestion would be to, like others said save for a k20a2, or go FI, or what I would do, put that money into suspension upgrades and autox that biatch.
That's all I got to offer don't know if I helped you out or not.
If you're going to build an engine you need to get the block and head i know that new, those are at least 2K+, now used would be cheaper, BUT then you still have to get the engine installed and all that. Now I'm not sure on this exactly, but MINIMUM someone's gonna wan't like 500 bucks to drop an engine in. Now if you're doing all this yourself that's a different story.
I'd say, buy the GX pistons, get them shaved to 11:1 since that can be run off of premium. I actually think something like 11.2:1 will work, not sure on that. I think the Gx pistons cost something like 50$ bucks a piece + 4 sets of rings (30 bucks a piece) + 4 wrist pins ( 10 bucks a piece) that's like (4X50+30X4+4X10 = 360) give or take some money.
Now if you're building a new engine and not modifying yours, you're going to have to add the block, head, rods (75 a piece), crank, valves (whole lotta money) + a bunch of other stuff that costs probably more than 1000 dollars. SO, my suggestion would be to, like others said save for a k20a2, or go FI, or what I would do, put that money into suspension upgrades and autox that biatch.
That's all I got to offer don't know if I helped you out or not.
Let's see... the best thing you can do to make your car go faster with $1000.
Lightweight 15s w/sticky tires. -$1000
Or.
Buy a good header (nothing street legal - HP, Kamikaze, TopSpeed). -$200-$300
Or.
Upgrade your clutch & flywheel -$500-$600.
Or.
Get a torque converter (if you have an auto). -$600-$800
$1000 into a 4-cylinder engine is like... a start. lol It's not like putting a grand into a V8 and getting huge results.
Lightweight 15s w/sticky tires. -$1000
Or.
Buy a good header (nothing street legal - HP, Kamikaze, TopSpeed). -$200-$300
Or.
Upgrade your clutch & flywheel -$500-$600.
Or.
Get a torque converter (if you have an auto). -$600-$800
$1000 into a 4-cylinder engine is like... a start. lol It's not like putting a grand into a V8 and getting huge results.
Addicted to the Twisties!
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 3,693
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From: Littleton, Co
Rep Power: 314 Originally posted by SlammedBlueEM2
Let's see... the best thing you can do to make your car go faster with $1000.
Lightweight 15s w/sticky tires. -$1000
Or.
Buy a good header (nothing street legal - HP, Kamikaze, TopSpeed). -$200-$300
Or.
Upgrade your clutch & flywheel -$500-$600.
Or.
Get a torque converter (if you have an auto). -$600-$800
$1000 into a 4-cylinder engine is like... a start. lol It's not like putting a grand into a V8 and getting huge results.
Let's see... the best thing you can do to make your car go faster with $1000.
Lightweight 15s w/sticky tires. -$1000
Or.
Buy a good header (nothing street legal - HP, Kamikaze, TopSpeed). -$200-$300
Or.
Upgrade your clutch & flywheel -$500-$600.
Or.
Get a torque converter (if you have an auto). -$600-$800
$1000 into a 4-cylinder engine is like... a start. lol It's not like putting a grand into a V8 and getting huge results.
Good call, if I put a grand into my F-150's 5.0L V-8 I'd have been runnin' 10's....NOT!!! But it would have been a HUGE improvement, oh well, too bad I sold that P.O.S. and got my Vic!
Thread Starter
Jeremy's Iron
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,469
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From: Baytown, Texas, US
Rep Power: 0 Total on parts I should be spending under $300. Does anyone know how much a shop charges to shave down the compression on each piston? I've already talked to my uncle about doing this, and he said it's not too time consuming. He's got his own mechanic shop and always charges me cheap. I doubt he's going to charge me $500 just to drop in the engine. So the way I figure it, I seriously DOUBT I'm going to spend more than $1000 for this upgrade.
Thread Starter
Jeremy's Iron
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,469
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From: Baytown, Texas, US
Rep Power: 0 BTW Renamazazo, you're the only one who's helping out here. See, that's exactly what I was thinking. And I've looked up the pistons, they're $30 each. What I wanted to know was which compression I should go for. I was thinking 11.1:1 but I didn't know if Premium gas would work or not. I'm not looking for spectacular results, just an upgrade here and there.
I wish I was asian
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Joined: Nov 2002
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From: chantilly, Virginia, US
Rep Power: 336 if you're looking for another engine to work with, give osoboosted a PM. he got his engine (practially new) for like $500. that leaves you with the other half to get piston work done and maybe something else.
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,857
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From: Gaithersburg, MD
Rep Power: 412 
Does this thread have a point? If you already knew you were going to do the GX pistons then why did you post for opinions? The GX pistons alone will not give you 50hp. If you want 50hp you will need to port, polish, valve job, change pistons, bore throttle body, change your intake and exhaust manifolds, and a few other things that will cost you more than $1000. If you are going NA then it will take alot of work, but I don't think you can get more than 170-180 out of the D17 going naturally aspirated.
Originally posted by robbclark1
Does this thread have a point? If you already knew you were going to do the GX pistons then why did you post for opinions? The GX pistons alone will not give you 50hp. If you want 50hp you will need to port, polish, valve job, change pistons, bore throttle body, change your intake and exhaust manifolds, and a few other things that will cost you more than $1000. If you are going NA then it will take alot of work, but I don't think you can get more than 170-180 out of the D17 going naturally aspirated.
Does this thread have a point? If you already knew you were going to do the GX pistons then why did you post for opinions? The GX pistons alone will not give you 50hp. If you want 50hp you will need to port, polish, valve job, change pistons, bore throttle body, change your intake and exhaust manifolds, and a few other things that will cost you more than $1000. If you are going NA then it will take alot of work, but I don't think you can get more than 170-180 out of the D17 going naturally aspirated.
Here, y0.
Originally posted by SlammedBlueEM2
Let's see... the best thing you can do to make your car go faster with $1000.
L$1000 into a 4-cylinder engine is like... a start. lol It's not like putting a grand into a V8 and getting huge results.
Let's see... the best thing you can do to make your car go faster with $1000.
L$1000 into a 4-cylinder engine is like... a start. lol It's not like putting a grand into a V8 and getting huge results.
Thread Starter
Jeremy's Iron
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,469
Likes: 0
From: Baytown, Texas, US
Rep Power: 0 Originally posted by robbclark1
Does this thread have a point? If you already knew you were going to do the GX pistons then why did you post for opinions? The GX pistons alone will not give you 50hp. If you want 50hp you will need to port, polish, valve job, change pistons, bore throttle body, change your intake and exhaust manifolds, and a few other things that will cost you more than $1000. If you are going NA then it will take alot of work, but I don't think you can get more than 170-180 out of the D17 going naturally aspirated.
Does this thread have a point? If you already knew you were going to do the GX pistons then why did you post for opinions? The GX pistons alone will not give you 50hp. If you want 50hp you will need to port, polish, valve job, change pistons, bore throttle body, change your intake and exhaust manifolds, and a few other things that will cost you more than $1000. If you are going NA then it will take alot of work, but I don't think you can get more than 170-180 out of the D17 going naturally aspirated.
Cliff's Notes: I want more compression in my engine. What compression would be nice enough so that I don't have to upgrade my fuel injectors or invest in a fuel management system?
Now that you've read it, does it say anything about 50 more HP? I KNOW that it will take more than $1000 to get 50HP out of my little D17. I never even said I wanted 50HP out of the D17 by just adding pistons. But that wasn't the point of this thread.
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,857
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From: Gaithersburg, MD
Rep Power: 412 then you should change the title of your thread to "want more compression". And to be truely honest, you probably wont get helpful responses in OPP. I think anything higher than 12 or 13:1 wouldn't give you good results unless you boosted. A small boost in power will probably be seen if you can get it up to 11 or 11.5:1 and you probably won't have to get a FMU. I would stick to 11:1 if you don't want to upgrade the fuel sytem.
here is a good thread to read
http://www.7thgencivic.com/forums/sh...ht=compression
here is a good thread to read
http://www.7thgencivic.com/forums/sh...ht=compression
