Just curious on peoples thoughts on my 4-500hp build goal on a d16y8. If I need more please feel free to tell me what I’m missing to obtain my hp goal. This is not a daily driver by any means but I do want reliability just fyi. Build list thus far includes:

Speed factory no notch rods
75.5 vitara pistons
Stock block no sleeves or block guard
1000cc injector dynamics
57 trim turbo but unfortunately is 50ar (I think turbo needs to be swapped out)
2.5 IC pipe
20”x6”x3” intercooler
Ram horn exhaust manifold
Tial 38mm wastegate
Walboro 255 pump
AEM fuel rail and regulator
Skunk 2 pro series intake manifold
Skunk 2 pro 68mm throttle body
HKS blow off valve
Hondata s300 (which I need tuned if anybody knows a good tuner btw)
Competition stage 3 clutch
Mfactory lsd
Brian crower stage 2 cam and springs, stock retainers
ARP head studs and rod bolts
AEM tru-time cam gear
Modded oem oil pump
Running on e85

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks guys.

 

Only possible issue I see is the 255 pump and intercooler. My car ran out of fuel on e85 with a 255 around 350-400hp max. The intercooler might get you there as long as you don’t live in a hot environment. Also don’t know if that turbo will be large enough without knowing more about it

 

What I didn’t contemplate for a high horsepower D series build from the start was the head stud issue that is common around 400whp or more. Since the D series has smaller head studs (M10 ten mm wide) compared to engines like the B series and K series (M11 eleven mm wide) then head lift might become an issue.
Now why is it important to think about it from the start? because if you have the whole set up built and working in the car, then have head lift at say 400whp, then the thing to do is Time-Sert the engine block for 11mm head studs. It CAN be done with the engine still in the car, but it’s much easier to do before the rest of the block is built, when you have a bare block.
BadGuys says they can do it for 350$ and I think it’s a wise investment from the beginning, rather than something to do later in the build. I’m not sure what their turn around time is though, I’ve heard BadGuys has a long wait on machine work. You might be able to have a local machine shop professionally drill out the block (perfectly straight) then install the Time-Sert yourself.
However, there have been people that make up to 600WHP or so on stock sized head studs, so it might not happen to you.
I wish I would have done it from the start before the pistons/rods/ etc. because now I’d have to be working on a heavier block that already has money in it…

 

Thanks so much for the reply man, and for the heads up info on the studs. Unfortunately the motor has already been built and fitted with 10mil studs. If I end up having head lift at my desired hp then I guess I’ll have to swap to the 11mil at that time. Thanks again though man, I didn’t know stepping up head stud size was even a thing, wish I did now. Lol

 

Yes, I have had my doubts on the pump, intercooler and turbo also. I guess I’m going to have to see where I end up with the hp numbers and go swapping stuff from there. Thanks for the reply though, very much appreciated.

 

Just go ahead and plan on getting a Walbro 450, then you won't have to worry about changing it later. I don't think the price difference is very much at all. Plan on wiring in a relay and large gauge wire for your fuel pump. You can either DIY or buy a kit (PFI, Burton Racing, etc.).

You're going to run out of fuel injector with 1000's on E85 at around 400 hp. For comparison, I made 401 whp on E85, 99% duty cycle, and 50psi static fuel pressure. You may be able to run a higher fuel pressure to get a little more margin. Depending on how high of a fuel pressure you run, you may need to get the high pressure Walbro pump. For the two 450lph pumps, part number F90000267 is good to 87 psi total fuel pressure and part number F90000274 is good to 112 psi total fuel pressure. Total fuel pressure is static fuel pressure (set at your fuel pressure regulator with the vacuum line disconnected) PLUS your maximum boost pressure. So, if you're running 75 psi static fuel pressure with the F90000267 pump, you can only safely run 12 psi boost pressure before your fuel pump starts running out of steam. If you keep fuel pressure down near close to stock levels (43 psi), you'll be fine with the regular pump. But...I don't think there is any drawback to running the high pressure one, so I'd probably just go that way.

Your 10mm head studs might be OK if you stay conservative on the timing. If you start blowing head gaskets, back off on the timing and/or consider going up to 11mm head studs. It cost me about $1,000 to do the conversion myself, and half of that cost was the Time-Sert kit.

A ramhorn manifold has a lot of surface area, so ECT's may be an issue. Wrap as much of the manifold and downpipe as you can and run a turbo blanket. Buy a high quality fan like a Spal, run a relay with large gauge wiring and a 40A fuse, and adjust your tune so the fan stays on at speed. These all helped me keep my ECT's under control. Which chassis is this going in? If an EF, you may need to take extra steps to keep things cool.

 

Whoaaa! That’s a lot of info man, thanks so much for taking the time to write all that out, it’s greatly appreciated. Okay, well, unfortunately I just bought and already installed the 10 mill studs so I’m going to have to see where that gets me, got to take that chance on that one at this point. And second, I literally just installed the 255 pump also lol. Sounds like I’m making a lot of moves in the complete wrong direction and it’s costing me 🤣. Seems like no matter how much research i do, I tend to always hone in on all the wrong recommendations some how. I first bought 440cc injectors and apparently I got that alllll wrong, and then I purchased the injector dynamics 1000cc and apparently those aren’t enough either, I’m drowning here in losing money on all this lol. I needed some one right out the gate that really knew what they were talking about, unfortunately I didn’t know that guy. Well thanks again man, I’ll keep in mind all the other things you said to do and go from there I guess. Thanks

 

You could switch from E85 to Race Gas and use the 255 LPH fuel pump and the ID 1000cc fuel injectors that you have now and hit your 500 HP goal... just saying.

 

Honestly JRCivic1, originally I planned on running on pump gas but unfortunately I live in Vegas man and it gets damn near to 120 degrees in the summer and as far as I know, I don’t believe we have any fuel higher than 91 octane that I can find, e85 is few and far between as well but easier to get than race fuel. Back in the day, I remember seeing high octane fuel every where, I use to run it my dirt bikes and jet skis. I’ve since sold all that stuff and have been looking for high octane fuel, and apparently it doesn’t exist anymore except for the e85.

 

[QUOTE=fievalfon;52600411]
If you’re looking for reliability, and assuming you already have all the parts listed, you’re better off keeping it closer to 400, rather than 500hp.
A few of the parts stand out as being possibly unreliable around 500, but alright for 400:
standard sized head studs
Competition Stage 3 clutch
Walbro 255l/hr fuel pump
Tial 38mm wastegate
1000cc injectors
stock block with no block guard
Vitara pistons
”no notch” rods

Especially the stage 3 clutch stands out as not being able to support 500hp, but the other parts listed will be near their failure point at 500hp.

 

Basically. I don't even bother with E85

 

[QUOTE=highschooler;52601892]yes, unfortunately everything I have listed I have already purchased and mostly installed. If I’m going to make bigger numbers than 400 then it sounds like I’m just going to have to fork over some extra cash when my empty pockets permits and step up to a larger fuel system. Bit of a shitty deal cause as all of you know, this **** ain’t cheap lol.

 

[QUOTE=highschooler;52601892]I think 400 wheel HP is MUCH more viable than 500... a stock block will NOT take 500 even if you had the parts to make it.

Me either... we old guys know the truth.

[QUOTE=fievalfon;52601952]You will need a sleeved block... or a CSS block at MINIMUM if you want to entertain the 500 wheel HP target... on top of all of the parts that have already been discussed.

Speed costs... how fast do you want to go ???

 

Definitely not a kid here, I’m 41 in august. Only reason I’m still messing with this car is because I’ve had it since I was 20, and I’m just looking to get it back on the road and have a little fun with it, not trying to build a real race car to say the least. Like I said, just want a fast fun reliable car, if I can’t hit the 500 mark then so be it, just thought I was on the right track to do so and I’m quickly finding that’s not the case. But I do really appreciate all of your guys info and help on this.

 

I'm a 1981 model too. 400hp on the street in a FWD car is a lot...most of the time I have mine turned down to mid 300's on the street so I can keep traction. You've already got parts, so get it all together, get it tuned, and see what you make and what the bottle neck is, then fix that. Otherwise youll constantly be trying to buy the latest parts amd may never get it running.

 

🤣 81 model, that’s funny man lol. But yeah, that’s the plan, I’m going to finish what I’ve started with and what I have already bought and get her on the road. If 400 or so is all she’s got, and she’s fun to drive, then I’ll leave it at that. But I know how boost and power go. I do a lot of GM LS swaps, natural and forced, along with my daily 700 horse Cummins and at some point or another your always left wanting more. I know you all get where I’m coming from.

 

True statement. Many of us here are "Ate Up" with that illness. I agree with DaX... put together what you have and send it. You can make 400 wheel HP on 93 octane pump gas.

 

It’s for sure the truth, everything I have ever owned at some point seems like it got slower and I need more lol. You get used to it. But yes, I’m taking the advise and going that route, can’t afford right now to buy things over again for the third time 🤦🏻‍♂️😂. And after almost 20 years of it sitting, it’s just time to get her on the road. I don’t know at what point your finally able to send me a PM but I’m looking forward to hearing your recommendations for a tuner JRCivic1

 

Twenty years is a long time to have a car sitting. Mine has been sitting for a year and half and it seems like forever. I started with a huge goal of 500whp on my current D series project, and have realized it’s better to go for 300whp at first, then maybe work my way up later.
Since your car has been sitting so long and it’s your first tune, and in addition seeing how D series people blow head gaskets at even low 300HP points, I recommend going only for 300whp your first tune, and just getting it driving for a few months, then go back for a bigger HP number later. Someone made a post a few months ago about having head lift at 317whp on a D16Y8. Maybe get an EGT gauge to monitor exhaust temperatures. I’ve seen on Facebook of people that say Vitara pistons fail in their ring lands at less than 400hp and on a “good conservative rich/ low timing tune”.
Tuning sessions are expensive and only last a couple hours at most, so you’ll want to have everything working for sure, such as holding boost, and not overheating, leaking exhaust, etc.
How awful would it be to blow a head gasket on the dyno trying to go for 450hp, when you could drive it for years on 325, say…so I would start with 3xx hp, do some monitoring for a few months, make sure your cooling is up to par, and see if everything is good to go for more power, then go back later for a big HP number.