I am almost ready to start building my LS/VTEC. I am having trouble choosing what pistons to go with. I would like to get some forged pistons and rods but they are expensive I don't think I could afford them.

My question is, what would be a good piston choice(OEM) to still run pump gas and make about 180-200whp?

My first choice was PR3's. I was afriad P30's would yeild to much compression for my setup, I am wanting to run pump gas, I tried the compression calculator but that did nothing but confuse me on what piston to choose. I recently saw someone getting about the same compression with a set of P73 (00) as PR3's. I was also afraid of the PR3's hitting my valves. Here is what my setup consists of so far..

GSR head
*Milled
*Peak Performance Stage 2 cams and gears
*Skunk2 Valvetrain
*Skunk2 intake mani
*68mm throttle body(still needs to be bought)
*Jays racing intake
*Accel 310cc injectors
*STR fuel rail
*SX adjustable fuel pressure regulator
*NGK plugs and wires


B18B1 block
*block guard
*Pistons????
*shot-penned LS rods
*LS crank
*ACL bearings
Thinking about getting a main girdle, but I don't know much about them..
*ITR header
*Megan Racing exhuast/test pipe

I'll be using the Golden Eagle LS/VTEC kit..

I'll be using ARP hardware..

I'm running a chipped P28..

My other question is what kind of tools should I buy in order to do the build with me and a couple buddies? I recently bought an engine stand. Considering getting an Engine Hoist as well. I already ordered a torque wrench, but I know there are a lot of little tools that will make life easier. Feeler guages and things like that..

Any help will be greatly appreciated, I wanna get this build started pretty soon.

Thanks!
Cody



Modified by TREESnoseeds787 at 7:36 PM 1/29/2007

 

Also, I will be using this car mostly on the weekends, and it will be carrying a maximum of 2 passengers at a time. This setup will be going into a 94 Civic hatch CX.

I am wanting a streetable and strip setup. I am on a budget, but I have nothing but time so I'm going to build it right the first time..

Now.. Some help please!

 

cant go wrong with wiseco

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by k20o2o4civic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">cant go wrong with wiseco</TD></TR></TABLE>

did you even read the damn post?

PR3s

 

yup wiseco are the best pistons!! wel IMO!

 

PR3's or P30's.

Maybe even P73's, if you're nastyyyy.

- Derek

 

go with p30

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by D-Rob &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">PR3's or P30's.

Maybe even P73's, if you're nastyyyy.

- Derek</TD></TR></TABLE> http://www.jdmland.com/

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by D-Rob &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Maybe even P73's, if you're nastyyyy.

</TD></TR></TABLE>


That was a joke right?

 

I am wanting to get as close to 11.1:1 as possible..

I think I'll be going with P73(ao) since my head is milled a lot and I don't want to be running more than 12:1.

I appreciate the help guys. What's everyone else think I should do to stay between 11:1 and 12:1? (without going w/ forged pistons of course)


Thanks!!

 

you should definitely stay between 11 and 12:1. my personal motor will be about 11.6:1 when im done. remember with using that LS block your gaining another .2 from the deck height. well thats what zeal says about LS block height VS GSR anyways.
rereading your post id grab a 1/2 torque wrench, a 3/8 torque wrench and some feeler guages for gapping your rings. the 1/2 torque wrench might cover the whole spectrum you will need. i used my 3/8 for smaller bolts and rod bolts. i use my 1/2 for main, head and flywheel bolts.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jay_Sensing &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


That was a joke right?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I take it you're not a fan of Ms. Janet Jackson's early work?

Of course it was a joke.

 

I have a set of .25 OS P30's brand new with brand new rings. $210 shipped. I can email you pics if you would like. I got them from HMO. Let me know. Good luck either way

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by D-Rob &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I take it you're not a fan of Ms. Janet Jackson's early work?

Of course it was a joke.</TD></TR></TABLE>

lol, I was just making sure. Sometimes you can hear the damndest things on an internet forum that people will swear to be true and it couldn't be further from it, you know how it is.

 

to the op. youve got the right idea. a mild build budget head and a little less invested in the block. good and cheap.

doing it right the first time is like inventing the lightbuld, know you know.

dont get me wrong, your first time, take it really effing slow, do it yourself, make the calls, have a back up car, youll learn pepboys donest know jack, make more calls, eye out the pros on honda-tech, build a report. im in the same box.

that is, if youve got the mechanical side of things down, how it "should" feel when your torqing down a bolt where there is no way to get a tq wrench to. Just gets easier with more practice.

 

I actually bought a 91 integra to drive while the hatch will be being rebuilt. It kinda turned out to be a project of its own so I'll be selling it and I'll probably get a small truck or something.

I really appreciate all the help guys! I think I'll be going with P73's(ao) just to keep my compression safe. With how much my head is milled I should be right below 12:1 so we'll see how those work for now. I can always pick up other pistons, but we all know forged is where its at.

Heres a pic to keep you guys happy.

 

Bump.

 

set up sounds good. Mine is similar, except bigger bore with forged internals. and a really big nitrous hit. And im piecing a ls/vtec "conversion" kit. that GE **** is a rip, well for every price I found it for it is. You can buy KMS step dowel pins on ebay for 10 bucks, oil line from Bobs braided line, an actual oem HG, and everything else from Home Depot Racing. Good luck on the build. If you need any help, PM me on here or the local boards.

 

Yeah figured for the price I wasn't really getting a whole lot.

It comes with a head gasket that is "worked" by golden eagle especially for the ls/vtec.

People have told me I need to run a vtec head gasket, and other people are telling me to go with an LS.

The only reason I really wanted the GE kit was so I get a headgasket I know will work.

 

Yea, your at stock bore so I don't see why an OEM LS gasket wouldn't work.

 

Yeah..

Chances are I'll just go with the Golden Eagle kit because of the simplicity.

 

Bump.

You guys think I'll get the compression I want with a set of either USDM P73's or JDM P73's ? I tried a couple different compression calculators only to get two different answers. One said about 11.2:1 and the other was saying about 11.9:1. Ahhh! The confusion!

 

Bump.

Anyone ?

 

Bump. I've got some money to play with now.

I've scrapped the idea of the Block Guard and decided to go with a main girdle instead. also found a deal on a Eagle Lightweight crank so I'll be picking that up tomorrow.

I'll be running Shot penned LS rods still, and I'll prolly be ordering P73(00) tomorrow.

I should get my desired compression with the JDM P73's right? The compression calculator said I should but...

 

p73's re not a direct fit onto the ls rods...p30's will be safe on pump gas if you have a decent tune. and if you decide your dynamic compression is too high just get bigger cams. but p30's will yield close to 200whp on big cams and give right around 12:1 cr