Ok so I've been wanting to boost my A3 motor for a while now, And with the compression 9:5:1 It can handle forced induction. I finally just got a Greddy turbo snail, manifold, an down pipe, Skunk2 stage 1 turbo camshafts, EbayDM FMIC w/ pipping an BOV(that's it!). I've been told K-PRO ecu managment is going to be $600! I'm prolly going to go with some 550cc injectors an the usual boost gauge, oil temp, an air to fuel ratio. Can anyone tell me what else I need to do & does anyone know the max Hp the A3 block/bottom end can withstand?? I'm hoping to be boosting a solid 10psi. thanks dudes.

 

For the last time, PSI isn't a goal. Horsepower is a goal. PSI doesn't blow up motors, horsepower does. What are your power goals? On a stock A3 bottom end, I wouldn't push it past 300whp.

Kpro runs about $1200 unless you can find it used.

You'll want at least 650cc injectors, 550cc is too small. And for the love of god, don't get a worthless A/F gauge. Get a wideband gauge (unless that's what you meant?)

Good luck, young grasshopper

 

haha grasshopper!!!!

 

 

I've seen a few dyno's of k20a3's running 10psi on stock internals making 350ish hp. If you want to push past the 300-350 range, I would really just suggest swapping an a2 at that point and building it to withstand more boost. Quality of parts and quality of the tune have a lot to do with how much you're going to actually get out of the mods you put into the car.

 

Cool, I'm just boosting my A3 for fun, but I want to get a good run out of it. Would it be a good idea to get a block guard? Thanks for your input guys! Also I've been a member since 07 why the hell am I still a noob?!

 

You only have 5 posts, hence.... noob status.

 

Oh, so would it be a good idea to get the blockguard?

 

i say no to block guards.

 

x2, ixnay on the blockguarday. They only cause overheating of the head.

 

Blockgaurd = fail

 

post count does not mean **** NOOB

 

hell yeah so fudge the block guard. I'm trying to keep it under 300whp an keep this little project under $2,500 an i've already spent $1,300 on what i have(Greddy turbo snail, manifold, an down pipe, Skunk2 stage 1 turbo camshafts, EbayDM FMIC w/ pipping an BOV that's it!) Can i do it???

 

you might see 300 with a good tune on a greddy kit, but ive seen the cybernation kits do it easily

 

You still need wastegate (unless that turbo is internally wastegated), oil lines, probably a new fuel pump, exhaust, gauges, random gaskets / hoses, tune, and some other random stuff I'm probably forgetting. I'm going to go ahead and say that you'll probably eat up your clutch too on the dyno, or shortly thereafter if you drive hard at all. Replacing the clutch generally requires a different flywheel ...and replacing the fuel pump (if you go with walbro) requires converting to a return type system.

It's a never ending list of things to do really, I doubt you can finish with the $1200 you have left...

 

Yeah, i figured im gonna need at least another $1,500+ rite. I was told greddy turbo has internal wastegate. How many oil lines would i need, an how do i find out exactly which random gaskets/hoses an the other random stuff i need? for fuel pump i was gonna go with 225 unless that's too much(idk). What is return type system? for exhaust i was gonna go with a Tanabe Super Medailion hyper exhaust it's 60mm (2.36'') heard it's good for turbo, Better for N/A which is what im doing next. What would you recommend for clutch/flywheel? best bang for my buck! btw thanks for the help!

 

You can pick up a kit for all of the steel braided oil lines you need for around $100 bucks (send / return). You will need a oil filter sandwhich adapter and an oil catch can, like ~$50 each. The 225 Walbro in tank fuel pump should be sufficient, and a return type system requires running a fuel line back to the tank. For exhaust, basically most nice N/A setups you should run at least a 2.5" exhaust all the way back from the headers. For turbo on the other hand, a 2.75" exhaust ( at least) is usually the way people go. I'm running a 3" fabbed exhaust / downpipe on only 10psi. The more free flowing, the better. Running 3" on N/A is overexcessive, not enough back pressure, so meet in the middle at 2.75" if you plan to run NA later on...skunk2 megapower R works (~$500), or some other random exhaust. Most people will tell you ACT clutch / flywheel...just pick the one that fits within your horsepower range and goals. Will run you around $600 as I recall.

I would also suggest 660cc or 750cc injectors as someone previously stated, RC engineering is pretty common. You'll need new injector clips. The K20A3's stock ECU can't be reflashed like the RSX-S, you have to send in the ECU and they send it back, ~$900. Then, get it tuned...that amount of money is considering nothing else needs to be replaced or F's up during the install

 

Just keep in mind, every time you think you're done... you will run into something else you need. It's innevitable.

 

Why cant pressure be a goal? I think its a reasonable to set a limit on how much additional pressure your engine can handle. Its a way better idea than setting a horsepower goal and trying to increase pressure to hit that goal (=destruction).

And pressure does contribute to mechanical failure, not by itself, but is one of the main reasons your engine blows up. More pressure, more energy, higher chance for breakage. Horsepower on the other hand does not directly destroy engine by itself. Horsepower is a unit of work per unit of time. Meaning its an indicator of the rate in which energy is being used. So it would be incorrect to say horsepower is what blows up engines and pressure does not. They both contribute to dynamic mechanical failure.

You'll probably want a boost controller.

10psi should be fine for stock internals, just try and avoid any high RPM bouncing (that we just love to hear out of B's and K's). If anything goes, it will likely be head components before the crank + rods..ect. And make sure you get it tuned, go conservative with respect to horsepower, it will save you headache in the long run and allow you to beat on it a bit. *Or be aggressive and blow your stuff up, then rebuild it will all new goodies. Win-win in my book ha

 

Only a few months late but thanks for the info

 

Good input SOHC50shot.

The thing new turbo'ers need to realize is that you can make 100 hp with the greddy turbo at 10psi and make 100 hp with less psi on a better turbo that has more/better air flow.

So in short all turbos are not created equal.

 

QFT

 

woops! my bad, I didnt even look. ah well

 

Agreed, to an extent. Horsepower is a better benchmark of power than pressure. As it's already been stated, not all turbos are equal. Your 10psi on a Greddy turbo kit(16g) is NOT the same power output at 10psi on a Garrett GT35R. Surely you can see the correlation I'm trying to prove.

Here you are just wrong. Honda heads don't fail unless you are over-revving the factory redlines. On most stock-motor turbo Hondas, it's the rods that will break first.

But thanks for putting the "tech" back in Honda-Tech.

 

turboteg2nv: I hear ya, I was just arguing semantics. I was just assuming the turbo and the components were already selected.

And for the head failure. I thought I mentioned that significant rev-bouncing would result in head component failure. Is it not reasonable to think that someone who just got new CAMs would think that they can rev to the moon without consequence? I am aware of the D's, B's and H's tendency to break but I haven't personally come across any information leading me to believe the K's follow along the same trend. It could very well be.