I currently have a bone stock JDM GSR swap in my ek hatch.

It is currently consuming 1/2 quart of oil per 1K miles, so I'm thinking it will need a rebuild soon-ish (within a year per se). While I'll be rebuilding it, I figure now is the time to put some good parts into it. The goal is for a bit more power and to retain reliable drivability. My state does not have emissions, so that is of no concern.

I have decided on some parts already:

-Edelbrock Performer X intake manifold
-Hondata gasket for said manifold
-Tuning on eCtune by a very good local tuner (J. Mills of DG Performance in Franklinton, NC)

I plan on boring the bottom out while it's apart.

I am undecided whether to go to 81.25 or 81.5. Leaning a bit towards 81.5

I would like the compression to go to 11.5-12.0, as we don't have 93 octane in my area, and E85 is even more scarce.

I've been looking at NPR pistons for this. Would these be ok?

Rods...would OEM be ok as well?

I will be using all OEM bearings to replace the current ones, input on that as well please.

For the head, I won't be doing any porting/polishing as the nearest place to me is RLZ, and their backlog is close to 400 years. They do great work, but I don't want to wait THAT long.

ALL M0T0R has been helping me alot through pms (and I greatly appreciate that). I'm awaiting some dyno sheets of his cams, and more than likely will be using a set of his custom ones. What valve train would you guys reccomend with this? I plan on replacing it all (valve guides/seals/valves/springs/retainers) for freshness sake.

Header....I will probably go with a Hytech rep or something nice that will allow me to retain AC (it's hot here in the summer and I'm old). I will also be using a 3 inch exhaust.

To wrap this novel up, I'd like reliability, more power, and to keep my AC. This car will never see a dragstrip, so 1/4 mile, 0-60 times, etc are unimportant.

Price is not an issue on any parts, as I believe in doing things right the first time, and I am aware that good parts cost money.

Any advice, input, etc are greatly appreciated.

 

Rmf or replica narrow header would be better and allow u to keep ac

Supertech springs and retainers should suffice.

Npr pistons are ok, I like rs machine personally

Oem rods are fine. Have them shotpeened and bottom end balanced if u got the cash


Does your car smoke? If so when?

 

That's what I'm leaning towards.

I was leaning to BC's and maybe skunk2 (A recent bad experience may push me in another direction). A friend has Supertech parts in his H22 and we're both pleased with the brand so far.

DOH! I forgot about them. Thanks!

I don't think there is a place local to me that can do this process.

Not during acceleration, but deceleration (I know I spelled that wrong).

 

Stock GSR rods are forged from the factory so there's no advantage to shotpeening them etc. The bottom end is also balanced fromt he factory so you can spend the money you save here, in other more important areas. About the best thing you can do here is install new rod bolts, OEM or ARP, doesn't matter, they're just as good as the other.


you spelled it correctly and smoking on deceleration could mean that your valve guides are worn and/or your valve seals need to be replaced. The best thing you can do with your head is to have those things checked and a new performance 3 angle valve job done. Porting does very little for you at this point.

 

just my 2 cents....Have you considered tuning on hondata ? not I don't have any experience on others I run hondata and just love it....I think it leaves the ability for future tuning and the data logging is great. I like it because it goes inside your ecu for a clean install..just my 2 cents...lol

 

I recommend Skunk2 pro series or supertech valvetrain for my cams.


You're on your way to a good solid motor. Lots of guys on this site have given you some sound advice. Can't wait to see it.

Run a performer X manifold, long as you stay under a 2.0 liter, this is the manifold of choice for me.

eCtune and Neptune are both far superior then hondata. When you need to acquire your ectune license, pm me, ism working with bugermass to help the slow process.

 

You obviously have never seen eCtune or neptune..

Visit ectune.com or hrtuning.com..

To me, hondata is utter garbage.

 

Excellent, this is great to hear.

This was planned, just not mentioned.

I read in another post of yours where upgrading to ARP head studs was not necessary. Would it be ok to reuse my current head studs as there has never been an overheating issue? I've heard different answers from other sites. I reused the headstuds when I rebuilt my LS last year with zero issues. I'm unsure if the GSR is the same.

This is what I figured and it's the main reason why I'm focusing more on the head than the bottom end, as the bottom end appears to be healthy (I will be doing a compression test sometime soon to verify and just for fun.).

Yes I have. A friend has it running his mildly built H22 and he has no issues with it.

My tuner is very comfortable with the eCtune, so that's what I'm going with. I know nothing of tuning, so I'm leaving it in his hands. He has a great rep and has been very helpful as well, so he gets my business.

Noted.

What size do you reccomend?

I'm very thankful for the advice I'm getting, as there is no one really local I can turn to. You guys are great, and I really appreciate all the helpful tips.

Countless people have told me the same, so I'm scooping this unit up.

 

Run supertechs 85lbs..

or the regular pro series valvetrain either is fine.

 

Heat cycling is what leads to the head bolts weakening over time. You can typically reuse headstuds without problem, a few times.

 

so we have lots in common,

im first week into my first honda.
its a ek hatch,
with a mint jdm gsr motor going in this week beside it.

im in greensboro, nc,
im old,
and theres no way in hell im running this thing without ac either.

where were going in different directions is the whole 93 octane thing. that sh't is all over the place up here..... theyve even paved all the roads in this part of the state.

 

Since when is hondata utter garbage? I don't see or hear many people using ectune or neptune on high horse power hondas. Am i missing something?.

 

This is excellent to hear.

Yeah, we're not too far apart.

It's supposed to be in the mid-90s this week. I work in AC, but I got to drive to get there. I refuse to be one of those guys who rides around in a wife-beater, sweating my ***** off because I was "saving weight" by removing AC.

I work in a "new to me" area, so I'm going to scout it out and see if I can track down some 93.

Regarding the Hondata, I asked my tuner and he does sell it, but he said for my application, it'd be overkill. He said eCtune will do the exact same for much cheaper. I'm not smart enough in this area to do my own tuning, so I won't need access to the settings once it rolls off the dyno.

He (my tuner) said it would be wasted money that could go towards parts.

 

Any airports in your area?

 

Yes.

However, they are on the other side of the other side of town.

+30 miles each way.