What can make my build more reliable? besides a good tune i've heard a 02 wideband sensor would help. is it worth it? or anything else im missing out on? im looking for as much power as i can get over 200 while being more being reliable with small additions if possible.
was thinking of egt, wideband 02, boost , air & fuel, oil press/ temp, hondata boost controller sollenoid on the a s300j, of course the arp rod bolts and head studs and fuel injectors but im talking about anything else.

 

I always use ARP rod bolts and head studs. ALWAYS. A wideband O2 will let you know if the air:fuel ratio is on point. But it's up to you the driver to acknowledge the reading. All the gauges you are asking about just monitor the engine during operation. None of those gagues will prevent an engine failure, they will only warn you when something isn't right.

 

egt isnt nessesary if tuned properly, narrow band (air/fuel) gauges are useless. Oil temp and pressure are great to have, wideband IMO is a must. You can get up to around 300whp with a healthy LS motor with the proper tune and have it be reliable for a very long time if properly maintained. Headstuds are a great idea as well. ARP rod bolts are non-sense and not needed for 300hp and lower and 8k rpm and lower. If its a straight LS motor you wont be seeign anythign over 7k rpm really anyway.

 

thanks man ill look them up some more

 

None of that stuff you said is necessary. Recommendation on the widebandoso u can monitor the tune.

I have several running around 100% stock making damn near 300 for years.

Fresh gasket, and arp studs if u want to go more.

They r very reliable if the tune is on point.

Billspec

 

Anything with. Turbo should always have a wideband in the car. You should ALWAYS monitor your tune regardless of who tunes it. **** happens! I've see plenty of head lift at 300hp on stock ls head bolts. Head studs are highly recommended for longevity.

 

I agree that the wideband is a good idea, but if you dont understand how to read it, there's no point in having it. Im personally a fan of tuning it once and tuning it properly, then leaving it alone...I ran for ~4yrs without anything more than a boost gauge. Looking back, I would get an oil pressure gauge as well, but nothing more.

 

I made 304whp and 245wtq on a bone stock turbo LS motor(no studs or any upgrades besides an intake manifold/TB). Daily drove it for almost 2 years before it popped a headgasket(my fault, not the engines). Wideband is a definitely a good idea as well as a boost gauge. Thats really about all you need.

 

what size rod bolts are good? and does different gauges matter in a tune? i was thinking of a innovative wideband with a aem boost gauge.

 

are they that hard to read? i thought it just tells you if youre lean or if youre rich

 

Turbo-LS already told you that you don't need the aftermarket rod bolts (and he's right). As long as your tune is good anyways....

And widebands aren't hard to read. Unless you think reading a digital clock is difficult. But you have to know what the number is supposed to be at different loads/rpm. If you don't know this, research more about tuning a turbo motor's AFR.

And I'd recommend the wideband, oil pressure, and boost gauges. I like the addition of boost to show how temperature changes affect my actual boost level. But that's kinda overkill.

Do plenty of research......

 

Agreed. Iv'e seen people with widebands get even more paranoid than ever. With my tuner I haven't had a wideband in 15 years. Many events later, still rockin'.. I am a bit on the old school side with using EGT as it tells many things about the tune. But oil pressure is more of a must than anything.

But I may put in a zeitronix now that the car is more time attack and using meth/water, however.

 

They're not that hard to read, but if your tuner is at all competent, there shouldnt be any reason to monitor AFRs. A wideband could alert you to a failing injector or some other unforseen lean condition, but in my experience, it isn't a big concern

 

Also, it changes sporadically, especially if going from a cruise on the freeway to letting off of the accelerator completely. That lean "spike" that naturally occurs without damage is what scares the beejeezus out of people who don't understand its principles.

Its not hard to "read", but interpretation can vary depending upon the circumstances. Again, if the equipment is proper and tuning done well, there's no need to sweat it.

 

i heard that is can get dangerous when it comes to fuel cut off at a certain peak of boost. what can i ask for in a tune to prevent this kind of problem? i heard there is a way to cut off the engine instead but i don't know if that is correct either.

 

also what is the ls blocks stock head gasket thickness? or if i should go with a thicker gasket?

 

dude stock oem headgasket will be fine.

 

This thread is interesting to say the least

 

okay thank you man. ill look into it