So after a huge hydrolock scare I am moving foward and now I am doing research for a turbo build but I don't know where to start. I have never worked with any type of FI application and have never been farther than the basic I/H/E setup. I contacted some people over at DRAG CARTEL and spoke with them on what all I need to safely boost my FA5 K20Z3. My goal is to start with a typical turbo kit that I have seen on procivic.com but I want to make sure I take the proper steps to protect it. I have read stories of the amazing number put down with stock K20s with no replace internals or anything like that but I would rather invest in all the parts to protect it from any harsh driving conditions that I am sure to perform . I'm not looking for a comparison of whats better I just dont know what all I need, I can never get a straight answer. I want to eventually push the boost to up around 14 -18 PSI but I understand there are alot of factors that go into this so no decisions have been made. So besides turbo stage camshafts and fuel delivery what else should I be researching? I just need to be pointed in the right direction then I can search and explore

 

first thing's first, get that stupid psi level mentality out of your head right now. set a hp goal. psi is irrelevant without knowing what turbo's being used.

a good turbo, good fuel system, and good tune will take you a long way. start your research in the forced induction forum. read all the FAQs until you get a good understanding on the basics.

 

Thanks Doood, This is what I am talking about as far as the help I need, I basically stated what i wanted as far as psi levels based on cars around where I live (another K20) and i liked the setup he had and thats what he said he was running, I am grateful that you gave me a understanding but as I said in the post I am aware of the fact that there are several factors so there was no actual decision on what I wanted. I used that as a reference to try and relate to how much work I would need to do I would imagine that if there is a large difference in such factors it would require to work to be done and that is kinda what I wanted to get across, although to be honest I did use that as a goal mark in my own head of the kinda power I would like to put down but I should have stated that in my original post so please let me give you some actual goals that I would like to achieve. I would like to plant atleast 400hp to the wheels of good solid power, I dont even know where to start. I have done alot of research but my problem is that I don't know what to expect out of a high hp civic. I have done some reading and searching on the process of different FI applications but still I am a little loss when it comes to what needs to be done to protect that investment as much as I can. the understanding I have obtained over the last few days has been amazing thanks to the different honda-tech members posting there input on various topics.

 

Make sure you take into consideration the transmission. im pushing 467hp on a precision sc6265 @ 14psi. Ive already had to replace 4th Gear and im currently having issues with the 3rd gear synchro.

 

PSI without talking about a specific turbo is a meaningless number, because every single turbo will move different amounts of air at the same PSI. You could be making 200 HP at 16 PSI, you could be making 800 HP at 16 PSI. PSI by itself has no bearing on the amount of work needed to be done to your motor.

As for good info to read, look through the FI section on 8thcivic. There should be plenty of people making 400+ HP, see what setups they have. That kind of power won't be cheap, but it's definitely doable with the correct parts.

 

Do not buy a kit with cast manifold last time I check the procivic was over priced. Everyone is correct do not say what psi just pick a HP goal and find a turbo that will fit into when you want it to come alive. Do not go out and buy a GT42r and expect the powerband to be any good driving around town. You will not need cams the z3 cams are pretty good with boost. If you are not trying to set high HP then leave cams alone and worry about fuel and tuning. Get a new fuel rail, fuel pump, you can either do a full return set up like I did or just crush the factory fpr in the gas tank. I would just crush the fpr, buy a aem320 pump if you are looking for 430hp. Also look into clutch since your factory one may not hold for very long and if you are having clutch issues before you touch your car have your vin ran to see if you qualify for the factory replacement of synchros. A buddy of mine did it and they just gave him a new transmission.