A few weeks ago I got done building my SOHC non-vtec d16y7, yes I know...waste of money, but parts for it are cheap and my first turbo project isnt going to be a b-series...before I tell you the problem let me give my detailed setup.

Crower rods
Arias pistons (old style)
modified block guard
ACL rod bearings
AEM cam gear
2.5" exhaust, no cat.
T3 turbo internal wastegate
apexi blow-off valve
custom intercooler
custom piping
Greddy profec B
afc hack w/450cc dsms
walboro intank fuel pump
secondary o2 simulator
a/f, boost, oil pressure guages

Right now I have the boost controller set for 10-11 psi and it seems to run fairly good, except that it doesnt fully spool until about 4k.... My main concern is a loud tapping that has started ever since I got done with the build. Really loud at idle and low rpms, fades off at higher rpms.....I would describe it as sounding like a diesel truck.....is this just piston slap, or should I be concerned about this. I made a 2.5 hour highway trip with it and it still runs fine...

My second concern is that I thought it would run stronger than it is....shitty motor, but at 10 psi it just doesnt seem to pull like it should....part of the problem is that power starts to drop off at about 5.5k-6k and I cant figure out why. The boost stays at 10 psi, it just looses power....any thoughts?

Let me stress that this is all untuned...****, the cam gear isnt even tuned. To be honest with you, my setup is very ghetto, kinda homemade (JB weld and ****, you know what I'm talking about) and I am kind of embarrased to take it to a shop.....anyone know a shop in the central florida region that wont laugh at me? Perferably in Orlando....

Lastly, I would like to thank everyone on this damn board. I did all of my work myself (except for the downpipe) and everything I learned was from you people. I have been researching and collecting parts for over a year now, and every time I ran into a problem someone was eager to help. I have a few issues right now, but I think I did a mighty fine job with what I had, I feel like I could build a race motor (if I had the money) with all of the knowledge I have gained from this board. Thanx again everyone

 

also, how important is it to run colder plugs? thats one thing I havent upgraded

 

A loud tapping noise could be a slightly melted piston. It will make that exact sound, louder at low RPM's and go away at high RPM's.

Take off the head and check it out. Its not piston slap if the car is fully hot and its still doing it, in most cases.

I hope I helped. Even though what I had to say was bad.

Jeff

 

makes sense, but I have had the pistons out since it started that sound and the pistons looked fine. I guess I forgot to mention that once it warms up, the sound isnt as loud although it is still there. Some people have told me that the older arias pistons had really bad slap.....can anyone confirm?

 

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=324336

what's the compression of the pistons....lower compression will be the cause of your turbo lag.


[Modified by 98civicEX, 6:36 PM 11/7/2002]

 

confirmed. YOur piston to wall clearance is probably 5k.

Like the old ones.

So everything is normal drive it hard.

Jeff

 

Note to self: Stay away from Arias pistons.

 

Pollo,

actually you don't have to worry about that anymore, they have made the clearances like JE, tighter.

Jeff

 

Piston slap can also be the machine shops fault if they dont get the bore tight enough.

 

have you done anything to the head? could this be valve lash? improper valve lash setting could cause less air flow and make you drop off at a lower rpm.

*i think it is called valve lash*

 

nope, head is completly stock

 

i have a tad bit of piston slap till its warm, just cause of the expansion of the pistons on my d16y7 but i have different pistons that you(endyne((or weisco)), and i have yet to put the turbo on, having piping issues.....

but its interesting to see another d16y7 out there....

 

Piston rings that arent filed properly will give some slap too.

 

If they arent filed properly can it be harmful or just annoying?

 

Both

 

by filing, do you mean adjusting the gap? If so, the rings were gapped correctly....

 

I have always been under the impresion that the loud slapping was caused by higher silicon content pistons i.e. Arias. B/C they are higher in silicon you need to run more pistonto wall clearance b/c they expand more. JE can run tighter clearances b/c their silicon content is lower and they dont expand as much. My SRPs made a slight slapping noise. . .but it was only until the motor heated up.