I am aiming for a 300hp turbo build with my b18a1 (1992) completely stock. It has 160k miles on it (or 260k km for my fellow aussies).
Do you guys think this is a reasonable power goal for this engine? I have read up on other forms about this but none of them have this high of a mileage.
I will be doing compression tests on all cylinders and getting the car professionally tuned. Also, I have taken the valve cover off to have a look at the cams ect and it all looks very clean with no sludge or anything.

Thanks

 

bump :3

 

‘can it be done....yes... would I push that motor that hard.....NO. I understand you hear of people running that much power on these motors, put running 15-22psi on a stock 28 year old motor would be risky, especially if it got drove hard at all. Spend around 1000-1400 on new rods and pistons and bearings then have some safe fun

 

160k miles is just a baby! Well. More toddler really. Freshen it up with gaskets and seals, check out cylinder walls; you may actually still have factory hashmarks!! Mine did at 220k miles. Lol! Compression and leakdown test it first.. Address any issues uncovered from this test. New headgasket, arp head studs.. I would replace valve stem seals at this time just because the head would already be off anyway. Clean up valevs, seats, and combustion chambers really good with some super decreased of your choosing, use a brass wire wheel on stubborn valve and valve seat gunk if necessary. Water pump and timing kit- belt, tensioner, oil pan gasket, etc.. Check current main and rod bearing clearances and wear/heat signs; replace if they even BEGIN TO RAISE the question, "is this normal?" Your basic, BASIC rebuild here. If you're doing all your own work, shouldn't cost you much at all really. Depending on parts you're choosing would be anywhere from 150-300 USD +/-..

Cheers!

 

lol if your making the chap go though that much ****.... might as well replace the rods and pistons , at least then he won’t have projectiles flying out his block with the stick rods

 

Lol! The inspection itself costs very little money (assuming it is done by OP), until an issue is discovered. It's cheaper to freshen up some rod bearings BEFORE spending money on turboing and possibly blowing something and messing up the entire setup. For not replacing my 5 dollar cam seal when I put my comp cam in, it cost me a set of pistons after the timing belt slipped from the oil leaking from the bad cam seal. Rods aren't the weak point of the B18!

 

Maybe not the rods... but the bolts are a COMMON failure point at this power level... and unfortunately, rod bolt failure is almost always fairly catastrophic. Installing billet rods and a forged piston makes the OP's HP target quite attainable and reasonably safe.

 

Thanks heaps for the replies! About buying aftermarket pistons and rods, I would rather make less hp stock than spend that extra money lol... cars are money pits aha. I think the idea of a basic rebuild sounds great. I might get some arp head studs and a new cosmetic gasket, and I haven't even thought about the rod bolts. I will definitely buy some of those. As for the aftermarket pistons, could I get by safely just using the stock ones? So to summarise, to make 300whp I will be buying some arp head studs, rod bolts and a new cosmetic gasket. Should I also hone the cylinder walls or whatever? And what are factory 'hash marks' on the cylinder walls?

 

Ah, yes. The rod bolts. I spaced that one for a moment. I purchased a set for the Z6 when I built it the first time and they didn't fit or wouldn't work right (without machining) for some reason, which is why I bought the skunk rods. I think they sent me the wrong ones for my engine, looking back, I don't rightly recall. I totally agree 1000% that forgies all around would be the best bet. Appears as though OP has much to learn on many aspects of this particular venture though. Lol

What you can get by with "safely" on stock internals is going to vary wildly from engine to engine. What 1 person may be able to pull off, 1 may not. You might reach 300, 400, or 250 and go boom.. My very first build was a "budget" build that cost around 2000 bucks after everything. It did well until I split a couple pistons from a slipped timing belt after installing a cam. Had I used forged pistons, that may not have happened. I used some popular "cheap" cast pistons; Nippon.. Eh, I revamped the entire build though and don't regret any of it. I would honestly suggest you research and save money if you must, and at least build the block proper.
The "hashmarks" on the cylinder walls i was referring to are the lines left over from the cylinder hone process.

 

If your looking for cheap, do a compression and leak down test. Assuming your engine has good squeeze, I’d replace the head bolts using some ARPs, although I have done exactly what your doing with stock head bolts and a regular felpro mls head gasket. Put on something like a cheap t3/t4 50 trim turbo charger, using a cast (cheap) manifold. Buy a decent wastegate, decent injectors, and get it tuned. Is shoot for 10lbs of boost, and just go with that. What you’ll get is what you’ll get. And depending on your engines condition, your driving habits, and maintenance, it should last you a little while like that. I wouldn’t count on it being near 300 though, but would be fun for you.

 

a LS motor on 10psi tuned is very fun! Plenty of power and still reliable

 

i made 320whp at 19lbs on a stock b18b (had supertech springs and arp headstuds) for a about a year and a half with zero issues. by far the most reliable setup ive had. obviously i wouldnt recommend that for a daily driver but i wouldnt hesitate to push a b18b past 300 provided it has upgraded valve springs

 

I made 240 whp / 236 wtq on a stock B18A1 about 15 years ago. I had a T3/T04E and was only running about 10 psi I think. It was a fun ride.

 

300 hp its on the highish in my mind for the non vtec b series.
300hp on a GT2860 with a log manifold is danger zone.
300hp on a ramhong with GT35 is okish target.
Lower that target to 250hp for the non vtec head and you can do it safely with a smaller turbo.
Or go for a b16 head VTEC conversion and you can do 300 much easier.

 

a ramhorn and a gt35 turbo on a stock ls? That sounds like an awful idea. I could imagine the fun window would be pretty small and late on something like this.

 

Yes its exacty this. When you want a high hp target for the stock engine youll have to either loose reliability or spool

 

Yeah, I am planning on buying a cast ramhorn manifold with a t3 ebay turbo. So do you guys think upgraded valve spring would give the engine more power reliably? Cause I hear that the stock ones are find till 500 hp

 

For what your doing, I wouldn’t bother.

 

Sweet as. So far the plan is arp head studs, cometic head gasket, and arp rod bolts. I'll be shooting from anywhere between 260-300hp. Another thing I've been thinking about is piston rings. Someone once told me that some new/aftermarket rings will be better for boost as the stock ones can seize on the block or smth.. opinions ?

 

I wouldn’t bother. Even with the rod bolts. Once you crack those loose you might as well replace the bearings too. I’d you pull your pistons your gonna have to hone the cylinders. Unless you plan I’m putting forged internals in there, I don’t think I would even bother with any of it. I would slap that turbo kit on, set that puppy to 10psi, and go get it tuned and enjoy it. Once you decide you want more. Build that bottom end, get a vtec head, and get better parts. I’m assuming by the ebay turbo you want to do this on the cheaps. Keep it cheap then, don’t get hung up on the numbers because much of that has to do with the dyno you take it to. For example, I have a gsr, built and turboed, at around 18psi it made 325whp. On that dyno, I don’t think you’ll make anywhere near that on your engine without the proper supporting mods. I’d you take it to another tuner who used a different style of dyno, your numbers may be a bit higher.

I guess my point is, once you start cracking that think open it’s going to cost you more. Another easy trick to pick up more power for you, is to go ahead and get bigger injectors, the aem 320 fuel pump, and e85 sensor, and run e85. I think you’d have better luck hitting your goal that way.

 

Ah ok gotcha. But do the arp head studs and head gasket? Here in aus there aren't a huge amount of stations with e85 so ill just stick with what we call 98 octane (its also half the price of e85). And I now get that every dyno reads differently, which do be confusing doe.

 

300-350hp (not whp/ 280-320whp)is def achievable on a 100% bone stock ls with arp head studs

get it tuned
and you’ll be fine

just do a leak down test and compression test to make sure everything solid

go buy your turbo kit
injectors 650-750cc (if u plan on upgrading later just jump to 1000 honestly which u will for sure)
walbro 255
voila good to go!!

then u can go buy a short block ls later
start piecing a forge piston rod combo (css optional)and then u can make 400-450 stock/500-700css)

 

Id get a used holset HX35 in a good working condition from a reliable seller for like 200$ instead of a chinese turbo.

 

for a non-VTEC B18 motor, you can make well over 350HP with just piston/rods and head studs. Made 379HP on a sleeved block LS setup a while back...tuned on pump gas, Turbonetics T3/T4 turbo with Rev Hard cast iron manifold.

It was a blast to drive, especially against V8s and bikes on the highway.

 

I agree with this, bolt that turbo kit on and go! Keep the setup tuned to around 10psi and have fun. If the money is right, then pull the motor apart and do a piston / rod setup and crank it on up. I ran 10psi on a junkyard bone stock b18a forever and had a blast with that setup. When your ready to spend 2500.00 then pull the motor and turn that thing up