Well, if you guys haven't already heard, my motor finally went last week, so I am without a car. I've almost got the motor out of the car. Should have it out tomorrow. Anyway, like the title states, I need some advice on what kind of head gasket to go with. SO far, my build parts are as follows:

JE 10:1 .040" Over Forged Pistons
Eagle Forged Rods
Clevite Main Bearings
Clevite Rod Bearings
ARP Head Studs
ARP Main Bolts
Some type of head gasket

If I am missing something from that list, let me know. I know the 2.3L oil pump conversion isn't on there, but I simply don't have the money or the resources to do it, so I am going to have to scratch that idea.

As far as head gaskets go, what would I want to go with? Some people have said just to go with the Fel-Pro gasket set and you will be fine. Others said to go with Cometic. When I looked at Cometic, they come in two different thicknesses: .030" and .074". I guess I don't exactly know which I would want as far as compression ratios go and if it would affect the timing enough where I would have to make some type of adjustment.

Also, this build is going to be for my supercharged setup, however I won't have any money for tuning until summer. Will it be okay to run this motor with the higher than stock compression without tuning as long as I stay unboosted until then? It doesn't bother me to leave the supercharger off until summer when I can buy HPTuners. I just hate to spend all this money on this motor, and then not be able to use it N/A because I can't afford HPTuners so it can run the higher compression safely.

Oh yeah, one more thing. I know each machine shop is different, but I checked with one place and they wanted $700 to bore the block, and put the bottom end together for me. I thought that was kinda steep. $160 was for boring the cylinders alone. That's $40 per cylinder. I've heard of places doing it for half that. I will check around some more, but I just wanted to check to see if that sounds about right, or if it is way overpriced.


Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Wednesday, January 03, 2007 2:31 AM


2010 Subaru Impreza WRX Limited
1999 Cavalier Z24 Supercharged
1999 Grand AM SE (Beater Car)
1997 GMC Sierra
2007 Honda CBR 600RR
2005 Honda TRX450R

**BUMP

Someone has got to have some knowledge in this area...



2010 Subaru Impreza WRX Limited
1999 Cavalier Z24 Supercharged
1999 Grand AM SE (Beater Car)
1997 GMC Sierra
2007 Honda CBR 600RR
2005 Honda TRX450R

Well I have been running a Fel-Pro with a boosted motor. No issues. With the amount of boost you would push with the charger I think it will be fine. I also have the ARP studs. If you leave the charger off with this motor the only real problem I see is you might be too rich because of your fuel set-up for the charger. I looked in your registry but it does not say how you are getting fuel for boost? I see you are a 99. If you iused a stock computer flash for a N/A set-up I think you would be fine, but it would be best to get some air/fuel numbers to verify and check for knock.



FU Tuning

I am getting fuel via an FMU and 310 cc injectors. I took the FMU off and replaced the injectors with the stock ones. And I also have a wideband to keep an eye on my A/F numbers.



2010 Subaru Impreza WRX Limited
1999 Cavalier Z24 Supercharged
1999 Grand AM SE (Beater Car)
1997 GMC Sierra
2007 Honda CBR 600RR
2005 Honda TRX450R

Here is my advice...your having your block torn down to nothing, probably hot tanked...everything will be new, and in the end, you will have a built motor. Now, I have been in your exact same situation when I had my motor done. I didnt have enough money for the oil pump swap, so I didnt do it. Ok, now I have a rotating assembly that cna take 600hp, but who is going to make 2/3rds of that under 6200 rpms, and frankly, i dont trust the 2.4 pump over that. Sooooo, now I have the money, and in a few months here, I will be tearing it down AGAIN and rebuilding it because i didnt do it how I wanted the first time. I could have saved myself A LOT of headaches and money if I would have bit the bullet and did it right the first time. Your going to have a built motor that will handle a lto of power, now do yourself a favor and get rid of the only weak link in the system. Ok, not the only weak link (aka...timing setup), but the only weak link that cant be redone without machining. Not trying to be a dick at all, I just see you in the same exact situation as I am in. Granted mine worked out fairly well, as I will be building it this time with the guidence and helping hand of Richard Junkermeir, in my opinion one of the best 4cyl/import/boosted engine builders in the country. With already doing some planning with him, this is turning out to be a pretty sick build on paper, so we will see here in a few months.
Now to talk about the headgasket. For you, since your going to be running low boost, and you have headstuds, I think the fel-pro will be just fine for you. And once again, if you decide to go turbo later on with this built motor, your probably gonna pop the head off and have some headwork done anyway, so no sence spending extra money for a better headgasket when you dont need it right now. Hopefully this helped point you in the right direction, and best wishes on the build.

Well, this is what I was afraid of. I was hoping someone wouldn't say that and make me rethink this whole thing again. Now I am thinking about putting my old motor back in, hope in runs for a while, so I can have time to rethink everything once again. The only problem with the 2.3L oil pump swap is that I don't know anyone here in WI that has the know-how to do it. If someone could give me the name of a place nearby me that could do this, I would consider it. I just don't have the resources or know-how to do it myself.

Also, how much power would I actually gain by being able to rev higher after the oil pump swap? And how high would I actually be able to rev? The other problem is that I don't have the money to build the head or have any work done to it at this point. I thought that if you are going to rev higher, you have to have the head built to take it. So if I can't rev any higher due to limitations in my head, what is the point?



2010 Subaru Impreza WRX Limited
1999 Cavalier Z24 Supercharged
1999 Grand AM SE (Beater Car)
1997 GMC Sierra
2007 Honda CBR 600RR
2005 Honda TRX450R

Quote:


The only problem with the 2.3L oil pump swap is that I don't know anyone here in WI that has the know-how to do it.

Wrenchmonkey
SpeedracerZ
Taestch

Each one of those guys can do it in their sleep, and they are ALL in wisconsin. They know the shops to use and who can get it done cheap.





4cyltuner.com - Information Source For 4 Cylinder Tuners
Buy stuff from CarCustoms Ebay! Won't be disappointed!

I would still question if it is work it or not as well. Wit his set-up of a charger (roots at that) reving that much higher is not going to gain a lot. Also there is work that can be done with the stock oiling system to make it work as well.



FU Tuning

john higgins, im curious to know what kind of work can be done to the stock oiling system. Can you fill me in because im going to be building a motor here shortly and i wanna get the oiling part down right. thanks

01' Z24 5 speed
422whp/400wtq
T4 Turbocharged
Built LD9
HP Tuners

Be safe and O-ring the head too.

I'm taking mine to 7k, no probles......YET and my motor has around 120K probley more....

BUT

soon i am going to rebuild it, 10:1, H beem rods, 2.3 oil pump, and the MAX over bore i can get.


O ring a block, intryesting, i wonder if Brian did that to his STOCK motor when he ran 12's....

WAST OF MONEY for a car like that. but thats just what i think


Luke, the MIL area has LOTS AND LOTS of places to go to for what you need, Borcharts comes to mind...



Chris


'02 Z-24 Supercharged
13.7 @102.45 MPH Third Place, 2007 GMSC Bash SOLD AS OF 01MAR08

I would pickup some 36lb injectors. The ones you have are pretty close to max duty cycle with the 2.6" pulley




Jason
99 Z24
157hp/171tq
wheres my boost??