31 replies to this topic

[sirx31]

i have a mini me setup waiting to be put into my engine bay in my 87 si and it consists of a A6 block, Z6 head, B16A1 ECU...the thing is that i also have a turbo kit lined up for this setup also...so the question is when placing the turbo on and planning for 6-8 psi what should i do about pistons? should i just spend some cash and buy some forged pistons and rods or rip some from another block?
Which would be best?

[tjbizzo]

i have a mini me setup waiting to be put into my engine bay in my 87 si and it consists of a A6 block, Z6 head, B16A1 ECU...the thing is that i also have a turbo kit lined up for this setup also...so the question is when placing the turbo on and planning for 6-8 psi what should i do about pistons? should i just spend some cash and buy some forged pistons and rods or rip some from another block?
Which would be best?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ALL stock d-series pistons and rods are fairly weak for turbo use. You CAN use them, but the chance that they will eventually fail is pretty likely. When you buy pistons make SURE they are for turbo use, i.e. nice thick ring lands that won't flex and break. Almost any aftermarket rods are a lot stronger than stock rods so it's hard to go wrong there. Just make sure that you use good bolts with them. And don't forget the three basics of turbocharging ... TUNING, TUNING, and TUNING!!!

[sirx31]

thanks for the info there tj...now the next thing is what piston/rods do you recommend? and remember i am only gonna be pushing 6-8 psi...

[sirx31]

another question is what motor mounts am i gonna be using? i htink thats it...i have everything else

[hoopty dx]

custom,you have to make them....

[sirx31]

custom,you have to make them....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

well how much of a hassle is that... oh well if it must be done then it shall...there is a shop here in town and the guy said he can make them with an ease plus he also told me that the ones for the A6 block will fit but they will have to be moded a bit...but i'll find out for sure here pretty soon...

also still have the question about the rods/pistons in the air "which ones would be best to go with for pushing 6-8 psi of boost?"

[wessider]

i did a mini me on my friends 92 civic hb. we have yet to turbo it. I know it does lean out when v-tec kicks in so i agree, TUNE TUNE TUNE. no matter what you reinforce engines don't like detonation.

I looked into internals when my d16a1. being similar i'd stay dished piston are the safest. any brand (stick to the commons there isn't a big price differance) i looked at the h-beam con rods from crowler? i think? they come with arp bolt (nice touch) and seem indestructable.

I don't have first hand experience so take these as suggestions...to rich for me, i touched up my rods and remove possible stress points, used the stock pistons as they are dished not domed.

The advantage to dished is that they alow you to up the boost down the road and not stay with a reasonable compression ratio. Trust me i'm running 7spi on my d16 (non- v tec of course) and i already want more boost.

If you can afford to upgrade the interenals do it, it's cheaper to do sooner than later and it's good insurance when tuning it your self.

Good Luck.

[sirx31]

yeah i will be doing that for sure...see the cool thing is this is a group effort! for example a 2 friends, and my step bother, and i are all investing into it and building it up for the Solo2 SCCA class here in town so coming up with the money isnt too much of a problem for us! we all have income as well so we are not going cheap either

[JEFFtheJ00la]

custom,you have to make them....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

is an a6 block a d16a6? if so cant you use the same mounts as a d16a1?

[87MugenProCR-X]

The a6 is a different block i believe, you will need to fabricate mounts.

Julian

Edited by 87MugenProCR-X, 09 March 2005 - 10:26 PM.

[rpr]

custom,you have to make them....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

is an a6 block a d16a6? if so cant you use the same mounts as a d16a1?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It is, and no, you cant.

Here is where the stock A6 mount sits in an 87:



Here is where the tranny sits:



Here is the rear mount we made:



The modified drivers side mount:



The new tranny mount:



And just for shits and giggles, the cable to hydro conversion we made:



What it looked like until a couple of weeks ago:



So, if you think you can build that, then yeah, it's doable.

Tom

[sirx31]

i have no doubt that we here can make those but in case there is a company that can right?

[rpr]

Yeah us. We don't come cheap though...

[sirx31]

Yeah us. We don't come cheap though...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

so how much is not cheap?

[rpr]

Well, you'd have to fly both of us down to Texas, feed us and ply us with beer, provide some 'entertainment' and then we'd consider building the mounts...