So I think my engine is about to give up. I was at a track-day and started blowing my dipstick out every session. I have pretty good crankcase venting so I think my rings are just too tired. Also, I idled the engine with the oil cap off and a ton of air was shooting out the top of the valve cover (does this mean bad rings/excessive blow-by?).

I also think that when I was down on oil (after loosing it out the dipstick) I starved my supercharger and damaged the bearings.

I figure this is as good a time as any to start the supercharger build I've been thinking about for awhile. Right now I'm making 378whp with an aftercooled Vortech V2, bigger injectors, AEM EMS, and exhaust tuned on 91oct. My plan is to rebuild the Vortech with high speed ceramic bearings and a billet impeller wheel and replace the 10psi pulley I have now with something smaller. Probably 12-13psi. Then build the block (sleeves, rods, pistons). I figure this, with a re-tune on 92oct instead of the 91oct I'm on now will put me at well over 400whp. Anyone have any ideas how much more power I'll gain?

The other part of this build is a "push to pass" feature. I want to use a solenoid to bleed off boost pressure (maybe through the whole RPM range, maybe only at the top). The AEM would control the solenoid to level off boost at, say, 9psi (and maybe lower boost through the RPM range too). This is my daily driver, so 90% of my driving would be at this low boost level. For the other 10% of driving, I'd flip a switch that would tell the AEM to keep the solenoid closed (or maybe just over-ride the AEM's control of the solenoid) and I'd have full boost. I want to do this because (1) for normal driving I would gain some earlier torque and power without the extra top end which I don't need and (2) I think it would be cool/novel to be able to flip a switch for an extra 40 or 50 hp. Are there any big problems with this setup?

I also need some help putting together a good bottom end. Building an engine is something that I don't know a ton about. I'm thinking JE pistons, Brian Crower Rods, AEBS sleeves, APR head studs, new bearings and head gasket. What I don't know are things like how do I make sure that I don't run into valve clearance issues with my piston/rod/head gasket setup or what kind of compression should I go for with 13psi and how much of that should come from pistons vs. head gasket? Basically I'm just looking for suggestions on a bottom end setup that will be good for my application.

Relevant Modifications:

Vortech V2
12 or 13psi pulley
Billet impeller wheel
Ceramic bearings
Vortech Aftercooler
RC 650 injectors
Toda Header
Hi-flow cat
J's 70RS catback
Koyo Radiator
AEM EMS
Built block

I know I have a lot of questions packed into one thread. Thanks for bearing with me.

 

I would start off with running a compression check before jumping to conclusions. Maybe try turning your dipstick around 180 degrees to minimize your dipstick from popping up.

 

Ditch the RC 650s and go with the ID 1000s. I'm making over 500 rwhp with a similar set up.

 

Correct, do a compression test. Post a pic of your setup so we can see your crankcase venting also.

 

In addition to the ID1000's, I'd do a big bore TB as well. SOS claims their 70mm TB is good for another 8-12rwhp (on FI applications). Pretty inexpensive too.

 

Ya my diagnosis is probably premature. The dipstick is ziptied down for now. I know that a lot of people pop dipsticks with FI. What concerned me more was just how much air was coming out of my valve cover/crank vent with the oil cap off. That didn't seem right.

 

What's your setup?

I think if I change injectors I'll be going with Bosch EV14s. I've had good results on my STi with those.

 

^Ooops. Just looked up the ID 1000s. I guess they are Bosch EV14s.

I'll do a compression test when I have some free time this week. Regardless of the current condition of my engine, I wanted to see what people thought about my future setup, especially running boost control on a supercharger.

 

Not sure about the reliability of the boost control thing, consider that you will need to decide when you want it to bleed off boost and then have one map on the ems tuned for that specifically, and another map tuned for no boost bleed. You can have a reliable tune, but if there is fluctuations with your BOV not bleeding boost at a consistent amount at a consistent time, your tune will be shit, this is what I would be concerned with. I’m not sure how consistent the BOV at bleeding boost would be in this way. It’s a novel idea, but I don't think very practical either. On a turbo set up, having two different boost maps can be done and makes sense and is done often. On an SC I say just let it fly. And unless you’re shooting for 500whp+ I wouldn’t spend the money on building the motor. I'd run factory comp on a stock motor up to 15psi and use water/meth injection to get the most power out of it at those moderate boost levels. You should make about 450whp reliably as a daily driver.

 

450whp is reliable on a stock block? I was thinking that if I needed a new engine I could spend $350 on a long block with bad pistons/cylinders and build it for another $2600 versus $2000 for a stock long block in great condition.

I agree that a BOV couldn't regulate pressure that well, but that's not really what a BOV was made to do. What about an ECU controlled solenoid that controlled a wastegate somewhere between the SC and TB? I'm not sure if any wastegates are designed to control intake air pressure, or if they even could, but they do a pretty good job of controlling exhaust pressure.