hdoan112

Hey guys, so unfortunately after a year of boost i blew my piston rings. After sulking about it for a few days, I've decided to rebuild my motor. My goal is 500-550whp on pump, 600whp on flexfuel. However, I don't really know much about building the motor. I was hoping you guys could help me with a list of steps and parts i should buy in order to reach my goals.

I've gotten a quote from a shop already they said for stage 1, I would get je pistons, new bearings and head studs for 3500-3700 all parts and labor included. A stage 2 is with everything from stage 1 but with k1 rods around 4100 to 4400. Are these fair prices? Please let me know what you think, and please share what you guys currently run as well.

liquid_helix136

I can already tell you that shop isnt worth going to if they expect to be able to just throw aftermarket pistons into your used block without installing sleeves. The Frm cylinder walls don't take kindly to the vast majority of pistons. I'm not familiar with JE, but my understanding is Mahle is the only company that makes FRM friendly pistons.

Bore and rehone cylinder walls to whatever is necessary, probably 87.25 or 87.5mm, get the 9.5:1 compression oversized mahle pistons, pick a set of rods, Carillo or Crower are best (NOT BC aka Brian Crower, two diff companies) and get the big 7/16" rod bolts. OEM or ACL bearings, I prefer oem clearances, but others like to run thicker oil on ACL bearings which can apparently withstand more abuse. Oem head gasket, ARP studs. Have the footpads on your head bored out to match your cylinders diameters.

On the other hand, you could sleeve the block and have a much wider variety of piston choices to choose from. CP, Wiseco and Mahle are the most common names I see around here.

You could probably keep a stock head, but if you're doing all that, may as well get some nice valve springs, dish faced valves (inconel for exhaust side), and do steel or chromoly retainers, not the titaniums. Supertech or Ferrea are good options. Then replace all guides, seats etc.. Get new plugs. Lol

That's what I would / have done. All that cost me about $3700 at Endyn which is very reputable and self proclaimed slightly pricey for engine building work. Keep in mind they also soda blasted and cleaned all my parts, decked the block and straightened my head and replaced my bad crank for that price.

Some will disagree with my part choices, but hopefully this will point you in the right direction.
That set up should be able to withstand your power goals easily. Keep in mind built blocks generally speaking don't have the longevity of OEM parts, but how it's built and how it's maintained are the two big factors nowadays.

hdoan112

Thanks a lot, that's very helpful, im gonna keep shopping around and doing research. I got a quote from real street performance for parts, and they sent me a list of $4000 worth of parts as follows:



seems to me like some of it may be a little unnecessary, like water pump, oil pump, and cams, and then i'll still need to find a shop for the labor as well. We'll see though, again any insight would be appreciated

MorngWoodStewie

I would just get a short block built and finish the build. In parts and labor and not assembling the short to long, your lookin at a pretty #.

Usually DD builds get OEM and Track builds get King bearings or equivelent.


I would replace the oil and water pump, T stat. Why invest that much and think a new oil pump is unnecessary.

My Engine builder and who I recommend is KRE (Kens Race Engines) Look him up on IG Doesnt play around doesnt half ass anything, really goes the extra mile BUT he does sleeve builds with DARTON MIDs. which are currently rated best on market.

If you dont mind what was your tip in AFR's & @ WOT // Inj. Brand n size? // boost level? // Stock block?

Edit: careful who you trust if you stay stock sleeves and x2 on piston compatibility with FRM's. Mahles are only currently good aftermarket cr swaps for FRM cylinders.

hdoan112

thanks, i talked to some more people, and they all recommended replacing the oil and water pumps as well. I figured at 77k miles, they would still be good but I guess might as well replace it while I'm in there.

My AFR gauge was all messed up, which probably was what led to my piston rings blowing because it was running too rich. My injectors were ID1000s, I was running 13psi, and yea stock block

MorngWoodStewie

Ohh ya man. U don't wanna be Washing cylinders for to long. Tune shouldn't have changed tho. So your tuner should kno off the top of his head where he would tgt afrs. Afrs only make a very small % of power so having a clean safe burn to me is more important then making power in that department. Good luck tho. It shows tho. Your tune was to rich and it took about a year to actually burn the rings out. If you would of got a gauge in there it could of saved ya.

We're u using the stock wb?

hdoan112

I was using an AEM gauge, but it was all messed up. Plus a lot of people were telling me they don't trust AEM AFR gauges anyways. sorry, what's wb? lol

MorngWoodStewie

Wideband* you still answered my question

hdoan112

so i think i got a solid list of parts. now i need to find a reputable machine shop and engine builder, im gonna look into the ones mentioned above, but does anyone else have anymore recommendations?

2004TurboS

I recommend sleeving the engine. If you don't want to spend alot on sleeves the darton dry sleeves are a great option.