# Engine Stripped, need some input



## chris859 (Oct 20, 2005)

On a freshly built engine, I am a fan of changing the oil almost right after initial start up. I prefer to start it(after pre lubing), let it idle for about a minute, then change the oil/filter (I just use the mobil 1 5000 oil, which is only like $2/qt for the initial start up, with a bosch filter), then after that I put on an oe nissan filter and use synthetic oil. Just personal preference though, im sure it isn't mandatory. But I do it anyways. Hope all goes well for you! Let us know how it works out...


----------



## 142BHP (Jul 21, 2004)

Howzit guys

I pulled me engine after the tuner decided it was time for him to learn some more on a Nissan motor and broke half of my motor 

Needless to say that I am rebuilding my motor and taking it to someone in the city who can sort this car. I bought ACL bearings for the Mains and Big ends, AE pistons will have to do since no one has stock of anything else so I am dishing 11cc's out the piston to get my CR down from 10.1 - 8.8, I have about 9mm of meat at the top of the piston so I think that if I leave 7.5mm at the top it should still be enough ( Corky Bells says 6% of bore) , head gasket is a cometic 1.2 mm.I am replacing the oil and water pump just in case. When I get the parts back I will check oil clearances before I assemble and will do everything according to the FSM

Is there anything else you guys would suggest I should do while the motor is out and stripped and is the dishing of the pistons a good enough way to drop the Compression Ratio. You guys have to go with me on this one since nobody really brings in good pistons and rods in for the SR20 so I am stuck with what I can get. If possible can someone post a pic of a turbo pistons top so that I can have a sample pic before they machine the pistons.

Cheers


----------



## chris859 (Oct 20, 2005)

What engine are we talking about here? Sounds like your "tuner" is at best a backyard mechanic...if you paid him anything to do the job I would make him pay to fix what he messed up! Why do you need to drop compression, are you going turbo? I really wouldn't recomend just shaving the stock pistons - on a turbo engine the thicker the better.


----------



## 142BHP (Jul 21, 2004)

The best part of a backyard mechanic sounds about right 
The motor is a SR20 and I have a T3-T04e turbo on it running @ 10psi for everyday driving (only had it one day) . other mods include stainless billet valves 1mm bigger on the intake side , swirl polished and radiused. The head gasket I put on is a cometic steel gasket and I had water in one of the cylinders when I removed the head and also oil in another cylinder. They say that I can reuse the gasket and I simply need to recover the gasket with engine enamel ( sound like S*@# to me but anyways). I purchased a standard gasket for now and simply torqued her down to Haynes manual specs and i think it sould be able to handle enough boost. I put in the SR20 DET pistons with a 6cc dish and according to my calculations i am sitting at 9.1 CR compared to 10.1 i had before. Is there any way i can use that gasket again since it cost me a arm and a leg and I dont want it to go to waste if I dont use it again.

Cheers


----------



## chris859 (Oct 20, 2005)

The only headgaskets you can re-use are the sce copper gaskets(which require aditional machining to install). I hate to tell you this...but throw it away and buy a new one! Headgaskets are one time use, they compress when they get torqued, and form a seal - the problem is that they don't return to their initial thickness when you remove them. Thats just how it works. The det pistons should actually bring you to 8.5:1 or so... Even on 9:1 you should be fine running 10-12psi, as long as you have proper fuel management(You do, right....?), and use premium fuel(obviously).


----------



## 142BHP (Jul 21, 2004)

yip 

I have a standalone system that manages timing and fuel and I am now running 550cc injectors of a custom fuel rail at 5 bar fuel pressure. I thought so about the headgasket and already torqued down a stock gasket since these guys dont seem to know much more than I do and it is scary since these guys were referred to me by okes who race these motors ( funny enough thede cars are always in the shop for repairs 

I am towing my car back today so that I can rather do the work myself over the weekend, I dont trust these guys with the delivate procedure of starting up my new motor. 

Is there anything else I should do pre startup except for what the haynes manual says.

Cheers


----------

