[halotarget]

ok more than one question, first, can some one tell me how many lbs of boost the stock d15b2's internals can take with the vtec head (i'm talking daily drive here so i don't want an engine that will blow up on me 10k miles from now)? second, beyond the head, the vtec solenoid, TB, IM, headers from the d15, a test pipe (gotta love south cat's emissions standards), gasket set, and the distributor, what will i need.
maybe i'll get the ecu maybe i'll just wire vtec open or put it on a switch (is that a good idea? or will something terrible happen, gas millage is not as issue). also many people say the vx timing belt is the correct fit with the new head, but the one guy that i found that did it said it squealed as it was to tight.
suggestions?

also pls anyone who has done this, feel free to tell me anything i did not ask, but i only have another 2 months to do this so lets keep on topic (that means i've read the arguments about the mini me vs swap but for cash reasons i've chosen mini me, so don't suggest swapping as i've already got the head)

 

[halotarget]

i guess people don't believe in helping these days, but what ever. still tho', if you see this know what your doing, and have some time, just a few pointers would be great!?

 

[CapnToll]

Be patient, these forums are slow sometimes.

You need to do a lot of research before jumping into this. Everybody needs to do lots of research before turbocharging. The fact that you asked "how many pounds of boost can my engine take" shows you need months and months of learning and understanding before touching anything. Every turbocharger will make a different amount of power at the same boost level. You need to look at how much power the stock internals can take. I wouldn't push it past 210-220whp if it isn't a pristine mint motor.

Search up different types of headers for your setup. What kind of turbo header do you want? Log? Snail? Ram-horn? Search the pros and cons of each. Find a turbo you'd like to use (you'll want a teeny fast spooling turbo for your 1.5). You need to learn about OBD1 Chip Tuning...what it is, what you need, what it can do, why you need it etc...

Search this forum for lots of turbo build-up threads, and tuning threads.

This recent one has a lot of stuff in it, and almost all of it can pertain to your motor: http://www.superhonda.com/forum/f9/opinions-turbo-kit-d16-346355/

There's a hella ton more to talk about...but you need a lot more base knowledge so you can ask more directed questions about certain aspects of the build. Blindly going into a turbo project and wanting results in a month or so will just lead to a boring car, a blown up engine, or both.

 

[halotarget]

thanks, well, i think a fast spooler would be best. i obviously don't need alot of booster here (and pounds is all i can measure in as i barely have cash for this build, dyno time is out of the question) my target is to hit 180whp but torque is more important. i'll just get a custom tune on the ECU and some bigger injectors to keep it running rich.
ok so small (and cheap) turbo kits (as you said i'm a noob at this, so kits would be nice) suggestions?
any other corrections, or comment slamming are welcome, but keep in mind we all have to start somewhere what better place than bugging the pro's with dumb questions, ehh?:lol2

 

[CapnToll]

While I don't like to endorse "kits" in general, Edelbrock seems to have their heads stuck on right....the most out of all the kits out there. Unfortunately, the price of the Edelbrock kit is about twice what you'd pay if you bought single parts to make up your own kit...it's basically just for lazy people, with enough of a bank roll to afford it. Somebody posted one recently that came with a Garrett GT28 turbo...which is a family of turbos on the smaller side.

Once you decide on a turbo, and once you get back to us with some Compression Test results (do this to make sure you don't have a ticking time bomb), we should be able to ballpark what power a certain boost level might make.

The cheapest kits tend to be the Turbonetics kits. However, it's not because they are bad quality. In fact, they're pretty good. They're cheap because they buy those huge turbos in bulk and most of the kits are identical minus the turbo header. But especially with your d15...it really wouldn't be all that fun....it would be no power down low...and probably more power than is safe up high.

That's why you gotta shop around, or talk to some local shops and see what they'd charge you to custom make some of the piping, and then to install the few parts you buy yourself (like the Turbo/wastegate, turbo header, BOV, Intercooler, Injectors etc).

 

[halotarget]

ok well i tend to hug the redline when i drive the honda (nice light clutch and soft shifts makes my dads nisan look like a crashbox) so you would sugest i get over it and buy it piece by piece? if so what turbo would you use? (the engine has 110k but is running beautifully other than a leaky oil pan and some valve stud woes (why i need a torque wrench). also if i just want to feel safe on a bigger kit, what parts would be best, piston rods? pistons? (are they even necessary with a little engine like mine?) also thank you for devoting time to saving my butt, all the guys where i live just stick to bolt on's and farts cans, so i'm swinging in the dark

 

[mattliston]

D15B2 can hit 225whp reliably with good driving on a 14B. D15 rods are terrible and love getting bent/broken with boost if your not careful. Try sourcing a turbo off a 1st or 2dn gen mitsu eclipse, a 1st gen BOV, a modified HF or VX manifold (modified as in adapter made) source a DSM (mitsu) side mount intercooler, 450 blue top injectors from same car, a chipped P28 ecu, and a few hours dedicated to tuning it, and you my friend can have a 140wtq 190whp honda that can still get 30mpg if driven nice, but really wants to go when you hit the gas pedal. Depending on teh deals you find, you can spend 3-800 on teh hole shabang

 

[mattliston]

14b= 1st gen dsm turbo, 725= 2nd gen dsm turbo.

optimum


2nd gen turbo, 1st gen BOV. Do some research on oil lines and fittings, Im no expert, but I have a general idea of the setup as Im actually looking to do it to my car soon, just ordered shotpeened and magnafluxxed rods for my d15, comes with ARP rod bolts, next is ARP head studs and new rings, then starting purchase on turbo shit. I have a few ebay auctiuons tagged, if I win my auctions, ill have 230 into turbo, intercooler, injectors, and BOV.

 

[halotarget]

cool i'll look into that.
also what is the collective opinion on the old jackson racing supercharger at 9lbs, is it worth a look?

 

[mattliston]

if you wanna spend over a grand, yes.

 

[halotarget]

i found one on my local craigslist for $600

 

[mattliston]

I woulndt trust it, I found one that needed some work to make it reliable, plus a pulley, and it went for 800, let alone a complete kit.

Check/ask if there is any damage, missing parts, etc...

 

[halotarget]

ok, its already sold sadly. but, after looking around some more, i think i'l end up going turbo. for a small g28 keeping the pressure low would running with out an intercooler for a few months be to crippling?
also, i've read that the stock fuel pump (35psi i think) is fine for turbo up to about 300hp at the crank, as long as i get some better injectors. any objections? /what size injectors would be good as i want to hit 180 after this build, and maybe more later with some new rods.

 

[CapnToll]

Run an intercooler. You don't need any more reasons to blow up. Definitely your stock pump is not good enough for 300hp. For 300bhp, you might not need the Walbro 255lph, but definitely bigger than stock. 440cc Injectors would be fine for ~300bhp. I wouldn't limit yourself to any parts that are only good to 180whp.

 

[mattliston]

I would get 550cc injectors for 300-350hp support. Always tune for 80% duty cycle or less

 

[CapnToll]

Mhm. It is a d15 though, so he may never end up going over 230whp, so really huge injectors could piss off his tuner lol.

 

[halotarget]

ok i think my other post was disappeared...
450cc sounds big enough for anything i could get out of this engine. yeah good point blowing up sounds unpleasant so intercooler it is. my radiator fan is rather old, so would a new one be worth the work?
also, considering i won't be going over 180bhp unless i get amazingly lucky. would the stock rods be reliable @ 180bhp? i don't want to smash a hole in my block, so if its ify ill save for the rods.

 

[halotarget]

ok so 450-550cc injectors i dont think i'll be getting much more than 180bhp out of this.
yeah very good point, blowing up won't be fun. will any cheap intercooler work fine, or is there a big difference between brands?
fuel pump... at 180bhp will my fuel pump be able to keep a good pressure? or is it going to burn it out in a week anyways.
-buddy club coilovers $700, worth it? (i am a handling enthusiast, so i'm getting something)

 

[CapnToll]

heh heh, both your posts showed up :hehe

If your fan is crapping out, get a Flex-a-Lite fan (FAL). They have a website. I have one, and I love it. More blades, and a much larger fan footprint, which does a lot to increase your radiator's effectiveness...especially since your Intercooler will be blocking a bit of the ram air into it.

You're also going to be hitting over 180bhp. 180whp should be the low end of the power you should make if tuned correctly, and if the engine is making good stock compression.

Don't know much about different intercooler brands, but the majority of them are well oversized to make sure they do the job. You'll be fine with most brands...just do a little research. The material and build isn't too difficult anyways for I/Cs. The big thing is Radiator Effectiveness (Charge air in - Charge air out / Charge air in - Ram air in). That's a function of the I/C dimensions, number of pipes flowing through it, and the Fins/inch. Most will be pretty similar. The larger, the more cooling, and a bit more friction losses, which are pretty much negligible.

 

[halotarget]

cool, haha well my connection has been crapping out (some punk has broken through my routers fire wall twice now).
ok so FAL fan, and over 180bhp? sweeeeeet after 105hp that will be amazing, a whole new world so to speak. how much time/ money should i save for this build in your opinion i was planning on about 1200 (sourcing what i can and getting some cheap piping on ebay), is that feasible?