1G Introduction and some guidance

[TalonFan]

Hello Everyone,

I've been creeping this forum on and off for years but have never really got engaged. I'm finally ready to get serious about my build so I'm spending a lot more time on here lately and I'm getting really lost in all the different threads and builds.

I have a stock 6 bolt from my '91 Talon that have torn apart and want to build a 2.3l with it. This is the first time the engine has ever been torn down and for the most part, everything is in really good shape. I enjoyed AutoX when I was younger and would like to try some road course stuff at the local track. My plan was about 400hp with the engine. I'm building it myself with the help of a machine shop and hours of late nights reading your posts about what to watch out for. It's been a dream of mine for the last 10 years to finally start this.

I have poured over a lot of information (and I will continue to) but I am struggling to find one place that has all of the "math" for properly choosing the parts so they work together. I have the links from here on injector sizing and the thread for cam basics, I've learned about surge graphs and flow rates, plus I have a bunch of sites for all sorts of other calculations but I feel like I'm still missing something. I'm stuck on the relationship between the turbo, cams, and displacement. If it was an NA engine I think I would have the cam thing sorted thanks to the other thread but with a turbo added to the mix, I can't get my head around it. Is there math that I can use to see why (on paper anyway) I might want to use a 16G with 272 cams on a 2.3l stroker vs another set up that people have suggested?

Or should I just surrender to the fact that all of this math stuff is just part of my weirdness and pick some suggestions from others that make sense and just build it? After alI, many of you have been doing this a long time and I already have a list of the parts you guys stand behind to get started. It just feels irresponsible to not have a better understanding.

If you have a place to look, I'd appreciate it.
In the meantime I will keep reading. Thanks.

 

[Vegas Smith]

I wouldn’t think so hard about this stuff. It’s a hobby and toy car that will be fast regardless of what part combo you use. If you buy quality parts then there will always be an opportunity to sell and buy something new. You’ll always be able to sell a nice turbo, manifold or cams if you decide your setup isn’t what you want. I have a 700hp capable turbo with huge cams that should be terrible on the street if you just read old threads about other people’s opinions, yet I love my setup and don’t find any drivability issues at all. It’s all subjective and it’s all going to be fun in the end. If you buy the “wrong” cams for your stroker it’s not like the car won’t start or it will be 275hp as opposed to 575. And don’t tell me “well I don’t want to buy twice”. Everyone buys two, three, four times because it’s fun to try new stuff. Anyways, not the info you asked for but you’ll live .

 

[TalonFan]

Nope, not the info I asked for but certainly probably the info I needed. Based on some of the opinions out there you would think a blackhole will open up if I used the wrong cams.

Thanks for the pep talk. I'll save the math obsession for another day.