Little Advice on 4g63 tweaks

[turboglenn]

I got my pistons today and boy o boy are they purdy!!!

Now I've got a fresh block (stock bore) that's cleaned, been magnafluxed journals align-bored and is ready to go BACK to the machine shop to have the holes bored for each piston and have my one eagle rod repaired before they are installed (bad small end bushing on one) and then the motor assembled from there.

I"m paying the machinist to assemble the short block as that way if somethings out of spec he can regrind/machine it right then.

The motor was BSE'd by him when he started on the block (one machinist put it together wrong so it came back out and went to a guy i trust with only 1500 miles on it's rebuild)

My question is: Is there anything that i can do during the final long block assembly to improve or tweak the block/head config for better performance or preferably longevity?

Also, I've always used regular head gaskets with no issues to 30 psi, but with this motor i plan to run 30-35 psi and then have a back up 100 shot on hand "just in case" Is there a HG that won't cause any issues that i can trust to be even stronger than what I've been using? (been using OEM and fel-pro in the past). Seems I've read good and bad about the MLS units and being that i build more Porsche 3.0 inline 4's than mitsu motors I'm looking for some tips/tricks.advice as i want this motor to be the last one i install for a very long time (because of my injured back)

anyway... I'm fairly competent to do mods to the parts or i can have the machinist do it if it's over my skill level or beyond the capabilities of my tools

 

[Jeff@Slowboy]

Check and re-check everything. Make sure it is all uber clean when it is going together. Degree your cams in with a degree wheel for optimum performance. The MLS head gasket is my personal gasket of choice, although I have had ok results with the felt ones. If you are running nitrous then I wouldnt even bother with a felt gasket. Other than what I have listed, regular maintenance is key.

Oliver
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[turboglenn]

I plan on degreeing the cams, and before i send the block in i plan on de-burring and stress relieving any sharp edges, but other than that i can't think of anything else to do. We've got a ton of little tricks on the Porsche 3.0's like plugging a hole here, drilling oiling holes there bla bla bla.. but i have nothing but basic concepts on putting a 4g together.

as for the stuff i mentioned on the Porsche motors... don't ask me exactly what all of it is i just followed orders and templates on a few grindings, holes and plugging this and that

 

[Jeff@Slowboy]

If its a 7 bolt I would suggest welding the tips of the oil squirters shut. This will prevent them from sticking open and taking oil away from your crank.

Oliver
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[turboglenn]

It is a 6 bolt motor, the manufacture date is early 1990 if that makes a difference. The oil squirters are intact, but that's' one thing i was wondering about getting rid of as well. Any harm in pulling them out and putting a threaded plug in there and tack welding it so it will never come loose? I don't know if I'd trust red loc-tite on something that could come loose and wreck my internals.. I'm trying to make this engine bullet proof to 550 HP tops... I want it to be more of a "road race/endurance" build as compared to squeezing every last ounce of power from it.

As stated my goals are in the realm of what a stock block can handle, i just want it to be able to produce it all day long and never break a sweat.

I still need to learn more about the head I'm going to use, but i haven't heard anything back from the guy with all the JDM goodies in the hangout (the scrapyard thread)

It's a 1.6l head that's had some really nice port work, not sure if the valves are stock size or not as well as not knowing what cams are in it, but before it made the boat ride from japan to here it had been a performance motor that some one built while it was overseas.

 

[Jeff@Slowboy]

In a 6 bolt I would leave the squirters, they are not as important to leave in with forged internals but with a BSEK you will have very high oil pressure if you remove them.

If you have a 1.6L head make sure the head stud holes are opened up to accept the 6 bolt studs (I know the USDM 1.8/1.6 use an 11mm stud like the 7 bolt)

Oliver
[email protected]

 

[turboglenn]

It was already bolted to a 6 bolt block so this would mean that it's already been done as far as enlarging the holes correct? Sorry if that sounds simple/dumb, can't hurt to ask.

 

[Jeff@Slowboy]

If you took it off a 6 bolt 2.0 then you shouldn't have a problem

 

[jking29]

If you are really looking for bulletproof, have you considered getting the block o-ringed and using a copper head gasket? Now would be the time to do it.

 

[turbo addict]

the jdm 1.6liter uses the same studs as the 6bolt, that is what I had in the mirage. also it has a smaller combustion chamber so your compression will go up a little.

 

[architechnik]

I suggest checking the head for imperfections while you have it off. I've found that in the casting there are a lot of little imperfections that will block oil return lines. and just be in the way for an even flow. It causes oil to pool in strange places too. Just check all the parts that were cast and no machine work was done afterward. I'm always afraid those little pieces will break off at some point and end up getting into a place they shouldn't be.

 

[xlMcMlx DsM]

When doing the BSE, port the oil relief hole. It's key for better oil pressure when you remove the balance shafts. The only other thing I can think of is make sure that head and block surface are SMOOTH and CLEAN. I'm assuming you're mechanic knows how to measure the RA count and give the head and block a mirror like finish. That way the headgasket will seal properly. Otherwise it looks like you know what your doing.

 

[bastarddsm]

I know this is taboo, but I'd stay with a factoy style hg. That way, if you have a problem, it puts a head gasket out, instead knocking and hammering a rod bearing out, bending/breaking a rod, or busting ring lands off. The HG acts as sort of a fuse. Its a lot cheaper to put a new hg in than a new short block.

 

[4g63awdtalon]

i had no oil squirters on my last motor and had no problems. You are running e-85 so i would think that it would help keep the pistons cooler.