My build is about to begin... what do you think?

[frostyzx]

Hello all, I have owned my 95 GST now for 9 years. It is bone stock with an aftermarket radiator (unsure of brand). I have dreamt of building this car the day I bought it - senior year of high school. I have taken great care of this car and all maintenance is up-to-date and complete. I am still very much a newb to DSMs but have now finally been able to save up and spend money on my car. It has 130k miles on it.

I want this car to be a summer-weekend warrior that may see the track. My goal is set right now to reach around 350whp and maybe trying to push the 16g to its max.

Here is the odd part. I work in NYC and the car is garaged in Colorado. For the past six months or so, I have been purchasing parts and sending them to be stored next to the car till I return to build.

Here's my part list as of today:

EvoIII 16g - ported
EvoIII O2 housing - ported
PR FMIC

1g Throttle Body
FP Race Manifold
FP Intake w/ recirculated flange
Greddy Type RZ BOV (it was a good deal and looks cooler than the 1g BOV, )
K&N Cone Filter

RRE Short DP
RRE High-flow Cat
APEXi N1 Exhaust

1250cc Injectors (planning on running E85)
Walpro 255 HP
STM Fuel Lab AFPR Kit
STM tank to rail Kit w/ Stainless Steel Filter

DSMLink V3
AEM Wideband
Autometer Boost Gauge

B&M Short shifter
Urethane Shifter bushings
Shifter Cable end bushings

Prothane Motor Mounts


Here is where I need help. I am somewhat mechanically competent and will have friends helping with the build. I will be coming home to Colorado for about 9 days at the end of April. How much of this build do you believe I can finish and put on the car in those 9 days (take note that it is also a trip to visit family/friends)? Lets call total build availability = 4.5 days w/ minimal sleep + eat time.

If you were me, what would your build order be? Which parts first? Which ones last? The car doesn't necessarily have to be drivable by the time I leave, but it would be preferred.



P.S. - Here's a list of things I know I still need and want:

Aftermarket clutch (Thinking ACT 2600)
Resurface Flywheel
Koni Yellows w/ GC kit (thinking 450 front/ 250 rear)
Big Brake Kit
Wheels + Tires
Transmission Rebuild w/ Quaife LSD (going Jacks in CO Springs)
Engine Rebuild (maybe Jacks too)


Thanks in advanced for all your replies. All suggestions will be appreciated on both the build and current/future parts. This list really was made up from all the research and support given here on DSM Tuners.

Thank you all so much!

 

[awddarrell]

All that is pretty easy to accomplish assuming you don't run into any fitment issues and missing parts.
Your timeframe is more than enough to accomplish all that.

You're definitely going to want a better than stock clutch with these upgrades. You'll be spinning the stock one very soon.

I don't see a boost controller listed.

Make sure to put some penetrant all over the turbo, exhaust, and exhaust manifold bolts/nuts/studs the night before, and have a blowtorch on hand for heat and breaker bars. You're probably going to need them. I'd have replacement hardware for all these connections just in case as a car this old will probably leave you with some broken bolts/studs.

Have some a helicoil or similar repair kit on hand for the exhaust manifold studs. 8x1.25 I believe.

very good advise I have a lot of little hardware pieces go missing on my first build, best thing for me that i have found is lots of plastic bags and a sharpie. every thing you take apart put all the hardware in sep. baggies and lable so when you are re assembling you have it all there and labled.

Good luck with your project make sure you have all those proper tools as well!

 

[frostyzx]

in respect to the time aloted to collect your assortment of parts, in a ball park figure what would be the doller figure of total investment so far ( parts alone) only because i intend to do more or less a similar overhaul to my 95 esi, only im tempted to go one step further and make it awd

I would guess I have spent right around $5k or less. I bought a lot of parts during Xmas sales and then a bunch with all the tax refund sales. A few came from classifieds, but 98% of the parts are all brand new. Good luck with the awd swap! If I get my fun out of the 16g pushing it to its max, and if I then feel I want more power, I am going to do the swap as well.

Looks like a good list OP. At the bottom of your first post you make mention of wanting to get the tranny and engine rebuilt by Jacks as well as the clutch. I think I would plan on doing this before anything else.

But judging from your time frame, it doesn't look like your in a good position to making a trip to Colo Spgs.

I agree with you. I really wanted those done first, but knowing how well I treated my car, I know the transmission/engine should be fine once I get all these parts on (at least for a very short time). My goal is to make it drivable. It will not be pushed. I believe if the car is in good driving shape by the time I leave, it could be driven down to Jacks by my friend. I also still need to save up for the transmission/engine work. If I become super worried about the drivability, it will not leave the garage till I upgrade the clutch. Once that is done, I am sure it could at least handle the tuning process and then the trip to the Springs. This of course will all change if my engine doesn't pass the compression test first.

 

[HooKnBooK]

I would look into getting a new flywheel rather than getting the stock one resurfaced. I like the Fidanza flywheel for $200.

 

[frostyzx]

Ok... so I am bored and it was bugging me that I don't know my total investment into the build for my GST. I just did a tally of all the parts I have purchased thus far. I did buy some more parts on Friday and forgot to add some into original post, so please take note below.

Things that have been added to the original "Build/Purchased" List:

Bearing Shifter Cable Kit
SS Master to Slave Clutch Line
SS RRE Clutch Line

Magnecor Wires + NGK Plugs

ARP Head Bolts
ARP Turbo to Manifold Bolts
OEM Manifold Studs, bolts, washers

Boost leak tester
Compression tester

TOTAL for everything = $5,455.61 (including shipping)

 

[motozachl]

Ok... so I am bored and it was bugging me that I don't know my total investment into the build for my GST. I just did a tally of all the parts I have purchased thus far. I did buy some more parts on Friday and forgot to add some into original post, so please take note below.

Things that have been added to the original "Build/Purchased" List:

Bearing Shifter Cable Kit Skateboard/Rollerblade bearings
SS Master to Slave Clutch Line
SS RRE Clutch Line
Pick one, you cannot use both

Magnecor Wires + NGK Plugs YES

ARP Head Bolts Headstuds
ARP Turbo to Manifold Bolts Not needed
OEM Manifold Studs, bolts, washers Found at any auto store, not needed

Boost leak tester YES diy
Compression tester YES

TOTAL for everything = $5,455.61 (including shipping)

Wow. You spent a ton, could've easily dropped $ off that budget

 

[frostyzx]

Wow. You spent a ton, could've easily dropped $ off that budget

Yup. Once I tallied it up I was a bit surprised. However, I want things to go smoothly and I don't want to be running around town looking for parts. I want everything to be in the garage ready to put on the car. I like to think I am paying for things to go smoothly.

I totally messed up and bought two SS braided lines... thanks for catching that. I thought RRE's was a new FCU with a short SS line coming from the top of the unit, but I'm an idiot. Let that be a lesson to all. Read, read, read, and then reread once more! And do a search for it in the Tech Articles as well.

 

[Sphinx]

i appreciate for the tally, really gives me a good $$ figure to work with .. because as last posts were that you " over spent" .. my original self set budget was around 10k .. but 5.5 really a whole realization how much i had set aside for the smooth aspect I've done my research on the 4g64/4g63 but aside all there hasn't been much on the specs of the completed engine, ive heard that "not pushing" the machine produces 350hp, and some pushed to the point of 600hp... my question is what would be an average hp for just the hybrid engine its self just so id have a ball park figure of the increase ... just as a personal incentive

 

[Bud92gsx]

Frosty nice list of mostly new parts..Good luck with the build..But I think you can get more than 350 on e85 and a 16g..But 350 is a pretty good expectation..

 

[frostyzx]

Alright, there is some bad news. I finally arrived in Colorado last night and am getting ready to start this build tomorrow. Today I am doing some maintenance to the car, with the largest check being compression. I performed the compression check and it was 100, 110, 100, 95... I am not happy.

Could these low numbers be caused by the throttle plate not opening 100% at wot? From what I have read, the answer is yes. I am off to find out if mine is not opening all the way.

 

[Sc00ter]

Why aren't you updating the thread with pics?

I'll start:

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[frostyzx]

Alright, sorry it took so long to update my process. Here are a few pictures and I will be starting a blog very soon. I took it slow and only got the new FP manifold, intake, evo3 turbo, and PR FMIC w/ piping on the car. I didn't even have time to trim the bumper, but am really happy with how the crash guard turned out. I also got my core anodized black. I believe the car could have been started, but I had to leave CO. The car sits now in a garage 2,000 miles away, just waiting for me (and everything else I didn't get to put on - DSMLink/Fuel System/Exhaust/etc, etc.)

 

[Grip]

How did you paint the intercooler? Using conventional spray paint really is the worst possible way to do it considering it does effect the amount of cooiling the fins can accomplish. I understand not wanting a flashy intercooler but killing efficiency while doing it is a bad idea.

 

[frostyzx]

How did you paint the intercooler? Using conventional spray paint really is the worst possible way to do it considering it does effect the amount of cooiling the fins can accomplish. I understand not wanting a flashy intercooler but killing efficiency while doing it is a bad idea.

Actually I had the core anodized by an aluminum plating company. It's the only way to go. I read up on all the negatives of spray paint and agree that you would never want to do this. This process adds a very, very thin layer of color by electro-plating the aluminum. Here is the company I took it to:

http://www.specialtyplatinginc.com


Edit:

Here are some more pictures of the anodized core. I also had the two lower front hot/cold intercooler pipes anodized black as well. I took the brand new core straight to Specialty Plating Inc. thinking that I did not need to clean it off. However, there was some type of film on the core, straight from the factory, that flaked off in the anodization tank. This caused the core itself to look "flaky" and made SP Inc. have to completely clean out their tank afterwards. I was unsure at first and almost made them redo my core, but it is hardly noticeable from a distance. I also really doubt you will be able see the imperfections when it's mounted behind the bumper. I am happy with it.

 

[kj-barrett]

Ya, before going all crazy with boosting higher and all that jazz. You need to build the internals in the motor and head to handle it first. It's the best investment cause you will start braking things very easily(Especially that 7bolt) on even minor mods....Take your time and build it right.

 

[lex]

The car looks fantastic.

 

[richard33]

Ya, before going all crazy with boosting higher and all that jazz. You need to build the internals in the motor and head to handle it first. It's the best investment cause you will start braking things very easily(Especially that 7bolt) on even minor mods....Take your time and build it right.

The stock motor will handle the 16g just fine. I ran 27-30lbs on e85 with my 16g and had no problems with the motor as do a bunch of other people.

 

[MuffinMan7580]

Was your motor up to temperature when you did the compression test? Those are really low numbers.

 

[emain879]

your not going to be sleeping much . 4.5 days isnt long haha. good luck man..

 

[frostyzx]

Yeah, my engine was up to temperature. I wanted to get to the build knowing that I would not be pushing the car soon. I just decided that I would run a leakdown test as soon as the car was drivable again. While doing this bolt-on build, I did see an oil leak from the head. I will not know for sure until the leakdown test, but I believe it's the headgasket that is causing the low compression test. I won't know for awhile, as I will not be returning to CO for a long time. Here is a picture of the oil leak.

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[Zac692069]

sweet build and car! Looks good so far, Im not far from you in colorado. I think you got more done in "4.5" days then i have gotten done in 4.5 months