Loganhawkins418
Active member
- May 11, 2021
- 116
- 100
I’m horrible at posting here but figured some people may enjoy this build.
A customer of mine with a turbo Honda in a two seat Alumicraft had a hell of a season last year. Started out with a couple of rods and pistons deciding they wanted to be outside of the motor on a stock j35a4 that had been in the car for close to 20 years with a missing link/fmu/stock ecu setup. (Narrowed the failure down to a boost reference line being left off the wastegate after they were messing with the missing link in camp chasing a surging idle)
Trying to save the season we decided to buy a “built” motor that came with an aem series 2 that we needed (I won’t name the builder), upgraded the turbo, fuel system and got it all setup and tuned. On the 4th or 5th day of the first trip the left side camshaft seized in the head, stripping the timing belt and bending valves etc. so once we got the time I tore the motor apart to find that the crankshaft had so much wear on the front of the thrust surface that it allowed the thrust washer to fall out of place and bang around the crankcase destroying everything and sending metal everywhere. Also found that the crankshaft hadn’t been balanced for the heavier rods and pistons (the builder said they’re usually close enough
)
Lesson learned. If you want something done right, do it yourself. I’ve built my fair share of motors and if it weren’t for the time crunch and needing the aem I would have just built it in the first place but here we were.
So time for a fresh new build, and since almost everything was junk including the block I decided I would just start with a brand new short block from Honda rather than dealing with potential issues from a junk yard deal.
So basically brand new j35 short block from Honda, pulled it apart, measured everything and got parts ordered.
Went with :
wiseco forged pistons
P2r forged I beam connecting rods
Halferland performance cylinder support inserts
King rod and main bearings
ARP head studs
And a set of brand new j32a2 cylinder heads from Acura.
Once the rotating assembly parts arrived I took them to my preferred machine shop (Klein racing engines in Phx) and had it balanced, it took four slugs of Mallory to balance it for the added weight of the rods and pistons.
After that I got it all put together and should have it running by the end of the weekend.
I also sent the turbo to precision to have it refreshed since it had metal go through it.
Setup will be in the Dyno in the next couple weeks, I’m also setting it up with a 3 port Mac valve and a high/low boost switch. Thinking around 400whp on the low side and 500 on the high will be a riot in the 1600lb car.
Also since some may ask, the fuel system is an aem 400lph pump, p2r fuel rails, fuel injector clinic 1000cc injectors and an aeromotive regulator, -8 pre pump and -6 post all plumbed with ptfe an hose/fittings.
Turbo is a precision 5858
A customer of mine with a turbo Honda in a two seat Alumicraft had a hell of a season last year. Started out with a couple of rods and pistons deciding they wanted to be outside of the motor on a stock j35a4 that had been in the car for close to 20 years with a missing link/fmu/stock ecu setup. (Narrowed the failure down to a boost reference line being left off the wastegate after they were messing with the missing link in camp chasing a surging idle)
Trying to save the season we decided to buy a “built” motor that came with an aem series 2 that we needed (I won’t name the builder), upgraded the turbo, fuel system and got it all setup and tuned. On the 4th or 5th day of the first trip the left side camshaft seized in the head, stripping the timing belt and bending valves etc. so once we got the time I tore the motor apart to find that the crankshaft had so much wear on the front of the thrust surface that it allowed the thrust washer to fall out of place and bang around the crankcase destroying everything and sending metal everywhere. Also found that the crankshaft hadn’t been balanced for the heavier rods and pistons (the builder said they’re usually close enough
)Lesson learned. If you want something done right, do it yourself. I’ve built my fair share of motors and if it weren’t for the time crunch and needing the aem I would have just built it in the first place but here we were.
So time for a fresh new build, and since almost everything was junk including the block I decided I would just start with a brand new short block from Honda rather than dealing with potential issues from a junk yard deal.
So basically brand new j35 short block from Honda, pulled it apart, measured everything and got parts ordered.
Went with :
wiseco forged pistons
P2r forged I beam connecting rods
Halferland performance cylinder support inserts
King rod and main bearings
ARP head studs
And a set of brand new j32a2 cylinder heads from Acura.
Once the rotating assembly parts arrived I took them to my preferred machine shop (Klein racing engines in Phx) and had it balanced, it took four slugs of Mallory to balance it for the added weight of the rods and pistons.
After that I got it all put together and should have it running by the end of the weekend.
I also sent the turbo to precision to have it refreshed since it had metal go through it.
Setup will be in the Dyno in the next couple weeks, I’m also setting it up with a 3 port Mac valve and a high/low boost switch. Thinking around 400whp on the low side and 500 on the high will be a riot in the 1600lb car.
Also since some may ask, the fuel system is an aem 400lph pump, p2r fuel rails, fuel injector clinic 1000cc injectors and an aeromotive regulator, -8 pre pump and -6 post all plumbed with ptfe an hose/fittings.
Turbo is a precision 5858
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