[dailordasailor]

swapped in a lower mile motor in my 97 wagon to daily drive because my original motor with 120k on it has a bad ring in the second cylinder. My plan is to run 6psi on the motor i just swapped in with a t25 and 12:1 fmu. But while running that i want to build the original motor for real power... so my question becomes a rather broad one, whats best way to go? Figure i should do something with compression and assume pistons and rods and probably a some bore/sleeves? Camshaft?

Looked around and see the 1.9 build below but know they arent the same in terms of build and capabilities. And been using jeffs cardomain like my bible for build but appears he hasnt done internal work or i missed it... I want a reliable motor that i can track and not blow up. I plan to just drive on occasion on weekends and want ability to drive it to track then run for the night and drive back...

Goal: probaly sounds stupid, but multiple friends with wrx's and one with an RX8 with exhaust/headers/intake that are so full of themselves i must beat them in my escort. I have a daily driver so this will be my sh#t grin car beating on a$$ holes in mustangs and subarus...

I know im asking alot, but hoping for a little more guidance if possible. Best route to go for good power but not blow motor apart at the track. Plan to run AEM management but hear megasquirt is better choice so not exactly sure yet...

Thanks very much for any help
Dale

 

[Jeffescortlx]

It depends on your power goals. If you just want to beat the average ricer/tuner you'll find on the road you'll only need about 200hp.

 

[dailordasailor]

want to beat RX8 and wrx's would be my goal. If possible of course. from research a stock rx8 runs 14.5 and buddy has exhaust/headers/intake. and a WRX runs an absolute min of 13.9 according to forums sooo... What would i need to do jeff? I just want it right so im not boosting like 18 psi off my t25 on stock block and internals lol. Prob going dif turbo for my hp hopes if suggested but not sure on anything i need. Have a regular paycheck coming in so can buy parts every week or so and have a quick car before the end of summer.

 

[Jeffescortlx]

Go dig up some of dok33 old post's. He had a wagon with a stock 2.0 SPI, non-intercooled with a T25. IIRC he was running around 15psi on e85 and could hang with and pull on some of the car's in his Supra club. He had some time slip's to, IIRC it was a low 14sec car. He's got some dyno sheet's posted up some were to.

 

[dailordasailor]

alright, checking now. thanks again for all the help.

i know i asked before, but what kinda power you making now? i have your build print out so i know what you had done for numbers in your sig but what else have you done?

Thanks
Dale

 

[Jeffescortlx]

The front page of my cardomain is pretty up to date for my 93 Pony.

 

[dailordasailor]

just clarification, are you on the hybrid 1.9 now or the 2.0? First page confused me because see you made more power off the 1.9 but not sure if your 225hp and 300ftlbs is on what motor

 

[Jeffescortlx]

I'm making way more power on the 1.9/SPI Hybrid than I could with the straight 2.0 SPI.

 

[dailordasailor]

so, you suggest i go that route then? gonna pick up a new escort so the year options change and ease of passing inspection does as well if 1.9 is way to go... plus have a 2.0 with a good head sitting around. i know i ask alot, just hoping for some more spoon feeding if possible

 

[Jeffescortlx]

The only reason I'm making more power with the 1.9 Hybrid is because it's low compression and I have halfass tuning.
The 1.9 block and 2.0 SPI block are built about the same as far as strength and maximum power goes.
But it's hard to keep a high compression ratio from pinging. Dokk33 could run high boost on a high compression motor because he used e85, it's 105 octane and let's you get away with high boost, high compression and high timing.

Just turbo what ever you have and have fun. You can worry about how to make more power further down the road.

 

[dailordasailor]

im buying an escort to turbo so want to go with which one is best for hp abilities because buying for purpose of sleeper and not daily driving. Is there no way to get lower compression in a 2.0 with pistons or anything? Dont have e85 around here so be running 93 alll the time...

 

[Jeffescortlx]

im buying an escort to turbo so want to go with which one is best for hp abilities because buying for purpose of sleeper and not daily driving. Is there no way to get lower compression in a 2.0 with pistons or anything? Dont have e85 around here so be running 93 alll the time...

Do what I did. I picked up a 2nd gen pony (base modle) becaue it's the lightest escort to start with. They are a 2 door hatch and can have a manual steering rack and no A/C from the factory. There like 2150 lbs or somthing like that.

Then you can just keep the 1.9 block in there, and put on your SPI head to get the better flowing top end and low compression all in one shot.

or buy a Escort GT and go the 1.8 GTX route.

 

[juggalo]

u'd have to get a 1.9 block and pistons to lower the compression for ur motor. i'd say start off with 5 psi and work ur way up. with stock compression u need to retard timing. i plan to get this http://www.fixthisride.com/showproductd ... _id=108676 to do that and it's not so expensive.

 

[Jeffescortlx]

u'd have to get a 1.9 block and pistons to lower the compression for ur motor. i'd say start off with 5 psi and work ur way up. with stock compression u need to retard timing. .

Not with 5psi. Unless your running 85 octane.

i plan to get this http://www.fixthisride.com/showproductd ... _id=108676 to do that and it's not so expensive.

How do you plan on hooking this up to your ECU to pull timing?

 

[juggalo]

u'd have to get a 1.9 block and pistons to lower the compression for ur motor. i'd say start off with 5 psi and work ur way up. with stock compression u need to retard timing. .

Not with 5psi. Unless your running 85 octane.

i plan to get this http://www.fixthisride.com/showproductd ... _id=108676 to do that and it's not so expensive.

How do you plan on hooking this up to your ECU to pull timing?

i know the stock timing can handle up to 8 psi but 5 is where i would start at.

it's a smart switch which connects to a wide range of sensors such as a TPS, MAP, MAF,temperature (oil or water), nitrous or boost pressure. i'm gonna hook it up to the TPS when i can get it.

 

[Jeffescortlx]

it's a smart switch which connects to a wide range of sensors such as a TPS, MAP, MAF,temperature (oil or water), nitrous or boost pressure. i'm gonna hook it up to the TPS when i can get it.

But how is that going to pull timing when the boost comes on?

 

[Silex]

why not just go the SCT tuner route ? its no more $$ than this smart switch device that needs to be cobbled together

 

[dailordasailor]

alright jeff, looks like that route. is there reason to get better pistons/rods for the 1.9 or can they take my goals with a good tune? seems odd stock internals to take what you have on them more/less my high hopes in future. And i know everyone keeps saying go low goals but this is purpose bought for turbo, so no i dont want to just run 5psi... And planning to use AEM for timing because not smart enough to do the homemade 5th injector thing. Plus aem can get tuned by most dynos in my area

 

[dailordasailor]

not sure if the AEM general unit is better choice then mega squirt or not... opinions? ease of use? what megasquirt?

 

[juggalo]

it's a smart switch which connects to a wide range of sensors such as a TPS, MAP, MAF,temperature (oil or water), nitrous or boost pressure. i'm gonna hook it up to the TPS when i can get it.

But how is that going to pull timing when the boost comes on?

probably by the degree of the throttle set by the switch giving the signal to the ecu :shrug: