I ended up getting wiseco pistons 8.8 compression ratio and 96mm bore with eagle h beam rods for $780 : ).

 

My engine must just be on borrowed time - standard ARP head studs, OEM head gaskets, OEM heads and cams, and regular Arias pistons pushing a peak of 17 psi and 14 psi at redline. making something like 520whp/550+ tq.

I agree that now it would be foolish not to run at least the upgraded ARP studs; actually I would run 1/2" head studs, and not the L19s with HKS headgaskets. I still think good power and reliability are possible with budget builds.

I just laugh when I hear everyone's recommendations on the boards about motor builds and then look over the specs of mine. Heck, I know darton sleaved, pauter rods, arias ED, 1/2" headstuded, etc motors that haven't made it passed 10 lbs of boost on the orginal dyno tune.

 

hehe...give it some time Ziv...your engine is brand new, practically.

At modest power levels, you will probably be fine with your setup.

 

The engine was built in Oct of '05. From talking to people I trust about my build and what is talked about on the boards, I beleive it has a lot more to do with tuning and build quality. Do you consider my boost levels and 500+ whp modest? modest for standard ARP studs and oem headgaskets?

 

Yeah I consider low 500's a modest power level, regardless of the components used. It also depends on how hard you drive the car. You might not see symptoms until you really beat on the car, for instance, on a circuit course.

Ziv, was I confusing you with someone else? I thought you got your engine done at GRD, and were running the FCON...i think I am confused...LOL.

 

I am not doubting that. But when you do a few dozen builds, and over 200 VQ35 tuning sessions, you pick up things that someone might otherwise miss. And in the case of the NA example I mentioned earlier, I still feel that a car pushed extremely hard (as this customer was doing) can still develop issues.

I guess we try to use the best parts possible, with good assembly techniques, and tuning practices....to try and stack the deck in favor of the customer..and us. No sense in skimping a few bucks, even if there is only a 1/10 change of something going badly.

 

GRD did build my car. when I had it originally done, in 05, no EMS was really available beyond emanage and unichip. I maxed out the unichip at 450whp/480tq and ran it for a yr. Took the car back last fall for APS fuel system, Fcon, twin disc and tuned somewheres around 520whp/550tq.

My work schedule doesn't allow much time for tracking the car, though I hope to make it once this yr.

 

Very true, but I think there is misconception about the "need" for pauter over eagle rods, ED vs standard duty arias or the wisecos merlin bought, even the "need" for sleeved blocks. Things like the upgraded head studs and HKS head gaskets are a no brainer now, but I dont' see the need for pauter or sleaving the block (for example) unless your plan 1000 whp since I have yet to see anyone show either of these to be weak points in a build

 

I opted for 1/2" headstuds and hks gaskets after reasearching the vq35, because i read about head lift. I wanted to make sure i was not going to ever get head lift. I used Arias ED pistons because they are a zero silicon forging, and i like the way the way the rings are on them. Eagle rods, well domestics have no problem with them. Stock heads flow 344cfm intake side, no need on upgraded heads there. I did get larger cams for more power at lower boost levels. Sleeves, well i have not read of stock sleeves failing and dont plan on running over 700hp ever unless its just for a dyno run of it. 450-500hp on the street is way more than enough power.

 

I plan on going with l19 head studs and am undecided on head gasket yet but I didn't see any point in going for anything more than wiseco/eagle since I haven't heard of any failures of these parts and I am going for a modest power level of 450-500.

 

I agree with you on the Eagle vs. Pauter debate, and the sleeving. Eagles in the 600whp+ consistently, is still unproven...which doesnt meant they can't hold up just fine...but there hasnt been a track record on the VQ35. So the Pauters are very much an insurance policy. My gut tells me that the Eagles will hold plenty of power, but I dont trust my gut when I am spending my customers's dollars. Same thing with sleeving. My gut tells me that the stock sleeves will hold up fine too...but only time will tell at 650whp+ levels.

My bad Ziv...I thought your build and everything was done a couple months ago by GRD..didnt realize you had the built engine back in 05.

 

Hey what about the sound in idle that make the engines with Eagle rods... my friend have eagle rods and the car in idle sound like is broken...

Oh and btw Sherif, with the combo of Arias ED and the Pauter rods would it stroke the engine? just curius...

 

probably not related to the rods -> probably piston slap or something other

 

I think it is a given that the HKS head gaskets are the best available right now. If my car ever shows sign of headlift I will be putting them in.

Just also want to point out that headlift has a lot to do with tuning. If your tune is off in the slightest, very small detontation can reek havoc on your headgaskets.

 

Rods dont make any engine noise, unless there is a major problem going on inside the engine.

 

hmm... so some peolple say that the Eagles make the noise that I mention and other say that is the piston or something, in my opinion its sound more that the piston slap or the connectoin on the piston to the rod, its nothing to do with the rods... If I have to put Pauter over Eagle just because its have no sound and is more smooth I will, but I believe the trick is the piston. (Arias ED )

please help me out here...

 

The rod choice, makes no difference whatsoever in engine sound or noise. When we build engines, its usually more aggressive camshafts that cause a little bit more noise....barely noticable..but I can hear it. We just did an Eagle/Arias ED buildup....its on the dyno now...bone stock heads and cams, and the engine starts, idles, and sounds 100% like stock...even better. I cant hear anything at idle....even on a bone cold startup. The customer "stormcrow" on the boards...checked it out today, and he thought we put a stock engine back in his car...hehe.

 

Damn that is cheap as crap. Where did you get them from?

 

Thanks for that info... what about the combo of Arias ED and the Pauter rods would it stroke the engine? just curius...

 

No, it will not stroke the engine. Stroking an engine requires a shorter rod, a different pin location, a custom crank, and a host of other complex operations. Your stroke will be the same with Pauter or Eagle rods.