BriGuyMax

iTrader: (4)

Sorry to hear. My money is cracked ring land on that cylinder. Pretty common with boosted VQs on stock pistons/rods.

Let us know if you end up tearing the motor down....

Good luck with everything.

Landarose

Wasn't the greatest news to hear about it, but the problem finally showed up, guess a compression test off the bat would have kept me from looking clueless around here.

I'd really like to do a build myself, being a tight tolerance machinist I understand a lot about the moving parts, press fits, clearances and have all the instruments to check it, that being said, I know a lot more goes into motorbuilding that just knowing how it works. I was looking towards something like crower pistons and rods, possibly doing the assembly myself and sending the motor out to balance the rotating assembly to keep myself from being completely boned on shop hours. Buying a built short block is a possibility but I'm really trying to play the money saver card,on the other hand, buying nice forged parts, putting them in myself and have something go wrong kind of leaves me S.O.L.

Still a lot to take into consideration before I decide to pull the motor, I know building a motor is a long shot from bolting a turbo kit on a stock motor. Appreciate everyones time and input, although it ended up being my first suspect all along great to hear from everybody around the Z community.

bmyles

Crower doesn't make pistons

You also don't need to send the whole motor out to be balanced, just the rods, pistons, and maybe the crank.

Landarose

http://www.briancrower.com/makes/nis..._pistons.shtml This isn't them? I'm pretty sure the entire stroker kit also includes pistons. Or are they a different brand sold through crower?

bmyles

Crower and Brian Crower are different companies. Regardless, neither company actually produces pistons. Those are JE and CP pistons that BC just so happens to sell.

Landarose

Ah yes, I was referring to BC, And I actually knew Crower is its own company should have clarified. And I see now that the pistons are not Brian Crower, just sold through them.

Resmarted

iTrader: (2)

You can mic everything up but do you have the machines? And you'll want to hone the block with a torque plate on it, that way you'll have accurate cylinder distortion. Crower makes some nice rods for the vq, I would go for them. I would get JE pistons too. (If I could do it all again).

I recommend just ordering a shortblock from a good builder rather than trying to DIY... It will save you time, and possibly money if you buy it all from one place.

bmyles

$2700 + core from IPP for a block that holds 600 is hard to beat. If it were anywhere in my budget, that's what I would do. Binder told me it's really the only way to go unless you can do absolutely everything yourself. He said he spent more money assembling his own motor than just buying from IPP/Dynosty.

Landarose

Yea micrometers are good to measure, machines is no problem, i work in a machine shop with a radial drill that could easily hone out a block, and i know honing requires a guide plate or your cylinder would bellmouth way the **** out, and yes a dial bore indicator(which i have) can check for cylinder distortion. I believe i have the capabilities and resources to do so.

My real decision lies in the time/money situation (everyones problem right?) and the more i do a little research doing it myself seems like more of a pain in the *** and more hours of me being at work to do it myself, a shortblock is seeming like the right road to go down, looking for the right one though for the right price.

HP goals wouldn't exceed 600whp, thats about all I could get out of my car without a shitload of extra/all new supporting mods... Now does IPP completely balance and check everything out?(im assuming they do if its good for 600horse) Im always concerned about the longetivitiy of things i dont do myself, not a lot of craftsman take the pride in things they make nowadays, and performance parts/shops usually dont guarantee things they make and assemble.