Hi everyone!, I´m about to make my own Rear mount turbo... I´ll go 10psi tops, with my 70k 2003 350z engine... but I was thinking... under 10psi many people and turbo kits run with stock engine, many say to build it before going FI, but reading and looking at others "blown" problems, it seems that Rods are the weak part of the engine so can it be possible to only get Rods for it? and be very safe at 10psi levels?

I had a SEAT LEON CUPRA 1.8T with GT3071R making 400whps and I only had to change Rods for internals...

What do you guys think? is it possible... still not sure if stock pistons fit aftermarket Rods? .

Thanks!

 

Really even if the stock pistons fit onto aftermarket rods, why not go ahead and upgrade them while your there?

 

Good question, OP.

So far, I have not seen any reports about failed VQ OEM pistons due to boost (on conservative psi)... Or maybe i have not read enough FI topics.

Bump for answers.

 

I had rings fail on one cylinder. After ~15k miles at 10psi on a turbonetics setup, ~61k miles on the motor. My car started smoking real bad, cylinder 4 had ~40psi during a compression test. And it failed a leakdown test. The machine shop said the rings done on the cylinder.

 

Man, I'd go forged rods, pistons, head bolts and upgraded springs/retainers and also take advantage of putting all new seals, etc. at that point since you would be there anyway, not a lot more labor fees at that point with heads off. I'd have the heads gone through, ported and polished also. Good luck with your turbo system and all of the rest.

 

The DE ring lands are the weak point, so yea you should def. do pistons. You'll crack the lands quickly at 10psi if there's any detonation. Not to mention, the ungodly amount of labor involved in replacing the rods on a VQ you might as well do the pistons.

 

You are all right... maybe wait a little longer and save time and money... Labor is not problem I have a shop and we will do everything here... and what better to have it built and avoid future problems...

Thanks!

 

That is awesome that you are set up for this and able to do this type of work on your car; I can only dream lol!