Na Gsr Build Questions

[sleepercoupe]

Hey what's up civicland, in new here and looking for some help, i plan on trying to do a mild NA build on my 97 gsr motor. I'm running the motor obd1 w/ a jdm p72. My motor runs good right now but is definetly burning some oil, i've heard this can be normal on these honda motors but i plan on replacing the pistons anyway. My questions are can i bump up the compression with the new pistons to say 11.5 and throw my stock head back on with a skunk 2 headgasket and still safley run my car on the stock tune? I plan on building the head also but not right now, i'd rather put the pistons in first to stop the oil consumption and have a head built later and slap it on (money is a little tight to do it all at once). Also any suggestions for the build on the head would be appreciated, i looked around the forums but it seems like other people are going for bigger power and a larger investment than i'm willing to do at this time. My goal would be to bump up the hp #'s to 210hp on stock bore and built head, am I being realistic? Thanks in advance

[hybrid_coupe98]

just putting new pistons in isnt going to fix your problem...You need to identify where the oil is coming from. And dont use 2 layer gaskets.,..stick with oem honda...thats what i use on all my motors. jumping 50 hp NA youd be looking at about 12:1 compression and cams springs retainers...good manifold and throttle body and a good header(NOT DC)

[shopresponse]

Perhaps you may want to mill the head a little bit (I mean a little not too much as valve clearance may become an issue) use total seal piston rings, one layer gasket and perhaps CTR pistons (higher raised dome/crown) to bump up the compression. This should help raise the compression inexpensively. Do your math before to derermine the outcome.

Sound right to you Hybrid.

[hybrid_coupe98]

its sounds pretty good...but ive never liked using the 1 peice, or 2 peice gaskets...the always seem to go bad for me...maybe its just me. I seem to have bad luck with them. But other than that it sounds like if he just...surfaced the head...to make sure its flat, with ctr pistons, and a stock gasket, he should have no clearance issues and the compression, cause you gotta remember the gsr chambers are different than the b16 that the ctr pistons come in, He would be around 12.5:1...just guessing, And on good gas, with a lets say, rmf or pro-fab header, and a decent set of cams, id say the motor would make about 185whp possibly 190, with a good tuner and fuel, Now if he went to a manifold like a victor x, and revved the motor higher, i wouldnt doubt that 200+ would be attainable.

[dubcac]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hybrid_coupe98 @ Jul 20 2006, 04:03 PM) [snapback]102986[/snapback]</div>

its sounds pretty good...but ive never liked using the 1 peice, or 2 peice gaskets...the always seem to go bad for me...maybe its just me. I seem to have bad luck with them. But other than that it sounds like if he just...surfaced the head...to make sure its flat, with ctr pistons, and a stock gasket, he should have no clearance issues and the compression, cause you gotta remember the gsr chambers are different than the b16 that the ctr pistons come in, He would be around 12.5:1...just guessing, And on good gas, with a lets say, rmf or pro-fab header, and a decent set of cams, id say the motor would make about 185whp possibly 190, with a good tuner and fuel, Now if he went to a manifold like a victor x, and revved the motor higher, i wouldnt doubt that 200+ would be attainable.
[/b]

Milling the head isn't the best way to raise compression, and neither is using a 1 or 2 layer gasket. Everyone I know that has run one has blown it. As for the CTR pistons, I installed some on a GSR motor...and the ENTIRE piston surface was slightly raised above the deck. It wasn't much, but enough to make it about 13:1. Milling the head or running a thinner gasket with big pistons (especially CTR's) and big cams is a disaster waiting to happen. You're better off getting aftermarket pistons with a high compression and valve reliefs designed for use with the GSR head. Total Seal rings are a joke, you're better with OEM.

[hybrid_coupe98]

YEAH..I ONLY USE EITHER HASTINGS OR CP RINGS FOR MY MOTOR, FOR STOCK MOTORS, HASTINGS, CP OR OEM

[shopresponse]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dubcac @ Jul 20 2006, 08:44 PM) [snapback]102998[/snapback]</div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hybrid_coupe98 @ Jul 20 2006, 04:03 PM) [snapback]102986[/snapback]

its sounds pretty good...but ive never liked using the 1 peice, or 2 peice gaskets...the always seem to go bad for me...maybe its just me. I seem to have bad luck with them. But other than that it sounds like if he just...surfaced the head...to make sure its flat, with ctr pistons, and a stock gasket, he should have no clearance issues and the compression, cause you gotta remember the gsr chambers are different than the b16 that the ctr pistons come in, He would be around 12.5:1...just guessing, And on good gas, with a lets say, rmf or pro-fab header, and a decent set of cams, id say the motor would make about 185whp possibly 190, with a good tuner and fuel, Now if he went to a manifold like a victor x, and revved the motor higher, i wouldnt doubt that 200+ would be attainable.
[/b]

Milling the head isn't the best way to raise compression, and neither is using a 1 or 2 layer gasket. Everyone I know that has run one has blown it. As for the CTR pistons, I installed some on a GSR motor...and the ENTIRE piston surface was slightly raised above the deck. It wasn't much, but enough to make it about 13:1. Milling the head or running a thinner gasket with big pistons (especially CTR's) and big cams is a disaster waiting to happen. You're better off getting aftermarket pistons with a high compression and valve reliefs designed for use with the GSR head. Total Seal rings are a joke, you're better with OEM.
[/b][/quote]

Sounds good DUBCAC - But curious as why would you say Total Seal rings are a joke? I also agree milling the head isn't the absolute best way, but it can be quite effective and inexpensive if milled sparingly and in conjuction with???

sleepercoupe, well here are some suggestions, there are many combinations for the higher compression outcome. Just be sure whatever you decide, be sure to use quality parts and do more research as well. This way the first time you do the project there won't be any problems.

Also what the other two said (dubcac and Hybrid_coupe), you may want to listen to them as they do have quite a bit of knowledge and experience in this field.

[sleepercoupe]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hybrid_coupe98 @ Jul 20 2006, 01:23 PM) [snapback]102984[/snapback]</div>

just putting new pistons in isnt going to fix your problem...You need to identify where the oil is coming from. And dont use 2 layer gaskets.,..stick with oem honda...thats what i use on all my motors. jumping 50 hp NA youd be looking at about 12:1 compression and cams springs retainers...good manifold and throttle body and a good header(NOT DC)
[/b]

I'm under my car a t least 3 or 4 times a month and i can tell you that it is dry as a bone no leaks what so ever, I blow smoke, what else could it really be besides rings? As for what i was planning on doing as far a mods, Hybrid you hit it right on the head, uping compression, cams, springs,retainers, victor x mani, itr trottle body and a port on the head. Can and should i just do the pistons now and do the head later or should i do this all at once? Also I have been looking into mahle pistons, i read an article in honda tuning on a gsr piston swap and they were using them on a 250 hp na gsr motor.

[sleepercoupe]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/MAHLE-RACIN...sspagenameZWD1V

check the link

[hybrid_coupe98]

the way i look at is...why take the motor apart twice...do it all right the first time..