installing apexi HG arp headstuds, what else to build with head off/decked

[wrxkyle]

so i either blew the hg from 15-16psi boost spike or from overheating , we will find out this week when the shop opens, car just got towed up there yesterday. it's my ex-girlfriends dads buisness partners shop(we are still on good terms) so the labor should be dead cheap or free . i'm hoping on free.

i want a very streetable 350-400hp as it will be my daily driver. will see this use in this order: street, drag (low 11's?maybe into the high high 10's?), track, drift(when i feel like a mad tyte drifter lol, no, really just to have some fun at open parking lot events once in a blue moon, but it's not the main priority, i want a fast car not a car that can strafe sideways )

the motor has unknow miles i suspect in the 60-70k range but no idea, seller said it had low miles, he also said he built the car but he didn't, so can't be sure, it could have 40-60k miles though, i'm trying to get a hold of peng from salt lake, if anyone knows him personally he built the car and would know, i desperately want to talk with him and find out everything there is to know about what's been done to the car

the question: i'm guessing i should do apexi HG and arp headstuds, should i go with diff thickness hg? some bc 264 cams, are springs and retainers worth it?, i don't want to re-shim every two oil changes so no solid lifters, what rev limits am i good for (max and then a reliable dd number?) without having to replace valve guides and valves, what should i change in the head to get a good 7.8k or so max redline?

i would LIKE to be ABLE to run it WITHOUT A TUNE for a little bit as i will be going cross country april 22n'd and i don't know how fast all this work will get done(if anyone has an idea i'd appreciate it) i think the ecu is already chipped so a retune shouldn't be too bad but i might have to drive it as is for a while, i can run 7psi for safety but if i change cams and or compression will it all be so off that i can't even run it in limp mode? (turbo is to come later, another reason to wait a little bit.) rom tune of course

thinking i have a megan mani, and the t25 right now, probably go with a d-potato or 2871rs .64 (what size injectors? 550 or bigger?)

to deck a block it has to be completely stripped down right? so i'm not asking more of the shop am i if i have them put in cams, maybe a greddy ras(needed?, worth it?), springs and retainers?,what else should i be thinking about doing here? a new timing chain?(is this even necessary?, the fsm doesn't mention it anywhere in maintenance) waterpump, ect what are the most important things to refresh at this point?

are pistons necessary?, i understand the stock rods are good for 400hp, would it be a good idea to replace the rod bearings with acl race bearings, same q for main bearings

would the whole bottom end have to be disassembled to do pistons(ie a ton of work for the shop, which if they aren't super cool with it i wouldn't want to push it) or can you get away with just honing the block or even just installing new rings and pistons?

oh, and i've been searching for about 15-20 hours, but the car is at the shop now so i'm trying to consolidate all the info i need quick, i wish we had some unibomber style faq's about the 240's haha maybe i should get on that when i know enough to really contribute
Modified by wrxkyle at 6:32 PM 3/7/2010

[shift_SRDETuser]

so i either blew the hg from 15-16psi boost spike or from overheating , we will find out this week when the shop opens, car just got towed up there yesterday. it's my ex-girlfriends dads buisness partners shop(we are still on good terms) so the labor should be dead cheap or free . i'm hoping on free.

i want a very streetable 350-400hp as it will be my daily driver. will see this use in this order: street, drag (low 11's?maybe into the high high 10's?), track, drift(when i feel like a mad tyte drifter lol, no, really just to have some fun at open parking lot events once in a blue moon, but it's not the main priority, i want a fast car not a car that can strafe sideways )

the motor has unknow miles i suspect in the 60-70k range but no idea, seller said it had low miles, he also said he built the car but he didn't, so can't be sure, it could have 40-60k miles though, i'm trying to get a hold of peng from salt lake, if anyone knows him personally he built the car and would know, i desperately want to talk with him and find out everything there is to know about what's been done to the car

the question: i'm guessing i should do apexi HG and arp headstuds, should i go with diff thickness hg? some bc 264 cams, are springs and retainers worth it?, i don't want to re-shim every two oil changes so no solid lifters, what rev limits am i good for (max and then a reliable dd number?) without having to replace valve guides and valves, what should i change in the head to get a good 7.8k or so max redline?

i would LIKE to be ABLE to run it WITHOUT A TUNE for a little bit as i will be going cross country april 22n'd and i don't know how fast all this work will get done(if anyone has an idea i'd appreciate it) i think the ecu is already chipped so a retune shouldn't be too bad but i might have to drive it as is for a while, i can run 7psi for safety but if i change cams and or compression will it all be so off that i can't even run it in limp mode? (turbo is to come later, another reason to wait a little bit.) rom tune of course

thinking i have a megan mani, and the t25 right now, probably go with a d-potato or 2871rs .64 (what size injectors? 550 or bigger?)

to deck a block it has to be completely stripped down right? so i'm not asking more of the shop am i if i have them put in cams, maybe a greddy ras(needed?, worth it?), springs and retainers?,what else should i be thinking about doing here? a new timing chain?(is this even necessary?, the fsm doesn't mention it anywhere in maintenance) waterpump, ect what are the most important things to refresh at this point?

are pistons necessary?, i understand the stock rods are good for 400hp, would it be a good idea to replace the rod bearings with acl race bearings, same q for main bearings

would the whole bottom end have to be disassembled to do pistons(ie a ton of work for the shop, which if they aren't super cool with it i wouldn't want to push it) or can you get away with just honing the block or even just installing new rings and pistons?

oh, and i've been searching for about 15-20 hours, but the car is at the shop now so i'm trying to consolidate all the info i need quick, i wish we had some unibomber style faq's about the 240's haha maybe i should get on that when i know enough to really contribute

Modified by wrxkyle at 6:32 PM 3/7/2010

the bottom end is good to 400 whp- I have been running over 340 whp for around a year no problems. Get some valve train work done like cams or springs and you are good.

[garagelu]

The head does not need to be disassembled when decking it. It only need to be if you are solvant washing or hot tanking it.

Whenever I do head gasket and studs, I always replaced the valve seals. I also upgrade to stiffer valve springs while everything is out. Upgrading retainers is not necessary but its up to you. Also with everything disassembled, I get the whole head solvent washed and decked.

And last time I went ahead and replaced the front freeze plugs to give the head a brand new look.

Decking and solvent washing/hot tanking shouldn't cost you more than 90-100 dollars.

[wrxkyle]

wtf, shop says the headgasket is fine, so wtf is the oil white and milky on the oil filler cap when it's cold outside?

[chicos240]

check your turbo seals.coolant could be leaking through the seals and into the oil pan.Also with your power goals, just start with the bottom end.Replace the bearings and the pistons....your rods are going to be fine, heres is why you should replace your pistrons....if you start making more power with your turbo and pushing psi, you coul run lean...anything above 14 psi is dangerous(read the FAQ). If you run lean, then you will start getting hot and melting stock pistons. Read the HP faq and decide how much you want to spend. The 240 is fun at any HP level, and the more you push the funner it gets, but expect to pay for it.

[shift_SRDETuser]

why do you guys make something so easy so complicated? It is all fuel management anyway pretty simple actually. Big turbo, Bigger Injectors, FMIC, Engine Management and you are good to go. All the other stuff is cosmetic -- unless you are building a 1000 whp sr20det drag car --- keep it simple for the streets and it will be a lot more reliable. I never have had any trouble with mine other than the s14 transmission is crap but engine wise. I have been in the mid 300s now for over a year and burn no oil, lose no coolant and have not really had any issues with it. Do it right and you will be ok.