I see that there is a lot of information out there about these block and how to build them. I also see that the forum usually does not take well to repeat questions and I can totally understand. My goal is a little different then most of the others. My goal for the motor is 250hp. I do not want to go insane with it. Please let me know if I am on the right track or am I wasting money.

I will be putting a turbo on the car but do not want anything to big. Would a stock one with 10lbs of boost work with the combination below and obtain the goal?

Right now I have a 2.0L 420A and dont know if I should go 2.2, 2.3, or 2.4. The pistons I am considering are the JE 8:8:1 or the wiseco 8:8:1.

The Cam shafts I am looking at are the Crane 12 or crower stage 1 or 2.

What kind of porting and polishing should I do on the head?

What spring pressure on the valves should I run. Should I get just replacement valves or should I get ones that are 1mm over sized?

Is 250hp a good range to not have to upgrade the axles or the transmission?

The goal is a very reliable motor that would be used as a daily driver and when wanted could push me in the seat.

Originally posted by charlieshobbiesI will be putting a turbo on the car but do not want anything to big. Would a stock one with 10lbs of boost work with the combination below and obtain the goal?

Stock what? A 16g turbo would probably be good for your goal.

Originally posted by charlieshobbiesRight now I have a 2.0L 420A and dont know if I should go 2.2, 2.3, or 2.4. The pistons I am considering are the JE 8:8:1 or the wiseco 8:8:1.

I would just stick with the 2.0L, but depending on how much money you have to work with, you could do something else.

Originally posted by charlieshobbiesThe Cam shafts I am looking at are the Crane 12 or crower stage 1 or 2.

Don't bother with the crane 12's or crower 1's. They cost too much money for the small gain they will provide. Especially with a turbo. Stock cams will work fine for boost, but if you are going to spend money on an aftermarket cam, get something bigger.

Originally posted by charlieshobbiesWhat kind of porting and polishing should I do on the head?

If you are daily driving it, I wouldn't get a full race port job. You'll loose too much power down low. You can get a street port/polish job if you want, but honestly it's probably not worth it. You will loose low end power, which will make daily driving worse. It's easier to just run more boost if you want more power.

Originally posted by charlieshobbiesWhat spring pressure on the valves should I run. Should I get just replacement valves or should I get ones that are 1mm over sized?

Stock springs should work fine for the cams you are considering. With oversize valves, the intake velocity will be lower at low RPMs and you will loose power down low, and gain a little bit higher in the RPM range because of increased flow. It's up to you.

Originally posted by charlieshobbiesIs 250hp a good range to not have to upgrade the axles or the transmission?

Stock should be able to handle it. A limited slip differential couldn't hurt though.

Originally posted by charlieshobbiesThe goal is a very reliable motor that would be used as a daily driver and when wanted could push me in the seat.

Look for a used hahn kit (I think there was one for sale on here a few weeks ago, maybe it's still available.), or piece together your own turbo kit. With forged piston and rods, you will be able to run more than 10psi of boost if you want to. Running a little more boost would be better than doing things like cams, head porting, oversize valves, etc. You will loose low end power with those, which will suck for daily driving. It would be better to just run more boost, then you could have good power up top for when you want it, and also have some power in the low RPM range for your daily driving.

One question for you - what do you plan on doing for fuel?

I agree with everything Tyler said above. You don't need to do any porting to the head, and if you do, go with a conservative street P&P. Stock valve train is fine, but do yourself a favor and get PT rockers and lifters as they have better oiling capabilities. If you really want piece of mind, get stock size stainless steel valves that will handle anything you can throw at them.

As far as the block is concerned, stick with stock bore. Get a nice set of low compression forged pistons and rods, and make sure to get a new oil and water pump. Many people say the stock oil pump is the best, while others are supporters of the "higher flowing" Melling pump. Make sure the crank is balanced.

Stock tranny and axles are fine for 250hp, and in fact, can handle much more. As Tyler stated, an LSD or substitute like a phantom grip is not a bad idea.

A good turbo choice for your power goals would be the 16G, so looking for a used Hahn kit might be a great starting point. The 16G is very efficient up to 16psi, and can pump out well more. 250hp will not be a problem for a good tune on that turbo.

As far as cams, stock cams really are fine, and if you are only looking to make 250hp, I would say there is no need to upgrade. If you are dead set on an aftermarket set of cams, don't waste your time with Crane 12's. In fact, I think most guys on here will even tell you the Crane 14's are a waste. Go for Crower 2's or Crane 16's. Keep in mind, with a more aggressive cam, you should definitely upgrade the valvetrain with new springs and retainers.

Your main concern should be fuel delivery. On a built motor (forged internals) the 420A can safely handle 15psi out of a 16G on stock spark without issue, as long as you have adequate fuel delivery and are running conservative AFR's (11.5-12). If you are only looking for 250hp, you probably wont need to worry about spark, but you will want a good fuel system. What were your plans?

I have not got to the fuel part yet, haven't researched that. The motor needs to be bored due to a scratched cylinder, so I am going to have to go with 20 overbore.

Any difference one way or the other with the JE or wiseco pistons?

So far it sounds like this is what I need to do:
- The Hahn 16G Turbo sounds like it is perfect for the job.
- A Street Port & Polish
- PT rockers and lifters
- Stock size stainless steel valves
- Everything is going to be new on it including a new oil and water pump
- Get the crank balanced
- Phantom grip limited slip differential

If going with Crower 2's would the stock stainless steel valves that were suggested be sufficent?

Sounds like a need a push in the direction for fuel delivery and spark. Would the MSD coil replacement work that bolts on or is it something completely different?

With this goal of 250 and the build parts from above what would the highest the engine could produce.

Is your engine healthy today?

If the engine is healthy today, piece together a turbo system and go for it. You should be able to wring 250hp out of a MHI 14B and a decent IC with quality tuning, no problem.

The next step up, turbo-wise, is commonly a 16G. No need to pop for a big or super or even Evo III 16G if all you're looking for is 250hp. A 16G is an invitation to the 300hp club. You can't do that on the stock bottom end.

So, is your engine healthy today?

If it isn't, or if you think you might want to go with a 16G, then you might as well rebuild it. Don't fret about displacement. All you really need for 300hp is a forged bottom end and fuel tuning. Want to replace the oil and water pumps while you're having the lump worked over? It makes sense to do so at this time. Likewise with the belts and hoses.

I like where you're going with this. If you know in your heart-of-hearts, that you'll be happy with 250hp, then piece together a turbo system and invest in learning Megasquirt EFI. You can leave your engine alone, saving money and time.

If, however, you're thinking 250hp is a nice place to start, I STILL think you should do the turbo system first, only pick up a diverse turbo like the E316G that will do you right from 250 to nearly 400hp. It's more than enough to get you into trouble. Learn the ropes on the surge line of a turbo with room to grow while you save for a bottom end that can handle the abuse.

If you're lucky, about the time 200-230hp starts feeling as slow as 140hp, you'll know WTF you're doing when it comes to tuning and will have a built bottom end ready to drop in and turn up the wick, taking a bigger bite out of that boost gauge.

Hope this helps. Also hope you stick around and participate in the discussions around here as you learn.

Actually I just bought a used bottom end for $70 and I am building this seperate from the engine in the car. I am going to do the engine right from the beginning.

Can the stock crankshaft handle 300hp if after making the 250 range I want to tune it for higher boost.

Originally posted by charlieshobbies
Can the stock crankshaft handle 300hp if after making the 250 range I want to tune it for higher boost.

Sure can. I believe that the current HP record holder is using a stock crank. What you really need is forged pistons and rods.

Originally posted by charlieshobbies
Can the stock crankshaft handle 300hp if after making the 250 range I want to tune it for higher boost.

No worries on the crank. As long as you get the bearings installed within spec, you should be good. It's mainly the stock piston ring lands that give way under the stress.

No problem with the pistons, I think I am going to go with the JE 8:8:1 forged pistons with the talon rods.

I am going to get the crankshaft balanced and cleaned up.

What bearings should I use?

A lot of guys, including myself, run the Clevite bearings.

You asked above if stainless valves would be ok with the Crower 2 cams. The answer is yes. Stainless valves are about as beefy as you can get and can handle any cam. The only thing you will want to upgrade with a more aggressive cam are the valve springs and retainers.

If you are only looking to make 250hp, just run the stock ignition coil with a good set of wires and plugs (get the NGK BKR7E). The MSD is a stock replacement and actually puts out the same amount of voltage as the stock unit. The only difference is that it is red and "looks cool" Its actually an inferior part that doesn't have the longevity of the stock coil.

As stated above, your main concern should be fuel delivery. There are many different routes you could go, but as a start, you will want an upgraded fuel pump (most guys go with the Walbro 255) and larger injectors. After that, you can go with a control unit like MS or PF, or you could run a rising rate FPR or an SFMU. Start reading about the different options and figure out what works best for your power goals and budget. Personally, if I had to make a recommendation, I would tell you to go with an SFMU.

Originally posted by charlieshobbies
No problem with the pistons, I think I am going to go with the JE 8:8:1 forged pistons with the talon rods.

I understand you're rebuilding a spare engine, but...

Why forged pistons?
Why 8.8:1CR?
What do you mean by "Talon rods?"

Originally posted by charlieshobbies
What bearings should I use?

What reasons can you (or anyone else here) give for choosing one brand of bearings over another?

I want the JE pistons because I want it to hold up to whatever I throw at it. Its not the talon rods sorry, the eagle ones.