I'm going to be redoing my headgasket (and tracking down that damn oil leak once and for all!) and while the head's off, I plan on installing 10.5:1 pistons w/ the Total Seal rings and the AFX UDP as well as P&P the TB per the write up.
I thought about dropping in the rods too, but I'll only have about $1300 to spend and I need to get the HG and timing belt. Someday I'm gonna drop in the turbo w/ the sleeper SMIC action. I'd like to be pushing 180hp before I get boosted, but I'd like to avoid another serious engine teardown. I figure I can do the bottom a bit now and then concentrate on the head (ie cams, gears, valves, angles, etc) later.
Is there a piggy back that advances timing like the Howell while you're NA, but that you can retard when you turbo? The AEM ECU scares the shit out of most of us, and it would be a shame to get the Howell and someday manually defeat all its features through cams/gears etc.
I'm thinking with the above mentioned mods I should pick up about 25hp putting me around the 165hp mark (not to mention no more leak!). Later, after I do the valve train mods, I can grab some more ponies and finally get all my turbo components ExtrudeHoned for that little extra oomph.
Does this sound like a good plan? I'm not ready for a 400+hp monster, but I'd like a strong base to keep me entertained while I save for the turbo. Any input would be greatly appreciated! TIA!

I'll bump it for ya...

John 96 GS

Thanks, I can always count on you man

If you want to avoid doing a major engine tear down, why are you thinking about putting in 10.5-1 pistons, with no rods, if you know you want to go turbo? One point is hitting 180 hp is quite some work NA IMO. Also, when you go turbo you WILL want rods, and you are gonna have to do some mad tuning to get your car running safely with that compression. Not saying it's impossible, but it's quite a bit more difficult with high compression. If you want to do everything the most cost effective way, you should just wait until you can afford the rods and get them with equal to stock (that seems lofty already) or lower compression ratios. Then go turbo. Maybe you can do the headwork first, and then the internals later when you have the $$$. just IMO

2gnt: '99 RS-T, killed by a toyota, pending rebuild...
Daily: Volt
Daily #2: '99 EVG ebike- STOLEN by PEDRO

Thanks ez. Maybe I'll just go NA for a while and get a spare motor to build up for turbo on the side. That way I'm shortening my downtime come turbo days...