16v Build-up

[Dunchie]

I'm building up a 2.0L 16v motor and I would like to know what (if any) you people have used. 1. pistons, whats the highest compression I can go on 91 octaine gas? and what would be the best pistons to use?
2. valve springs, I would like to be able to rev to 9k but i've only found springs up to 8k, is there any valve springs that rev to 9k or would 8k be high enough?
3. cams, what would be the best can to run with 9k? or 8k? I wanna get the most amount of power I can out of this motor being N/A

[Fourt1thirty]

9K isn't happening. Lifters start failing around 8400 rpm.

My suggestion would be ~11.5:1 (probably get close to there on stock pistons with decking), TT 272s or 288s, TT springs, light lifters, shortrunner sheetmetal intake and Megasquirt. Should be plenty to keep you happy, Beyong that it's time to start looking at solid lifters.

[Dunchie]

ok, I got the 8k valve springs and light weight spring retainers and I was thinking about going with solid lifters anyways, but I don't want to reuse the old pistons so should I shoot for a compression of 11.5 with new pistons?

[Fourt1thirty]

Sounds about right. We sell an 11:1 piston kit that would get you to 11.5 with a light decking of the head. I'm a fan of keeping the compression in the combustion chamber. The more pop-up your piston has the heavier it gets.

I really feel bad about pitching a bunch of stuff from our catalog but when it comes down to it I sell this stuff for a reason.

If you're going N/A I'd also overbore it to 83.5 and pick up a set of good rings like a Total Seal Gapless. Beam polish a set of stock rods, put some ARPs in them and have the shot peened (or the 4340 rods we sell are 18g lighter than stock and stronger )

Pay attention to cylinder wall finish when the machine shop puts the final hone on it. Your rings, whatever you choose, should include a card with a suggested finish. If not, 220 grit for cast rings, 280 grit for moly rings are pretty accepted guidelines. If the machine shop is using diamond cutters then the stones might need to be a little finer. Basiacally, find a good performance machine shop. They should be able to relate bore finish to rings in terms of the stones they use.

Also, attention to oil control is a great great asset. If there was a good way to plug the two oil drains down the backside of the block I'd do it to keep oil off the crank. As it stands there isn't so do the best you can. Crank scraper and windage tray all the way. Aerofoiling or knife edging the crank is good. Smoothing the inside of the block helps keep the oil in the pan but now we're getting into real serious racecar stuff.

One last thing... if you have a good used oil pump... stick with it. New replacements fail all too often and old ones are generally fine.

[Dunchie]

thanks for the info Aaron! I've checked the head and block for warpage and its stright as can be so I won't be decking it. Also I won't bore it out because the cylinders measured up to be perfect too so all I needed to do was ball hone it and get new parts (which is what i'm doing now.)