At this point this is a build thread. A very pic intensive build thread/blog.

Mods if you want move it, but I'll put a update out:

The engine was out of the car a week later, first time dropping a Evo engine entirely solo. Transfer case put up a fight coming out. Kinda just dropped it onto a handtruck then lifted the car over it.






Separated the throwout bearing and used a big prybar to separate the engine/trans. Wasn't that bad but not gonna lie, didn't feel too confident with my head/face under the engine dolly (had the easiest time separating the TOB from the access hole on the bottom of the trans closest to starter). Finished stripping it entirely and made sure to dress it for its trip to the machine shop.

 

Today I dropped it off at Fischer Automotive Machine in Edison NJ. I chose them as they're the trusted machine shop for a bunch of import performance shops in Central New Jersey (CLM/Yosolo, DP Race) and have plenty of 4G63 specific experience as they did a lot of motors for Turbotrix (when it was open). They seem like they almost exclusively do import performance engines. I was going to do Larry's Auto Machine in Groton CT but they seemed to be swamped with work when I called and estimated 2-3 months + they're a hour further out (120 miles vs 50 miles), otherwise they also seemed like a excellent choice (they even do sleeving and CNC porting). I left Fischer my shortblock, head minus cam caps, and cams/intake manifold (to get hot tanked).

-The builder prefers King Bearings, but will do ACL if I want (this motor had ACL Race). Should I stick to King? I'm giving him free reign with clearances, outright told him I don't know anything. He also recommended I trash the oil pump which I'll follow. I asked him to deburr the gears/inspect the new pump when I get it.

-Regarding the gouges in my cylinder wall: They're going to first try to hone it out to see how far it cleans up, then if not just go .40 over to 86mm. The engine builder has no real preference for pistons, says he usually works with Wisecos or Manleys, so I will probably do Wiseco 1400HDs (Specifically P/N K656M86AP) or similar (JE Ultra P/N 361289 seems most comparable). What is a reliable piston choice if I want to handle 500whp with minimal oil consumption/piston slap? I keep saying it's going to be a track car (HPDE/Road Course) but at this point I'll be happy if it moves under its own power. I had Diamond 9.5:1 pistons w/22mm tool steel wristpins (Diamond 82004-4-H) in this motor. I'd like to keep 9-9.5:1 compression, do not want E85 pistons, the high compression makes me nervous.

-Regarding the nicks/dings in my head: The engine builder wants to deburr the pits/nicks, trying to avoid welding the head then mill it. It should remove the possibility of any hotspots. He did warn me the leaky valves could be due to bent valves which makes sense in my head (debris + spring pressure + iron valve seats and soft valves). He will take them out and inspect first before doing anything, for all we know the leaking valves could be due to debris between the valve and seat.

Since this whole experience left a big hole in my pocket (at least $2-3000), the only turbo I'm running is probably going to be a freshly rebuilt stock turbo. No MHI 18Ks until next season.



I also dropped my ID1700Xs at South Bay Injectors in Rockville Centre NY. I'll post the before/after flow test, but this was after 2-300 miles of E85. Yucky.

 

I got my injectors back from South Bay $80 poorer. I guess they were still serviceable but better to be safe than sorry.



I also found a interesting mark on my rockers. Good thing I saw the Jafromobile video on them and double checked them while I soaked them in Kerosene. My machinist actually noted 2 valves having a small burr he beveled out. Wonder how they happened. The head cleaned up pretty mint too, the dings on the combustion chamber are almost entirely gone minus a tiny little mark and it has a mirror finish. No valves bent. Still needs the cam journals/cams polished out, figured I'd do it to be safe than sorry. I forgot to take pics of the head, maybe my next visit. These two rockers are getting replaced.



My machinist was already working on my block too. He cleaned up the deck very lightly with some scotchbrite. My intake manifold got hot tanked too.



He very very lightly honed the block and he feels like the gouges on the cylinder wall cleaned up pretty well. They still catch my fingernail (but very lightly), he thinks a little more honing could leave them perfect, and that the remaining scratches will ultimately be inconsequential for the life/performance of the engine. He really does not want to go past 85.5mm bore if he can help but I definitely tried to stress I want to achieve proper PTW over everything. I purchased the Wiseco 1400HDs in 9.0:1 85.5mm bore from ExtremePSI in person for that reason. Supposedly his past experience dictates that the JEs/Wisecos run a little bigger to their true size and the Manleys run small compared to those two, so I stuck to Wisecos being what he used the most.

 

So this is why I bought new pistons. Apparently the skirts took a BEATING. We have a feeling this motor was likely to fail within the next couple thousand miles, and that it was simply built too tight. It had a ton of oil changes, and even with the debris that entered the combustion chamber it would not explain the bad skirt wear. They were moly coated skirts (Diamonds). The bearings did not look much better either. I'm glad I took it apart at this point. Bear in mind this motor is 1000 miles old at most. The pistons replacing them are off the shelf Wiseco K626M855APs 1400HDs since they're what my engine builder prefers.

The skirt wear could also explain why the oil was always "shimmery" even after 500 miles. The odd thing was no real "bad" results in oil analysis results...was probably the piston coating getting worn off? At this point my suspicion is this 20G failed due to oil contamination stalling the compressor at full shaft speed. Which could also why it failed after I got a tune which saw it go from 20psi wg pressure to 33psi boost spike.

The other thing that really bothers me? My rods are supposed to have a "notch" in them for a oil squirter mod on the big end of the rod as part of the shortblock package I ordered from that shop when I first had it built. Mine...had no notch anywhere. They're entirely unmodified. At least I got the 625+ rod bolts I paid extra for at the time.