I created this thread to show the progress of my build. I am doing so because I will be removing the engine, putting in a built block, upgrading the turbo, and so forth. Hopefully my experience will help you with your build. I will be continually adding to this journal as the build continues.

Let me start by giving you a little info of the car. I bought the car new in State College, PA in May of 2013.

With less that 1k miles on the odometer I was at Sean Ivey's shop in New Jersey getting a tune. At the time, all I had was a Tomei exhaust and an AMS intake. After he tuned my evo x, the car made 308hp and 328tq on his dynojet. I will tell you that Sean Ivey is a great guy. He is a good guy to talk to and he really wants you to be happy and a long time customer. I would be going to him as my main tuner if I still lived near him.

Fast forward to about 18k miles and I am ready for more mods. I decide that an upgraded turbo should be on the list. I look at a few choices and decide that the best turbo for my goals would be the MHI 18k turbo. So I ordered an MHI turbo from Forced Performance around January of 2015. I also got a few parts from vendors on the forum such as fic1100 injectors, grimmspeed boost controller, dw65c fuel pump (thank you guys!).

I was living in Jacksonville, Florida, at the time and it was not easy for me to find a tuner around the area. I found a guy in the Ft. Lauderdale area to use for the install and tune. I will not give his info on the forum but he is an awesome guy. He did the install himself and had his guy (a tuner I never met) do the tune. He said that during the tune his guy told him it made 389hp on the virtual dyno.

Ten months later, around November of 2015, I had what all performance car drivers have that hate the most to happen. My engine blew. I know most of you guys will say the tune and maybe so. However, it was my fault for allowing and choosing who to tune it so I blame myself. I am focusing on future not the past.

At this point, I am not messing around. I am getting a sleeved block, a bigger turbo, and an e-tune from Chet Rickerman when the time comes.

So the first thing I did was inspect the block to confirm what I thought. Yeah, there was a hole in the block. Here is one of them.



First step for me was to remove the engine. I had an expert mechanic (ASE Master Tech) help me with doing the work. Thanks Joon!

Getting ready for engine removal. Taking off wiring harness, removing accessories, etc.



We decide that the engine will be coming out from the bottom.



First the subframe needed to come out. Get over here subframe (Scorpion voice)!



Now for the engine to come out. It was not as bad as I thought it would be. Behold the 4b11t!







Lets take a look at the block and the damage. Well, it appears the block opted for the panoramic view and has a a window on both sides. You can see right through the block

 

Time to get to work by getting the transfer case and tranny off of the old block.



I got the transfer case off without too much off a problem. The transmission was a little more troublesome.



So I took off the oil pan off the old block and wow! Im glad I got a new oil pan and oil pump! Look at the hole on the bottom of the block.





So this is the core of the build. MAPerformance Stage 2 Sleeved block. It has LA Sleeves, ACL Race Bearings, Wiseco Pistons, MAP Ultimate Duty Connecting Rods. ARP Main Studs. I kept the 2.0L 86mm bore.



The old block looks weak compared to the Map stage 2 with LA sleeves.



Now I am starting to transfer accessories onto the new block. Man the new block from MAPerformance looks great! Yeah I am making a mess in my garage.

 

I installed a new clutch before putting the transmission back on. The new clutch is the ACT HDSS. Putting the new throw out bearing on was the hardest part. I also had the stock flywheel resurfaced.



Transmission is on! Those LA sleeves look beefy as heck. I put the t-case on shortly after.



Putting in the new ARP head bolts and head gasket.



The head is going on next. Dino at Speedcircuit did the work. It is Stage 2 port and polish with Ferrea valves. The camshafts are Tomei Procam 270. I wanted AMS TMP cams at first but there is a wait until June from Kelford. So I decided to try out the Tomei cams.



New valves were needed as I had a bent set of stockers. These are Ferea valves on the head.



Tomei Procam 270's got plenty of lube before getting strapped down.



Getting the head down with the ARP head studs was slightly problematic. I had no sockets that could reach the nuts on the front two studs. I had a local racer and gearhead use a lathe on a socket to create something that would work. Thanks George!



I used my wife's finder nail paint to help with setting up the timing chain, cams, and crank.



It did not take long to put on the intake manifold, fuel rail, injectors, and exhaust manifold.



Next came the timing chain cover and the pulleys.



New metal valve cover to replace the stock plastic one. The white powdercoat gets dirty quick.



Before I put on the new intercooler I decided to compare it to the old one.



Install was a breeze for the intercooler.

 

I no longer live in Jacksonville. I am in Pensacola. Thanks for the heads up though.

The turbo is all bolted up on the engine. I put on a new braided oil feed line and filter from MAP.



The engine is going in today no matter what. Coming in the same way it came out.



Yes that is three jacks lifting up the engine into the bay. I used an engine hoist to lower the car. The car had no subframe, suspension, or wheels, so the car went down while the jacks brought up the engine. I would definitely not recommend using this method...



And its in!



Got the harness and most of the stock accessories on. Also put a driven fab catch can and the newly powder coated intercooler piping on.



Got the Mishimoto oil cooler installed.



Finished putting the subframe, suspension, and brakes on. Finally get to see my car with front wheels again! It's been four months...



I changed the tranny and T-case fluids. Magnetic drain plugs shows metal contamination in both. First time changing the fluid in over 20k miles so it is expected i suppose.



I used the Redline Transmission Cocktail for the tranny fluid.

 

reserved for tune

 

Make sure you replace your oil cooler! You may have a bad day if not. Just can't get those metal pieces out of it. Also clean the oil lines going to the cooler and turbo. If your going to use the MHI again as a temp, I would keep the return going into a oil drain pan when you first fire it up. There may be crap in it also. GL with you build. FP red on a build motor will be nice!

 

Thanks man! One of the first things I bought was a new oil cooler. I read on ams website about how u can't get the metal out of those. Its a mishimoto oil cooler. I haven't installed yet but it will be going on before I start the car up.

 

Sweet build! Do you know what caused it to blow? Oil starvation or leaning out?

 

I am not 100% sure at all why it threw a rod. One thing I found interesting when disassembling the motor was that an oil chain tensioner was broken in half. I do not know what caused the other to go first.

 

Hmm interesting.. almost makes me want to get an oil pressure gauge!

 

Looks like a solid build! Cant wait to see the outcome and what kind of power your new build makes.... GL and I look forward to seeing the results

 

Short video of how it sounds before the tune.

 

Tuning with Chet Rickerman.

 

This is the idle now.

 

I installed a new fuel rail. I did not really need the rail as much as I needed the hose that connects the rail to the feed line.