Okay, i guess i can start with my car;


as i understand my engine (the K20A3 if i'm not mistaken) is as follows
"K20a3-Acura Rsx Base and Civic SI models come in with 9.8:1 compression and 2 liters of displacement. The Base motor is rated at 160hp at 6500rpm and 141lb-ft at 4000 rpm. This motor does not use the conventional VTEC mechanism from the earlier B series motors but does have VTC. Instead it only has 2 cam lobes on the intake side and 1 on the exhaust lob. This motor has no VTEC mechanism on the exhaust cam and runs on 12 valves before 2200rpm with the other 4 slightly opening. It also has smaller ports than the Type S and Type R. The motor comes with a 5 speed transmission instead of the 6 speed and has no LSD." (Source, TheKsource.com)

One of the main things that has driven me to putting a turbo on this car is that ended up with an Si "VTEC" that doesn't have vtec... =( shoot me ='(

now, i'm looking into putting a turbo on this car, and since i can, i'm thinking about just getting this kit

- Greddy cast-iron exhaust manifold.
- Greddy cast-iron downpipe.
- Greddy heat shield.
- External Type T wastegate.
- Greddy e-manage.
- 4x Greddy 440cc injectors.
- Greddy Airinx AY-SB.
- All necessary piping.
- All necessary hardware.

I know we've all seen these (most of us have probably looked at this exact kit, if not.. may even have it installed on their ride), but i'm lookin for some input. This isn't the kit I recently found, its missing some of the other parts, i think this one is missing the intercooler and the timer for sure, can't remember what else the more expensive kit had in it.

But what else am I missing? I hate going the "buy it all in one box" method, but i really do appreciate functionality, and not having any of the items working against each other. It saves hassle. Does anyone think I should buy each part one by one by different companies? Being that my car isn't made with a turbo on it, there are alot of things to get.

If I order it in pieces, what order should i install things. Because i've heard that there are lots of miscellaneous upgrades i woulda wanna do (all items that are included in the turbo in a box kit) and then after all the misc upgrades were done THEN i would install the turbo, and manifold and turbo-specific hardware.

I imagine I'll be reworking the exhaust from the engine all the way to the back bumper, so thats a given. I'm going to increase the diameter of the piping from the header all the way back. I've picked out a tanabe muffler (if ya really wanna call it a muffler) that i can't find the link to at the moment. And i've found a "high flow" cat, but then agian, i live in texas, so our exhaust standards aren't as strict as some places. And I was kinda thinking about just taking the cat i have apart, and turning it into a cat-casing, that i can just clip around a straight pipe giving a general appearance of having a functional cat.

i know one thing i've considered to be a nice addition to the setup will be some suspension work, but i know absolutely nothing about suspension systems (not nothing.....but next to nothing) everyone keeps saying i'm gonna want a sway-bar. i at least know what those are, dont exactly know the physics behind their functionality, but i've seenem on friends rides

6.5 psi is nice and all, but something tells me i'll probably wanna increase that by about 15-30% (7.475-8.45 psi) .... would that require any higher grade components to pull off? If so then I assume i'd probably wanna get the better parts from the start instead of buying the kit that i'd end up just putting some of the parts back in the box after a couple months, and a little more boost.

i'm not all that crazy about the intake on this turbo kit. I'm wondering if i could do better than the one they provide with their kit.


All constructive input is valued, i sure hope to make this car into something that even the nice newer Si drivers can appreciate.

[To give a general idea of what all is fixing to be done to this car... And which I hope you guys'll be interested in having some input on how it all goes down. Its just a matter of waiting on a few checks to come through, but soon enough I am getting a turbo into that engine compartment, totally redoing every inch of exhaust manifold/piping with an increased diameter, new muffler, "different" cat, sway bar, black 5 star rims 'n rubber, swapping out the hood for something lighter with two gilled vents in the x2 fender style, swapping the stock fenders for the x-2 gilled fenders, possibly selling the Si bucket seats (which may be easier said than done, i'm loving these seats) and putting in some lighter seats...but i dont wanna sacrifice too much comfort, and i'd still want them to recline, so i'm probably better off with the stock ones, then again i plan on hitting the track and i'm not up to snuff on their code for restraint systems and seating, i'm changing out the headlights with some black housing halo'd HID lights, same for the tail lights, black housings clear lenses with the appropriate colored bulbs, the corner and side markers on this car are getting taken off and replaced with clear lenses, and true white bulbs, tinting the windows, theres a stereo i'm pretty interested in, and i'd like a little bit more bass, so i'm thinking about putting a little box in the back with a 10" sub, and an adequate amp bolted to the box. my dealership must've slapped this paintjob on here because i just bought it in january, and it was repainted after the hurricane (i live RIGHT on the gulf coast, my city was head dead on by hurricane rita....we got less than 2% of the national aid...still kinda pissed about that) and the paint chipped on the hood twice, i thought maybe it was rocks or something, well then i noticed it coming off in the seam of the hatch, and bubbling abover the passenger door...... not cool. So maybe they'll repaint it for me, and if they like me, maybe they'll just do the paint job after i put the body kit on, that would be extra nice of them, i'd hafta put their dealership name back on the car and give'em some rep. I'll be posting pictures on HCF through-out this process.]

This being my first post with a purpose on HCF. I'd just like to say whats up to everyone. And I hope my experience here is a good one, I'd love to represent the people and place that helped me make this car what its destined to become!

 

i tried and i tried andi tried, i could not find a single question mark in your post,so what is your question? feel free to be brief..lmao.

 

mainly, if i'm going to go the route of buying each component of a turbo kit individually and putting them on as i go (which brings its own question, which parts of the kit can be installed by themselves) what order would you recommend.

oppinion on the choice of turbo kit? got anything better in mind? maybe something more complete.

besides the turbo kit, what other performance upgrades would you recomend (short of an engine swap), i already plan on changing the exhaust from the headers back. but what about suspension, i dont know anything about suspension really

i'm pretty sure these turbo kits are designed to be safely installed on the stock engine, but...do you think the cluth and tranny are gonna be getting a significant enough increase in wear and tear to be upgraded to something a little more sturdy?

brakes......suggestions?

*EDIT: Sorry bout the initial post being long winded. But i hate losing myself when i get a "Could you give more details please?" Then i feel retarded for not mentioning enough about the job.....so! lol, enter life history stage left

 

I've read somewhere in here that the Honda engines can hold 50% more power than stock without and mods, depending where you are pushing your boost levels too you might want new pistons and rods. turbokits.com has great selectiong and just drop them a line they will get back to you about any questions.

 

cool, thanks for the point in their direction, looks like they've only got two turbo kits for my block, the greddy, and a "rev hard"... got any experience with "Rev Hard"? I've never heard of them

 

revhards usually arent used for daily drivers. except their stage 1 maybe. they produce a lot of power and usually arent used unless you have a built bottom end and aftermarket valvetrain. if you wanna go that route look at Full Race.

 

if i wanna go the "non-daily-driver" way, THEN check out full race? or if i want a turbo'd daily driver check out full race

yea....when i started thinking about 75-100hp gain....i kinda got cold feet about that being as how it wouldn't be a good idea for my only car.

so it looks like the greddy is gonna be the most reliable, streetable and complete option i have
now if i can just find that greddy kit that has the intercooler with it

 

I would go all motor but that is me. A K20A head, transmission, and a hondata k-pro ecu will give you around 50 more hp and be factory reliable. Then I'd go with a set of TMW ITB's and a comptech header and exhaust. you have been blessed with what is to date the only series of honda engines that respond really well to bolt ons and all motor upgrades very very well. With all the upgrades I suggested and a tune you could be at 240 to 250whp, throw in some 12.5 to 1 compression pistons and race gas and you are near the 290whp mark. The k20's are beast simply put beast.

 

good to hear the options i've come across aren't even close to the majority of the possibilities with what i have