• Protip: Profile posts are public! Use Conversations to message other members privately. Everyone can see the content of a profile post.

Jinks engine build thread

Joined
15 February 2015
Messages
4,472
Location
Coral ridge, Ft. Lauderdale
Hey Prime,

AJ here. My car is a 91 with a 3L 5 speed usdm transmission. As most of you know I have been constantly upgrading the car from a horrid condition due to being a theft recovery. The mod list is so long I won't even bother listing it. I bought a brand new ctsc from Shad and had him install it 25 months ago. I loved the power and sound of the car after installation. I had 2 hiccups which were a squeaky belt and a ct esm issue which would sometimes cut power at the end of a power band. It happened very rarely though and only at low temps. But most importantly, I suffered a catastrophic engine failure early last month.

Back in February I was checking all fluids and had to add a quart and a half of coolant to my reservoir. I found no evidence of leaking and bled some air through the system by opening the bleed screw on the top of the radiator while the engine was running until coolant came out. Then I continued to drive my car hard as usual.
Biggest mistake of my life. Well, maybe the second... The head gaskets were slowly leaking and finally gave way at about 7,000 rpm, 6.5 psi of boost, and 125 mph... The force of the water being flushed into the pistons blew out my rings and overpressurized my reservoir cap. Leading to an engine Bay covered in coolant and oil.
This was not fun....

After picking up the pieces, listening to my wife bitch tirelessly about how I shouldn't have bought the supercharger, and test driving some new fast cars I made the decision to dump more cash into the car. The biggest amount of cash to date at one single time. So here is my list of work that will be performed to the car and is already underway. I really wanted to have the aftercooler installed with my engine build but it just racks up the cost too much for now. In time I will have it done. Big thanks to McCool for some help with parts.
Also, please don't ask why I didn't go turbo.....If I could have, don't you think I would have already done that when I dropped 11k into a supercharger package with all top end seals? You can pick the route you wanna go when your the one dropping cash. Oh, and J-motors are for civics...:tongue: Keep it real and keep it nsx...


The list......
Remove and install engine, bleed cooling system.
Disassemble engine and send to machine shop.
Clean engine and mag check.
Forged low comp piston set.
Block bore and hone.
Block surface.
Timesert block.
Arp head bolts.
New lost motion assemblies.
Ctsc solid belt tensioner.
Race spec valve job and assembly.
Surface heads.
Rebuild rods to allow new pistons.
Balance engine.
Block assembly.
Crank bearings.
Trust bearings.
Rod bearings.
Timing belt.
Cometic head gaskets. 93 mm.
Intake seals.
Exhaust seals.
Torque heads to race spec.
ALL other gaskets on motor.
New coolant hoses. All hoses.
Baffled oil pan and gasket.
Powercoat valve covers. Wrinkle yellow.
Dyno tune motor and break in with motul oil.
Full coolant flush and refill.
Sos coolant reservoir in black wrinkle.
Exedy twin disk organic clutch with install kit.
Aem series 2.
Injector dynamics 725 injectors.
Aem 320 LPH in tank fuel pump.
Driving Ambition intercooler with pump and heat exchanger.
Crankshaft and rods to be inspected after the tear down.

Until I have more updates. Enjoy this video.

https://youtu.be/gnRjw5_p2fQ
 
Last edited:
Great write up! I had the same thing happen to mine with a ctsc but it was already blown when I received the car 6 years ago. I hated pulling my engine out, horrible experience. Good luck buddy.
 
Thanks soundeffects. Btw, I really appreciate your k20 motor build. Lots of good stuff there. If it were legal here, I'd probably do that. I am from Florida though, so when I move back in the next year or two, at least my motor will be built and ready for 1 or 2 snails to be strapped to my exhaust outlets.:cool:
 
This may be the most inspiring owner statement I've read from an owner in 2017 here. Bravo good sir! Many of us here will be following your build and supporting you.

After picking up the pieces, listening to my wife bitch tirelessly about how I shouldn't have bought the supercharger, and test driving some new fast cars I made the decision to dump more cash into the car.


oGme8.gif
 
Awesome video and POV, hope your build continues this pattern to showcase all the work that will be performed on it!
 
Thanks everyone. The vid was just a yank from youtube. I wish I was that far along already! But just goes to show you how much work it is for a full tear down.
 
Best of luck Jinks. Shad rebuilt my '97 and did an excellent job. I'm sure it can't get completed soon enough. Please keep us posted. I know you are looking at an FIC piggyback but the new ECU's are incredible and can be tuned for passing SMOG. Just saying...
 
haha you had me fooled too.....Shad does everything in shorts....:biggrin:
 
Best of luck Jinks. Shad rebuilt my '97 and did an excellent job. I'm sure it can't get completed soon enough. Please keep us posted. I know you are looking at an FIC piggyback but the new ECU's are incredible and can be tuned for passing SMOG. Just saying...
Thanks. I really do want to go with an Aem ems but costs are already extremely high. Plus when your comparing a 400hp ish ctsc'd motor side by side with a fic or ems, they are about the exact same power output. Turbo engines, total different story. But I do see an ems in my future with the aftercooler.
 
I'd have to find out from Shad for that answer.
 
a fellow named John used to do that work for comptech..I would macerate his last name spelling though :redface:
 
IMG_0234.jpg
The engine when I brought the car home after purchase. Someone sure did love shopping at pep boys...

IMG_0202.jpg
This pic is of the motor after I removed most of the garbage, went to oem intake, and had Shad work his nsx magic. This is also how it currently sits. I cannot wait to get rid of that chrome Dali-racing pony keg!!! Those braided hoses will go along with it...
 
Man, so glad you're getting back on the saddle and building the car up. Can't wait to see the progress and you back on the road. I do eventually want to boost my car as well; sort of wondering if I should go for an engine build out the gate...
 
Man, so glad you're getting back on the saddle and building the car up. Can't wait to see the progress and you back on the road. I do eventually want to boost my car as well; sort of wondering if I should go for an engine build out the gate...
Depending on what year motor you have, I would seriously recommend doing head gaskets on early cars. The problem is though, this is not a cheap job as you can see what needs to all come out in the video above along with machining of the heads. I wish I did mine at the time of the boosting. But oh well, it's a lesson learned and I won't press others who don't do it. But it is the Achilles heel of the 3.0L.
 
This may be the most inspiring owner statement I've read from an owner in 2017 here. Bravo good sir! Many of us here will be following your build and supporting you.




Much thanks Yinzer. Maybe after it is all said and done, you can find a good separated at birth pic of my engines.:wink:
 
Depending on what year motor you have, I would seriously recommend doing head gaskets on early cars. The problem is though, this is not a cheap job as you can see what needs to all come out in the video above along with machining of the heads. I wish I did mine at the time of the boosting. But oh well, it's a lesson learned and I won't press others who don't do it. But it is the Achilles heel of the 3.0L.

Ah, that's good to know. I do have an early model NSX, so it's either do that or if we're gonna be there anyway, build the whole thing. Thanks for the heads up. Got more to consider then before doing so.
 
Who is doing the machining work on the bottom end, heads, and assembly?
Shad said a guy named Tony does the machine work. I think he used to be at C.T.
 
Congrats on the build! We're rooting for you AJ.

I can't, not, say my $0.02 though for risk of seeing a friend being in trouble again because they had an awesome motor but skimped on engine management. So it'll suffice to say I'm sure you've weighed your options and making the best choice you can. Good luck man! Looking forward to the progress.
 
Back
Top