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Engine Rebuild - Tuning it afterwards

2K views 26 replies 8 participants last post by  turntune 
#1 ·
Hi, next weekend I'm taking out my d16z6 of my coupe to change out the timing belt, water pump and mainly putting in some pm6 pistons. The problem is, is that I'm stationed overseas here in italy so I don't have the comforts of conviences of engine tuning facilities so I have to do this on my own the best I can. Here is the work that I have planned to go down on the weekend or however many days it takes to finish it. I got friend that is pretty damn good at engine building since thats all he does when he heads back home. He builds drag v8's so he has ton of wealth for my non-exprience in all this.

d16z6 with 110,000 miles and is seriously out of tune & power:
replace timing belt
replace water pump
new head gasket
pm6 pistons with new rings
aem lightened pulleys
arp head studs
str cam gear
chikara header (going boost late summer)
tci automatics master racing transmission overhaul kit
custom torque converter
polyurethane engine mounts
new spark plugs
new gaskets all around i.e IM, tb, ex, oil pan plugs, etc...

Once all this is done, this is going on shortly afterwards:
oil filter relocation
oil cooler
transmission cooler
FPR

Whats done already:
cheap CAI
MSD spark plug wires
Hyper ground kit
150amp HO alternator
suspension - kyb agx with eiback pro kit
tie bars all around

Hopefully we can complete most of this in 2-3 days. Well be about 2-3 people helping me out on this. Got a service manual and excess to internet to help me out on this.

I also will be chipping my ecu, with a chip I got off the internet a while back. If it sucks, I'll just set it back to stock maps. Will be using uberdata as my engine management once I learn it more and get a chip burner. Plus I'll be getting a wbO2 later once I do.

Though the main thing now is getting the proper timing to make power from all this. From expreiences can anyone give some dizzy and cam timmings I should use. I definately need torque from how things run on the streets around here though some good horsepower would be nice since i drive around 100+ mph on an consistant basis around here especially to rome. My future goal is to lay down some whoop ass on 2 of my friends early m3's. The 2.3/4 I4 200 something horsepower cars. Once I can do that I'm set for life. This is a daily driver that just needed some balls to it.

However can drop some knowledge on me will be greatly appreciated. Thanks! :D
 
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#3 ·
don't listen to this ass. put the converter in it. tuning is controlling the spark and fuel in a nutshell. the best way to do this without a dyno is to check your plugs. start your fuel setting at 50 psi and then work your way down. timing, set at stock and work your way up.
 
#4 ·
I guess he didn't read my post when I said I'm stationed OVERSEAS. Italians don't know about tuning or basically hooking up cars like we do in general. Theres no professional mechanics and basically just about everyone is out to rip you off big time around here.

Plus I love my automatic when I do road trips throughout italy and other european countries.
 
#5 ·
dragman99 said:
don't listen to this ass. put the converter in it. tuning is controlling the spark and fuel in a nutshell. the best way to do this without a dyno is to check your plugs. start your fuel setting at 50 psi and then work your way down. timing, set at stock and work your way up.
Whoa there charlie, calm it down. I only suggest that because I've gone through 2 automatic civics and i'm on my first 5 speed. The difference is night and day. After reading his next post, it all makes more sense.

...ASS


RoninBlackSoul said:
I guess he didn't read my post when I said I'm stationed OVERSEAS. Italians don't know about tuning or basically hooking up cars like we do in general. Theres no professional mechanics and basically just about everyone is out to rip you off big time around here.

Plus I love my automatic when I do road trips throughout italy and other european countries.
Automatics are in fact better when you do road trips out in the "country", I miss my auto's for 3 reasons...1. seattle traffic = stop and go, 2. long trips (well, not as big as a problem, i have cruise control on the 5-speed), 3. I cant hold my girlfriend's hand while driving when I have to shift :evil:
 
#7 ·
Yeah I know. I hate that. I asked for help on a certain matter and poeple suggest what I did not ask for. Anyways.....

What dizzy timing and cam timing have on 10:1 compression engine so I can use it as a base start. Trying to have little down time as possible. I'll be missing out on my trying to find some ass time in rome.
 
#8 ·
here's what i've done on my auto. i've got 12:1 arias pistons. i run the ignition timing 4 degrees over stock and i have the cam advanced 2 degrees(zex stage 1). i don't have a better torque converter but i like this setup for the street. as far as fuel, i just have a walbro pump and an aem regulator on stock injectors. i've got my pressure set on 50 psi with no vacuum on the regulator. for your setup, i'd probably start at about 46 psi. with those pistons you want to be careful not too run lean because they are not forged, they can't take the heat. i hope this helps. i wish tci made a converter for a 99. all i've seen is the 92-95 civics though. the modification services just don't seem like they'd be as good as an actual replacement with less rotational mass.
 
#9 ·
Sweet. Thanks. Well the gas at the pump I believe is at 95+ octane. Thats about one of the few good things around here. So I would like to lean out my setup but not to much. Don't have a fpr or stronger fuel pump yet. Probably next month for those.

Adding the better clutch packs and more aggressive torque converter is going to really help out with the loss of power in the tranny. dragman99, with those timings, do you have more low end or top end? Would love a balance of both or stronger low end for the get up and go.
 
#11 ·
it's really going to depend on your torque converter whether you want to advance it that much. the way i've always done it is to try one setup for a couple days and then try something different until i feel comfortable. i'd start at zero with the ignition advanced a little. if you feel like you can sacrifice the top end, advance the cam a degree. vice versa.
 
#20 ·
I agree with the other guy... auto to manual will drop a second of your ET off the bat (I know because mine used to be auto).... But good luck, an auto would be different....
 
#21 ·
Back from Rome.. good times... was probably sober 8 hrs out of the 3 days I was there.

dragman99 said:
it's really going to depend on your torque converter whether you want to advance it that much. the way i've always done it is to try one setup for a couple days and then try something different until i feel comfortable. i'd start at zero with the ignition advanced a little. if you feel like you can sacrifice the top end, advance the cam a degree. vice versa.
Thanks for the help.

Now for whoever else that keeps on suggesting I should do a manual swap, please don't. It's basically impossible since I'll be living in Italy for 2 yrs. Thank you!
 
#22 ·
RoninBlackSoul said:
Now for whoever else that keeps on suggesting I should do a manual swap, please don't. It's basically impossible since I'll be living in Italy for 2 yrs. Thank you!
What does living in Italy have to do with that? I was just trying to give my opinion because I did the Auto to manual swap, and its not hard and its a quick second off the 1/4 mile... Plus what you would spend on the torque converter and the tranny rebuild cost way more then the parts youll spend on the auto to manual... If you dont want to do it thats fine too, to each his own...
 
#25 ·
PRcivicHB said:
What does living in Italy have to do with that? I was just trying to give my opinion because I did the Auto to manual swap, and its not hard and its a quick second off the 1/4 mile... Plus what you would spend on the torque converter and the tranny rebuild cost way more then the parts youll spend on the auto to manual... If you dont want to do it thats fine too, to each his own...
I guess your not quite following the concept here. You seem to think that I'm in the states and I can easily go to a junkyard or car tuning shop and be able to do a auto to manual swap. Now if you ever been to european countries you'll realize that sort of thing is basically uncommon to most. He'll you'd be hard pressed to find a knowlegable mechanic and not get ripped off. I'm damn near in a 3rd world country here.

So my point is, I hate when people I should do a auto to man or some bigger swap after I clearly stated I'm not in a place where I can do that.

Plus the auto has a very useful purpose with all the traffic and road trips.

Thank You
 
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