Hi all.

I have a 2001 GSR, and I am considering doing some upgrades to the engine soon. I have done suspension work, and have the car where I want it handling-wise, now I want to start adding some numbers. The only mod I have to the engine is an AEM cold air intake.

I was thinking about valvetrain replacement. New cams, titanium valves / springs / retainers, that sort. Maybe new intake manifold. Thoughts? What does valve train replacement do for gains on a GSR? Intake manifold? What about some sort of engine management system like a Hondata?

In the lines of header and exhaust, I don't care about sound, I only care about performance. I really am not heavily considering this if it makes my car sound like a can of angry hornets like a number of the other exhaust-modified cars out there. But if there's a great exhaust that's quiet and adds high numbers, then perfect.

The idea is to eventually go turbo, but I want to do it right, so I figure get the engine built up properly and then add the turbo later. Then I have less worries because I won't be turbo'ing on stock internals.

Also, I wouldn't mind keeping it legal

Thanks

-D

 

If you are building the engine for N/A, you cannot just throw a turbo on once you are done building. N/A and turbo parts usually do not mix. If you are going N/A, build for N/A and stick with that. Otherwise, add some upgrades that would benefit the turbo like an exhaust system, intake manifold, ITR cams with adjustable cam gears, etc and then turbo once you are ready.

 

I got an 01 GSR just like you and i have done a lot of NA stuff to my car, and i may be going turbo, the modifications that i have done are street legal and i have more jucie then a stock type R, my upgrades include, comptech ice box, comptech header, hondata gasket, skunk2 intake, skunk2 stage 1 cams, Apexi N1 exhaust, Apexi VAFC 2, AEM 5 bolt cam gears... but since i am thinkin about turbo i may be selling the cams, the header, the VAFC and the ice box... so if u are thinkin about going that route and u want some really good stuff, let me know if i decide to go turbo i can set u up, i have all the orginal boxes and carb stickers for the cams, header, ice box and all that good stuff..

OH by the way none of that stuff will mix with turbo like shmoo said and u won't be smog legal cause they don't make any street legal turbos for our cars FYI, also if u plan on doing the stuff i have done a VAFC will do u just fine don't need hondata or anythign like that

 

Shmoo: That's good to know... so I could buy a good set of cams and cam gears, and an intake manifold... would a turbo not benefit from a valvetrain upgrade? Could I not use the same valvetrain for turbo and N/A?

GSSR: Well wouldn't the intake manifold, gasket, and cams run with a turbo? If you are planning on selling some of it, let me know. I can't guarantee I'll buy it, but I'd definitely consider it. Esp. the intake manifold and cams.

Questions though, would a set of stage 2 cams be better? I know I'd need to upgrade my valve train, but wouldn't I realize more power?

Also, I thought that there were legal turbos for our cars like Greddy... I live in Ontario, and I'd need to check the laws. Being smog legal is probably most important, Ontario (Toronto) is becoming strict, probably getting close to Cali strict.

Thanks for the help so far.

-D

 

nope our year car dosen't have a carb eo # turbo made for it, and if u run a skunk2 intake u need to get an ls turbo kit, so it definetly won't pass. Also stage 2 cams are a waste casue your compression isn't high enough, stage 1 is more then enough, FYI they are bigger then ITR and CTR cams. valve train won't hurt, but if u go turbo u would end up using your gsr cams, casue the skunk cams are too large of overlap and the boost would just go right out the tail pipe, so springs and retains are not necessary. the SKunk2 intake however is a nice add even if u run a turbo.. if i were to sell anything it would be my stage 1 cams, my comptech headers, comptech ice box, and my VAFC... if u decide to do cams, u will need the vafc for sure cause the car won't run right at all talken from personal experience.

 

N/A cams will not work for turbo because of excessive overlap and duration causing the boost pressure to blow through the cylinders and right out the exhaust manifold before it has a chance to burn. If you are iching to upgrade your cams and valvetrain, ITR cams with adjustable cam gears and ITR springs would be a good choice for both turbo and N/A assuming they are tuned right. The valvetrain wouldn't matter between the two routes, but overly stiff springs will create unnecessary friction and wear while sucking power.

The intake manifold is probably a good idea to eliminate any bottlenecking before and after a turbocharged engine, but not entirely necessary.

You can upgrade to stage 2 cams, but you can kiss the turbo route goodbye as they will not be suited at all for turbo.

 

Ok, I'll need to see what the laws are in Ontario and how much I can get away with, then make a decision.

Thanks for the info guys.

-D

 

That is an excellent idea.

 

agred^^^^