AGreen

Funny you should ask, because right now that's what I'm doing to mine. I ordered 1.8 pistons from Kspec.com and have begun porting the head. The 3 angle valve job isn't happening this time, since I just don't have the money for it. But all the porting I'm doing myself. If you want to drop the dough to have it done professionally then go for it, but it's DEFINITELY not worth the money you'll sink into it. There's a fine line where you'd be better off leaving the engine alone and just turbocharging it, rather than waste alot of money squeezing every little drop of power you can naturally aspirated. You'll just end up with a moderately fast car that has a TERRIBLE idle, and you've spend 2~3 grand getting it that way. All I'm doing to mine is a mild street port on the exhaust side, lapping the valves, 1.8 pistons with the XD head gasket to raise compression from 10.3-1 to 11.0-1. I already have the 1.8 cam and cold air intake, so it's going to make a considerable power gain, but won't shake me to death, or severely lighten my wallet.

97DerekTiburon

Alright, since this car is my DD, I'll just get a new head gasket. Is there ANY advantage to me upping the compression a tiny bit with the XD gasket? I figure the prices are close enough to just do it, know what I mean?

Also, is there a link to the timing verification method? The HMS site doesn't help much with details.

AGreen

I think the crankshaft has a timing mark on the pulley. Otherwise, note the direction of the woodruf key on the crankshaft when the pulley is off.

I just thought of this method too- Get a screwdriver and tape the end up with some padding. remove the #1 spark plug and insert screwdriver. Rotate the engine clockwise until the piston is at the top. Then check the timing marks on the cam pulley (make sure they're even with the top of the cylinder head.)

97DerekTiburon

Thanks! Looks like the two timing marks on the pull must line up with the mounting screw locations on the inner cover?

So if I get those 4 marks lined up and I'm at #1 TDC I should be close right?

AGreen

Yeah, so long as those marks line up with the top of the head (or valve cover sealing surface) and you're at TDC #1, you're dead on, and then you know it's time to buy the head set. I'd get a head gasket from an 02 XD elantra. It's the same everything else, only a 2-shim headgasket instead of the 3-shim one's that's stock on the RD. => Slightly higher compression without the pesky piston replacement. Jeez..... that's getting ugly right about now aargh4.gif

97DerekTiburon

Timing is good. Actually spot on.

Just for my own mind, I'm going to go back and re-check spark and fuel.

WTF!? I was out there seeing if all the plugs showed spark while my dad cranked it over, put all the plugs back in, buttoned it up and said "Well, I smell raw fuel (cranking it withouit plugs in), I have spark and the timing is dead on, it SHOULD start righ up".

I got it and the f-ing thing started up!

It now runs like it did in the beginning... like it's on 3 cylinders. It almost sounds like a ticking noise while it runs and it runs pretty roughly. I had to move it up in the driveway and felt it had like 1/3 power if that.

OK, NOW WHAT? Still no CEL.

AGreen

possibly squirting the oil unflooded the thing. When you have low compression like that, flooding begins to be an issue.

Timing's spot on, you have spark, and you've checked compression. You could do a running engine power balance test to verify your compression readings. At the coil pack, remove all cables and attach one inch pieces of vacuum tubing between each of the wires and its corresponding plug on the coil pack. Now, with the car running, use your test light (hooked to ground) and touch it to each of the vacuum tubes. This grounds the spark for that cylinder. If the compression is good at that cylinder, you'll get a REALLY rough running car. Like it's running on 2 cylinders. If the compression is bad, you'll get no or very little change in the sound the engine makes.

This method is MUCH safer than pulling off plug wires while the car's running. I've had 15,000 volts running through my arm because of this. Not fun. shocked.gif

97DerekTiburon

Can you elaborate on the "pulling off plug wires while the engine is running" procedure? Not that I'm going to do it but it'll help me understand what I'm trying to do.

It runs pretty roughly and revs sluggishly (I don't rev it much, just to see if I could clear it up). Will grounding a spark wire interrupt that cylinder's spark which... ummmm. I'm a little lost.

Ericy321

When its running you disconnect a wire and see if it makes a difference. You may get a shock though. Had that happen many times. I use that method though. Nice and quick.

97DerekTiburon

So if I pull the #1 plug wire and it doesn't change and the same with all 4, what then?

And if I pull a plug wire and it get's worse, then what?

I'm assuming that what SHOULD happen to a normal engine is that it would run terribly with ANY of them removed.

If the #1 plug wire was pulled and it ran the same, does that point to a problem in #1? Same for 2, 3 & 4?