Kerebrus

iTrader: (30)

Right now I have a 13b stock port motor, Weber 48DCOE carb, and a full exhaust system. I want to eventually do a blowthrough turbo setup but here's where I'm stuck. My options:

Street port the motor now which will open up the car to a whole new world of potential with the carb I have. This will cost me about $2500 for full street port, all new seals, swapped oil pan, racing clutch, aluminum flywheel, and installation. With this done.. later I can eventually continue on to the turbo portion and have that installed.

OR

Skip the street port for now and swap my 13b for a 91 J-Spec 13BT that will make about 230hp BUT I'm limited on the turbo. If I want to upgrade to a hybrid turbo which I plan on doing I'd have to have the motor ported and seals re-done. This will end up costing me roughly $2300.


I'm thinking option #1 is the best way to go for the money. Gets me a lot of great parts (racing clutch/flywheel) and opens up the motor big time especially with the carb I have. Not to mention, it will have all new seals so once I go to turbo it, it will be ready to go. So, what does everyone else think?

Druken

I think you should just streetport it as of now, break in the block. Since the break in process will take a couple weeks, or I think it takes a couple weeks, it gives you time to save up for the turbo setup you desire. Well that is what I would do... That way you get more potential out of the 13b whenever you decide you want more power

Kerebrus

iTrader: (30)

Yea.. it really makes sense to do it that way. I'm sure with a full SP and additional parts, I will easily be making a nice amount of HP before applying a turbo.

Druken

Yup, my thoughts exactly. Even before the turbo upgrade, you'd most likely appreciate the HP gain from just the streetport. Then think about how much more you will love the feel of the turbo

680RWHP12A

if i was on a really tight budget i would go j spec turbo and not port it.. it will have pleanty of power and you can have turbo right away!!yah, turbo is my fav!..
the ports are pretty big on the 13B turbo motors anhoo..


oh and if you go with option #1, the streetport, you re use your oil pan and front cover..you dont need another one.. thats only if you do the turbo motor

Kerebrus

iTrader: (30)

kayahhh you're not helping
I'm gonna do option #1. N/A FTW.

rxtasy3

iTrader: (2)

streetport build for $2500 or turbo swap for $2300. sounds like for less money u'd get slightly more hp. i'm sure ur limited on just how big of a turbo u can use on stock ports before flow becomes a major issue, but i think u can use a slightly bigger than stock turbo and get some quite impressive hp #'s for the street.

Kerebrus

iTrader: (30)

estimated 230hp is with that stock turbo. But I think with the full monsterific SP, I will already be near that amount roughly.

680RWHP12A

yah right, not at the wheels ,SON

grab you sac and go turbo!!!

Jeff20B

iTrader: (13)

Cbz, it sounds to me like you've never done streetporting or a turbo before. If I were you, I'd go for the gusto and start with a turbo like Robert suggested.

Of course we know Robert has the infrastructure to do turbos as easily as I can do engine rebuilds, so to us it's not as big a deal. But I've never worked on turbo stuff before, and I bet diagnosing a supercharger problem would rattle Robert's cage a little. So you gotta try new things in order to expand your knowledge base.

Take for example that funky fresh 6 port 12A manifold that somebody modified to fit on a 6 port 13B (I posted this just yestersday in the 1st gen section). I've never built a 6 port engine before, never tuned one, and I have to say I have serious concerns that when the engine is all put together and in the car, that it won't run right and have poor driveability because there are no aux port actuators, no sleeves and the upper runners have been butchered to add oversized channels under the carb. I also don't know which intermediate plate to use to tailor the primary port size. I have several choices to sift through. I just don't have any experience with this stuff so I'm making it up as I go. I'm out of my comfort zone here.

To complicate matters, it's supposed to be for my dad. I know I could build a nice well behaved 13B 4 port for him, and its performance would be great, but if I don't grab my sac lol and at least try the 6 port, I'll always have regrets. I can rather easily yank it back out for a quickie rebuild to convert it to a 4 port thanks to the infrastructure I have here. So what do I have to lose?

The GLC is the perfect project car for this weird 6 port engine. It's small, light, already does well with a big streetported 13B (which probably lacks some low end torque due to the port size) so if the low end is further reduced by the even larger/later aux port timing, well, I guess I won't actually know until I try it. And you won't know until you start with a turbo and do the streetport later. If you do the street port now, you'll kill your low end and it won't be as fun to drive. I know. Remember than black '83 with the streetport, Weber IDF, full RB dual pipe exhaust, carbon apex seals, racing clutch etc? I't's fun for a little while then gets kinda well, I wouldn't want to drive it on a daily basis. The nicely set up '74 ported 12A with a slightly modded Nikki (currently in the white '83) is lightyears better in my opinion. Easier starts, more fun to drive...

I could go on but I don't want to bore you. Good luck with your decision.

Jeezus

iTrader: (4)

Streetport it. You said you were going to go turbo right? Then keep what you have and streetport it, then turbo it later. You can even turbo it with the 48DCOE. Whereas on the other hand, you get the turbo block and stuff it in, then get a bigger turbo, then streetport it.

notveryhappyjack

iTrader: (4)

Turbo all the way!!!

expensive but lots of fun

hmmmm pppsssh hmmmmmm

Druken

Well my mentality on this was, take care of all the internals while you can then the externals. That way you don't have to pull out the entire engine, dismantle it, port it, rebuild it, then add the turbo... when the engine is already running. But I guess everyone has their reasons.

rx-freak

I purchased a j-spec motor a while back which ended up comming with a hybrid turbo, lightweight flywheel, racing clutch, aftermarket pulleys, short shifter, etc. We never took the motor apart to see if there was any porting done; however, once tuning began, we where almost certain there was. The motor has been in my car for about six months now and it still runs strong. I guess when buying used motors you never really know what you will get; however, if you are careful when selecting the motor you should be happy with what you get. I would definately go turbo.

Kerebrus

iTrader: (30)

I wanted to do a hybrid turbo but I was told that you can't do it on the stock 91 J-Spec motor. It has to be ported, thats why in your case it worked out. So for now I gotta deal with the stock turbo until the motor is ported.