Rebuilding SR20DET Top End

[uhtjoogoorih]

I'm in the process of rebuilding the top end of my SR20 and want to know what you guys recommend for it. Been researching for stuff here and there. I'll be getting new valve springs and retainers, new valves, and new camshaft and cam gears. Already got some JWT S3 camshaft with their adjustable cam gears. And as for the valve stem seals i'll be ordering the OEM ones for both intake and exhaust. Along with getting the new parts, are there any other things you would recommend me to change out or upgrade? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[slider2828]

Rocker Arm Stoppers....

[uhtjoogoorih]

oh yea forgot to list that.

[Gjohnson7]

Are you replacing the valve guides?

[Sileighty_85]

Brian Crower Stainless Steel polished Valves, There Priced pretty good in my opinion

[uhtjoogoorih]

yea i'll actually be getting the JWT valve guides. and also decided on the cometic head gasket, but still not too sure what size to run. any suggestions?

[blueshark123]

waht are u going to be doing with the lash adjusters are u goin solid or kepping it stock.

[uhtjoogoorih]

i'll be keeping them stock since the S3 cams doesn't require going solid. i'll be building this for track purposes, autocross and time attack mostly. hoping to get around 350rwhp or so near the end with addition of GT28RS turbo later down the line.

[unicoladron]

what's the lift on the cams? depending on whatever that number may be, you may want to look into upgraded springs and retainers.

[codyace]

S3's will work PERFECTLY fine on a stock valvetrain. If you're concerned, get some JWT springs as well. No need to change the valves or anythign wacky either...

[uhtjoogoorih]

yea that was one of my main reason for going with the S3 cams. But just for future use if I need changing out the valvetrain while head is out to get valve job and stuff. Also do you guys know of any place in San diego area that does good jobs building sr20? Got my swap done by Marco back home but is a bit far. Somebody mentioned VWparadise but not sure.

[slider2828]

Why not just go up to LA and have it done.... XS Engineering.... or like couple of other name places and do good work.

[uhtjoogoorih]

Those places are probably really expensive, so just looking to find a place that is somewhat cheaper, or not as expensive. In a situation where I can't be spending too much money on this. But don't want no shady ass job either.

[Z33dori]

yea i'll actually be getting the JWT valve guides. and also decided on the cometic head gasket, but still not too sure what size to run. any suggestions?


i've heard some shitty things about the SR cometics head gaskets


i would say get the Cosworth or Greddy or Apex/Apexi

[uhtjoogoorih]

do you remember what were shitty about cometics?

[slider2828]

I thought it was the seals around the coolant and oil ports. I think the seals just weren't as good as others, but I never heard it blows or anything...

[uhtjoogoorih]

oh ok. I'll probably look into it more then. Do you know what size would be good for it? And if you come across anything can you let me know? Thanks.

[slider2828]

Well I think the best is Greddy/Grex Metal HG.... Expensive and good... I run an Apexi 1.1 and its hold 18 psi on my build car.... 1.1. 1.2 is good depending on boost.... levels... Anything over 20 psi would probably get like a 1.6 or 1.8 to lower compression...

[uhtjoogoorih]

i don't really plan to reach boost that much with this car. so i guess i'll stick with 1.1 or 1.2 for head gasket.

[uhtjoogoorih]

do you guys know if i'll need to get new valve seats if i'm going for .5mm oversized valves? and if so, does anyone know where i can get them from? been looking around, and only could find the toda ones, which would be ridiculously expensive.

[uhtjoogoorih]

and i was actually looking around....and decided i'll get a different head gasket, probably the apexi or greddy one. any recommendations of the bore size and thickness? target power would be around 350rwhp with GT28RS as stated above, and not too sure how much boost i'll be running in the future.

[slider2828]

Stock bore is fine. I think stock bore is best to have a good reliable car.... That is what I have, some people do just a little over....

[steve shadows]

Brian Crower Stainless Steel polished Valves, There Priced pretty good in my opinion

I don't see the point?

If you were running meth injection or high pressures/nitrous it might be insurance.

Unless they are larger valves, then they have a natural overal HP advantage.

It's not huge though.

S3 Cams Good Cam for linear power band just be very careful installing the blanks into each side via FSM torque specs and tightening sequence

Adjustable Sprockets (I don't see the point unless you are going to tune them on the dyno, and if you do it will get expensive because you have to manually remove the valve cover adjust thend o a pull then re-seal the valve cover then adjust and do a pull and so on and so on).

When you take your head to the machine shop you could also or should imo have the valve guides replaced with OEM (which should be fine) ask the machine shop to head up the head before inserting them. Pressing them in cold can score them up and disfigure them before you ever even get to fire the motor up.

[uhtjoogoorih]

thanks for your input Steve. I'll be using the .5mm larger valves. Thought it'd be better to get something bigger so that in the future I won't have to buy another set of valves. And for the S3 Cams and sprockets, I went into JWT and talked to Jim himself and some other people there and decided I'm going to go with the setting they recommended. And for the valve guides, I'll be getting the JWT valve guides from them.

[uhtjoogoorih]

I actually found a shop down in the SD area that can rebuild my head. Cost comes out to be $325 which includes hot tank, pressure check, resurface head, valve job, and adjusting valves if needed. Do you guys think that is a good price? the place is called VW Paradise and work with both foreign and domestic engines. www.vwparadise.com

[sacco sideways]

Bump for finding info if there good or not

[z2roll4life7]

Bringing it back from the Dead?

[slider2828]

Thanks for bumping a 1 year old thread....