Chris28

I don't post very much, but I'm bored at work so I decided to chronicle my car's progress. Most of it is copy/pasted from various other forums I'm on, but I don't have an actual "build" thread. I've owned an s13 for almost 5 years now, and I think it's at a point where I consider it done.

I originally bought my 91 hatch for $300 off craigslist, guy I bought it from had drifted it into a curb and bent a bunch of front suspension stuff. While fixing it I upgraded to coilovers and bought some wheels, Tanabe Sustec Pros and 16x8 +10 Rota RB-R. It was also auto, so the first thing I did after fixing the front end was perform a 5sp swap. Here is a picture of it at that stage:



I wanted to drift it, so I looked around for local drift events. The closest one was Driftwater, it's hosted by LookoutDrift/US Drift. I tried to go ka-t but that plan failed, so I was back to stock KA for the event, however I was still running my tuned ecu. I learned a lot at that event, here's a picture.



After my first few events I wanted to try ka-t again. This time I did it better, but I still cut a lot of corners. After figuring out an ignition issue I was running 7 psi on a t25, I thought it was the fastest thing ever. I think this picture is of that setup.



After the ebay turbo blew I decided to upgrade to a GTi-R t28. Here are some pictures from that:





Unfortunately I wanted to break 300whp with 370cc injectors and stock mafs. I got close at 12 psi, but I blew my ringlands in the process. I still drove it around for a while at lower boost, smoked a lot but still made decent power.



I got a friend to take some rolling shots, the car was pretty haggard in this stage but I thought it looked cool.






Around that time I swapped in another KA, I was tired of burning oil due to the ringland issue. I think it's also around that time that I swapped everything over to a cleaner shell, not sure though. Either way the new shell was the same color, you couldn't tell it was a new car. This is either during the engine swap or the shell swap:



I got some new coilovers because the Tanabes didn't go low enough. I also got to drift VIR's Patriot Course, that was a blast. Pictures:




My oil pressure had issues. By issues, I mean I had almost none. I decided to tear apart the blown ringland block and build it, but I ended up saying screw it and rebuilt my turbo instead.



Around that time I decided to go 5 lug, but being the cheapass I am I did it in parts. 5 lug in the rear came first since it was the easiest.




I go to school in NC, so I decided to hit up some events in Charlotte. Streetwise drift has a points series or something, I just wanted seat time.




We all stayed at a friend's house, this neat picture was taken there.



After that I wanted to change the look of my car, so I went pignose front and got some chuki sides, as well as did some more drifting.








Then I finally went 5 lug, 16x8 -10 Starion wheels all around





In addition to my oil pressure problems I kept losing coolant. The head gasket was going, I decided to have it blow at the track. I got some new wheels somewhere in there too. First time my car had ever been on a trailer, it kinda sucked.








Since my car was also my daily, I was out a method of transportation. Then came my daily, which I'm very thankful for.



At this stage I decided on sticking with the KA and doing a top mount turbo setup. I thought about keeping my turbo and going top mount t2, but in the end I decided against it. I found what I thought was a good deal on a built KA, $1,000 for forged internals and less than 25 miles. Bought it, swapped random parts over, started it up, and of course it had rod knock. I ended up not even using that same engine when I built my own, just the rods. Shitty situation, should have just built my own engine and saved all that time and money. Bad engine:





New built engine:




I broke it in N/A and drove it around for a while before deciding to turbo it again. 550cc injectors, z32 mafs, and at the time a Holset HX30. I bought everything to make it work, almost had it running, then decided to go with another turbo. Sold the Holset and bought a Precision 5431 and "made" a new manifold for it. It's a bottom mount t2 manifold flipped and braced with a t3 flange welded on.





Since it was finally running again I went drifting. Broke a coolant hose, other than that it went really well. I also put on my rear valance, I don't think it's an actual G-Grow, probably a replica. Either way it was in 3 pieces when I got it, I didn't bother fixing it at the time. I also got battles.





Since the car was working I decided it was finally time for paint. A friend of mine found a post of mine from like 3 years ago saying I was going to paint it within a week, but obviously that didn't happen. I decided on a color(s) and started prep work.

Chris28

Got banned for a little while, couldn't finish my thread haha. Here's where I left off.











Since it was all painted it was time to go drifting again!





At this point the car was running well so I decided to focus on suspension. I wanted to have correct suspension geometry so I had my knuckles modified. This gave me 45mm of front roll center correction as well as a lot more steering angle for drifting.




I went to the Driftwater event in May, these are some pictures from that:




More suspension bits, this time solid rear subframe bushings. These bushings also raise the subframe by 20mm which helps out suspension geometry.





I just got back from another Streetwise event in Charlotte this past weekend.





How it looked after that event.



Plans were to keep drifting and having fun, but fate decided otherwise. Wastegate line blew off at an event.





Ringlands blew on every piston. That was about 2 weeks ago, I've since gotten everything machined and almost back together.



Hopefully it will be running again soon, I'm doing an HPDE at Carolina Motorsports Park on the 25th of August, then I have drift events on the 2nd and 15th of September. Thanks for reading!

rangerjavi

Nice I also enjoyed that bboy music in that vid and that female had nice legs in the passenger seat of yours.

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Imarvin240

sucks about the ring lands, what are the specs on the new engine?

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boostedk

go SR20 its more reliable , i built a KA myself and 3 weeks into it it Blew , fixed it again.. ringlands blew again.. so now i know that going SR20 is way cheaper

Imarvin240

That's not always the case, it all depends on how its built and what stress you are placing on it. My buddy has had the same built KA for 5 years now and he has been running 23psi on a gt35r for the last 3 years with no problems at all. He has never opened up the engine once since he got it built. I blew up an SR twice, but it was just a bad machine shop...lesson learned.

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booey13

^This. There are so many more factors that play a major role than just building a motor. I don't care if you build an engine with titanium parts...if isn't tuned properly it'll still blow up.

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Chris28

Engine specs are ARP everything, Cosworth head gasket, K1 rods, Wiseco 9:1 pistons. The one that blew was pretty much the same, only a Fel-Pro head gasket and OEM pistons. I've had some pretty bad luck with the KA, but I wouldn't go sr. The engine that blew was running perfectly fine, I just ran out of fuel and detonated when the wastegate line fell off. I'll have overboost protection this time around, as well as a -an wastegate line. If anything I'd do a jz swap, but I'm perfectly happy with the ka.

tibby12

Chris? you worked at rush hour in garner right? I live with Travis who used to work up there too. Sweet looking build man.

Chris28

Yeah, that's me haha. I was at LKQ last week and saw Travis talking to someone getting an s13 bumper support, that was probably you haha.

tibby12

Yeah it was me. lol. I was getting a bumper support to mount my silvia bumper.

PG BOOSTED

Nice. So your running a ka-t. will you turn the boost up more later?

Chris28

I've been at 6 psi for a while, recently put in a 10psi spring but blew the motor a few days after that. Based on similar setups it's probably around 300whp, plenty enough for the tracks I go to. My injectors will probably max out around 375whp so I might bump up the boost a little but later, but for now I'm happy at 10 psi.

hk s13

nice build. this whole thread..including the video kept me entertained for a bit. great way to start my morning ^_^ you came a long way my friend. keep the fun goin.

Chris28

Thanks, the car has definitely come a long way since when I first started haha.



Got the engine all put back together today, still need to button up a few things before putting it in the car. I also need to get enough friends to help me carry it from the kitchen to outside haha.