Beginning to gather parts for build, need experienced input!
 

I'm looking to build my motor. I've gotten a very good job so I'll be able to afford it quickly. Currently 1.6. I would prefer to build a 1.6 and have it high revving. So valvetrain, cams, and balancing is going in with the forged internals. My goal is to hit a comfortable 400whp with the 1.6. I know it's been done, but is sticking with 1.6 to be unique worth the drawbacks from the displacement, low end, spool, and the ability to use vvt? It is a very expensive build, but I will be able to afford it shortly. I'm currently making ~220whp on the stock 1.6. Greddy 15g/greddy manifold, torsen diff, stock 5 spd. Everything will need to be upgraded to hold that much power and I'm going all out, no shortcuts on this build.

Current build list:
1000cc ID injectors
Supertech valves/springs/seals
ARP hardware
ACL bearings
Walbro 255LPH fuel pump
Wiseco 9.5:1 Pistons .020 over
Billet oil pump/gears
OEM gaskets/seals
Stage 4 comp clutch
NB 6 speed
3.636 Torsen diff
EFR6258 Turbo
Custom downpipe
Custom manifold
Mishimoto radiator
And all associated machine work for the block/head.

I'll be ordering parts in a few weeks to start collecting things I'll need. What setup do you guys run? Clutch opinions? Turbo options? 1.6 or 1.8?

Buy a 1.8 vvt motor. You are wasting money otherwise.

^what he said. 1.8 will rev just as high.

Please, spend 10 thousand dollars on your 1.6!

We all want to laugh at you when you can't break 300whp!

Seriously! Please do it, so I can beat your numbers with a stock 1.8 and rotrex.

Not kidding.

Well that settles that part of it. lol. So I'll basically be getting those same parts for a 1.8 then. Would it be fine to pick up a 1.8 block and just put on the vvt head?

Also, I recall seeing a few threads about people making over 350 with a 1.6...

Yes, people have made big power on a 1.6 before.
It just could have been done more easily, cheaply, and with a drastically better power band on a 1.8.
We are serious. Don't spend money upgrading a 1.6. It's dumb.

And yes, a VVT head will fit any 1.8 block, but you will need an intake manifold from 99-00 or a flat top.
Also, buy an earlier head gasket for the coolant reroute you are going to do.

You've already convinced me of that. Which rods/pistons tend to do the best? And which overbore should I go with?

What is the purpose of the earlier head gasket? Early as in 94-98?

For your goals (not very realistic by the way), I would go with supertech pistons with Wiseco rings.
Only overbore the minimum amount necessary to fix cylinder wall damage.
These blocks don't have much meat to take off.

94-00.
The coolant passages changed in the gasket after 01. The earlier ones work better with a coolant reroute.

Why would you say it is not a realistic number? I've went to the proper 1.8 side of the fence now! With a good flowing intake/head and exhaust/exhaust mani, large turbo, and a solid tune and it should be very reasonable to break into the 350 range. 400 will be pushing more limits of more parts, but I don't find it to be unrealistic. That's a piston setup I've also been looking at. And good point about the boring. Which rods would be best? Carillo? Manley?

Trans tends to blow up around 350. So you will need a trans solution.

400 will blow tires off in any gear and basically be useless,

Not sure about the rods. I'm not sure anyone has found the limit of a set of h-beam rods including the eBay specials.
Just buy whatever trackspeed sells.
I admit that you have a good parts list, but actually hitting 400 takes a great expense, and even the 6 speed won't last too long there.
I would love to be proved wrong, but not many people have actually hit that power level reliably.
Why not buy the cast trackspeed manifold instead of building a custom one?

Contact Andrew at trackspeedengineering.com 650-701-7223

Talk to him about your goals, he is where I'm going for my built engine (when i blow my stocker)

Is he someone I can talk to to get an idea of what I need to do to hit my goals?
I plan on getting flares and running 275 mickeys in the rear. 400 won't come for a while until I can pick up a diff mount kit for a ford 8.8 and a custom driveshaft. I know the 6 speed gets sketchy at around that range as well, what about the T II trans?

Call Andrew at Trackspeed engineering. Tell him you want a built vvt motor. Write him a blank check and be done with it.

I also hope you have 10+ thousand sitting around to do this. It will cost far more then you expect to get to the power levels you want.

I don't see the point in having someone else build an engine for me after labor and shipping costs it's going to be far more expensive than assembling myself. 10k was my original estimate to achieve 400.

Are you building this to drag race?