vProject Twist

Last updated on Saturday, September 01, 2001

This is the story of my attempt to see exactly what the venerable D16A6 engine, the engine that powered many a Civic and CRX Si can really do.  This engine in it's stock form produces about 108hp at the flywheel.  Nothing exciting.  We'll see.
I guess it started after the install of my Jackson Racing Super Charger on my 1991 CRX.  Well I guess I should have had the car a bit longer and I would have learned that it had leak down numbers of:  15/40/18/10% - that's not good.  It would burn a quart or two of oil PER gas fill up.  Well if this isn't a reason to just do things right and rebuild another D16A6 with a built bottom end and higher boost I don't know what is.  So that's how it started.
Step One - we need a bottom end.  Well after some evaluation I decide on Endyn's forged forced induction pistons and forged rods.  I've heard this and that about needing and not needing a strengthened bottom end, but I'd rather be sure than not.
		Step Two - boost.  We need some boost.  Well after a nice talk with Larry at Endyn I decide that a custom CNC machined 3" pulley for my current Jackson Racing Super Charger should bring that boost right on up to 11+ psi.  If you'd like to get an idea of how fast you would be spinning your blower with different crank and blower pulleys then you can check The One One's chart.   One thing to be aware of - with the 3" pulley and the stock Jackson belt (a Bando XXXX), the idler pulley will come close to hitting the belt passing on the top.  Though so far I have not had a problem, be aware of this.
Step Three - All those parts... Well if you are going to be doing a swap you might as do it right, or, as my father says "don't half ass it".  Well $450 later I have just about everything that needs to be replaced for the swap including new engine mounts.  Check below for a price break down and part numbers.
Step Four - Now who would try to put all that effort into a built engine then not spend a few dollars on getting a reasonable clutch to get that power out to the transmission?  Not anyone I know - so I found a good deal on a Clutch Masters 08-022-HDTZ, Carbon Kevlar unit.
This is amazing.  Yes it really is that bad.		Step Five - Lots of machine shop work.
Step Six - After looking over every article on www.theoldone.com I do my best to replicate the "blower modification" that Larry does.  Here are some of the photo's from my work.  I do NOT recommend this, it's to much work. I also performed some "S tube" modification work also. So - can I tell a difference?  Nope.		The blower casing before The blower casing after In case you ever wondered what was inside...
		Here are some of the items that I ordered from Endyn.  Though I had some problems getting them in a timely fashion, they did finally come.
		Well look what I found when I looked around Eaton's web site.  It's the spec's for the M45 blower that is in Jackson's SC'er kit.  If you combine this information with TOO's RPM chart you start to get an idea of what the M45 can do and what it's limits are. http://www.eaton.com/supercharger/M45.html
Step 7 - Engine is back from the machine shop.  There were some clearance problems with the rods hitting the bottom of the cylinder but Greg at Patterson Automotive Machine  (713) 349-9245 in Houston, Texas (highly recommended by the way) fixed them right up in no time flat.
		Here it is, all ready to go.  In case you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to install a motor by yourself, it is no problem and doesn't take much more time than it does with someone else's help.
As you can see, the belt clearance with the 3" pulley is a bit tight.  Though I have not experienced problems, you might consider a shorter length belt.

Sept 2 - I get a engine lift from Shing who I helped with a swap the week before (thanks Shing!) and I proceed to pull the engine.  It didn't take long since in the preceding month I had already removed everything possible including the intake (and supercharger), exhaust, radiator, alternator, front and back mounts, A/C, etc.  The only item I had to remove was the two side (engine and transmission) mounts.  Out it cam with no problems.  I then mounted that engine onto an engine stand so I could pull some parts off it.  I pull the transmission from the engine and clean up the tranny with a few cans of engine cleaner and a wire brush.  I also pull a number of parts off to be cleaned then painted as "new".  I've called the machine shop that is doing my engine and they say it should be ready by the end of the day.  Towards the end of the day I (and Woz) drive down to the machine shop and watch Greg assemble the short block.  Well everything was going good right until the point when he rolled it over to put in the 2 & 3 pistons and rods the rods from 1 & 4 hit the bottom of the cylinder head in the block.  Opps.  A quick check of the Eagle (Endyn rods are made by Eagle) information shows that the "H" beam needs the block to be clearanced.  So it won't happen today.  Greg says he will finish the short block assembly on Sunday (and this is even on a holiday weekend).

Sept 3 - I work on "cleaning" up the car a bit more.  I also install a new rear mount (no simple feat!) and clean out the engine bay.  I call about the engine but it still isn't done but should be done by the end of the day.  Around 5:00pm I run down there and pickup the engine from Greg and it looks great.  I bring the engine back home and Woz comes over and we start putting all the parts back on the short block.  We worked until about 8:00pm and get a good number of the parts (timing belt, oil pump, flywheel, etc) on the motor.  On problem though - the machine shop has "machined" over a broken bolt in the flywheel and it hasn't come out so far.

Sept 4 - I get an early start on working on the engine and I start with that pesky broken off bolt in the flywheel.  Since it's not really something you should leave a bolt out of I decided to give it my all.  Well the short story is - after 5 broken tools and a hole through one of my fingers I deicide that I'll just use my old, un-surfaced, flywheel.  I finish putting on all the other items (oil pan, transmission, intake and super charger,  alternator, wiring harness, starter, etc) and by about 3:00pm I'm ready to put it in the car.  I position the engine over the engine bay and drop it in, by myself, with little problem (other than the front mount that must be removed).   I then start to put all the rest of the items back required to just start the engine - wiring, battery, oil, fuel and vacuum and then finish it off with a valve train adjustment.  I don't want to put the entire car back together since that would require me to take off even more if it didn't start.  I did not even hook up the coolant lines.  I started it right up with no problems and let it run for about 15 seconds then cut it off - it looks like this is going to be a success!  I hurriedly put all the remaining items back in the car (A/C brackets and belts, radiator, condenser fan, axels (and oil into the transmission), intake and filter, exhaust down-pipe and coolant.  Once again I start it while it is still up on the jack stands and let it run awhile.  It runs good except that for some reason the valves have "loosened" up and I cut it off before it gets too warm.  I perform another valve adjustment and try it again - perfect!  Sounds great, no codes and I let it run awhile.  While watching it run and wait for it to get to "operating temperature" I notice that the temp gauge is running a bit hot.  I cut off the car and then test the circuit and fan and everything is ok.  I then look on the back of the block for the two wire sensor that controls the fan (the one covered by a black boot) and notice that one of the wires is unplugged.  I cut off the boot and plug in the wires (woo watch out for that catalytic converter!) into the sensor and then crank it back up.  After a minute or so the fan comes on just like you'd expect!  I let it down off the jack stands and give it a drive around the block.  No problems and the clutch feels very nice!  By now it's 8:00pm and it's girlfriend time so I have to quit for now.

Sept 5 - I've done the insane!  I decided that I would drive the car to Austin for my current work related project, about 150 miles from my house.  I pack in some tools, water and oil and I head out.  

Sept 8 - I return to Houston with about 400 miles on my rebuilt engine and no problems.  The car's A/C works great (it's been 110 degrees as of late) and it's quite a bit more powerful than before, despite the heat.  I'll continue to drive the car a bit longer for my break in period (about 500 miles for the clutch and 1000 miles for the engine) then I'll let it loose a bit more.

Sept 16 - Everything is working good.  It looks like not having used that resurfaced flywheel (it had a bolt broke off in it) is causing some slight chattering when engaging the clutch at low RPM's.  The car is much more "drivable" and the smooth power of the supercharger (over a turbo) makes it a joy to drive in traffic.  The power is somewhat "masked" since it is basically always there but, you know it's there.  Today with over 600 miles on the clock I changed the oil back over to my favor full-synthetic Mobil1.  

Project Twist - Total Cost Breakdown

Below are all the items that I purchased for my complete, ground-up rebuild on my D16A6 with a "built" bottom end.  These prices do not include the supercharger cost itself.