5spd, head gasket, where to next?

[BLSTIC]

Well I have just converted my EF to a 5spd from a BTR auto and the car is a lot more enjoyable to drive. So enjoyable that I have decided to keep the old girl.

I did a compression check recently (I had the spark plugs out checking for the head gasket problem, so I thought I might as well), and on a hot engine, all cylinders had 168psi average, with extremes being 170 and 165 psi, so its pretty even.

When I do the head gasket, I can leave it stock, and do the work later, or I can save up a little, and buy some head porting tools, and attack the ports and combustion chamber. This would slightly offset the compression gained by the head machining (the combustion chamber work would anyway), but it would give me the opportunity to make all the cylinders have the same compression and breathe the same amount of air (and more of it). It would also help with pinging when I start to get serious. Some stronger valve springs may be on the cards, depending which way I want more grunt.

After that, what I do will depend on what route I want to go.

Option 1: N/A

This will involve a bigger exhaust, extractors, and more than likely a hot cam. That 1636c977b of Grechie's looks the part for as far as I wan't to go, at the moment. The intake will also be seen to, probably with a BA intake pipe and an ELGT snorkel (ALA autospeed EF). After that, it will be a chip and tune. I am hoping to crack 200rwhp, up from 136 (136rwhp was done with auto, 330,000km, a leaky exhaust, and no head gasket problem).

Option 2: Boost.

Just a simple low boost setup, rising rate regulator, water injection, 7psi max. Same big exhaust found in option 1.

thoughts people?

cya
Ben

[Allen]

With 330,000k's, have you thought about the condition of the bottom end?

No point bolting a turbo on, or going nuts with a N/A setup, if the bottom end is tired.

In my opinion, option one would be much easier and cheaper.

[old_mate]

if compression is ok go for it. N/A wise anyway. It will love boost but for how long? Bolt in a freshy AU bottom end if overly concerned

[BLSTIC]

well is 168psi good enough compression to call good? And getting a cheap AU bottom end will be a hard ask here. One of the wreckers here in cairns is asking $1400 for an EF engine and auto... An AU engine would add another grand or so onto that...

cya
Ben