Re: delusions of grandeur: porting and polishing

[JShadzi@aol.com]

	First of all, see my site :  http://web.csuchico.edu/~javad
	
In a message dated 7/4/99 12:23:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
jab86@cornell.edu writes:

<< my 80Q, but the 2.3l 5 cyl is just not a performance engine.  one of the 
 things that i have been mulling over is porting and polishing.  i know a 
 fellow who will do this cheaply and well ( ihave used him before), 

	i question anyone who does good work cheaply.  It it is so good, why 
is it so cheap?


<<but i  would like to raise my compression ratio as well for some added 
oomph.  i 
 would like to impose upon my fellow listers for some advice.  i have 
 heard that my 1990 80Q has domed pistons.
	It has dished pistons, and is already high compression.  You would 
have to run racing gas to raise compression any more.  This is not practical 
for a street car, you will regret it.


<<that if i shave too much, my knock sensor will retard the timing to the 
 point where performance is adversely affected.  is this a valid worry?  

	Yes, but the knock sensor can only retard so much, it could cause 
serious damage if your knock goes beyond the knock sensors retarding 
capabilities.
 
<< this, or does everybody just drop in an MC engine ? >>

	!!!  Drop in an MC, you obviously do not understand what is involved 
in this conversion!


<< i would prefer 
 to stay normally aspirated - alternative suggestions with that 
 restriction in mind are welcome.  thanks in advance.
  >>
	You are done on compression, dont look for power there.  You can 
increase displacement (bigger pistons, whick are already 82.5mm, you could 
maybe go to 83mm, very marginal though)  or a crank to increase stroke would 
be the best way to increase displacement.  Increasing flow with a cam, 
port/polish, header/exhaust, small gain in throttle body, maybe.  Bottom 
line, aside from a turbo, getting more power out of this motor is going to be 
very difficult (see expensive).  As said before, this is the high performance 
version of the 2 valve I5.  Start looking at other motors for more power, but 
these may require much more expertise to accomplish than you have, or will 
for a while.  My advice to you?  Get the car handling well, drive it for the 
rest of college, and when you graduate and start making money, you will 
either have the money to do it right, or the money to just buy the car you 
really want (how bout an A4 turbo with 250 hp, a much better car than your 90 
will ever be).
Javad Shadzi
Audiless, for now...