Despite all that has happened in the last 3 months, you could say I'm still pretty attached to it.

A solid Stage 3 K04 car is really all I want out of this.

 

Cliff notes:

- first car at 17 (97 2.2CL)
- "build" motor for car aka slap h22 head on f22 block (G22)..motor goes boom one block from home, pistons melted
- F20B swap CL few years down the road, get it street tuned, revving to 8k. Start hearing rattling noises. End up limping home in 1st gear for probably 15 miles. Flywheel bolts backed out and there were literally only 2 bolts still holding it in place. Ended up mangling the threads on the crank so I drilled out the threads and helicoiled it with the motor in the car.. .. then loctite the shit out of the new bolts ... still holding strong to this day..

I could go on but those were 2 memorable moments, get a good laugh every time I think about it. I could almost tear up thinking about it. Could of abandoned the car game which I was encouraged to by pretty much everyone but you could say I'm determined AF & here we are today. The next chapter is gonna be something to look back on, that's for sure.

 

This makes me feel a bit better.

The incorrectly installed rear main seal & botched clutch install kinda hurt my pride a bit - to my credit, the rear main seal on the B5 S4 is an absolute bitch to do ... most say if it's not leaking, don't replace it or it'll potentially leak. Mine was leaking for some time and I had no choice.

The clutch issues to me is a total fluke. I have a hunch it's the pilot bearing, but there's really no telling until it's apart.

 

It may hurt your pride, but you just doubled down on your man card, pulling that sucka apart again

 

If you gunna be dumb, you gotta be tough.

 

If you don't want your pride hurt, get away from the car game, start running..

Cars will literally gut you emotionally, physically & financially but with that said, nothing is better than that first start after a swap or any kind of work for that matter. It's literally what keeps me going.

 

Hey... you are becoming an expert in repairing S4 in record breaking time..... as miserable as you are feeling now, you are winning!

 

Thanks for the encouraging words guys, much appreciated.

 

My forearm is highly developed from my major teenage past time...
ultimately that didn't leave a lot of time for me to learn how to swap engines.

 

I know you - if you had the time, you'd be a master tech.

 

Time, space and money and all things can be accomplished...
I wish I knew it all...I'd be a car flipping fool for sure. Parts aren't usually that expensive, especially with the internet.

 

Guess I was am a good multi tasker..

 

I'd like to watch you work, man.

 

:gheyhug:

 

vacation?..

 

Oui!

 

too soon ... too soon

 

^LOL for a second, i actually thought that was what i said... because it does sound right

 

I wasn't kidding about the man card thing. I'm ready for you to propose to me. I'll do anything.

 

It's sad how on an Acura devoted forum, I have to go into the audi thread to see a good build

 

I do occasionally check into the 3G section to see the FI / NA builds .. 4G / 5G are just plain sad.

 

There is some 3G stuff coming back again, but it seems in general, most guys are cheaping out with whatever they do with that car. I can't blame them. Likely doesn't make much sense to put 5000 dollar wheels on a car worth 9000.

 

Finally up and running after 5 weeks.

As some of you know, I was experiencing some clutch issues and it turned out to be the pilot bearing install. To insure 0 issues, I decided to order a brand new LUK OEM dual mass flywheel and start fresh like I should have done from the start.

After all of this, I would say this is probably the best "version" of my build so far, I did the following:

Re-did all of my wastegate lines w/ 3/16" fuel line hoses & new clamps





Bought new 2.25" to 2" high temperature silicon couplers for the turbos & inlets, also added heatwrap to the areas where it gets toasty:




FX400 clutch disk & pressure plate were good.






I also re-adjusted & pressure tested my wastegate cracking pressure from 14psi to 12psi. Boost is much more predictable now with less compressor surge.

Motor went back in on Sunday and also added my new Wagner sidemounts.

Beautiful thing about these sidemounts? Uses all of my OEM intercooler hoses and didn't have to trim my bumper or core support.

The ER / SRM / RS4 intercoolers require new hoses, core support trimming, etc.








We were delayed 2-3 hours towards the end because we couldn't figure out a simple ground issue

Live and learn, she's back:



I've driven it about 75 miles since last night and everything looks solid .. battery is a little tired but otherwise behaving normally.

I need to perform a boost leak test to make sure everything is snug, but otherwise I should finally be taking steps forward rather than 3 back

Started to get excited about finishing this project ... it's been a long journey.

 

hey tyler, have you considered changing your accessory belt? it seems really accessible in that 2nd to last pic.
regards!

 

 

congrats! in for vids. Did you get the exhaust done? or is that on hold from all the motor work?

 

I thought that too, Adam...
I think he probably had to remove it to access something to remove the bumper.

 

No tags on the plate on the wall. It was probably the front plate that he removed and is now an ornament.

 

or that...maybe he manned up and no more front plate!
although the braps of stage iii and the attention it'll demand might not want to push your luck

 

front plate brahs

 

Accessory belt is pretty new, maybe 15,000 miles on it or so

Currently exhaul-less, I know Jason is secretly cheering me on to keep it this way but damn ... it's a magnet for cops. Constantly on the lookout

My goal tomorrow is getting it welded up tomorrow

From there, my wideband gauge can be put into the secondary o2 slot ..

Bingo.

 

Damn those gold plated wrap looks hella cool.

 

Car running strong?

 

Videos please!!!

 

He's driving the fit....

 

but its got VTEC yo

 

 

I didn't know you're a big fan of tying various rope knots, also!!

 

Eagle Scout, baby!

 

You're getting good at this engine in, engine out, engine back in routine aren't ya?! Nice work man!