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04 NBP - old but still fresh!

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fresh nbp
7K views 45 replies 18 participants last post by  Ssm05k20z1 
#1 · (Edited)
1/5/2020 update! pictures on post #5 first page.

Engine blew 5/4/19 and car has been sitting awhile - getting ready to rebuild the engine now. Will be staying NA. parts list below, feel free to add input. Hoping to be around 300whp when finished - was at 221whp/162tq with stock k20a2 full boltons and tune before.

I have 0 experience pulling/rebuilding engines, so this is all new to me. Learning as I go, so hopefully I can inspire someone to show their old rsx some love!

Also turns out - the engine didn't actually blow - when I got it apart I realized a spark plug had just gotten blown apart. the top tip of it was bouncing around in the head as I could tell, and the bottom piece had dropped into the cylinder, found a small bit in the intake manifold and a small piece stuck to the top of the head by the valves.

Already determined/purchased:
k24a4 block honed to 87.5mm, stock sleeves, stock crankshaft
saenz s series rods
wiseco 12.5:1 pistons
4piston rr4 I believe cams
4piston modified k20 oil pump
4piston adjustable cam gears
4piston flywheel bolts
4piston 156 machined k20 head - ferrea valves, 4piston springs/retainers

to be determined to support the engine as it's built:
insane shafts axles/half shaft
ATI crank pulley
moroso baffled oil pan
mishimoto radiator
mishimoto fans/shroud
fuel pump - want to be able to run e85 in the future still researching
injectors - see above
new header/exhaust for k24 bottom end, looking at ktuned 3" option
intake manifold - still researching
intake - researching
mfactory lsd
tsx 6th gear
4.7 final drive

I'm sure I'm forgetting things - still researching as much as I can as I wait for parts to come in to start assembling the block.

Thanks for checking it out! stick around for more progress as we go! I'm hoping to be ready to track season in the spring

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
slowly building - 07 crew - supreme lurker status :shady:



Intro:

Originally purchased with 28k mi with only aspec lip kit and uninstalled aspec suspension. Sold the suspension to a member here as I was not ready to modify yet.

Have been through a ton with the car, it stayed very close to stock for a long time. Probably never took good enough care of it, but learned a lot of maintenance basics over the years, enjoyed driving it, etc etc.

Eventually I purchased a DD (09 subaru legacy) and began toying with the RSX. Now she is at about 160k miles, and still going strong! I went to my first track events with SCCA this past fall and was hooked. pictures of track days scattered throughout!

Check back as I piece together any and all old photos I have and can find, document some of the car's past, and update things to come. This thing has had a ton of love, and a ton of inspiration from different members of this forum, dating back most prominantly to 2009-2012 ish

Thank you all for looking! And thank you to all the OGs for inspiring - coredump, spaz, cauqazn, jackie, thecolumbian, archull, krisen, dc5bo, so many more!


11 years, 130k miles later...

Mod List

Exterior
-Aspec lip kit - installed before purchase
-redout tails, blackout headlights
-brake ducts (still need to fab up ducting around CAI)
-Aspec OEM high wing

Interior
-05/06 cloth seats, front and rear
-red stitched cloth shift boot
-TSX shift knob
-Type R floor mats
-strut king pedals

Engine
-Injen CAI
-Invidia Q300 exhaust
-Invidia race header
-Innovative 75a motor mounts
-Kpro
-Ktuned CMC and slave cylinder
-Ktuned billet shift box and race spec shift cables

Suspension
-Progress coilovers
-Progress adjustable rear sway
-Cusco front tower bar
-Blackworks lower control arms

Brakes
-TL type S retrofitted front brembos
-Goodridge SS lines
-Stoptech slotted rotors
-Motul RBF600 brake fluid
-Hawk DTC30 brake pads

Wheels
-Enkei RPF1 17x8.5 +30 (clears brembos with no spacer, stock studs, 24mm clearance spoke to caliper)
-Firestone Firehawk 245/40/17
-Project Kics R40 lugs in neo chrome

to be installed
-RBC intake manifold with karcepts TB adapter
-retrofitted projector headlights from RsxRetrofits
-hondata intake manifold gasket

some recent stuff




 
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4
#2 · (Edited)
purchased 2007 with aspec lip kit.

first steps - blacked out headlights, red out tails





next - 05/06 wheels



skip like 7 years and 120k miles ahead...all bolt ons are installed, 09 legacy purchased, getting ready for first track day. stock suspension, stock seats, stock shifter, stock style pads, but fresh tires. federal 595, cheap and reccomended by a friend.




after the wing, but before coilovers



props to ktuned for a beatiful shifter! TSX knob to really set it off



bringing home the seats



sad drivers seat



first time ripping apart the interior



all cleaned up



new seats in with shifter and looking fresh!

 
#4 · (Edited)
Props to k series parts for crazy fast shipment! Ordered wheels 4:30p friday, they were at my house before noon the next day!

RPF1's are in, about to order some tires, and hopefully finish brakes and test fit the wheels this week.






Getting ready to put it all together... it's not the rsx hatch but i guess it'll do




6 weeks later, as she gets ready to be released back into the wild!





More to come, better quality pictures, more from the track, and future track days and installs! Check recent posts for what's going on lately
 
#5 · (Edited)
progress begins months after engine failure at the track last year... bought a new house this year so been too busy to work on it, and had to clean up space in the garage after we moved in.

The car got towed back from the track in May '19, and sat in my mom's garage for several months while we moved. Finally got it towed to the new house, rolled it outside to wash, and then got ready to begin...





v


and now we wait for parts...parts list on first post!


 
#11 · (Edited)
6/1 update - more brembos, more doggos

see above in post 3

also, seats, shifter, etc above that in post 2. trying to keep whole thread chronologically, but theres a ton of old stuff to add

rotors are on, getting ready to install brake lines and new calipers

wheels are ordered, tires TBD. taking any reccomendations, planning on 235/40 on 17x8.5 +30 rpf1's.
 
#16 · (Edited)
6/3 update - wheels are in, preview in post #4



I wish I had videos! Been so focused on learning to drive, havn't gotten my phone mounted up yet. Planning to do that before the next track day! Will keep y'all posted.

Super clean. Love the 02-04 A-Spec factory look.
Thanks, I've always loved it. Like my original post, there's been so much inspiration over the years on here with people that have done incredible things with the 02-04 body style! :thumbsup:
 
#18 · (Edited)
6/16 update

A few pictures updated in post 4 - more to come but a look at what's been up!

New brembo conversion from Vision Autoworks (aka Cullen, rsxretrofits, cauqazn, etc but thank you!!)

New RPF1's, new lugs, new stainless lines, new tires, new rotors, new pads!



They are 245/40/17 firestone firehawks on 17x8.5 +30 Enkei RPF1s. No spacer, no extended studs, no modified fenders. I'm still sitting a bit high on my Progress coils, at least it feels that way after this wheel/tire setup. Waiting to install SPC front camber bolts to dial it in, also waiting to research camber plates or other options for more adjustment. The rears have SPC arms, and before the brake/wheel swap I was at about -.6 front -.3 rear. If I go lower, which I may, we'll see what happens. Always open to tips and pointers!

In terms of fitment of Cullen's brembo retrofit, I have about 24mm of clearance from spoke to caliper with these wheels. Again, this is with no spacer, and stock studs. Due to the "bubble face" of the RPF1's anything lower than 9" width, they seem to clear the brembos with ease. Don't get me wrong, I love the flat face of the 9" or up, but read about a lot of fitment issues even with offset as low as +22. I haven't verified or tested anything other than what I listed above

Hope you all come check it out, chime in, hang out for what we do here! Thanks for all the help and inspiration!

-Mike
 
#26 ·
Will definitely let you know - I've had kpro for awhile, running a pre loaded tune for I/H/E but looking forward to get it properly tuned once I get the manifold on. Havn't had it on a dyno, but I believe people with I/H/E/reflash normally get to about 200whp ish. I'd like to think I can get about 215-220 with the manifold and an actual tune.

Kpro is only 700 I believe, and the manifold is only like 250 alone, maybe about 300 after the throttle body adapter. Where are you getting 2k from? Is that including a tune or something you're saying?

is that a stripper pole in your house?...lol
haha uhhh no it's not that cool, just an exposed support beam :dontknow:
 
#30 ·
I figure after getting everything and having to put a high flow car or new headernin because I’m running ITR with cat and getting a tune I would probably be in the 1700-2k range depending on header or cat or whatever it’s just more money than it willing to spend , and then not be CA smog legal :(


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#31 ·
Yea the header is maybe the most expensive part of that equation, if you go with a quality part. As I understand it, without kpro, you can't really maximize the impact of either. And also, running a cat minimizes the gains you'd see from the intake manifold. I don't think the RBC really shines until the high end of the power band, and I'm sure the cat would even shrink that down.
 
#33 ·
:hb: thanks man, can't wait to get the lights hooked up hopefully this week. Will share some pictures with them posted on the car, and some night shots.

Started pulling stuff apart to get at the manifold. Got everything marked and disconnected, test fit for now. I'll be trying to swap out my compressor while the manifold is off if I can. Any pointers welcome! :fistbump:





 
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