F23A1 Turbo Build (240hp Target) - Looking for Advice / Potential Hurdles

[yoGranto]

Hey everyone,

I’m about to pick up a clean, straight 1998 Accord LX sedan (5-speed manual, F23A1 SOHC VTEC) to build a fun, reliable-ish weekend car. This wont be my daily. I have a shop with a hydraulic lift, so I’ll be doing 100% of the physical labor myself or as much as I can.

My target is a hopefully safe, progressive 240–250 wheel horsepower on around 8–10 PSI. I want to keep the factory block internals untouched and let a progressive tune save the stock rods.

Before I start ordering parts, I wanted to lay out my blueprint here to see if I'm missing any major hurdles, and to ask what the toughest issues you guys ran into during assembly, plumbing, or long-term driving.

The Parts Blueprint:

• Engine Prep: Fresh OEM MLS head gasket, ARP Head Studs (208-4307), Gates timing belt & water pump kit.
• Brain/Tuning: Hondata S300 V3 inside a rebuilt OBD1 P28 ECU + OBD2b-to-OBD1 jumper harness, AEM X-Series Wideband O2. (Will be professionally dyno tuned by a Honda specialist).
• Turbo Hardware: Budget cast-iron T3/T4 turbo kit layout, 2.5" intercooler piping, slim front-mount intercooler tucked under the factory bash bar.
• Fuel & Cooling: Walbro 255 LPH fuel pump, 550cc injectors, dual-core aluminum radiator + slim electric fans, NGK BKR7E plugs (gapped down).
• Footwork: MaXpeedingrods coilovers, adjustable rear camber kit, upgraded rear sway bar, and sticky summer tires on standard 4x114.3 wheels.

For those who have boosted an F23: What were the biggest headaches during the actual install? Any weird clearance issues with the intercooler piping, or specific things I should watch out for? Am I pushing it too much for my plan?

Appreciate any advice at all!

 

[RedRyder]

Also search up threads by RedRussian, iHazSnail, & other 4cyl turbo cars to help supplement your info/build.

I remember hearing the biggest hurdle was just very little aftermarket support for the F23 & having to piece things together.