Turboing high mileage F23a4?

[pyaarawala]

I'm starting to lean towards the side of boosting an F series motor instead of swapping in an H series motor. I don't necessarily want to visit tracks and dynos everyday, but I definitely want a considerably faster Accord than the one I have now.

Here's the deal, my car is about 120K miles or so and I only have the mods listed in my sig, meaning the internals are completely stock. My first plan is to get rid of the loser AT I have. I recently had it rebuilt due to a tranny failure and I regret not doing a 5spd swap but I didn't have much of a choice since my Dad was paying for the rebuild, and he didn't want to pay extra for the MT parts & labor. Now for this transmission swap, since I want to eventually turbo a built F23a4 (or F23a1) motor, is the F23 5spd tranny the best swap for this turbo setup?

After the 5spd tranny swap, here are some options I have for pre-turbo preparations.

1) Turbo my current 120K miles F23a4 motor with stock internals running 6-8 psi, eventually blowing my motor, then replacing it with a low mileage F23 motor and build its internals to handle 8+ psi boost.

2) Same as option #1 except build the F23 internals BEFORE turboing.

3) Swap out my stock motor with another F23a4 OR F23a1 motor (VTEC is important). Since the new motor will be low mileage, I will definitely build its internals before turbo in order to prevent damage, and possibly run more boost.

Option #1 is very risky for my stock motor but it is the cheapest of the three. After my engine blows, I can simply perform Option #3 and run my turbo. The question is, if my stock engine blows with my turbo, will the turbo kit receive any damage as well? I don't want to end up buying a new turbo.

Option #2 is the one I least want to do. I really don't want to spend money building the internals of a high mileage motor.

Option #3 is ideal for my turbo setup but is the most expensive. Also, my stock F23 motor will simply go to waste since it's not blown or anything. If anything I can give it to the junkyard for a few hundred bucks.

Will any turbo work with the F23 motors?

Sorry for the long *** post, but I'm trying to gather as much information as possible before taking action. Everyone who helps me, this is me-->

 

[FallenAngelHIM]

when you build a high mileage motor, it's the same as getting a new motor.
when you go into building it you'll get brand new rods, pistons, and new o rings.
hopefully be smart enough while your engine is open to change and replace all gaskets.
you'll port, polish, bore everything clean.

it's stupid to say blow one motor then build another.
just build the one you have and it'll become a new motor. just make sure you replace things that should be replaced and don't whore your car.

 

[BlkCurrantKord]

Get a spare motor, build it on the side. Swap everything out at once (motor/trans). You'll probably find the F23 tranny easier to obtain and cheaper than the H22.

If it were me - I'd do a low budget bottom end build on a spare F23, swap it in w/ the trans and get it up and running N/A and then work on putting the turbo kit together. Unless you really have the time/money you'll more than likely not finish the project of building a motor, 5spd swap, and turbo kit.

If you do it, take it a little bit at a time.

 

[Kid2000EX]

Get a spare motor, build it on the side. Swap everything out at once (motor/trans). You'll probably find the F23 tranny easier to obtain and cheaper than the H22.

If it were me - I'd do a low budget bottom end build on a spare F23, swap it in w/ the trans and get it up and running N/A and then work on putting the turbo kit together. Unless you really have the time/money you'll more than likely not finish the project of building a motor, 5spd swap, and turbo kit.

If you do it, take it a little bit at a time.

And definitely dont compromise quality.

 

[pyaarawala]

How long is the process of building an F23 motor? Is it simply me ordering all the replacement gaskets, pistons, rods and all other internal parts, and a shop taking apart my motor and installing them for me? Or is it more complicated like sending out my head (possibly block) to places to get it bored and worked on. Because my car IS a DD and BlkCurrantKord's idea is very favorable to me since I'm going to need my car as much as possible. Sure I can let go a few days but not a few weeks without my car.

The only thing is that I'm going to spend more money and time if I get a spare F23 than to build my current one.

 

[Kid2000EX]

I think that swapping the tranny first would be a good thing because you can get a feel for the manny and the gears and RPM before you go turbo. Search for an F22 or 23 tranny first because findin an H22 tranny is gonna be balls hard.

 

[pyaarawala]

I think that swapping the tranny first would be a good thing because you can get a feel for the manny and the gears and RPM before you go turbo. Search for an F22 or 23 tranny first because findin an H22 tranny is gonna be balls hard.

I was thinking that too. Keep my stock motor but swap the F23 tranny first. And get a feel for that, then decide to either build my current F23 or get another one, and turbo either one. I just wanted to get a feel for how I'm going to go on my engine build.

I'll save up money till I have enough for the tranny swap, then save up again for the F23 build. If something happens to my motor, will my manual tranny be affected in any way?

 

[Kid2000EX]

I was thinking that too. Keep my stock motor but swap the F23 tranny first. And get a feel for that, then decide to either build my current F23 or get another one, and turbo either one. I just wanted to get a feel for how I'm going to go on my engine build.

I'll save up money till I have enough for the tranny swap, then save up again for the F23 build. If something happens to my motor, will my manual tranny be affected in any way?

Not really unless of course a piston blows through the block and tranny but that shouldnt happen.

 

[BlkCurrantKord]

It'll take a few weeks for a shop to assemble your motor, and yes it's pretty much how you put it. The only downside I see to not doing it all at once is that you almost have to drop the motor just to get the trans out/in anyways and the flywheel/clutch bolted in. So its one of those..."might as well" kinda things and for ease of installation.

I think AsianInvasion on here is selling or will be selling his F23 motor soon. Keep a look out for people that have done H22 swaps in their accords or have blown their motors w/ boost.

 

[BlkCurrantKord]

Not really unless of course a piston blows through the block and tranny but that shouldnt happen.

It's impossible.