Si 2020 Si 0 miles block build thread

kytos

Senior Member
First Name
Marcos
Joined
Apr 18, 2018
Threads
7
Messages
601
Reaction score
416
Location
Madrid - Spain
Website
www.instagram.com
Vehicle(s)
CIVIC SPORT 1.5t 2017 EUDM
Country flag
The oil pan is baffled but you mean the top of the pan, and it doesn't have vertical baffle plates, right? Can you share more photos? I always find these posts interesting.
Sponsored

 
OP
OP
mrburgerUS

mrburgerUS

Senior Member
First Name
Nicholai
Joined
Dec 20, 2019
Threads
21
Messages
216
Reaction score
318
Location
Cincinnati, OH
Vehicle(s)
2020 Civic Hatchback Si Swap
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
The oil pan is baffled but you mean the top of the pan, and it doesn't have vertical baffle plates, right? Can you share more photos? I always find these posts interesting.
No vertical baffles, but it does look like the top baffle has a different part number than previous years, so an improvement may have been made.
 
OP
OP
mrburgerUS

mrburgerUS

Senior Member
First Name
Nicholai
Joined
Dec 20, 2019
Threads
21
Messages
216
Reaction score
318
Location
Cincinnati, OH
Vehicle(s)
2020 Civic Hatchback Si Swap
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
Rods came in! The Saenz S series rods are BEEFY in comparison to stock Si rods. Problem is, I’ve never done bearing selection myself before! Honda offers a service manual chart for selecting OEM bearings based on the etched codes onto the rods and crankshaft. Looking at the codes on the OEM rods:
3 3 3 3
and on the crank:
C C C C

They’re matched accordingly. Now though, I need to select my Saenz bearings, but I can’t find any L15B7 bearings besides the OEM. I’m guessing I’ll need a dial bore gauge ($$$$) and the OEM rods to determine my bearing size?

If anyone has any tips, I’d be super appreciative!

Honda Civic 10th gen 2020 Si 0 miles block build thread 9EEB54E6-E3D2-405F-8564-45AFF00A272D
 

turbociv910

Senior Member
First Name
taylor
Joined
Jun 24, 2019
Threads
22
Messages
1,010
Reaction score
993
Location
wilmington nc
Vehicle(s)
2020 SGP Civic Type R, Audi Q5
Build Thread
Link
Country flag
Rods came in! The Saenz S series rods are BEEFY in comparison to stock Si rods. Problem is, I’ve never done bearing selection myself before! Honda offers a service manual chart for selecting OEM bearings based on the etched codes onto the rods and crankshaft. Looking at the codes on the OEM rods:
3 3 3 3
and on the crank:
C C C C

They’re matched accordingly. Now though, I need to select my Saenz bearings, but I can’t find any L15B7 bearings besides the OEM. I’m guessing I’ll need a dial bore gauge ($$$$) and the OEM rods to determine my bearing size?

If anyone has any tips, I’d be super appreciative!

9EEB54E6-E3D2-405F-8564-45AFF00A272D.jpeg
thats the right way to do it, but 90% of home builds just slap off the shelf bearings in there and are mostly fine.

id be checking the oem bearings and using those if i could
 
OP
OP
mrburgerUS

mrburgerUS

Senior Member
First Name
Nicholai
Joined
Dec 20, 2019
Threads
21
Messages
216
Reaction score
318
Location
Cincinnati, OH
Vehicle(s)
2020 Civic Hatchback Si Swap
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
Update:

I’m checking bearing clearance with a Mitutoyo digital micrometer and a set of Telescope Gauges, along with a final plastigage verification. My machinist just had a few major life events so he is unable to work on my block notching. I’ve been attempting to take as little material as possible using a Dremel. The problem arises in that the ductile iron sleeves are very different to the aluminum block so grinding stones have been taking a little bit. the Saenz rods are supposed to need the least notching of all H beam rods, but “minimal notching” is relative.

Honda Civic 10th gen 2020 Si 0 miles block build thread 7125130D-A0E6-4FDC-9560-C92D57A2E0AC


Honda Civic 10th gen 2020 Si 0 miles block build thread 080F8449-6CA3-4E84-878E-3F498D148686
 


OP
OP
mrburgerUS

mrburgerUS

Senior Member
First Name
Nicholai
Joined
Dec 20, 2019
Threads
21
Messages
216
Reaction score
318
Location
Cincinnati, OH
Vehicle(s)
2020 Civic Hatchback Si Swap
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
a little update:

I finished grinding and polishing the notches for the Saenz Rods. I’m currently cleaning and verifying fitment of the connecting rods and new JE Pistons. Everything moves smoothly, although the fact I hand-ground the notches doesn’t look too good. I rebuilt my oil pump with the MAPerformance gears, now it’s time to get it back together, and get head + timing components.
 

Myx

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2016
Threads
79
Messages
2,166
Reaction score
2,042
Location
Delaware
Vehicle(s)
2018 Honda Civic EX (Hatchback/CVT)
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
a little update:

I finished grinding and polishing the notches for the Saenz Rods. I’m currently cleaning and verifying fitment of the connecting rods and new JE Pistons. Everything moves smoothly, although the fact I hand-ground the notches doesn’t look too good. I rebuilt my oil pump with the MAPerformance gears, now it’s time to get it back together, and get head + timing components.
What would you say is the weight difference between the stock connecting rods/pistons vs the Saenz rods and JE Pistons? I have been looking for this information but can't find it.

If everything is still apart, would you mind weighing the differences between the two?
 

airickmatthews

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2017
Threads
38
Messages
695
Reaction score
250
Location
Ruskin fl
Vehicle(s)
17 civic hatch sport
Country flag
What would you say is the weight difference between the stock connecting rods/pistons vs the Saenz rods and JE Pistons? I have been looking for this information but can't find it.

If everything is still apart, would you mind weighing the differences between the two?
Newb question.... what does weight really have to do with anything?
 

FLOPPER

Senior Member
First Name
Thomas
Joined
Jan 27, 2018
Threads
2
Messages
160
Reaction score
102
Location
DFW
Vehicle(s)
2017 Civic LX 6MT
Country flag
Newb question.... what does weight really have to do with anything?
One wild ass guess--if the weights are very far off from OEM, you could have some very bad (and even dangerous) harmonics.
 


CAPTS

Senior Member
First Name
TY
Joined
Nov 18, 2019
Threads
18
Messages
1,044
Reaction score
1,367
Location
Malaysia
Website
www.facebook.com
Vehicle(s)
10th Gen CivicX CVT->MT
Build Thread
Link
Country flag
What would you say is the weight difference between the stock connecting rods/pistons vs the Saenz rods and JE Pistons? I have been looking for this information but can't find it.

If everything is still apart, would you mind weighing the differences between the two?
JE 220 gms if i recall correctly forgotten abt the rods but you can dig up my posts, some of them are written on the boxes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Myx

Myx

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2016
Threads
79
Messages
2,166
Reaction score
2,042
Location
Delaware
Vehicle(s)
2018 Honda Civic EX (Hatchback/CVT)
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
Newb question.... what does weight really have to do with anything?
I am a stickler for rotational mass information.

2ndly, I had these same pistons/rods (JE Pistons/ Saenz Rods) installed in a rebuilt engine that I will be having installed hopefully within the next two weeks. My mechanic never disassembled my old engine so no weighing the stock parts and the new parts (JE Pistons/Saenz Rods) were sent directly to the shop rebuilding the engine, that was sent to them. So I couldn't weigh the JE Pistons or Saenz Rods myself.

It's all for personal information. Most people don't care for this kind of stuff. So if the OP has these parts apart and laying around, I was asking if he could weigh them.

That is what this has to do with this. :)





JE 220 gms if i recall correctly forgotten abt the rods but you can dig up my posts, some of them are written on the boxes.
Thanks Capt! I am off to digging now. :thumbsup:

Edit: Found the piston pic off of your box Capt.

Honda Civic 10th gen 2020 Si 0 miles block build thread JE Piston Weight
 
Last edited:

olesaintnik

Senior Member
Joined
May 6, 2019
Threads
9
Messages
135
Reaction score
73
Location
United States
Vehicle(s)
2019 Civic Si Coupe
Vehicle Showcase
2
Country flag
This thread is awesome! The member comments and your step-by-step experiences/pictures are a treasure trove of information for newbs like myself! Thanks for posting this! Please keep it up!

Don't worry about a lightweight crank pulley, it gives negligible HP while introducing harmonics to the engine. It's worth it on an engine that is not popular and doesn't make a lot of hp from factory, like my Suzuki SX4 did, not in this one. You're looking at around 3-5hp in first and second gear and less than 1 hp in overdrive gears. You're already going for over 300whp, don't introduce another reason for the engine to fail.

Build recommendation from me:
get the rods, pistons aren't needed IF you get it tuned professionally. Pistons will usually only break if you are pushing super hard or introduce detonation. With your 2860 turbo you won't come anywhere near the limits of the stock SI pistons. Valve springs may be a good idea if you want to rev past 7000 rpm or push over 30 psi of boost but until we get aftermarket cams, if staying at stock rev limit I don't see the reason for it. There are guys here pushing 28-29 psi and not having spring issues that I'm aware of.

Another reason for not going with forged pistons if you don't need them is you WILL have to let the engine fully warm up before you go hard on it as a forged piston expands at a different rate than a stock one. Had that issue in my atv and you could hear it when cold. It's the same as letting you oil temps be up before getting on it but you have to be extra careful with pistons as they will have a tendency to slap around a bit when cold.
Wow, I learned a ton from this post. Thanks for sharing your experience!

Most likely doing an Si head for the taller fuel pump cam. If I need to, i have a friend that machines high pressure fuel pumps to overdrive them. Hopefully I don’t need this service, but we’ll see. My tentative goal is about 320-330 WHP, so a built block will keep reliability up.
Couldn't a built block reliably hold much more power than that?

I am a stickler for rotational mass information.

2ndly, I had these same pistons/rods (JE Pistons/ Saenz Rods) installed in a rebuilt engine that I will be having installed hopefully within the next two weeks. My mechanic never disassembled my old engine so no weighing the stock parts and the new parts (JE Pistons/Saenz Rods) were sent directly to the shop rebuilding the engine, that was sent to them. So I couldn't weigh the JE Pistons or Saenz Rods myself.
Myx, did something happen to your original engine?
 

Myx

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2016
Threads
79
Messages
2,166
Reaction score
2,042
Location
Delaware
Vehicle(s)
2018 Honda Civic EX (Hatchback/CVT)
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
Myx, did something happen to your original engine?
Yes! Uploaded a tune designated for higher octane when I didn't have higher octane in it. Engine go boom. Now rebuild!
Sponsored

 


 


Top