[Open top enthusiast]

Hi, I am looking for imput on steps to insure reliable engine operation with boe rev 310 or possibly rev 400.
I currently have katana supercharger and had the engine dynoed at healthy 224hp to the wheels.
The engine is burning some oil and I am thinking it's probably the valve guides.

Having heard about dropped valves I am thinking about upgradjing the head with stronger valve train - currently the reasonable option seems to be monkey wrench racing, looking for opinions?

Question? if I am tearing the engine apart should I be investigating reinforced engine blocks with lower compression pistons?
Nikasil engine blocks with arias vs darton sleeved with Mahle pistons?
Opinions welcome

I use car mainly for Autocross and road trips so not planning on serious track abuse but I tend to hit the rev limit on my Autocross runs quite often.

Also I would appreciate advice on how to check the state of my pistons - leak down test?

Thanks for advice

 

[Ziker]

The burning oil would more than likely be caused by your valve seals as the oil would first have to make it by them to make it to your guides. Seals typically smoke on start up as Oil drains past them while the engine is sitting causing smoke. Could be that you have excessive blowby caused by worn rings if your losing oil.

I have just installed the rev400 so I dont have alot of miles to be able to give you my opinion but I did my own reserach prior to install and most have had great success with stock internals. The question I asked myself was how far do I go while I was upgrading my car. If you do the rev400 ....now you should probably do the clutch.... maybe the fly wheel since you have it unbolted..... maybe the valve springs since your so close.... why not the valves since you already took the chain off..... how about a limited slip since the trannys out. Its a slipper slope of mega expense. Determine how much power you want and take it from there. You already have a charger. Why not max out what you can there. before changing to a new blower.

 

[Open top enthusiast]

You are absolutely right,
I am on a slippery slope, so far I added to my car 05 elise:
Ds brace ( toe link fix)
LSD transmission (shaved around 1,5 sec on my average Autocross runs)
While I was replacing tranny I upgraded the clutch
This season I am getting Hoosiers

Now I am thinking about preventative maintenance and preparing for possibly more power down the road.
My plan is to have a very balanced car around 270~300 rwhp so that I can stick with the stock transmission.

 

[Open top enthusiast]

What is a danger of excesive blowby? Beside oul consumption

 

[lotus90]

If you look at BOE and DRS web site they both sell better valves and pistons. The boe block is also nice

 

[Open top enthusiast]

Is anyone running monkey wrench prepped head?
Trying to contain the cost, for about $900 Seems like nice upgrade of valves, springs and seals.
I swapped the transmission myself so I am thinking I could tackle the head swap as well.

If my piston rings are worn, could I just replace these? Or if I am tearing the engine already should I get some aftermarket pistons?
Is stock block resilient for 300rwhp power goal or is the better idea to just get a bullet proof sleeved or nikasil prepped engine block so the reliability is not a concern?

My car has 30 k miles on odo

 

[RichardNHCooper]

Two of us over here in Perth are running high hp Rev 400 with stronger valvetrain (Ferrea) and Mahle forged pistons in the original block without sleeves. My car is now over 85,000 km on the original block. No smoke and still great and even compressions.

 

[holmz]

What is a danger of excessive blow-by? Beside oil consumption

Oil lowers the octane, so if it is really coming out, then increases the possibility of detonation.
But is the blow-by on acceleration or suck-in on deceleration?

A leak down test does not test seals nor oil rings.
A 'healthy' amount of blow-by coming out of the oil cap would be the oil rings, and coating the intercooler is not overly beneficial.