FORGED ENGINE BUILDS

You know you want a fully built engine. Only problem is you’re not exactly sure what that fully built engine ought to be made up of. The guy with the slicks on the front of his GTI tells you it’s got something to do with all sorts of expensive moving bits above that oil pan. The guy with the Supra says it’s also got something to do with how big that turbo is and what sort of ECU you’ve got and the guy with the tight pants and the vape pipe says it most definitely has something to do with you having a color-coordinated valve cover.

Historically, the term’s been used to describe the degree to which an engine’s been strengthened by way of stronger internal components and historically, it’s got nothing to do with horsepower, turbos, or even color-coordinated valve covers. Today, though, for some, the term isn’t just limited to strength. For some, it represents power output; for others, whether or not certain key engine bits that have no bearing on durability have been replaced or modified; and still for others, whether or not that valve cover matches those lug nuts. The interpretations are many, which means you listening to what a few industry experts think it means might do you some good.

WHAT PRESHEN SAY’S IT MEANS

The definition of a fully built engine is subjective, if anything, but it almost always comes down to one thing: making everything stronger. Unless you’re the guy with the tight pants, this’ll almost always consist of forged pistons and rods that are beefier than the cast factory ones, ductile-iron cylinders that won’t crack under high pressure, valve train capable of lofty engine speeds, hardware that can hold it all together, and the machining that’ll make everything happy.

BUILT WITH PURPOSE

DRAG

Drag engines use more heavy-duty components, like thick-wall wristpins, custom pistons, and high-tension piston rings, Preshen says when comparing those sorts of internals to something you might find on a street-based engine. Aluminum connecting rods are also prevalent as are bearing clearances that tend to be slightly looser, he says, both of which won’t bode well for engines that have to endure more than a quick burst down the strip.

“Street and road race engines are basically identical,

CIRCUIT

In Time Attack, we all want an engine that can do it all: make massive horsepower like a drag motor, combine that with the driveability of a road racing engine, and throw in the reliability of a street car, Striking the correct balance is the trick, though, as each of these has its strong and weak points.

Endurance and road race engines will be using steel connecting rods rather than aluminum and will be using lightweight components. Clearances will also be on the tight end.

DRIFT

According to Preshen, when it comes to putting something together with drifting in mind, it’s all about the powerband. “Powerband”, the location of that powerband, and how broad that powerband is, is in my opinion, the pinnacle of what dictates the components as well as characteristics of those components.

THE RIGHT PARTS FROM THE START

You already know the general consensus says to upgrade those pistons, rods, and cylinders as well as most of the moving bits up top, but there are still two ways things can go terribly wrong for you: picking inferior parts or going overkill. “Cheaper, obscure manufacturers often compromise on quality control and precision engineering,” “Buying these parts will save you money at the checkout, but often lead to engine problems and/or compatibility issues soon after.”

“We’ve found most customers feel they need big, bad, bulky, closed-deck sleeves in their blocks because they ‘appear stronger.