Building the Beast - Part 1

Since this engine was destined to crank out serious horsepower, the original factory main bearings were replaced with a set of ACL (Automotive Components Limited) race series bearings treated with Calicos special CT-1 treatment. Providing a range of .0002-.0004-inch layer of CT-1 dry film lubricant to the bearings adds protection that many factory bearings fail to provide when flirting with high RPM's for an extended period of time. The K20 block was sent to Golden Eagle Manufacturing, located in San Dimas, California. The bottom end was outfitted with a set of Golden Eagle race sleeves, addressed with a standard race hone job and machined to a 90mm bore (40 thousandths over factory). It was then stuffed with the K24 crank and 96.5mm B-series rods.

A methodically planned and meticulously assembled bottom end is just one step towards achieving a longer-lasting long block, but the main focus on unleashing those elusive ponies fall into the category of possessing a well-built cylinder head. Skunk2 had no second guesses when selecting what ports to use for the force-fed RSX-T. Since the debut of the K-series power plant, Skunk2 has endured years of trial and error in producing custom headwork that has propelled their drag race division to new heights. Using the same port design as Skunk2's 9-second beasts, Dave Hsu himself hand ported the cylinder head. Each port and combustion chamber goes through the Skunk2 special porting process, opening up the runners to gain more cc's and is outfitted with CNC-machined titanium retainers and Pro Series valve springs. The stock-sized valves, utilizing a custom valve job, are orchestrated by the factory camshaft for the time being. Skunk2 has acquisitioned the RSX-T as a test mule for six unique camshaft profiles that are currently in the testing phase with a public release date to be determined. The freshly ported head was sandwiched between a Cometic .036mm head gasket and bolted down using Skunk2's ultra high tensile strength Pro series head and main studs, a crucial component for K-series engines that possess notoriously weak OEM head and main bolts.

Dr.Charles Madrid, mechanic and fabricator at Skunk2, kept true to his mad scientist persona as he was credited as the mastermind behind the design and fabrication of the RSX-T's custom intake manifold. "We were basically looking to build an intake that had the shortest, most direct route to the turbo. We just looked at where the intercooler was positioned, where the outlet of the turbo was and where the inlet of throttle body sat, and just placed them as short and straight as possible," stated Madrid. Using his trusty grinder and chopsaw, Dr. Charles performed his open-heart surgery, slicing open the intake manifold to redesign the plenum. The factory Type-S manifold was TIG welded and constructed using multiple sections of aluminum sheet metal. The prototype manifold consisted of a tapered design leading into the 70mm Skunk2 Pro Series throttle body. The final results produced a more direct manifold that flowed better than other manifolds on the market today. Interestingly enough, the intake manifold was dynoed on a naturally aspirated motor and netted 10 more horsepower over the standard Skunk2 manifold. You can bet it's only a matter of time before copycat manufacturers take this newly introduced manifold into production and credit it as their own.

With so many aspects of the engine build to cover, it's a shame that we have to leave our readers hanging high and dry 'till part two of our buildup for project RSX-T. But all good things must come to an end sooner or later, right? Look forward to our next issue as we cover all aspects of the forced induction system, complete with a custom turbo and a mind-boggling exhaust manifold as we inch closer to completing the ultimate street RSX.

By Scott Tsuneishi

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