Startup instrumentation
AEM wideband, boost/vacuum gauge, and oil-pressure gauge in the car during the first-start stage.
A living project history
Build Story.
Not just the finished spec list—the decisions, corrections, first-start proof, tuning checkpoints, and future milestones that turn the Civic into a documented build.
Concept
F-series torque + H-series flow
The engine concept centers on an F23 bottom end for displacement and torque, paired with H-series head architecture and a turbo sized with room beyond the initial low-boost stage.
Geometry
The compression calculation gets corrected
An earlier result used the wrong block/crank inputs and produced a false piston-to-deck number. Correcting the calculator to the F23/F23 combination brought piston-to-deck back near zero and the estimated static compression to 10.37:1.
Turbo Stage
GT35 on a cast log manifold
The current system is intentionally straightforward and has more turbo than the first 5 PSI stage needs. The extra capacity leaves room for later engine and fuel upgrades.
First Start
The G23 fires
The build moved from parts list to running car. The AEM wideband was active, the boost/vacuum gauge was installed, and cold-start oil pressure was observed around 90–95 PSI.
Now
Turn the startup into repeatable data
The immediate mission is hot oil-pressure verification, fuel-pressure confirmation, base timing sync, wideband validation, leak checks, and clean logged pulls on wastegate/low boost.
Next
Closed-course roll development
Once the base setup is stable, the project can focus on controlled boost delivery, high-speed pull data, traction at speed, and drivetrain changes that make power useful from a roll.
First-Start Proof
The gauges
are alive.
The current site preserves early proof instead of waiting for the polished final version. This is the stage where oil pressure, AFR behavior, base timing, and real logs matter more than a headline horsepower number.
Current Checkpoints
Before more boost
Verify hot oil pressure. Confirm fuel pressure rises correctly. Sync true crank timing to eCtune commanded timing. Validate the wideband. Log AFR, MAP, RPM, IAT, coolant, voltage, and timing. Read plugs. Inspect every leak path.