Before Eddie purchased the car, the front and rear bumpers had been swapped out for '98-plus pieces, and a fresh coat of Dodge Viper Red had been laid on. Once delivery had been made the car was taken straight to Steen Chassis in Signal Hill, Calif., where the rear seats and plastics were replaced with a 10-point rollcage, a parachute mount, and an NHRA-spec window net. Eddie's goal for this car was to make as much power as possible, yet remain streetable, so instead of the usual B-series turbo build Eddie opted for the bigger displacement K20A2 from the RSX Type S, also mated to a huge turbo.
While the car was in the shop getting the rollcage installed, Eddie purchased the K-series from a good friend and began the teardown process. It started with disassembly, cleaning, and prepping the new parts. The stock 86mm bore was maintained but strengthened by installing a set of Darton sleeves. RS Machine, in Norwalk, Calif., modified the stock crankshaft, increasing the stroke from 86-88.5mm. The advantage here is that it allows the pistons to travel farther up and down the bores, resulting in more power and more torque. The downside is that it creates a higher compression ratio, which is less desirable for turbo applications. The K20A2 features a stock compression ratio of 11.0:1 but Eddie nudged it down to a more suitable 10.0:1 by swapping out the stock pistons and rings for a set of custom Arias pistons, and connected them to the crank with a set of Crower connecting rods. Up top the camshafts were left stock but the valves, valvesprings, retainers, and keepers were all upgraded to Supertech components for increased durability. The head was also ported and its exhaust side was polished to help gases escape more freely.
Eddie wasn't happy with any available aftermarket intake manifolds so he created his own and matched it to an oversized BDL Industries throttle body. A custom double-thickness single core radiator was also integrated to help keep the engine cool.
Following its return from the chassis shop, the new engine was installed using a set of Innovative mounts, and the DC2's fuel system was plumbed using Earl's stainless steel braided lines and fittings. After being pumped from the tank by an Aeromotive high-flow fuel pump, gasoline travels through a BDL Industries inline fuel filter and a BDL Industries fuel rail before entering the engine through custom 1,600cc fuel injectors. A Carbonetic ceramic clutch and flywheel transfer power from the engine to the Quaife limited-slip differential-equipped five-speed transmission sourced from a '03 Civic Si. Eddie opted for this transmission over the RSX's six-speed gearbox because, as Eddie puts it, "I don't use that Sixth gear anyway since it's a drag car." On the street, power is put to the ground using a set of 1,000hp-rated Drive Shaft Shop axles transferred to 16-inch Sprint Hart CP-R wheels wrapped in Hankook rubber. A Garrett GT40R ball-bearing turbo is mated to the top end with a custom twin-scroll exhaust manifold. Such manifolds allow exhaust gases from each cylinder bank to more effectively spool the turbine, which results in more horsepower and is ultimately what Eddie cares about. Exhaust gases are either diverted away in hopes of controlling boost using a 44mm dual-port TiAL wastegate or leave the engine through a custom down pipe fabricated by RS Machine's David Chan, and a 4-inch exhaust system finished off with a Burn's stainless steel muffler. A custom intercooler, also fabricated by Chan, is matched with custom intercooler piping and helps cool the incoming air charge to avoid detonation and keep things safe. Finally, a Hondata S300 engine management system keeps the engine running at its full potential, and Auto Meter gauges allow Eddie to keep an eye on exactly what's going on at all times.