I have a 92 non-vtec civic hatchback. I am looking for some performace pistions that will up my compression ratio and that wont blow out on my when i am running high PSI on the turbo. My friend told me about WSCE, or WSAC pistons? I am not sure what he said. Can someone please point me in the right direction, thanks. Justin

Get lower compression pistons and raise the boost more.

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So if I get lower compression pistons I can run higher boost?

yes. in a sense, the idea is that a turbo bolted on will itself raise the boost pressure (i.e., the psi). but you're gonna need more than just pistons to get reliability. your engine, in stock form can only hold so much pressure without melting something or throwing a rod or elsewise seriously screwing your engine. you also have to consider how much pressure the block itself can withstand (depending on how much extra boost you're planning on adding). to minimize the chance of sending your engine to the "junkyard in the sky", the best way to save engine life is to build a low-compression engine - if you have a turbo. i don't know how much a built '92 motor could potentially hold, but my '98, fully built, could possibly hold 25 psi - MAX - of boost. that would haul (or make a nice burn-out!). i would like to see if it's possible to go 30 psi. probably could, but that's getting into dangerous and unreliable territory (the block itself can't withstand the pressure for long). but to do this you MUST build from the ground-up as a low-compression engine. even if you don't go crazy adding mad-boost. is yours right now a stock motor? it's not just different pistons that you want to add though, if you're looking for all-around performance and reliability. you want to look @ rings, head gasket, sleeving the bottom end, etc. all of it needs to be beefed up. i've never done it, but i've also heard that porting and polishing the cylinder heads can help too. but i don't know about that from personal experience. you also need to see what you can afford. to do it 'right' can be expensive. but it's even more expensive to do a total rebuild if you melt something or throw a rod. that would suck. do you know a good shop in your area? if not, i can give you a number of a guy who'd be able to start you on the right road to knowing what's best for your application. he professionally drag races civics and owns a shop in my area (chicago, il.), tuning street machines as well.

The reason you want 8or 9:1 compression ratio pistons is this:

When you turbo a car it raises the compression ratio with more boost.

more boost=more compression

The problem with lower CR pistons is that NA you will not have as much power, but when the boost kicks in you are on your way.  The pistons in your car are already 10:1 or 11:1!!!  The problem is that you have a weak block.  It can only take 6 psi reliably.  8 max!

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dre - you're talking 6-8 psi (max) in stock configuration, right (without building the engine)? i think i was clear on this, but maybe not everyone else reading this.

David,

I'm talking about a stock motor. 

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I am not going to strap a turbo on a stock motor. Its going to be a built motor.