NathanMorris

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infinitypro12

The K20 swap, ha ha. aside from that I would say better cam profiles.

DC_Legacy

LOL, I wouldnt call it pandoras box persay but I think if you had to credit one "single" thing, I'd say the internet (though not completly dependable for all credible information) and its ever growing network of users which contribute to info/feedback on newer parts designs, and combinations.

Of course this would go back further than 2 yrs, but without it I feel these gains would have come more gradually.

NathanMorris

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DC_Legacy

Yeah, I think George Knighton knew this and is one reason HT is probably one of the grassroots beginnings for the shape of things today.

JerseySiPOS

iTrader: (2)

That's what you and others think, but the truth is...

there has been no improvement in knowledge, maybe .05% of the demographic practices engine building correctly. Not even the perceived (real builders), are true to selling knowledge, they think they are and suckers follow.

All it has been is just cars being lightened and butchered, displacement increased, and a million excuses that people make when they don't get the results they expect. And while people think their car is faster being "fully-built and tuned", and running test pipes, v-stacks in the bumper, and difusers on the street, they are still slower than the best combination, which is daily driven and truely street legal. Anyone can argue with me all year, but if you truely research and collect data to prove this theory, you will see what's in Pandora's box.

All others are just making money, and you are a sellout. Everyone just copies and because of their insecurity and uncertainty of their knowledge, they have to confirm the internet-based "right move" by starting threads about which part is the best.

Things that can be considered wrong:
-P30 / P72 cylinder head bolted to a B20 short block
-K20 cylinder head bolted to a K24 block
-Any aftermarket part out of Honda spec

Look at the difference in the shape of the torque curve going from the matched head/block diameters to unmatched head/block diameters, what are you losing?

You want to see a difference in this industry, stop asking which part, and start asking which COMBINATION and WHY!!! As a choice, I'd rather be poor than sell bullshit like all the young and desperate losers.

i.

DC_Legacy

No you have good points, but nobody said that real R&D done by Honda, or other companys should be substitued for internet community write-ups and by what certain regional automotive trends have dictated.

My point is, if it were not for the internet I feel & others may feel that the exchange or rate info back to smaller developing parts producer's (who may not have a large enough budget for extensive R&D) would have progressed slower without the internet.

But its a double edge sword because with this comes alot of misinformation with the internet also. Just my $.02,

ExospeedAMcrx

In my opinion, the last 6 yrs hasnt seen much SIGNIFICANT growth. You really have to look at it from the beginning. We started out in the early 90s. It really became strong around 1992-1994 and just evolved FAST since then. To me, compared to the growth in the mid to late 90s, the growth actually slowed down around 2003-04. Of course there were still great accomplishments in 05 to present, but the big record breaking era, totally new innovative parts, and all that was pre 02.

Don't get me wrong, alot of cool parts are still being made today, but I feel that NEW parts came about in the late 90s and early 2000, which eventually are just being fine tuned and made better with products of today.

There really isnt ONE thing that opened it up to a different level. Parts evolved to get better through the years. We had cams that made power in the 90s, and as the years progressed, cam profiles just changed and became better through time. Its the same with turbos, things worked back then also, but better designed, more efficient turbos came out year after year. Its just an evolution of things.

DonF

Tunable ECU's made all the other things work, unless you were going with a standalone, which is above the street market. Generally, in the mid 90's, you put on a set of webers and a hallteck or locked MSD ignition to get big numbers.

chrisdavis6

I think header development played a huge part of the growth.
The introduction of the long tube\ cat-less header.

JerseySiPOS

iTrader: (2)

There is tons of info to absorb on the internet, and like you said, it's natural that there is misinformation, but my main point is that while one thinks parts are getting better with cams and headers, that is far from the truth. Honda has not given you the best combination of their components and far and few take the time to try, thinking aftermarket parts are a step forward in performance. There is no such thing as custom or long-tube header. There is the right size and the wrong size for a dimension's design. Take 225/145 with aftermarket cams, header, mani and a tunable ECU vs 200/150 with Honda components and stock ECU. Both are existant, but the second is not perceived as possible, because of typical internet easy-way out searches. So your R&D can be what you removed from your "stock" engine and it's sitting in your basement.

In the end, all you really need is the Helms service manual, an understanding of the curve, and how to shape it.

logg_frogg

I feel the advances of the last couple years have been more about refinement of ideas, rather than new ideas. With racers being forced to step up their game and do the R&D to push their motors to new limits and for a fraction of the gains that they used to get.

Not only making the big numbers but making them reliably.

It helps alot when the market for parts is big enough so that top end parts are no longer one off items that only sponsored racers can afford and regular tuner drool about.

The B-Series has become the Chevy Small Block of the import world, it will always be around and as time goes on the top end parts will become more and more affordable.

Sparkles

Affordable programable engine management

DC_Legacy

Indeed

mar778c

iTrader: (1)

^^^^

Yeah and what Don said.

Conan the Destroyer

if i had to say ONE thing, i would say the availability of the B20 block.

if i could say more than one i would say headers, cams, and tunable ECUs combined with a wealth of knowledge on the net. it speeds things up and eliminated mass trial and error. now a days we dont ALL need to find out that JUN3s wont clear OEM B20 pistons the hard way.

DC_Legacy

Yeah, with respect to ECU tunability which really makes ever last drop of power possible. As most know, more displacement makes it easier. Increasing volmetric efficiency is what its all about, but theres no replacement for displacement.

0VtecKiDD

IN this order

1) Tunable ECUs (Crome Hondata) for AFFORDABLE PRICING.
-Back in the day it was VAFC or AEM EMS, there was NOTHING in between. Now, for $150 you can have an ECU that for STREET CARS is just as good as the $1000 AEM was.

2) Cam Profiles (Most importantly the Skunk2 PRO Series)
-IMO all the big HP guys are running PRO cams, and theres a reason, they completely blew everything out of the water that was out at the time. And to this day i still dont think there is anything else better out there.

3) HEaders/Replicating
-Of course im biased, but 5-6 years ago it was a DC JDM 4-1 or $1000+ header. Now, you can get the same performance for a fraction of the cost, therefore more people make more power for CHEAPER. That is UNDENIABLE

4) The INternet
-5-6 years ago it was unheard of to log into a site, and see 100s of dynos of 1000s of different parts combinations. Now its all at the click of a button. Instant feedback , instant advice, instant discussions , readily available access to manufacturers and techs that know more than we do. This has advanced EVERYONES knowledge in a general sense IMO

thats my list

b19coupe

Copying. Cams, headers, engine management solutions, successfull engine combinations. Even CNC machines that can copy a good head porting job. Easy horsepower for the masses.

lexan2.2sedan

For me, it was h-t.
From tire diameters, gearing, lexan window's, headers, axles, exhausts etc etc. I found it all here, learned what works and what doesn't, and made it my car happen.
As mentioned above, it's all about weeding out the mis-information and spending wisely.

If I had to choose a specific part (for n/a guys) It would be the header, long tube, large primary and big collectors were un-heard of back when I bought my 1st DC header (2001) for $400. Now you can get 15+whp for $400++. Heck my piece of **** camp1320 header helped knock of nearly .40 for me on a stock motor.