Guys, I plan on keeping my ITR for a while. And unless I get some sick job, it will probably be my daily driver/track dog for a while. So, I'd like to take some steps to make the engine more reliable, stronger, and longer-lasting. This is of course assuming that I will mod it a bit more than it is already (intake and timing). I'll at least throw a header and exhaust on there, and maybe some cams when I get to be a better driver. So what can I do to ensure long-term that all the 8000rpm abuse won't kill my engine? As the new Integra takes root, I imagine B18C5s will be harder to come by.

 

Well, engine wear is eminent if you're going to be sitting @ 8k+ RPM for long periods of time (ie roadcourse). The only suggestion I could give is to check and change your fluids more often. When it's time for a rebuild you'll know it. Hopefully that won't be anytime soon for any of us though!

 

tear it down and rebuild it.

or

just regular maintenance.

the former being more effective

 

How much are we talking here? Hours, $$?

 

i agree with SGT
I have had 8 track events on my motor and it needs a rebuild
it smokes, rings and valve seals are leaking (WOT smoke)
and it burns alot of oil
if you plan on beating it down then plan on rebuilding it more often
even with regular maintainance...a motor that sees that kind of load needs freshening up. Hell I give the car a full fluid change and tune up and valve adjustment every event and it will not prevent a longer life
its part of the game

 

Seriously, how much does your average rebuild run? Who is qualified to do it? and what kind of time are we talking about?

 

Man, who puts together YOUR motors?

Mine went 60k miles with a LOT of drag racing and a few road course events
with -0- smoking, -0- leaking, and -0- consumption of oil.
WHen all was said and done, it had 2% leakdown across the board.

Only needed new bearings after all that abuse since it was spun repeatedly to 9500-10000rpm.

 

I agree with sgT. These engines were made to take the abuse, to a certain extent. I never shift below 7700-8000rpms at the track anymore. As long as you change your oil every 3750 and take good care of it by following the routine maintenance plan, it will last a long time. Why the hell would Honda engineers build a motor with an 8400 rpm redline, and why would they advertise this car all over the world as a track ready street car, if the engine couldn't handle the demands?

 

So what about my questions?

Steve I never knew you did road courses. You should try to make it to some more...do you still have any suspension left in that thing?

 

Yeah you better show up at the ITR Expo

 

I'll be there.

 

I don't know who, but somebody on this board had their motor finaly go at 24X,XXX K with many track events under his belt. I don't think you have much to worry about with only minor mods.

 

Thats because all these ****** like to label me as mr drag racer.

 

I do believe that it is not a big problem for us unless we really race our engine like those professional touring car drivers. Those engines are rebiuld after each race

 

I think that if you lighten/rebuild the rotating assembly with forged pieces and fully balance it - that will give you the biggest safety margin (that is of course if you break in the new rings and bearings properly). That and regular maintenance and religious fluid replacement.

 

I would also suggest an oil cooler. Also make sure the cooling system is in good working condition. Other than that you shouldn't have that many problems. My motor has ~38K on it, with less than perfect maintainance (oil changes every 3000-5000 miles). I use dino oil in it and it doesn't burn a damned bit (ok, maybe .25 quarts every oil change, but that's not much). It does see quite a bit of track use as welll.

 

How about a new radiator as a first step?

 

Only if you're having overheating problems - which you would first have to diagnose with a proper temperature gauge.

 

hey J. yeah who puts togeather YOUR motors. Everyones a critic I guess. Ill swing by the shop wdnesday or thursday..I got stuck in some traffic on the way back ffrom petes.

 

Wow, good memory. That was me. I only did regular servicing and the odd oil change. It was burning a bit of oil, but it always did. Seriously I hardly remembered to change the oil, never kept a log, rarely checked it. I just took it into the dealer whenever the maint reqd light came on. The odd time I'd reset it without going in. Yes, I'm lazy. Ask me how often I wash my car or empty it of fast food bags.

Then again my motor was stock. I'd be concerned with modding it if you're serious about it running it for a long time with mods like cams.

When it finally went at 260k (161 miles) I was a litre and a half low of oil, bumping the rev limiter and in the middle of a left handed double apex with sticky hot 225s and stiff 850 lb springs. The pickup picked up air and my bearings went mushroom. It would have kept going for a while still if I would have taken better care near the end.