Hello all, I participate in short (like really short) circle track demolition derby racing. We are only allowed to run fwd cars with certain specs. Right now Honda is dominating. I currently have a 91 accord with a manual trans and a 97 civic with a manual.
I have really done well with both but concentrating on the accord right now. The tracks are really short, like the shortest is 100 feet and the turns are e-braking. Check out my Facebook if wanta see some videos.

So i am finishing my weekend with pulling off a first place Friday and a third place last night. But I need a little more power.
Suggestions on how I can spend a couple hundred? Keep in mind I am essentially racing a demolition derby car. We are also not allowed to add turbo and not suppose to crack ope. The engine.
Some ideas I have that I would like to know more about:
- having the main comp built
- larger throttle body
- fuel pump pushing more fuel
- changing injectors
- others?

 

If there is no opening of the engine allowed...seems hard to enforce, maybe you could get away with it, whatever, then your not likely going to need to add any internal parts, like ones that forced induction would require, which your also not allowed to do, SO, your best bet is in the tune and adding bolt on parts that are allowed.

I would do the following (This is order of cost and level of involvement):
-IF ALLOWED, remove the catalytic converter, its an organized auto racing event on US soil so its probably not, but hey.
(You could cheat by Taking it off, hollowing out the material inside and welding, internally, a pipe inside, that way, it looks like a cat when reinstalled but isn't restrictive
-Do a full tune up, plugs, ignition wires, distributor cap and rotor, fuel filter
-IF ALLOWED, do a port and polish job on the cylinder head by grinding away and polishing the casting marks and also enlarging the intake and exhaust ports (this involves removing the head so idk if thats allowed)
-Install a straight through style aftermarket muffler
-Install a cold air intake with a non-restrictive tube of a larger than stock diameter and a re-usuable, larger surface area filter
-Install an aftermarket, external ignition coil (MSD Blaster would work well and is cheap)
-Install and aftermarket header that is less restrictive than stock
-BIG One Here...TUNE, get an aftermarket module that installs in the ecu and enables you to modify the engine operating parameters, this is your biggest place to make power. It is your #1 option EVEN IF you do no other modifications (An easy 8-15hp & tq. can be had with a stock engine and a tune). IF YOU DO modify the car in any of the above ways, tuning is essential, it enables the parts to work FOR the car's engine, alot of times aftermarket parts are going to either do no good or a very small percentage of what they COULD do unless you TUNE. For most tuning modules, you can even download a pre-made "map" for YOUR car that is optimized for use with most of the above parts (Won't be the biggest ever possible power gains but is your best option aside from getting dyno time. If you do get dyno time or a tuning platform that enables you to drive the car and tune yourself (with a laptop pc) then a big thing to consider for you is going to be the racing you do, its lower rpm power you need and super economical drive-ability you don't which in tuning is quite ideal.

Do all of the above and you could see upwards of 30hp, which is alot considering the cost, the fact that these motors only make an "ok" amount stock and the fact that your racing an a small track.

Hope this helps

 

Throttle body is a decent idea but can be costly, I wouldn't worry about it. Just do what on my list there.
Fuel Injectors are not necessary to upgrade. They supply the fuel for the stock engines power output and fuel demands @ like 50% duty cycle so unless you plan on finding a way to have the need for an extra 50-75hp worth of fuel...you don't need em. Stock is fine

 

IMO the thing that would net you the most advantage is getting the shortest geared transmission you can find for the F series. I’m not familiar with accords/f series engines/transmissions but this is what I would look into. Basically because the track is so short.

 

Thanks guys for the replies and feel free to add anything.

I guess i should have included what I have done.
- cold air intake
- plugs, wires and dist new
- timing advanced
- car is stripped completely
- I run 6-14 tractor tread tires that are short
- exhaust is actually cut completely off right before the cat
- got a header I am suppose to be picking up
- ac compressor off

and when I race the car never comes out of 1st gear. It’s amazing how these things maintains the high rpms. There have been 10 lap races where my foot never came off the gas, full throttle. If you think I am full of **** then watch some of my videos and listen to it.

I am am a Chevy small block guy with carbs so all this tuning **** is new to me.

I am most interested in the tune. But what’s the best and/or cheapest way for this? I know some of these are like $600. I can solder, I just don’t want to ruin my computer by soldering the wrong thing. More info on how to do this or buy it???

Also, these are not cars we put a lot in. I honestly bought this accord for $300 (yes three-hundred) with the tires I needed and already stripped. And I have won over $1000 in it over the past month. Out payouts are pretty good considering entry fee is $30.
My civic only has about $350 invested.

And I said we weren’t suppose to crack open the engine....hmmmmm
never said people don’t.