I've got an '85 CRX Si w/ B16a, homemade CAI, DC Sports 4-2-1 stainless header, custom 2 1/4 inch exhaust, AEM adj. cam gears, CTR cams, B & M adj. FPR, A'pexi VAFC, ZDyne B16a one wire conversion PM8, OBD-O. I recently dyno'd the car (dynopack) and found a disappointing 137 to the wheels. This set-up should yield closer to 155-160hp. The tuners said that my VAFC and ZDyne ECU weren't running well together and they suggested a P30 ECU.
I talked to Bill (owner/tuner, etc) at ZDyne today. He told me that he thought the ZDyne b16a PM8 one-wire conv. (OBD-0) was the correct set-up for my car. He advised me to call Hasport in Phoenix to verify this, since they are very familiar w/ this set-up (actually I think the swap w/ my orig. motor was done by them). There is a guy named Victor Malchevsky who has been in SCC 2 or 3 times and has the same set-up as me 1G crx w/ B16, I/H/E, ZDyne B16a one wire conv., PM8. I talked to Brian G. and he referred me to Joe who I guess has done a lot of B16 swaps over at hasport. Joe said that he was quite suprised at our numbers of 137hp and 15.0 best 1/4 mile time. Victor is pushing 151hp (this is before he got the Skunk2 cams) at the wheels and is repeatedly in the high 13's in the 1/4 on street tires, low 13's w/ slicks. Anyway, Joe said the P30 is NOT the way to go, as the ZDyne I have should work fine with all the other components. He suggested that either something wasn't dyno'd right or something is wrong with that engine. If it's not the P30 as these guys are saying, what else could it be??
Nothing is more frustrating than spending all this time and money into this car and only pulling crappy numbers
Let me know what you think, any input here is greatly appreciated!
thanks.
bryman

 

You should be closer to 145-150. Has it seen any dyno tuning time? Compression test?

 

are you running a catalytic? Those really restict your exhaust flow. I would also see about the compression test and leak down test.
Good Luck

 

Thats about what a little B16 makes, 140whp. Why would it make 155-160whp? Thats about what a stock gsr makes. After really good tuning a basically stock B16 shouldn't make much more than 145whp.

 

Also... might want to consider ditching the homemade crap for something quality.... and ditch the POS USDM header for a JDM DC header... you'd be surprised how much quality bolt-ons will help... I have a heavy-*** 2000 Si with less stuff than you and I'm running 14.7@96mph... it's all about the quality of your parts and your tuning...

 

A STOCK B16 makes about 140 to the wheels. With I/H/E, ZDyne PM8, CTR cams it should be closer to 155-160. The reason I say this is in my first post. A guy named Victor who is running a very similar set-up to mine dyno'd at 151 with stock cams.
I wish there was an available quality CAI for my 1G crx, but they are not available anymore (like everything else for the 1G crx). The DC 4-2-1 header supposedly tested as one of the highest for hp gains. JDM header??
At this point, I'm thinking of ditching the VAFC and just running the numbers of the ZDyne, and adjusting the cam/ignition timing to see what that yields.
whaddya think??
thanks for the input.
bryman

 

In my opinion there's no way that setup SHOULD yield 155-160. You're asking waaayy too much out of some bolt-ons and CTR cams out of a little 1.6. With a good amount of tuning I think 150 would be a respectable number. As for the guy with 151 with stock cams you have no idea what was done to his engine. He could have a thin headgasket, slightly milled head, been rebuilt and assembled with a lot of care to tolerances, been blueprinted and balanced. If it's a 1st gen B16 that hasn't been rebuilt 137 sounds a little low but it might just be tired. I don't think you should ever expect 155 out of that set-up. Do a compression and leakdown test.

s

 

Are you sure?? Take a look at this:
http://members.***.net/vmalchesky/dyno.htm
The numbers speak for themselves. This is why I'm guessing I should be in this range. I'm going to do a comp. test and leakdown test, as well as test ignition components. We have a very similar set-up, except his Skunk2 cams vs. my CTR's. I do have a catalytic converter, could this be that restrictive?
bryman

 

ummm, yeah well that guys setup is different enough to not be able to compare to. He has Skunk2 stage 2's (i assume that's what skunk S2 means). The numbers do speak for themselves but two different engines on two different dyno's shouldn't be compared. Don't worry about peak numbers. Do a compression and leakdown and see what you've got. To me those numbers sound high for a stock bottom end B16, which we don't know if it is. People will say stock bottom end all the time and you see some crazy high numbers and then come to find out it was pulled apart, balanced, blueprinted (sometimes lightended) and then hand assembled and because it's OE honda stuff they will tell you stock bottom end. To me that plot seems artificially high. You never know how the dyno was setup either as far as correction factor and/or gearing.

You totally missed the point of my post. That setup SHOULDN'T yield those numbers but it can appear that way due to skewed info or test results. But, it can be made to look like it is for bragging rights or to make him feel better or he has more than he is letting on. Just seems fishy and I just don't think you should expect the same.

s

 

No, I see where you are coming from. There very well may be additional info. and/or skewed test data, I don't know. However, he's consistently running low-mid 13's in the 1/4 on street tires, while I can only manage 15.0. I'm really hoping the comp/leakdown tests tell a lot. I just want to be in the 13's. It shouldn't be difficult w/ my set-up in a 1900 lb. car
I'm hearing mixed things regarding the VAFC and the ZDyne. some say they can work together fine, others say ditch the VAFC as it restricts the ECU. WTF???
bryman

 

Maybe your engine has automatic transmission cams

 

haha. Nope. I think maybe I'm gonna do the comp./leakdown tests first, then check all electrical/ignition stuff, fresh oil/filter, fuel filter? etc.
Something's gotta give here...
bryman

 

you've got everything you need to go get it dyno tuned... just splurge and get it tuned, i think you'd be impressed with the results.

 

OK. Got the compression test done. It checked out good. 150-155 psi in all 4 cylinders (cold), between 155-160 hot. This tells me that it's not the engine. Must be timing related? What's next?
thanks.
bryman

 

compression is a little low. should be 180+

 

I think 180psi is the maximum, that's when the engine is brand new. Over time, it loses some through other factors (or so I've heard).
what would be the best fuel pressure for this?
bryman

 

Only 155-160 out of a B16??? that's really low. Did you hold the throttle all the way open when ya did it? My b16 tested 220+ in all cylinders!

 

nope.
180psi is nominal. 200-220 is new spec depending on the motor.
your fuel pressure should be around 40-45 off vacuum.

i would guess your motor is a little worn out. otherwise your numbers are
about right for the setup you listed.

 

My motor is definately not new! Raene's B16 also tested at 215-225 in all cylinders. There's nthign wrong with that engine! His goes 14.5@96 in his CRX. I just think 155-60 is low, and from the other B16 results I've seen here, most are in the 200-210 range!

 

Sounds like a leak-down test is in order to find out why the compression numbers are lower than normal? Man, this is frustrating...thanks for the help tho.
bryman