Kind of a dumb question, but after finishing my swap in the spring (b18C5 block, SI head), I went out and ordered Toda Spec C's and all the rest of the valvetrain needed to install. I have yet to install them, just been waiting for a good weekend, but kind of curious if they will help me out on the autocross track? Are they gonna be as reliable on the autocross track as well?

By no means am I trying to gloat, but I have yet to lose this year in SM with my race tires and i've been up against some pretty tough cars (yellowdragon Todd for one). I know I need a little more power on the straights, but again are Toda C's too much? I'm worried about my midrange power, and also worried because I read a post that a guy blew up road racing with Spec B or C's recently...

Any response would be greatly appreciated!

 

Why are you using spec c's on a stock block/head?

You wont make any power over spec b's or probably even spec a's. If you were to tune it to make more power w/ c's then you'd probably lose alot of midrange power that is so beneficial on an autox course.

George is putting down 191hp to the wheels with a nice fat midrange on stock cams and a 3500 rpm vtec engagement. I'd spend the money on a SMS header/ehxuast instead.

 

It's a little tough to answer that. I took out the hot cam on my car for a number of reasons. Gearing, breathing, and course length being the primary ones. It was difficult to keep the rpm's up where the cam was doing any good. The stock cam has much more area under the curve, so was a better solution for me. YMMV depending on a lot of factors.

 

The car will be tuned with Hondata S200, I will have CTR pistons in, eagle rods, the head will have a little port work done to it, so it won't be just stock block. The head has already been plained once, and I will have a mugen headgasket for it as well.

That's besides the point, I'm just wondering if the cams are gonna help or hurt me, and will I have to worry about them breaking when they are abused on the autocross course. I realize the best setup would be ctr pistons and ctr cams with mad tuning but I guess I also wanted to put down some decent times at the dragstrip as well.

 

They wont break as long as installed properly w/ the correct valve spring height.

With the head being decked and mugen gasket is there enough piston-to-valve clearance? Dont forget to clay...

They will hurt you on an autocross course, where 'area under the curve' is so important.

I'd spend the money on turning and CTR cams instead of the Toda C's. Or maybe go w/ Toda A's.

 

Don't run a thin headgasket. You don't need it w/ the CTR's.

With CTR's and Spec C's, and proper tuning, you'll be making more torque in the midrange than a stock ITR at peak.

Warren