i've finally decided to do something about the lack of power in my car. within the class allowances i see a couple things i can do. 1) i'm still using a modified stock airbox with a k&n drop in. i can put an aem cai in. 2) i can install an underdrive crank pulley. 3) i'm still using a stock b-pipe with a generic muffler. i can put a full 2.25" exhaust in (itr b-pipe cut-off after the first 90* bend) 4) i can buy lighter wheels to the tune of 4lbs each. 5) i can get the hondata ecu and some dyno time.

which route will get me the biggest gain? i can do any two of the intake, exhaust or pulley, but if i do two of those i won't be able to do the wheels or ecu. if i do the wheels or the ecu, i won't be able to do any of the other three. i'd imagine i would see the biggest gain's out of the wheels, but i'm not positive. there also might be a way i could do something like the wheels and _possibily_ one of the 3 cheaper mods. this is the way i'm kinda leaning, so i guess the final question would be which of the 3 bolt-ons (intake, pulley or exhaust) will get me the biggest gain over my current configuration? my guess is the pulley, anyone have a different opinion?

tia
nate

 

I'd have an exhaust shop make you an intake (filter on a stick), ditch the stock b-pipe and get that bish hondata tuned. Drive down to VA and SMSP and sgT can do all of this for you

 

I'd say 2.25" exhaust might be a tad large for your non-vtec D16... I don't think it's got the flow requirements of that, unless it's tuned well, aka, SMSP

 

CAI and B pipe should give you the highest gains. 2.25" exhaust won't matter that much in auto-x with your motor.

 

I would say light weight rims and Hondata. I picked up about 5hp and 3tq on average across the whole power band with the biggest gains in the low end.

 

Is it legal just to disconnect some of your pulleys for the day while you autox? Doing that would be way more benificial than an underdrive pulley and a lot cheaper.

 

jesse, i have the d16z6 motor. single cam vtec. i think you asked me that once before. i've got more power, but then i also get that 50lb sunroof and all the power accesories.

geratol, while i'd like to do both the wheels _and_ the ecu, the cost of the two is prohibitive. a first at the peru pro might allow that to happen before topeka, but i need to maximize my chances for peru right now.

robbin, i don't have any accesories i want to disconnect. powersteering is a _must_, the a/c is gone and i kinda need the alternator. i should have been more clear, i'm thinking of the crank pulley, not the accesory pulley's.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">CAI and B pipe should give you the highest gains. 2.25" exhaust won't matter that much in auto-x with your motor.</TD></TR></TABLE>
that seems rather contradictory. the stock pipe is 2", so 2.25" would be a mild step up but you say it won't matter that much. how much more power over my current LB intake setup would the cai give me?

nate

 

Sorry I meant CAI & ECU (not B pipe or exhaust). Not sure what motor you have but a guy I know with a '89 CRX Si gained 6whp with the CAI I believe. I 'll double check.. I doubt you 're getting more than 1-2whp with the stock airbox and K&N. Isn't the CAI still the best bang for your money?
ECU is always a good mod but usually needs dyno time ($$).

I didn't vote for the wheels because I assumed 4lb lighter wheels would be expensive. $$/wheel x 4 can add up..

Edit: aha, I saw the type of motor. More reason to get the CAI. Has to be better than what you have now, no? You can probably pick up a used AEM for $80-100. New ones (ver.1) go for around $150 or so.

 

i've gotten a quote for the ecu with 2 hours dyno time at around $500. i only _need_ two wheels for my setup, but even if i buy the set, i can resell my current wheels and get about half my money back, again a total outlay of about $500. the intake and pulley would set me back about $350. maybe i'll try to do the pulley and the wheels........half to skip dinner a couple times in the next month so i'll have enough for rent though...

nate

 

Here's my take for ya Nate:

--Chipped P28 ECU. A lot cheaper than Hondata and almost as much performance. I would trust a chip from "Kenji" on this board. Don't buy an ebay P28 chip because you never know what you may be getting. P28 is a good ecu and easily chippable to your specs (redline, fuel map, powerband, timing, etc).

--AEM Cold air intake without a doubt.

--2.25" B-pipe. That size with a crimp bend is fine with your motor and mods. The oem is junk and crimp bend and 2" or less.

--Crank pulley.

--"fresh" motor. 190K is a lot, and I'd really consider doing the STS legal stuff, although your car being a daily driver kind of makes that hard.

Personally, I'd hold off on the wheels until you have the above done. The Kosei's at 13lbs isn't too bad. Yes, there are lighter, but I'd wait until you have the motor bolt-ons taken care of.

Biggest bang 4 the $ will be the chipped ecu, AEM CAI and the b-pipe.

 

1 AEM CAI = $200
1 UR Pulley = $225
1 blowed up tranny = f*&k broken chit before i have any additional hp!

this sucks. wonder how much power that bearing was robbing.....

final call: i'll be doing the wheels due to equal part less weight and more advantageous offset, well, provided i can get the car back to 100% and still have money for the wheels...

nate-time to pull out the plastic

ps. other broken chit i discovered this weekend was a pin hole in the radiator, a torn cv boot (inner, go figure) and possibly both rear hubs (less then a year old) have gone bad. some days it just don't pay....

 

really don't think that one of those will help you enough to justy without doing all of those mods...they really need to be done in conjunction with each other to gain most from each other

 

Ok. I went to your profile and saw you own a 93-95 ex sohc vtec engine, d16z6 correct?

If you want to stay in STS and be "legal" perhaps i can chime in on a few things

Block:
-.50 OS OEM stock equivalent pistons from the dealer. (bumps the CR a little, barely, but if u gotta keep stock stuff anything helps). They are cheap to boot.
-Bearings: If you are a desperate anything helps kinda guy then run all red main and rod bearings (loose),I know of a very good drag racer who ran this on the street for 40k miles, up to 8100rpm before he sold it If not just go with acl they put you in the green/yellow range. Or bust out the plastigauge and choose honda bearings accordingly.
-Crank Pulley: If you can use an aftermarket one make sure its balanced. You can also shave and balance a stock one. There are oem civic pulleys with no provisions for ac or ps, just drives the alternator. Look into a bottom of the barrel CX optional pulley from the dealer.
-Machine work depends on you, I believe balancing and lightening is illegal but if you did it, no one would know and itd be something youd have to live with in your head.

Head:
-Hot Tank and Clean
-3 angle valve job for sure
-Yes porting is illegal but if you clean up the entry of the ports and match them to the gaskets I dont think anyone will care (nor would they know). I dont wanna condone cheating but even cleaning just the casting ridges in the bowls may be somethin to think about
-d16y8 headgasket. .037" crushed. same as the d16z6 but hey its cheaper.
-Mill the head 5-10 thousandths (will retard timing a little bit). If anyone asks "the head has been resurfaced". haha. Little Bump.

Bolt Ons:
-stock z6 intake manifold ,port match to gasket.
-You could get by with a h22 throttle body. Look stock. But its cheating technically. Perhaps you could do a DIY home style taper port on the stock one.
-AEM Cold air or equivalent
-2.25 inch exhaust is perfect for a d16 with such mods. 2.5 may be pushing it.
- Look into a SOHC header that someone has actually put time and research into. (hint hint, Bisimoto street version).
-Base Hondata system tuned by someone who knows their stuff

Drivetrain:
-Can we replace clutches in STS?
-Lighten/Balance stock fly: Again a Cheating issue Though.

A fresh 0 miles motor like this would feel great in your car.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by solo-x &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">half to skip dinner a couple times in the next month so i'll have enough for rent though...

nate</TD></TR></TABLE>

Ramen is $1.00 for a pack of 6! Come on, sacrifice your health for car parts.

 

Sell the cpe and buy a hatchie...........