Todd00

I am making an FAQ thread with links to good threads. Figured we'd start out with these topics:

1) Suspension (Coilovers, springs, shocks, etc)

2) Motor mods (intake, exhaust, motor mounts, ECU, etc)

3) Wheels and tires

4) OEM stuff (resetting light, swaybars that fit, Bose audio system, etc).

Anything you can think of that needs to be FAQ'd. I know I left a lot out, so post up what you know and/or a link to a good thread. I'll either edit this one or make a brand new one with what I get in here,

Thanks.

...me0w

good shops for your ep3/dc5 feel free to pm me with any you wish to add:

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1751222

...me0w

having problems getting your shift **** off............


https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1752659

ep's are basically the same except they have no ring you just pull straight down....

Todd00

Perfect. Keep them coming and I'll consolidate and categorize the links.

...me0w

great info and pics for people wondering what suspension to use and what the drop will look like...............

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1742955

...me0w

doing a cluster swap in a ep3 here are some great pointers and a DIY to make sure all of your back lights work at night...............

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1738984

JayDiem_k20_Dc5

How about a DIY section in the FAQ's. Things like DIY Redouts and DIY black housing headlights for the Dc5


http://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread.php?t=263962 - DIY Redouts for 02-04 Dc5

http://forums.clubrsx.com/show...ights - DIY Black housing headlights for 02-04 Dc5

Todd00

Dude, I'm not linking to any other forums

Paraphrase and start a thread if you want, but no outside links at this time. Outside links are just too unreliable, and I don't want to get into any copyright infringement or anything.

vortices

diy would be helpful.

...me0w

agreed any input helps so if you have anything please add its not going to get anywhere without all of our help

...me0w

DIY Blackout Headlights walkthrough: for the rsx but should be really close to the same way for the ep3............

I figured I'd post the step-by-step process we did and post pics of the entire process.

This can probably be done by yourself, but I would get at least one other person to help, especially when taking the headlights apart and putting them back together. It makes it so much easier.

(Note: I pretty much followed other peoples directions, but just changed a few steps that we found made things a little easier, so I gotta give props to all those who have posted about this already)

1) Remove front bumper. I've heard you can do it without taking the bumper completely off, but it's so easy to remove, you might as well to get it out of the way and not have to worry about scratching it.


2) Remove headlight housing with the metal housing support frame.


3) Remove all light bulbs from housing, and metal support frame. Be sure to keep up with which bulbs go in which place! (This pic was taken for a different reason, but you get the idea)


4) PRE-HEAT oven to 200 degrees (NO MORE THAN 200 DEGREES)

5) Apply damp towel over cookie sheet to protect headlights.

6) Place headlights upside down or the clear lens facing downward. If lights were on, they would be shining into the towel.

10. AFTER the oven has been PRE-heated, place one housing in oven for about 20 minutes. No more than 22 minutes.


11) Immediately begin trying to remove the clear lens from housing. Starting from the pointed end of the housing moving back. You will have to pull pretty hard! And be careful not to break the clips that hold the clear housing in. Repeat this process for the other headlight.

12) Remove one screw from the clear lens to detach the part you want to paint.

13) After removing paintable section, remove ALL reflectors and signal lenses from internal paintable housing.


14) Place paper towel inside the hazards light reflection surface of the internal housing. Tape the reflector and reinstall it. This will prevent painting the reflective surface inside the hazard light.

15) Begin sanding lightly with the 600 grit sandpaper for texture so the primer can grab hold of the smooth surface. After sanding, clean surface with rubbing alcohol, and let dry for a few minutes.


16) Begin spraying primer evenly over the internal housing. May take a few coats to get it all. Wait 10 minutes between each coat. And be sure to get ALL viewable areas! Top, bottom, underneath, on the side etc. Leave no shiny stuff to be seen!

17) After final coat of primer, wait 30 minutes before spraying black paint.


18) Start spraying with Satin Black spray paint. Spray evenly from many directions. Apply as many coats as needed to cover all viewable areas. Satin black is a semi-gloss black paint. Leave no primer viewable. Wait 10-15 minutes before each light coat.

19) After final coat, let dry for at least an hour. This gives the paint some time to cure, but it will still be soft! So be careful!


20) Remove hazard lens and paper towel from Hazard light area.

21) Reattach reflectors and lenses.

22) Be sure NOT to touch the inside of the clear housing! You don’t want fingerprints in there. Make sure no particles get trapped in the clear lens either.

23) Reattach painted black internal housing with screw. Be careful NOT to scratch paint. You will have to put the wider end in first. You'll see, it's kinda tricky but not too bad...Just be careful

24) Bake the main housing for about 15 minutes to soften the glue. Make sure the oven is PRE-HEATED to 200 degrees again.

25) Line up the clear lens with the main housing and apply a lot pressure.

26) Once lined up, put housing back in and bake for another good 10 –12 minutes.

27) Immediately remove the housing from oven and begin pushing the clear lens back onto the main housing.

28) After clear lens is attached, let cool for awhile. We applied some sealent around the entire headlight to prevent leaks and fogging. Begin reattaching metal support frame.

29) Insert lamps.

30) Reattach headlamps.

31) Reattach plugs.

32) Reattach bumper.

...me0w

i also have a DIY for rear wiper delete on the ep3 ill get up later today

...me0w

Q: What race headers fit the ep3?
A:
Jackson Racing Race Header

Comptech Race Header *requires Comptech adapter

DC Sports Race Header (DC5 and EP3)


Q: Will a race header cause check engine light (cel)?
A: Yes

Q: How soon will I get a cel?
A: Between 100-150miles

Q: How can I avoid getting a cel?
A:
Purchase a Casper’s o2 sim (PN 104053)


DIY Mechanical o2 sim


Purchase Kpro


Q: Will a race header cause me to fail emission testing?
A: Yes, you have removed your catalytic converter

Q: Will my exhaust sound raspy/loud?
A: Because you no longer have a cat you will notice some minor “raspyness” and at times more "fumes"

Q: Will ep3 exhausts work with the JR-RH?
A: Yes, any exhaust designed for the ep3, the JR unit is available in an ep3 specific model

Q: Will ep3 exhausts work with the Comptech-RH?
A: Yes, any exhaust designed for the ep3, the Comptech unit is available in an ep3 specific model

Q: Will ep3 exhausts work with the DC-RH?
A: Yes, the now available EP3 model will fit with any ep3 exhuast

Q: Will I have clearance issues with my front sway bar?
A: If using the stock front sway bar (fsb) you should not have any clearance issues. However, if you have upgraded your fsb you may have some clearance issues which will cause a minor rattling. At this time the Neuspeed fsb is known to have no clearance issues.

Q: Is the installation similar or more advanced then a shorty header?
A: Installation is basically identical, however when installing the race header you must unbolt the front sway bar in order to gain enough clearance.

...me0w

Hello,
We have noticed through various forums that there are a few misconceptions about handling, and what makes a car handle well. We offer you this really generic overview:

For starters....
"If I lower my car will it handle better?"
- Of course it will handle better then it would stock because you are lowering the cars center of gravity. You are basically placing the cars weight between the tires versus on top of the tires.

"Will my car handle better if I get better tires?"
- Yes, your car will handle better if you get a better grade of tire. A softer compound and a wider tire will keep the car planted through turns. Ideally you would like the widest footprint you can obtain without loosing clearance.

"What size rim is the best for handling?"
- Motor trend did a study for this a while ago, when manufactures were coming out with factory cars that had 18" wheels. The study showed the best results were obtained using 17" wheels. Second were 18” wheels. All rims used the same brand tires and the same compounds.

"Will wheel spacers help the handling of my car?"
- This is a touchy subject. If you add spacers to your car for clearance issues then you do not want to go too far out. Remember, the further you go out with the wheel, you have to worry about the scrub radius. Yes, a wider track is better for handling, however you have to do it in moderations. There is a certain amount you can go without compromising the suspension. If you run anything more then a 2-3mm spacer then it is suggested you go with aftermarket wheel studs to ensure proper thread engagement.

"Will a front strut tower brace make my car handle better?"
- Yes and NO. Let us explain why we say no. If the strut tower bar does not attach to the firewall it will not be worth it to add it to your suspension modification list. A good strut tower bar will attach to the firewall. Even if you add a straight brace from tower to tower, sure you have the towers attached, but they are still moving. Now they are just moving together. This is why it is important to attach it to the firewall. The firewall will not move under any driving condition.

"Will a rear strut tower brace help the handling of my car?
- Yes and No. Again location is very important in a good design. If the mounting point is too low it will lose its function. It has to stay high on the parts it is trying to keep from flexing. These are key points to remember when searching for a rear strut tower brace:
If a strut bar (or any bar) has tie rod ends = IT ALLOWS FLEX
If a brace uses adjustments = IT ALLOWS FLEX
If a brace uses bolts for mounting = IT ALLOWS FLEX
If a brace is mounted via welding = SIGNIFICANTLY LESS FLEX
If a brace uses triangulation = SIGNIFICANTLY LESS FLEX
Brace is used in the correct location = SIGNIFICANTLY LESS FLEX
If a brace uses inferior material = IT ALLOWS FLEX

"Will sub-frame connectors work?"
- Yes, if they are done correctly. They will give you the front to back support that is needed. Does material make a difference? Yes! The stronger the material, the stiffer the chassis would be. Stay tuned on those; we are working on those as we type this!

"Will Poly Urethane bushings help?"
- Bushing deflection is really overlooked by most people. If you can address the bushings, seriously consider doing it. It will certainly cut down on suspension play.

"Will a Chassis Stiffening Kit (CSK-C) help the handling of my car?"
- Yes! Why? It will neutralize your chassis and keep it from flexing. As a direct result of that it will allow your suspension to do what it was originally designed to do. A FLEXING CHASSIS IS IMPOSSIBLE TO TUNE! IT ACTS AS AN UNDAMPED SPRING. This is almost always overlooked!

"Will sway bars help the cars handling?"
- Yes, it will keep the body from rolling on the suspension. Nothing more can be said about that.

"Do different wheel offsets make a difference in performance?"
- NO & YES. It really depends on why you choose to use a different wheel offset. Different wheel offsets will help you if you are having clearance issues with brakes. Some brake systems require more clearance then others. This is one of the reasons different offsets are made available. Bottom line is that if you are looking to run a wider tire without going into the fender, you can look at changing the offset to get more tire in the wheel well. So if you have two inches of clearance on the inside and only one on the outside then you can play with the offset to find a tire and wheel combo that will fill up the gaps. This will go back to the original question, "Will my car handle better if I get better tires?"
So the answer is a question. How do YOU intend to use the wheel offset?

Again this is just a brief overview of suspension FAQ's. There are other topics that we did not go over (i.e. spring rates, shocks, struts, seam welding, etc.). Now we understand that this is about $10K worth of suspension modifications. We are not saying that you will not notice any gains if you choose to do one or two of these modifications. However to obtain the absolute best out of your application you are going to have to address every issue as best you can. There is really no right or wrong way to go about doing this. Each modification will help to a certain extent. But at the end of the day they are all designed to work together.
The most important thing is to identify what it is that you are trying to do with your car. This will help you figure out what is the best setup for your car.

Thank you,

...me0w

[Springs]
Stock EP3: Spring Rate: (248 Front/440 Rear)
Stock RSX: Spring Rate: (279 Front/458 Rear)
-
Dropzone: Spring Rate: (? Front/? Rear) - Drop: (2in all around)
Eibach Pro-kit: Spring Rate: (15-20% more than stock) - Drop: (1in Front/1.1in rear)
Eibach Sportline: Spring Rate: (20-25% more than stock) - Drop: (1.4in Front/1.5in Rear)
GoldLine Springs - Spring Rate: (?) - Drop: (2in all around)
H&R Sport: Spring Rate: (25-30% more than stock) - Drop: (2in all around)
Neupseed Race: Spring Rate: (200 Front/280 Rear) - Drop: (2in all around)
Neupseed Sport: Spring Rate: (200 Front/280 Rear) - Drop: (1.5in Front/1.5in Rear)
Progress: Spring Rate: (280 Front/500 Rear) - Drop: (1.8in Front/1.5in Rear)
Sprint: Spring Rate: (20-25% more than stock) - Drop: (2in all around)
Spoon Progressive: Spring Rate: (413 Front / 458 Rear) - Drop: (1.5-1.7in all around)
Tanabe df210: Spring Rate: (10-15% more than stock) Drop: (2in Front/2.3in Rear)
Tanabe nf210: Spring Rate: (10-15% more than stock) Drop: (1.5in all around)
Tanabe gf210: Spring Rate: (20-30% more than stock) Drop: (1.3in Front/1.5in Rear)
Tein H Tech: Spring Rate: (257 Front/476 Rear) Drop: (.8in Front/.7in Rear)
Tein S Tech: Spring Rate: (280 Front/515 Rear) Drop: (1.4in Front/1.3in Rear)

[Ground Controls]
Dropzone: Spring Rate: (? Front/? Rear)
Ground Control EP3 kit: Spring Rate: (375 Front/450 Rear)
Skunk2 Coilovers: Spring Rate: (440 Front/330 Rear)

[Full Coil-overs] Spring & Shock (fixed height)
Mugen: Spring Rate: (283 Front/439 Rear) Drop: (1.4in all around)
Honda Factory Performance: Spring Rate: (? Front/? Rear) Drop: (?in all around) - very similar to the mugen kit, awaiting specs

[Full Coil-overs] Spring & Shock (adj height)
Buddy Club Racing Spec: Spring Rate (559 Front/894 Rear) (Adj ?? min - ?? max)
D2 Racing: Spring Rate (447 Front/559Rear) (Adj ?? min - ?? max)
JIC FLT-A2: Spring Rate: (504 Front/560 Rear) Drop: (Adj stock - 3.5in max)
KW V2: Spring Rate: (340 Front/515 Rear) Drop: (Adj 1.4in min - 2.6in max)
Omni Street: Spring Rate: (559 Front/445 Rear) Drop: (Adj 0in min - 4in max)
Omni Sport: Spring Rate: (670Front/559Rear) Drop: (Adj 0in min - 4in max)
Progress C1: Spring Rate: (350 Front/640 Rear) Drop: (Adj 1in min - 4in max)
Tein Basic: Spring Rate: (336 Front/448 Rear) Drop: (Adj ?? min - ?? max
Tein Type Flex: Spring Rate: (448 Front/559 Rear) Drop: (Adj ?? min - ?? max)
LSR: Spring Rate: (550 Front/450 Rear) Drop: (Adj 4 min - 4max) 12-way adj

[conversion rates]
1 kg/mm = 55.88 lb/in
1 N/mm = 5.588 lb/in

[What is Progressive Spring Rate?]
Progressive rate springs are likely “all-in one” solutions. They are often used on performance aftermarket kits like Eibach or others, and they are good for daily performance street driving. They help you achieve the highest performance when driving hard, while providing a smooth, comfortable drive the rest of the time.

[What is Linear Spring Rate]
Linear springs are more often used in drag racing, road racing, track and races that require a “high spring rate”, in which a constant spring rate is more important than a smooth ride. They are still popular because they are:

1. Easier to produce and can be made to lower a car beyond the point of progressive rate springs.
2. Easy to work with, because the spring rate never changes, allowing quick chassis set-up.
3. Inexpensive, allowing most race teams to use several different sets depending on track conditions

JCL

a how to installing harnesses.

...me0w

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JCL &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">a how to installing harnesses.</TD></TR></TABLE>

what kind of harness (seat belt, foglight, etc.)

JCL

a 4pt momo snap

...me0w

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JCL &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">a 4pt momo snap</TD></TR></TABLE>

do you have a cage or a harness bar?

JCL

not yet

DC5SMunky

This man "Spit Hot Fire" this is great for those who wanna know what they are getting themselves into. Nice write up bro!

...me0w

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JCL &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">not yet </TD></TR></TABLE>

you will need one

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DC5SMunky &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">This man "Spit Hot Fire" this is great for those who wanna know what they are getting themselves into. Nice write up bro!</TD></TR></TABLE>

just trying to help i mostly copied and pasted but doing what i can

JCL

can it be hooked on to a c pillar bar at all?

...me0w

some of them are but the ones that are are designed that way and have only one strap going to the c pillar...........

JCL

so im guessin the momo 4pt cannot?