General Tech Articles

Building an LSVTEC Building an LS/VTEC is not for the feint of heart or shallow of wallet, but it is worth all the time and money that it will take. In this article I will assume that you have read our recommended parts list, you have an understanding of engine building, you own a Helm's (or equivalent) manual, and you have the parts you need for the minimum (in my opinion) build. An engine stand is a nice tool to have, it is not necessary but it is very helpful. You can get them at any major parts store; I got mine from AutoZone for $65. Our LSVTEC parts list gives several options, here is the list (beyond block and head) that I would call a minimum: Pistons from any B16 because LS pistons do not have large enough valve reliefs...

Building an LS All-Motor Monster Just because you don't have VTEC doesn't mean you can't romp on others who do. In fact, the LS B18B1 motor is a very good starting point for building a good-power, street-able motor on a budget. Let's take it in 2 steps- head and block. The LS Head As we all know, the LS head has horrible flow ratings in comparison to a VTEC head. No problem. With some machine work, a port and polish job can up the flow a good amount. The intake manifold is also highly restrictive. A simple bolt-on upgrade to a Skunk2 unit will help get some power in there as well. Cams: how big do you want to go? Crower makes some good cams for a reasonable price. at nearly half the cost of VTEC cams, LS cams can be had...

Honda Injector Guide Choosing the correct size injector for you build is a vital part of the process. There's a lot to consider, including, size and type. There are two basic types of injectors that work on Honda and Acura cars and every size for every power need. Let's dive in. Peak / Hold VS Saturated Injectors Peak and Hold: Peak/hold injectors are low impedance, usually in the 1-4 ohm range. When the ecu calls for fuel to be injected, it sends out voltage via the wire clips until a certain current level is reached (the peak part) (varies by injector size, company). For the duration of 1 pulse width, that current is slightly reduced and held (the hold part). Advantages of this design: minimizes the injectors "on" time...

How to install a 99-00 civic Si EM1 Cluster in your EF Civic I installed it in my 91 CRX si. All the wiring is done for a 90-91 Crx. The wiring is the same for 90-91 civic hatches. The fitment may be a little different in hatches but should work. I am getting mixed feedback about the wiring for 88-89 models, I am not 100% positive if the wiring is the same but I will have it figured out shortly and will add the 88-89 wiring when finished. OK 88-89 wiring is added. The wire colors are the same but the pin placements are different. I added clip pictures and a chart for the 88-89 crx/civics. Another thing you will have to change is the dimmer switch clip for the 90-91 cluster hood. Just swap the 88-89 clip with the 90-91 clip. The wire...

Adjusting Cam Gears By: Adam Pilchak This procedure was performed on my 94 del sol with a JDM b16 sir II swap. It will be the same on any b16 engine and you can more than likely follow a similar procedure on any b series engine. First, make sure the car is not SUPER hot. You will need to remove the valve cover to do this job, so make sure the car is cool and all that stuff. Also, click the images for a larger version. First, gather all your tools: 19 mm socket wrench, timing light, 10mm socket wrench, 12 mm wrench, 12mm socket and a good set of Metric Allen wrenches. In order to change the timing on a b series engine with the valve cover still intact, we need to remove it. This can be accomplished by taking off the 8 chrome...

How to: Leakdown and Compression Tests There is some confusion between the leakdown and compression test. They are two different tests that test two different things. In this article, we will explain the basics of how to do each test, and what the results mean. Compression Test: To do a compression test, you remove the spark plug and put in the gauge. Remove all the spark plug wires from the dist or just undo the coil if so equipped. Now turn the key with the throttle wide open and keep cranking the car until the gauge reading rises as high as it seems it is going to go. Repeat those steps for all the cylinders. You want all the numbers to be somewhat close of each other. If some are way low, you know you're losing compression...

Tire Sizes and Ratings Explained Tire sizes have gotten more complex over the past couple years. Most of us know what a 205/40/17 is, but what the hell is P205/50R15 87S?? We'll take a look at all these numbers and explain what they all designate. Since 205/40/17 is really a short hand, we are going to take a look at this later tire size: P205/50R15 87S. Let's start our way from left to right P The P is easy. It simply designates that the tire is a passenger car tire. 205 This number designates the width of the tire in mm. This is the actual contact patch that sees the road. 50 This number is the profile or aspect ratio of the tire. This number is a percentage, and is never a static number. It is based on the width of the tire...

Computing The Compression Ratio of a Motor By: Dennis Adams Compression Ratio To measure compression ratio of an engine there are two variables you need to be familiar with. One is swept volume and the other is total chamber volume. Swept volume can be thought of as the displacement for a single cylinder or the area a piston travels from bottom dead center (BDC) to top dead center (TDC). Total chamber volume is all the area above the piston at TDC. This area includes the piston dish volume, the piston valve relief pocket, ring land volume, compressed gasket volume, piston to deck volume, combustion chamber volume of cylinder head. Some other factors you'll need to know engine displacement, cylinder bore, and cylinder stroke. The...

Creating an HF All-Motor Monster By: chet Creating an HF All-Motor Monster Overview: This is dedicated to everyone driving around in an 88-91 CRX HF getting 50 miles to the gallon. Honda’s little 8-valve motor is great for fuel economy, but as you HF drivers will attest lacks the power to chirp the tires when driving spiritedly. For those wanting a very inexpensive solution, keep reading. For fewer than 500 dollars you can transform your CRX HF into an all-motor beast that’s capable of running high 14’s. The Setup: For starters, you’ll want to find a DX head off of any Honda motor. Newer heads are better for the obvious reasons and they can be found everywhere. Look to spend no more than 50 dollars on a clean...

Fixing an Erratic Idle By: Adam Pilchack Let me give you some background on my del sol if you haven't been around long. It will be a year ago in March that I put my JDM B16 SIR II into my del sol. Since the day it went into the car, it would not idle correctly. There was always a surge. The following is a list of steps I took to cure my idle problem.. it took me just shy of a year to get it to work properly, but it's done!! 1) Check the voltage on your Throttle Position sensor. Sometimes when doing swaps, you have to use your old throttle position sensor because the one that came with the swap is almost always broken. The Honda ECU looks for .5 volts when the throttle blade is closed and 4.5 volts at wide open throttle. You can...

By: Adam Pilchak B18C5 intake manifold onto a JDM B16A SiR2 The Integra Type R intake manifold is designed to utilize high-end power. It combines a large, high volume plenum with short intake runners to produce high end HP and torque. This item can be acquired from any Acura dealership with the part # 17100-P73-A00, and is a great combination with CTR or ITR camshafts and a header, to increase overall airflow. Start by removing the b16 intake manifold from your engine. This can be accomplished by removing the 10 nuts that hold it to the cylinder head. You also need to remove the intake manifold support bracket; this is a black mount underneath the IM. There are three bolts holding that to the block, and two holding it to the IM...

Choosing the Correct Wheel By: Chet Hewitt Overview: Aftermarket wheels play a major role in the import performance scene. In many instances the first “upgrade†made by auto enthusiasts is getting alloy wheels. Usually, these wheels are “plus sized†and chosen for their looks. However, most people fail to consider all of the aspects concerning this very important piece of performance. Alloy Wheels provide superior strength and are usually lighter compared to steel wheels. There are some misconceptions that are often overlooked. Bigger wheels are not always better and “mag†wheels are not usually magnesium. Hopefully this article will help in making an educated decision when purchasing a pair of alloy wheels...

VIN #'s By: Chet Hewitt VIN # Identification 1983 - 1989 Example VIN: 2HGEH234XNH537228 1st POSITION NATION OF ORIGIN 1 = USA 2 = Canada 3 = Mexico J = Japan K = Korea V = France 2nd POSITION MANUFACTURER H = Honda 3rd POSITION VEHICLE TYPE M = Passenger Car, Built in Japan G = Passenger Car, Built in USA/Canada 4th & 5th POSITION, 1983 BODY TYPE SR = Sedan WR = Wagon 4th & 5th POSITION, 1984-86 BODY TYPE I ENGINE AD = Accord AE = Prelude Sedan AE = Civic, l300cc CRX AF = Civic, l500cc CRX AG = Civic, 1300cc 3 door AH = Civic, l500cc 3 door AK = Civic, 1500cc 4 door AN = Civic, Wagon AR = Civic, Wagon 4X4 BA = Accord 6th POSITION, 1983-86 TRANSMISSION CODE 2 = Semi-Hondamatic 3 = 3 Speed Automatic 4 = 4 Speed Manual 5 = 5...

Unsprung Weight - Part 2 By: Eric Albert Introduction In the first part of this series, we took a look at the effects of high unsprung weight on suspension and handeling. In this part, we will look at rotating mass. Be careful not to confuse unsprung mass with rotating mass. Reducing both is good, but they are not the same. Let's take a look. Rotational Inertia (or Momentum) Rotational inertia is a concept a bit more difficult to deal with than unsprung weight. Inertia can be thought of as why a car wants to keep rolling once moving, or remain in place once stopped (unless you forget to set the parking brake on that hill). I believe the terms momentum and inertia are interchangeable. The term “flywheel effect” also refers to these...

Unsprung Weight - Part 1 By: Eric Albert Introduction Every car built today has some type of suspension on it. Whether it's a double-wishbone or a MacPherson Strut design, we, as tuners, need to know a little more about suspension that just 'dropping' the chassis down a little bit. Let's take a deeper look at what exactly the job of your car's suspension is. Suspension on the Clock So we all know that suspension works. It works for you, but it never gets paid. In the same way as you and I work, we probably have different jobs. Suspension is no different. There are a few different ways your suspension works. The main job of your suspension is to suspend your car above the road. If that was the only reason for the existence of...

things to check compression fuel spark then you can break it down from there no compression? check the cam timing no fuel? check the injectors no spark? check the ignitor and so on and so forth til you find the problem

Quite simply, Torque - the twisting force per distance (e.g., lb/ft). "How much work can be done" Horsepower - a function that tracks the rate of how work is done. "How quick can work be done" Watch this for more information:

Here's a quick lesson into how and why you'd want to solidify your motor mounts. Let's start with a little bit of theory. Back in the day, engines were just bolted to the frame rails of the cars making for very little inter-chassis movement(engine moving inside the car). This was ok, because with a V8, the power hits every 45 degrees alone the axis so the vibration is distributed pretty evenly over a circle. However in I4 configurations, the power hits every 90 degrees of the crank turn and it's momentum sometimes is transferred forward or backward depending upon where in the cycle, each cylinder is. This is why they came up with rubber engine mounts, that look something like this: This flexibility makes it so that the harsh...

Here is a sticky guide to cams that I got from Clubsi a while ago. I hope you guys enjoy it and just so you know it's through the experience of someone else, not I. Let me start by saying that the following are my comments on these cams. The following comments do not reflect the thoughts of others, ClubSi owners or anyone other than me. These are the critiques and facts that I have experienced from many other people here on the boards and in real life. If anyone feels that I got a critique or fact messed up please tell me via e-mail and we will discuss. I wont learn anymore if no one tells me. Following Cams Measured at 1mm of lift: Integra Type-R(Through 1999 Spec) Int-240 dur. / 11.5mm lift Exh-235 dur. / 10.5mm lift Valve...

b16 and b18 motors all use 81mm diameter pistons, b20 motors use 84mm diameter pistons