General Tech Articles

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...

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...

Directly from www.theoldone.com. <_<

Okay, after seeing how messed up my tires looked after the 30.5mm drop from the Tein SS coilovers, I decided it was a good idea to get a camber kit and fix my camber problems. I went with a Skunk2 front camber kit (which I got new for $175). The kit is very simple. It comes with two adjustable upper arms. The install is simple enough but Skunk2 does not provide any instructions, so I figured now would be the time to write up a how-to article. :) Here we go: The Skunk2 camber kit [attachmentid=44] you'll need these tools [attachmentid=45] First, jack up the car and take the wheel off. I started on the driver's side (left) first. [attachmentid=46] Look at the tread... ouch [attachmentid=47] A couple pics of the OE upper arm...

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...

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...

How to Change your Axle(s) on 88-00 Civic, 90-01 Integra The axle swap only takes about half an hour (for me). If it's your first time, budget out about 1-2 hours. You'll need a 14mm socket, 17mm socket, 32mm socket and breaker bar (for the spindle nut), ratchet and torque wrench, hammer/mallet, pipe wrench (my preference). Get some cotter pins to replace the old crusty ones from your castle nuts too (two total if you take EVERYTHING apart). What I basically do is: Remove center cap from wheel or remove hubcap- this may require wheel removal Have the car sitting on the ground on all wheels Remove spindle nut from end of axle through center of wheel (it's really hard to do with the car in the air) Jack up corner of car Remove wheel...

d-series: http://www.knology.net/~jediklc/D.htm b-series: http://www.c-speedracing.com/howto/compcal...lc/compcalc.php

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...

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...

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...

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...

Double Clutching Q: What is double clutching? A: You just watched "The Fast and the Furious" didn't you? Real answer: Double clutching is a downshifting technique that promotes smoother transitions and lower transmission wear. It is useful for road racing, prolonging transmission life, and giving you an overall smoother ride. In normal driving, with modern cars- you don't need to double clutch... ever. When you shift, these neat little devices called "synchronizers" or "synchromesh" (or whatever other name you want to give them) in your transmission help your shifting by matching the rotational speeds between meshing parts. Why do you need to match the speeds between transmission parts when you shift? Simple- they won't go...

This is an article I wrote for Civicland way back at the beginning of the year, and have just refreshed for general consumption. If you actually need this to change out your headlights and corner lenses, god help you when you try to perform an engine swap. Aside from that, this might be useful for you, so here it is. ---------- DIY: How to install new headlights and corner lenses in a 5th gen Civic; stock vs Hiper bulbs What you'll need:10mm socket, ratchet, driver Medium sized Phillips screwdriver Your new headlights Your new corner lenses Some towels or newspapers An hour or two Note: If you're only replacing your corner lenses, only follow steps 2 and 6. Here we go... 1. Get your bumper off First, pop your hood...

This will work for usdm OBD-1 ECUs: Read the code on it. The 2nd to last # on an automatic ECU will have a 5. If it is anything but a five then it is a manual ECU. Jdm OBD-1 ECUs: Read the code on it.. if the last 3 digits are 900 or 901 it is an automatic ECU.

editors note: Originally posted by Adam P and edited for cleanliness.. How to Chip a Honda OBD1 ECU Saved here in the forums for preservation USDM OBD1 ECU Chipping So, you want to chip your obd1 usdm ecu. You didn't listen to me tell you to get a Hondata, or if you did listen and you are reading this... good job. On a scale of 1-10, the difficulty of chipping an ECU is a 3. Just follow these simple instructions and you should be revving past your stock rev limiter using your stock valve train and floating valves in no time, because chances you also didn't listen to me when I told you that your stock cams don't make power over 8000 rpm and your stock valve springs and retainers also can't handle the revs. So sit back, chip your ECU...

**Things You'll Need for the Setup*** You will need atleast the following... -Head Info You must use a B-series DOHC VTEC head. A Prelude H-series head will NOT work. You can choose a head from the following list by code.... --B16a1: this engine came in the 89-91 civic SiR and the Integra XSi in Japan. This is the easiest motor/head to use for 4th Gen civic (EF) swaps. --B16a2/3: this USDM motor came in in the 94-97 DelSol (a3) and is still available in the 99 Civic Si (a2). It was also available in Japan from 92 in the Civic with 170hp compared to the USDM models' 160hp. It has upgraded pistons and slightly more aggressive cams when compared to the B16a1. --B17a: came in the 92-93 USDM Integra GSR. This motor is kinda...

I put this guide together because I'm tired of seeing the SAME threads over and over of simple questions that can be answered in one simple post like this one. This thread is designed to be an end-all, tell-all type thread. Please keep in mind though, that this is still just a general guide. Lsvtec/b20vtec engines are not honda manufactured engines. With that said, there are hundreds of combinations you can build. Also, please be aware that this guide is assembled on an intermediate level, and in my opinion anyone reading this guide can perform all of the steps outlined. I left out things like how to hone cylinders, install bearings, pistons, rings, valve seals, etc. Because honestly, I don't want people attempting it based on my...

How to Change a Fuel Filter on an Accord I just got done changing the fuel filter on my 1994 Honda Accord, and it was a real pain. So, I thought that I would take a few minutes to write up a thread giving recommendations on how to make the job easier based on what I went through. I promise you, if you follow my advice, this job will be a lot easier. This is not a job that you want to embark on without sufficient knowledge and the right tools for the job. So, take a few minutes and read before getting yourself in a pickle. The fuel filter on the 1994 Accord is located directly below the master cylinder inside the engine compartment. There is a banjo bolt on the top, a flare nut fitted metal brake line on the back, and a bracket holding...

http://www.animatedengines.com/ Great site with information about how common internal combustion engine cycles work, along with animation illustrations demonstrating the different cycles.