Newbies N/A Modification Guide(Honda):After
modifying two N/A Hondas, I thought i'd do a bit of a write-up on the
best way to start modifying a Honda so that newbies who don't have much
of a clue can get a bit of a starting point. So here's a basic rundown
on doing intake/headers/exhaust/tune. This really goes for any 4
cylinder non turbo cars, but my experience comes from Hondas.
DISCLAIMER:Note
that this is all MY OPINION which has come from my personal experience.
In NO way am I an expert on this! There are many ways to modify a car,
and these are just some of them that worked for me.________________________________________________________
Intake - In
my opinion, the first thing that should be done to an N/A car is the
intake. I've seen gains of up to 10HP from a decent intake setup, which
is significant power for a small engine. The basic idea - cold air is
denser than hot air, and more oxygen in the cylinder at each stroke
will make a bigger bang.
When buying an intake, make sure it is suited to your car, especially if you have ABS which tends to get in the way.
Unfortunately
some cars have sensors on the factory intakes (such as some Mazdas),
which will make it a lot harder to do a decent intake setup.
Pod filter:A
lot of people seem to think that taking out the factory air box and
putting a pod filter on their factory intake pipe will get them a bit
more power. This is completely wrong. It will just s*c* in hot air and
cause the engine to run less efficiently. A pod filter is a good
modification IF it is used in conjunction with a decent intake setup
(see below.)
This is a typical pod filter: Pod filter
They
can cost anything from $30 for a Simota filter to $100 for a K&N
filter. Most people agree that Simota filters do the trick.
Cold air intake:A
cold air intake sits the air filter behind the bumper. Ideally it
should be in a place where it will get maximum airflow (such as behind
a J's Racing air duct).
This is a typical cold air intake: [url=http://teamfbi.co.nz/pictures/modifywriteup/cold air intake.jpg]Cold air intake[/url]
Pros:The air filter is as far away from the engine as possible, so it is away from the heat
You don't need to worry about an cold air box as you would with a short ram intake
Cons:Less throttle response, as it takes longer to get the air to the throttle body when you push the accelerator down
As the air filter is low to the ground, you are at risk of sucking up water if you decide to drive into a lake
More expensive than a short ram intake ($200 )
Short ram intake:A
short ram intake is the same concept as a cold air intake, but with a
much shorter pipe. Instead of behind the bumper, the air filter sits in
the same location as your factory air box. Unfortunately this is right
beside the engine, which obviously produces a lot of heat.
To combat
the heat problem, most people tend to make up a cold air box to go
around the air filter, and then run some plastic piping to a an air duct in the bumper.
Here is an example of a cardboard prototype which could be taken to a fabricator to get made up (fiber glass, or carbon fiber): Air box 1
And here is a short ram intake with a pod filter surrounded by an air box made from aluminium: Air box 2
Pros:Cheaper than a cold air intake (around $100 for the pipe and filter)
Good throttle response (well, probably the same as a factory setup)
Very easy to install
Cons:Sits beside the engine and sucks in heat, so a cold air box will need to be built around the filter to combat this.
Headers - Getting decent aftermarket headers are a great way to get good gains. There are two types of headers for Hondas -
4 into 1:More of a gain higher in the rev range (however this is just what i've heard - chances are you won't notice a difference)
However they tend to sit lower (depending on design) to the ground so be weary of clearance issues
4 into 2 into 1:More of a gain lower in the rev range (however this is just what i've heard - chances are you won't notice a difference)
4-1 and 4-2-1 refers to the layout of the headers:- 4-1 starts with 4 pipes from the engine, then goes straight into 1 pipe which joins with the exhaust. (Example)
- 4-2-1 goes from 4 pipes at the engine, to 2 pipes, to 1 pipe which joins with the exhaust. (Example)
The significance of the design is beyond me, so you might have to do a Google search to find out.
When
it comes to headers for Hondas, in my opinion TRR headers are the best
bang for buck. I got a 13kW gain from a set of 4-1 TRR headers which
cost $750.
If you need a bit of help deciding which brand to go for, check out the Great Header Test #3
Exhaust - Once
you have a decent air intake and exhaust system, the next step is the
exhaust. But before I start, please understand this: putting a big bore
muffler is only going to make your car louder. It is not going to get
you more power (if anything, you will lose power.)
However, I
have seen gains of up to 10-15HP from a full cat-back exhaust system
(which starts from the cat converter). Replacing your cat converter
with a resonator make earn you a few HP (if it is blocked) but be weary
that our government is trying to bring in laws which will make the use
of cat converters compulsory (and they aren't cheap to replace if you
take it out!)
Also, remember this: N/A cars with small engines
generally like a bit of back-pressure in the exhaust system. So you
have to be careful, because if the exhaust is too large in diameter,
you may lose a bit of low-end torque.
Personally, I upgraded my
2.25" factory exhaust to a 2 2/3" HKS Silent Hi-Power exhaust system.
The gains were noticeable throughout the rev range. Any bigger than
2.5" is generally not recommended if you want to retain that low-end
torque.
Full exhaust systems can be picked up from $500-$2000 depending on brand and style.
HKS Silent Hi-Power 2 2/3" Exhaust system
Tune - Now
that you've done the main bolt-on modifications to your car, there's a
good chance your air/fuel ratios and timing could be advanced a bit to
get even more power! You can expect anything from 5-30HP depending on a
variety of factors, such as the skill of your tuner.
There are
countless options when it comes to tuning your car, but all of them
require either a replacement ECU, or a chip that piggybacks your
current ECU.
Here a few examples:Apexi VAFC- This is a piggyback system with a display unit included, but it has
limited features compared to other options. However it can do the
basics such as timing, air fuel ratios, etc. Just be warned that if you
continue to modify your car, you may need to find a different option
with more features. (Note: The VAFC has been discontinued I think.. But
they can be bought second hand.)
Apexi Power FC- A full replacement ECU which just plugs into the loom. It comes with
a hand controller which displays your cars vital stats. It can be tuned
by most tuners. Unfortunately it can cost around $1500 to buy.
Hondata- A chip which is installed into your current ECU. Very popular, and
can be tuned by most tuners. Unfortunately the chip is expensive
(around $1000)
Crome - A
chip which is installed into your current ECU which offers similar
features to Hondata. The chip is very cheap, but it's very hard to find
a tuner.
There are many other options (such as Link) that can be found with a quick Google search.
Once
you have the equipment, you need to find a competent tuner. The best
way to do this is to go to your local car forum (such as Team FBI!) and
get some opinions. Tuning can cost from $400-$1000 depending on dyno
time. If problems arise, the cost goes up quickly.
Lastly, be
warned that dyno tuning does not come without risks! It is very hard on
your car and there is a chance that things could break. However, the
vast majority of people have a positive experience.
______________________________________________________
Ok,
I think that's about it for now. I will say again that this comes from
my personal experience, and other people may have different opinions.
Don't view this as any kind of set guideline. Do research before you
start modifying your car! Ask for opinions on different forums or talk
to a trusted mechanic before you make up your mind.
And remember that things WILL go wrong! Modifying cars is a frustrating process. But
the satisfaction of knowing you've got a unique car is worth it in the end
Info's from the other honda mod forum. Hope this helps...
Subject: Rujukan modifikasi stage 1, 2, & 3 utk pengetahuan 
28/6/2008, 4:27 pm
5zigen 304 replicas are real nice unless u can afford the real deal 
taiko2 sekalian, 
