| January 2001 - Tech Q&A
So you want to know what makes Super Street Editor Richard S. Chang tick? Sorry people, if we knew the answer to that, we would be able to arrange more vacation and three-hour work days. Our specialty lies in what makes cars tick, especially Super Street vehicles. So if you have a question, no matter what badge the car wears, don't hesitate and come find the answer to your deepest question of why your car does what it does. If your question is selected as Honda Optional Equipment question of the month, you'll win a free H.O.E. goodie. Send your questions to Super Street, c/o Tech Q & A, 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048, or e-mail us at sstreet@emapusa.com.
Honda Optional Equipment Question Of The MonthQ I've got a question for you geniuses at Super Street. First, I want to say, you guys are tighter than spandex on Monica Lewinsky. Second of all, my girlfriend currently owns a '96 Acura Integra GS automatic. She wants more performance out of her engine. She was thinking of a 50-75 NOS or the infamous supercharger kit from the bad boys of bad toys, Jackson Racing (does my girlfriend kick arse or what?). My concern for her is the transmission. Would installing either one of the systems wreak havoc on her tranny? It's gonna be a daily driver and her parents won't let her get a manual. If any problems do occur with these systems, what can she do to make her car perform a whole lot better? Also, how safe is it on her engine? Thanks for your time! Love, peace, and chicken grease.Ronnie LeTulsa, OK
A Well, Ronnie, thanks for painting the lovely picture of spandex-clad Monica Lewinsky in our minds. As for your tech question, a supercharger is a good choice to go with for a daily driver if you want reliability. Not to say that one or the other is better, but due to a supercharger's drive pulley-controlling boost pressure, increasing boost cannot be done on the fly like it can on a turbo kit. What this means is that the preset safe boost level will most likely satisfy the needs for increased horsepower without the temptation of "just a little" more boost. If the engine is in sound mechanical condition, you should not have any worries about reliability. Jackson Racing recommends that you use a high output fuel pump when running the kit. As for the car being an automatic, Oscar Jackson of Jackson Racing says that the automatic transmission will hold up just as well as a five-speed. Just remember that abusing an automatic transmission in stock form will cause failure. That means no "trans drops" or things of that nature. As long as you follow the rules above, you should be fine.
Q I'm the second owner of an '89 Mazda MX-6 with a 2.2L, 12-valve turbo engine. I have had this car since the odometer read 106K miles. Right now, I have 131K trouble-free miles. I know that life expectancy of a turbo and the turbo engine is around 70K miles, so I'm almost twice overdue for problems, but my motor is running strong and the turbo is still performing fine. My problem is the desire for more boost throughout the rpm range. The turbo kicks in hard at 3,000 rpm and slowly fades at 4,800 rpm. Is there a way to adjust boost levels on a stock turbo motor? If not, and if I need an external device, does it need to be electronic or manual? This is important to me because an electronic aftermarket device for this car is really hard to come by. My last question is, where should I hook-up a boost gauge in this car? Any information would be really appreciated.BartoszVia the Internet
A It's not often we get questions on this particular model, but it is an import- and a turbo one at that, with possible potential. On a turbo engine with this many miles, turning up the boost is not recommended without a complete rebuild. Even if the engine appears to be in perfect mechanical condition, something could be at its breaking point, and an increase in boost pressure could be the final straw for your engine. If your boost level recently started falling off at 4,800 rpm, you may either have a boost leak or your turbo could be at the end of the road. Before you even consider increasing boost, have your turbo checked by a certified turbo specialist and check all clamps and turbo piping for leaks and holes. If you see that all is well with your turbo and your engine and are ready to accept the possible consequences that come with an increased boost level, you can add either a manual or electronic boost controller. The majority of boost controllers are universal and can be installed on just about any vehicle with a turbo. You will just need to follow directions supplied with the boost controller for either a swing-type actuator or a wastegate install, based on your car's setup.
An electronic or manual controller can be used to increase boost to your desired level. With an electronic controller, you will have more precise control on how much boost is increased, not to mention you can adjust it at any given time. (A manual boost controller is usually installed in the engine bay, making it impossible to adjust while driving.) Both will effectively increase boost, and that sounds like it's what you want to do. Whichever one you choose, be sure to check that your timing and fuel levels are set properly for the additional boost you will be running. A fuel mixture that is too rich or lean, when added with higher boost pressure, will put added stress on your engine.
Your boost gauge should be installed in a place in your passenger compartment that is clearly visible, such as the A-pillar. This decision is up to you. The vacuum line for the boost gauge should be spliced into one of the intake manifold vacuum lines that sees boost. You can find these lines in repair manuals such as Haynes or Chiltons. Once located, you will need to cut and add a T-fitting to splice off the new line. When properly installed, you will have more accurate monitoring on how much boost your engine is actually seeing. We recommend doing this first before going ahead with a boost controller, as you may foresee any future problems. You can also compare the boost your car is making to what it should prior to modification.
Q I have a '99 Integra GS-R with a DC Sports 4-to-1 header, after-cat exhaust, AEM cold air intake, and a B&M fuel pressure regulator. The problem is my air/fuel mixture, or at least I think it is. My car was idling rough and was extremely bad on gas mileage (I was putting in $5 a day). I hit the 30,000-mile point, and the guys at the dealership told me it was time for a checkup. Also, my maintenance-required light was flashing on start-up, but I'm sure that was just because I had hit the 30K mark.
The tech that worked on my car said that I had my fuel pressure regulator set too high. I had it set at 54psi at around 4K rpm. The people that I bought the regulator from recommended this to me. They said that overall fuel pressure should be increased by about 10 percent each time something is added to the car to increase aspiration, such as an intake or exhaust. I was also told a header wasn't needed because there wasn't any more airflow than the stock one. So, I raised my fuel pressure to what they recommended, and I immediately noticed an increase in power compared to the stock fuel pressure level. The tech told me that the reason my car was idling and running like crap was because at idle, my air/fuel mix was very rich and causing damage to my catalytic converter. He also said that by manually setting the fuel pressure with the aftermarket regulator, I was aggravating the car's computer because it normally controls fuel pressure on its own, and that the regulator was in a sense, "stepping on its feet." He recommended that I return the fuel pressure to stock levels and I should even take the regulator off. He lowered it, and I noticed a loss of power. It wasn't much of a loss, but in a world where a few horsepower can cost three or four hundred dollars, I want to keep all I can. I guess my question is this: Was the tech at the dealership right, and can I be causing any damage by running the fuel pressure at 54psi? If he is right, what can I do about my air/fuel mixture to get it correct and get my car running at peak performance without draining my pocket? I hope you guys can respond before I finish pulling out the rest of my hair over this confusion. Thanks a million.Peter DaleyVia the Internet
A According to all your information, it seems that you are on the right path. Making sure that all maintenance is up to date is important before starting any tuning. First, the Integra comes with a maintenance reminder, which is what you described as a "maintenance-required" light, that comes on every 7,000 miles. If you have a factory manual, you can locate it under the dash and reset it yourself. Before resetting it, be sure to give all vital engine areas a look over, since that is its purpose.
As for your fuel pressure being too high, 54psi does seem high for a DOHC VTEC engine with only bolt-ons. Air/fuel mixture is important for horsepower, reliability, and gas mileage. If you are adding too much fuel, you will foul spark plugs quicker, see a decrease in gas mileage, have less horsepower (even though it may feel like more at different rpm points), and any unburned fuel will be deposited into your catalytic converter, which in time will ruin it.
Also, unburned fuel can ignite at a bad time in the combustion chamber, causing detonation and putting unnecessary stress on the engine's internals. As for selecting the right fuel pressure, using mathematical formulas (example: new fuel pressure old fuel pressure x old flow rate = new flow rate) is only one way to accomplish this task. You will need to be precise on engine functions and air entering the combustion chamber, injector size and pulse width, and other basic engine functions. This can be a lot of work, and with one false calculation, your formula will be incorrect. The best way to accomplish proper fuel tuning is the use of a chassis dyno and the proper gauges. When tuning fuel on a dyno, it is a good idea to have an air/fuel meter, an exhaust gas temperature gauge (EGT), or a voltmeter. These gauges will give you a better understanding of how rich or lean your engine is running.
The air/fuel meter runs off the voltage your O2 sensor is reading and in real-time displays the current status. An EGT gauge will give you the temperature of your exhaust gas and is an effective tool for tuning air/fuel mixture. A voltmeter can be used the same as an air/fuel meter, reading the voltage your O2 sensor is seeing. For this method, you will need to know what voltage is stoichiometric for your O2 sensor. Adding a fuel pressure regulator by itself won't quite give you the tuning throughout the rpm range you are looking for.
Like your dealer tech said, the ECU is reading something that is not normal to its programmed specifications and doesn't know how to deal with it. It will pick one designated area and run a complete fuel mapping based off of that. That is why you may be running rich at idle and fine at other points. Adding a controller such as a Fields VTEC/fuel controller or the Apex V-AFC will allow you to tune fuel settings at all levels and still permit the fuel pressure regulator to use a set fuel pressure at WOT (wide-open throttle).
As for taking it off, there is no reason to remove the fuel pressure regulator if properly tuned. You may want to temporarily remove it until you can get the vehicle tuned. By tuning the fuel pressure to proper levels, you will maximize horsepower, reliability, and even increase gas mileage over what you are seeing now. With a good air/fuel gauge (or EGT) and some dyno tuning, you will see the results that will make the extra money spent well worth the performance increase, not to mention the comfort of not having to replace an expensive catalytic converter in the near future.
Q I drive a '98 Dodge Neon four-door. I've been wanting to lower it and upgrade my tire and wheel combo, but I wasn't sure as to what size to go to without compromising the ride quality and also without messing up the speedometer. Would a 17-inch rim and 205/40 wheel combo offset my speedometer? If so, should I go with a 16-inch rim and 205/45 wheel combo? Also, if I lower the car, should I add new struts all the way around? I'm lost and need your help. Your advice would be appreciated. Thanks.ShawnVia the Internet
A Increasing the size of the wheel and tire combination without throwing off your speedometer is not as hard as it may seem. A lot of people, like yourself, are not sure about plus-sizing wheel and tire combinations. The formula is quite simple. Plus-sizing a wheel is simply increasing the size by one inch. To keep your speedometer accurate when increasing wheel size, you will need to find a tire with a sidewall size that is equivalent or within two percent of the original overall diameter.
According to manufacturer specifications, the factory wheel size for your Neon should be 185/60/14. The number 185 is the tire's width in millimeters. The number 60 refers to the percentage of sidewall to rim, or how high your sidewall is. The larger the number, the higher the sidewall. The number 14 refers to the wheel size that the tires were made for. So, we take the 185/60/14 and want to increase it to say a 16-inch wheel without affecting your speedometer. We would need a plus-two size. When we change to the 16-inch wheel, we will obviously need a 16-inch tire with a lower profile sidewall and a little more width (increasing wheel size usually consists of height and width).
We now have a 16-inch wheel and need to find an according tire size. We will choose a 16-inch tire rated as a 205mm width. The reason we chose a 205mm is because for every plus-size, the standard width increase is 10mm. 185mm plus 20mm (two-inch increase x 10mm per inch) gives us the 205mm. The sidewall measurement would now be a 50, as we take five points off for each plus-size (5 x 2 plus-size gives you 10). The new tire size is a 205/50/16, a plus-two size from 185/60/14, and you now have a better looking, better handling vehicle and your speedometer is still accurate.
Keep in mind that if you change your wheel and tire size, and it rates more than a two percent difference, your speedometer, ABS, cruise control, and any other speed-monitoring device on your car will be adversely affected. When you use performance springs to lower a vehicle, it is always recommended to use performance shocks and struts designed for the lower ride and different spring rates. Be sure to select your wheel and tire size first before lowering a vehicle. If you install wheels and tires first, you will know exactly how much room you have to work with when lowering your ride.
Q In the October 2000 issue, I was flipping through the pages and stumbled upon the San Bernardino Hot Import Nights pictorial. I was impressed by many of the rides that were featured. On page 172, I was very pleased with the pics of the models-they add a nice touch! Aside from this obvious feature, something else caught my eye. In the lower left corner of the page, I noticed the image of the Integra with the Silvia frontend. My first thoughts: "Damn! That's a pimpin' ride!" Upon further brainstorming, I figured I'd try to find out how it was done. So, great gurus of the import scene, could you possibly give me some more information on how this was done and by who? Thanks a lot! Keep it real!John BridgesWashington
A After we received John's question, we sent our Super Street sleuths to hunt down the owner of the Integra/Silvia. And sure enough, they came through again. The owner of the car in question is Freddy Hernandez, and it is actually an Integra with a Skyline front bumper and Silvia headlights. It is a complete sheetmetal prototype, performed by the body experts at JNS Extreme Autobody. The process began with the original Integra fenders, which were cut and attached to a custom Skyline-shaped bumper. The Silvia headlights were cut from original Integra headlights and shaped accordingly. The hood was also extended with more sheetmetal to fit. The entire process took the guys at JNS three months to complete. Judging from the response that Freddy is getting in the show scene, the work was worth the time and effort. But you don't have to go through the same process as they did. JNS Extreme Autobody is now offering fiberglass copies of this entire kit, so give owner Jin Hwang a call at 626/967-9964.
Q I have a '95 Neon and I was wondering, in this world of extremely expensive gas, is it worth the power gains of a chip to have to purchase the premium stuff? If so, what is the best all-around true chip for the Neon? My second question deals with the fact that before I became an SS reader, you had an issue on the Super Neon. I was inquiring as to where I could get a copy of this mag just to see what you at SS did to make it the most talked about Neon? Thank you for your time.Raju VaziralliVia the Internet
A In answer to your first question, the primary ingredient in most aftermarket performance chips is to recalibrate the fuel and timing maps. While this is a sure way to increase horsepower, you are going to be consuming more fuel as well as having to use a minimum of 92 octane to make up for the new aggressive timing curves. The true answer is in your hands. Is the added benefit of a performance chip worth the extra money for fuel? To some, a firm "yes" would be the answer. Others say "no" as the added hassle of purchasing higher octane fuel can be aggravating since gas prices change on an hourly basis, making any sane attempt at a fuel budget impossible. Also, the average gain on an ECU upgrade is normally 5-10 hp. Results may vary from car to car depending on your modifications, but this is the standard. If you are ready to get an ECU upgrade, Jet, Mopar, and AFX produce chips for the '95 Neon. Select a chip that better suits your driving style and needs. There are many different programs, and depending on what type of driver you are and what you expect to gain will influence which one is right for you. The most effective way to get an ECU you want is to have one programmed for your vehicle. This way, its potential to maximize your modifications and suit your needs is done as a whole for your specified vehicle.
Regarding our Super Neon-we miss our Super Neon. In fact, if anyone has seen it, please call us and let us know, we would like to drive it again. When we started the creation of the project, we wanted to build the ultimate Neon and prove that it could be a very competitive car. The heart of the Neon's grunt was found in the Electromotive individual throttle body unit. Add some bolt-on parts and styling goodies and you've got the ingredients for a long talked about vehicle. If you would like to know more on the Neon, you can find it in the April 1997 and February 1998 issue of Super Street.
Q I am currently driving a '91 Integra LS and I am the second owner of the car. It is approaching 83K. I would like to turn it into a Super Street machine, but I have a few questions. Should I be concerned with customizing a car with 83K? I know a lot of factors come into play. I am mainly concerned with how the car was driven before I bought it. I do not want to spend money on the car and have something mechanical break because of the extra power. I guess I am concerned with the mechanical aspects in general. Are motors with 83K able to handle mods? I am not talking turbo or even supercharger, I am on a bolt-on budget right now. I try to keep up with all scheduled maintenance and oil changes. Your thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.Integrity95Via the Internet
A Believe it or not, high mileage should not hamper your ability to add bolt-ons so long as they don't increase cylinder pressures to increase performance. Your major concern should be in the maintenance aspects of the vehicle prior to any upgrades. Before modifying an engine with a significant amount of miles, we recommend doing a compression check right from the start. This is always a good indication of what sort of shape the engine is in. Other recommendations are to check the engine oil and replace the timing belt, spark plugs, and water pump. If all of the maintenance is up to date, adding the bolt-ons should not lead to any type of breakage. Even an engine with high mileage, as long as properly taken care of, can still handle the power attained from adding the basics.
Q I've heard from several people that nitrous is bad for cars. I've heard that while using nitrous, your car's engine doesn't get oil running through it. From what I know, it's not good if your engine doesn't get oil. So, I was just wondering if you could inform me about the positive or negative effects of nitrous. I was also wondering about any internships that you might have. Thanks for you're time, and keep up the good work. Oliver HongCorvallis, OR
A It seems that the people telling you about nitrous have led you astray. Nitrous is commonly injected into the intake pipe or the individual runners. This then mixes with air and fuel and is burned in the combustion chambers. At no time while using nitrous does it ever stop the flow of oil. The most common cause of damage comes from too much nitrous, not enough fuel, or not adjusting your timing properly-all of which cause detonation. We suggest you install oil and fuel pressure gauge to verify for loss of pressure. For more in-depth knowledge about nitrous, check out the story about it in this very issue.