A/C Delete - Exhaust Notes - Honda Tuning Magazine

Honda Tuning Magazine, I’m trying to delete my A/C from my Prelude, but don’t know where to start. I want to clean up the bay, and I think starting with that is the best thing. Also, I see some Prelude bays that have the alternator located somewhere else. Is this a kit or something I have to get done custom? Thanks and I’m a longtime subscriber! It’s the only thing I look forward to in the mail, other than the Victoria’s Secret catalog, woot!
Brice Jackson

Hi Brice, thanks for being a longtime reader, we’re grateful to have subscribers like you. If your A/C is currently charged, I suggest bringing it to a certified A/C tech to be discharged (if you release it into the environment, you could be faced with a big fine). Then all you have to do is remove the lines, compressor, condenser, brackets, belts, wiring, etc. As far as the alternator goes, I believe what you are seeing is a relocation kit that positions the unit lower in the engine bay. I‘ve seen them for sale on sites like HaSport, Innovative Mounts, as well as Explicit Speed Performance. Good luck with the cleanup!

Hey guys, I’ve been a Honda guy for just a few years and I’ve been an HT subscriber for the last year, and one question I have that’s really bugging me—when I see cars featured that don’t have an air filter, instead they have individual throttle bodies, or even a velocity stack with no filter, how does that affect the engine? I’ve always thought that having no filter would just kill a motor with debris. I’ve been to a few drag events and even car shows, and I’ve noticed the same thing. Are these guys gambling with their engine? Is the power difference worth the risk? Let me know what you think, and thanks for featuring the blue and gray Integras in the February/March issue. I’m in love…
Justin K.

Justin, this brings up a very valid concern, but the cars with setups like this are not usually daily driven. You are correct in thinking they are taking a chance when driving, or racing, with open throttle body setup. The likelihood of a large chunk of debris being sucked in is not very likely, however, it does happen. Also, small dirt particles will add up over time, which can cause engine damage and eventually failure. I would keep your engine filtered at all times, and the power gains picked up on a street setup are so small that it wouldn’t be worth the money or risk.

All right Honda gurus, I’ve got a serious problem and I need a hand. I recently picked up a new CR-Z, and I’ve lowered it, added exhaust, intake, test pipe, and now here is where I’m having a problem. I swapped out the wheels for brand-new SSR Type F wheels and Falken tires just like the HT project car, ’cause I loved that build. I’m getting a light on my dash that looks like an exclamation point, and when I went to get a baseline on the dyno a few weeks ago, the car wouldn’t go past like 3,500 rpm. The dyno guy said it was probably due to the TPMS sensor not being in the new wheels. My question is, can I put the TPMS sensors from the stock wheels into the new SSRs? Will this solve my problem?
Rob

Rob, I’m so glad that the Honda Tuning CR-Z was such a big inspiration, we are stoked to hear that! Sounds like it is coming together good, and I bet it is a lot of fun to drive. Don’t worry too much about this problem; simply bring the original wheels back to where you had the performance tires done and have them mount the TPMS sensors in the new wheels. This Tire Pressure Monitoring System allows the driver the ability to see a low tire or flat before an accident. Unfortunately, the TPMS is wired to the ECU, and having it unplugged is triggering the ECU to throw the car into safety mode. One last thing to note, from what I have seen, not all wheels have a spot for the TPMS, but most do. Also, remember that you may have to get the wheels recalibrated at a Honda dealer in some cases.

Hi Honda Tuning, I have a question about OBD-II. Well two questions really. What’s the difference between OBD-IIA and OBD-IIB? Also, I have heard people calling the K series OBD-IIC. What’s the deal?
Rommell

Rommell, this is a really good question, but let me backtrack a little for the people who may not know what OBD means. OBD stands for On Board Diagnostics, and it’s the process by which the automotive electrical system can self-diagnose. For example, if the diagnostic system does not see resistance from the engine’s coolant temperature system or a circuit has resistance out of the sensors’ typical range, it will trigger a trouble light for a problematic circuit. As the years progressed, auto manufacturers found new ways to troubleshoot the ever-changing systems with new diagnostic levels. Each time a major change was made, a new OBD was born.

Since this is Honda Tuning, I will just tell you about OBD pertaining to our cars. OBD-IIA and OBD-IIB are very similar. The trouble codes remain the same, but the pin-outs for the ECUs did change. The IIA and IIB configurations used different plugs. For example, let’s take an IIA five-speed Civic (’96–’98). The IIA Civic used three ECU plugs which consisted of the A plug, B plug, and D plug, whereas the II2B consisted of the A plug, B plug, and C plug. Honda decided to change the plug types, but the basic functions stayed the same. The only real change to the IIB system was the addition of a few more smog devices like the gas tank pressure sensor and the immobilizer system, which was implemented to help keep cars from being stolen. The term OBD-IIC never really took off, so it’s simply referred to as OBD-II. The new K series’ OBD-II system is even more advanced. Honda decided to implement a new system called Multiplex. A multiplexer is a unit that transmits similar information over a single wire or a pair of wires. This allows for the Honda wire looms to be smaller and weigh less, and in turn, cost less money to construct. Just think of it as a CAN BUS system for your car.