code on the firewall

[Amaury_Reno]

can i noe, i recently went to malaysia's Sepang's International Circuit for a trackday they open recently, well i saw alot of EK's with the Blue colour chasis code plate on the radiator side there indicates either GF-EK9 or just EK9, now which are the true one? the GF-EK9 has more words on it than the EK-9 one, thn how bout the chasis code thats crafted onto the firewall? alot of them has those Blue colour plate with EK9 on but crafted EK3 or mostly EK4 on it, there are about 10 or 9 EK's over that day only 1 is crafted EK9 and has the blue coloured plate with EK9 on it.... can some1 pls explain to me hows to noe which are genuine which arent?

 

[jugbugz]

The code on the firewall and the blue plate should be the same.

E-EK9 is 97-98 model
GF-EK9 is 99-00 model


As you said, EK3 and EK4 isn't a EK9

 

[type-r-dunk]

All Jap spec cars have this prefix on the plate. It indicates an emissions code for the the Jap market. All i know GF is lower emissions than E. eg the code on the DC5 started out as a LA then when they did the face lift that changed to ABA.
When they did the face lift EK9 they must have changed something to lower the code.
Dunx

 

[jugbugz]

All Jap spec cars have this prefix on the plate. It indicates an emissions code for the the Jap market. All i know GF is lower emissions than E. eg the code on the DC5 started out as a LA then when they did the face lift that changed to ABA.
When they did the face lift EK9 they must have changed something to lower the code.
Dunx

no mate, Its just the code for prefacelift and facelift models. It's easier to catagorise parts as well for honda. Because sometimes your model could be built in NOV 98 but come out as a 99 facelift model.

Same with DC2;

E-DC2
GF-DC2

I know this because i deal with honda parts all the time.

 

[Amaury_Reno]

so....if the firewall code isn't EK9 that its not one? even with the blue plate state that its EK9?

 

[type-r-dunk]

no mate, Its just the code for prefacelift and facelift models. It's easier to catagorise parts as well for honda. Because sometimes your model could be built in NOV 98 but come out as a 99 facelift model.

Same with DC2;

E-DC2
GF-DC2

I know this because i deal with Honda parts all the time.

I can assure you is is an emissions code, several other manufactures use the same codes. I think if i remember rightly you will find Imprezas are also GF and i think Starlet turbos are E.
Also the technical ESVA section at VOSA confirmed this to allow me to test the GF code on my E coded model report. It was the same when i tested a face-lift ABA DC5 against a pre face-lift LA DC5 model report.
Dunx

 

[jon5698]

You can buy the blue plates from the american ebay mate.

 

[Amaury_Reno]

so it can b said that to find out if its a genuinely EK9 Type-R theres only the firewall code to b use as a reference?

 

[jugbugz]

I can assure you is is an emissions code, several other manufactures use the same codes. I think if i remember rightly you will find Imprezas are also GF and i think Starlet turbos are E.
Also the technical ESVA section at VOSA confirmed this to allow me to test the GF code on my E coded model report. It was the same when i tested a face-lift ABA DC5 against a pre face-lift LA DC5 model report.
Dunx

I see, I didn't know that. I just knew that when it changed, it changed with updated facelift etc.

 

[jugbugz]

so it can b said that to find out if its a genuinely EK9 Type-R theres only the firewall code to b use as a reference?

thats right. Also the plates on ebay are not identical to the original ones, you will just know when you see it.

 

[britishracer]

The codes are indeed emission rankings. All cars meant for the Japanese market have this code in front of their chassis code. Even European cars have a secondary code with ABA, GF or whatever included.

The change from E to GF happened around the end of 1998. Around the time when cars like the EK9, DC2, Lancer Evo and STi had a facelift or new model. The manufacturers were obviously informed about these changes and thus scheduled their new models with the emission changes around this time.

On the GF generation, most of the lower emission compliance could be done by reprogramming the ECU and changing the Cat. LA and ABA models often required new engines from the ground up and thus we saw a whole host of new models in 2001.

Another note is that because the B16B has a very high specific output per litre, achieving lower emissions was difficult without changing the ECU architecture. Thus you will find that E-EK9 and GF-EK9 have completely different ECUs. The DC2 on the other hand doesn't have as high a specific output there Honda could modify the emissions without changing the ECU.

 

[Tmus]

Blue plate on Radiator should say either E-EK9 or GF-EK9.

code on Firewall should read "EK9-(same as blue plate)"