What to do next?

[ek9sharkey]

Alright guys,

1st post, 1st time user.

Just bought my ek9 afew weeks ago. Its a facelift model 48k miles on the clock. The additions to the car have been an aem short ram air intake, a mugen twim loop exhaust system, a spoon 4-2-1 manifold, spoon h-t leads, spoon spark plugs, and had it earthed + an uprated battery.

I was thinking of buying skunk2 stage 2 cams for it as the next upgrade but looking at the posts on here think there may be better options.

Im looking in the long run to pull fast quarter miles, and I don't know whether to play to the hondas stregths and work on increasing power in high rpm, or look to increase for 3500 - 6500 rpm.

Hoping some voices of experience might help me out.

Cheers.

 

[ManosEK9]

Alright guys,

1st post, 1st time user.

Just bought my ek9 afew weeks ago. Its a facelift model 48k miles on the clock. The additions to the car have been an aem short ram air intake, a mugen twim loop exhaust system, a spoon 4-2-1 manifold, spoon h-t leads, spoon spark plugs, and had it earthed + an uprated battery.

I was thinking of buying skunk2 stage 2 cams for it as the next upgrade but looking at the posts on here think there may be better options.

Im looking in the long run to pull fast quarter miles, and I don't know whether to play to the hondas stregths and work on increasing power in high rpm, or look to increase for 3500 - 6500 rpm.

Hoping some voices of experience might help me out.

Cheers.

Its a good idea to focus on both midrange and high rpm if your car is used for daily drive on public roads with traffic etc.....you will feel more comfortable driving it with more torque at low rpm!!! But if you are planning to make it only track oriented, it would be a good idea to focus on high rpm.
You already have good stuff and the 4-2-1 header helps alot in midrange.
For cams, you have alot of choices, but I suggest only either Toda Spec B or Skunk2 Stage 2. In every dyno sheet I've saw comparing different camshafts, Toda Spec B gave the best midrange hp and torque of all, so it would be nice to pick these cams if you want some lower rpm power.
On the other hand, Skunk2 Stage 2 gave the best peak hp and torque of all and these are my personal choice!!
I can assure you that they are extremely aggressive when vtec enables and also give a smooth acceleration for a daily use.
S2 products focus on high rpm performance.
Both of these cams are not considered to be track oriented but are still better than other "track only" cams
You need enough work and $ to get the most from these cams though.
Here is a link which mate Blinx found and I always show to anyone who finds it difficult to make his cam choice and I think its helpful
http://www.importreview.com/reviews/skunk2todadagain.html

 

[ek9sharkey]

Thanks bud,

I hear the toda cams tear your valve springs to pieces over time which is why im a little wary of them. You know anything about tht?

Would I have been better to make this a post as oppose to a thread btw?

 

[ManosEK9]

Thanks bud,

I hear the toda cams tear your valve springs to pieces over time which is why im a little wary of them. You know anything about tht?

Would I have been better to make this a post as oppose to a thread btw?

No to be honest, I haven't heart anyone complaining about Toda cams causing any side effects so far and I don't know if what you say is true
Are you refering to aftermarket(stiffer) valvesprings tear?

 

[ek9sharkey]

http://www.ek9.org/forum/showthread.php?t=137

Valve problems can also be attributed to valve springs failing to control valve motion. I won't build any engine with Toda cams these days because there are no springs we've ever found that will last any length of time with them. When the springs go soft, valvetrain separation occurs and the valves typically end up being "dropped" on the seats, rather than eased to their seats by the closing ramps on the cams, thus pounding out the valves and seats.

The potential damage from weakened valve springs is that great in my opinion...at least with Todas. I also don't think their valve springs are up to the task either. If you (have) to run cams like those, you can't run springs that "fit" in an installed height that's relatively "stock". You MUST run a spring that has at least 1.400" installed height with about 68-70 psi on the seat.

Thats were I read it was a post at the end of last year. You're right though im unsure there is any truth in it.

Either way, the skunk2's may be the way to go.

Thanks.

 

[blinx9900]

skunk2 stage2 cams + valvesprings and retainers

 

[rvm]

skunk2 stage2 cams + valvesprings and retainers

+ aftermarket ecu!

I was able to gain almost half a second in the 1/8 mile time just by changing the ecu, no other mods, for me it's very important.

 

[blinx9900]

+ aftermarket ecu!

I was able to gain almost half a second in the 1/8 mile time just by changing the ecu, no other mods, for me it's very important.

oops i forgot about that, rvm is right, after intake/header/exhuast aftermarket ecu should be next as any other mods will require tuning

 

[ManosEK9]

When I started modifying the car, I first put the cams, cam gears, valvesprings/retainers, throttle body, thin gasket, did port/polish and I was waiting for the V-AFC to come. The previous owner sold me the EK9 having a header (5Zigen), exhaust(Kakimoto) only.
The difference in performance was negligible because the ECU was untouched even though the total cost for me to get the job done was more than $2000. But after, with just an extra $160 for a used V-AFC by feeding the car with more fuel and air, the thing started working a bit and it reached 210 bhp actually with a stock ECU being messed up and deregulated from the V-AFC, because the V-AFC throws fuel and air in an unsynchonized way independently of your current rpm affecting the overall functioning and its not difficult to understand that something is wrong
Proof: My engine is struggling to stay alive when working idle(at 1000 rpm) and in high rpm it smells fuel
I cannot imagine how the car will perform as soon as I replace that crap with a Power FC and tune it on a dyno!!