Migration

For several reasons, this blog is being transferred over toDriven Daily. Please update your bookmarks accordingly.

Pre-Holiday Weekend

I just wanted to post something a little out of the norm to get everybody through the stressful weekend before a holiday.

HYBRID Vtec

I see a lot of questions about LS/VTEC and Minime floating around right now, and it seems like a lot of people are confused. There is no "LS/VTEC" engine, or a "Minime" engine. Both are essentially the same, a non-vtec block with a vtec head.

LS/VTEC
The LS/VTEC gets its name from the Acura Integra "LS" block (b18a1 or b18b, from any non-GSR and non-type-r Integra) and any b-series VTEC head. Most of the time, a b16 head is used on either b18 LS block because of its flow and excellent documentation.

There are a few reasons LS/VTEC rocks, but most importantly it's the stroke ratio, which nets awesome torque (for a Honda) which equates to awesome power. LS/VTEC builds can put out even more power than ITR (Integra Type R) engines do, because the crank creates a longer stroke and produces more power.

However, that stroke comes at a cost. Because the stroke is longer (meaning the piston travels farther vertically in one rotation), more pressure is put on the block sleeves. It theoretically cuts down on the longevity of the engine. There are plenty of people out there who have had no problems for umpteen miles on an LS/VTEC build, but they're the lucky ones. The same motor with a more ideal rod to stroke ratio (such as the near-perfect 1.74:1 of the b16a1) would last longer than an LS/VTEC. Unfortunately, a 1.8l Honda motor with such a rod to stroke ratio does not yet exist... Read on.

MINIMe
Minime engines are basically the cheap way to make more power than stock. You take your existing 1991 CRX Si (which you already updated your car to if you haven't already), remove the head, and insert a vtec d-series head onto it. Some applications may get as much as 30hp gains, and because d-series motors are so common this could be a free upgrade. The next time you're at a salvage yard, check to see if they have a d16z6 or d16y8 head in-stock, and how much it would cost for that and the ECU. You'll only have to add a way to activate the new vtec you've installed.

CR-VTEC
This one has kind of a special place in my heart. The CRV comes with a big girthy B20Z block, and throwing a b16 head on there and voila! There's a CR-VTEC motor.

Now, back to the rod-stroke ratio, a de-stroked B20Z could certainly be engineered to be damned close to the ideal 1.75:1 rod-stroke ratio. THAT, my friends, is what I want. Vtec or not, that would be the nasty-scary-k20-killer that everybody has been dreaming of. You just didn't know that's what was under the hood in your dreams.

VTEC
Personally, I say that vtec is a waste of time. It has no performance application, and is more expensive than it's really worth from a daily driver perspective. I'm also a big fan of simplicity, and a strong non-vtec build is what I consider to be ideal. A nice cam job and a tune can breathe new life into a car that's starting to feel less exciting.

For further reading, see:
LS/VTEC

EMERGENCY! PGMFI NEEDS YOUR HELP!

PGMFI really needs support. It seems that someone uploaded a file they shouldn't have, and how our beloved tuning software site's owner is being hit with a lawsuit. Anybody who can, please please please offer your support (he needs money to pay for his lawyer). Even $5 goes a long way toward keeping this resource alive for us.

You can paypal funds to pgmfi@pgmfi.org to support the fund.

CRX apparal

Finally! I found a CRX shirt that I actually like!

Check it out here and represent the community good-ness!

Sunday Ritual

We tuners can learn a lot from hot-rodders and muscle car enthusiasts. Our two worlds are similar in many ways, but separated by an invisible barrier. One thing muscle car commercials really focus on is regular maintenance. The weekend cleaning where the sky is always sunny and the only water in the air is coming from a hose. Unfortunately, we don't live in this perfect world, and sometimes we actually do need to swear at our tools.

The focus today is on a weekly maintenance ritual. Because "important" things aren't always the most "urgent" things you have to do during the day, car maintenance often falls between the cracks of time. I dedicate every Sunday morning to my CRX and its maintenance. If I need an oil change or a brake job, or if I need to track down a new sqeaking noise, Sunday is the time for it, rain or shine.

Because it happens every week it's not even something I think about any more, it just happens. I get up early (6am currently), make some coffee, and head on outside. Lately it's been getting pretty cold out at night, so I bought some Mechanix gloves which keep me warm enough to make it bearable.

Not only is this good for your car, but it's also good for you!

Engine Swap, stage 1

Every Honda enthusiast has at least considered putting a different motor into their car. A lot of people disappear for a month and come back triumphantly, bearing pictures of the swap and talking of war stories during their time in the garage. More people disappear for a year and their car limps out of the garage, never to run properly again because something was half-assed somewhere along the lines. Very few people jump into their garage for a week, swap in the new motor, and have no problems at all. If you're one of those people, I hate you.

The first type of people (those who work hard on their swap) have a few things to consider. First and foremost, the engine to put in, and how much of the donor car is available. Some of us get lucky and have a donor car fall into our lap mostly intact. Some of us order a super-sweet jdm engine that puts out a bagillion horsepower but still no torque. Whatever you decide on, the first step to getting it into your car isn't putting it in your car. You need to go shopping. For all swaps, I'm assuming that you have a second-generation (1988-1991) CRX (or Civic, but c'mon, this is a CRX site) Si with a manual transmission, and stock suspension components (so you can use the standard axles). If you don't have one, you'll have to update your car to it.

The important points to consider are:

1. Engine
1. The first thing to do is decide what you want. How deep do you want to go? Does replacing a wiring harness sound intimidating? Are you willing to dedicate every weekend for a month to working on your car while it's up on stands? How much power do you REALLY need? What budget range would you be happy with, and still have wiggle room for anything that comes up? Lastly (and most importantly in my case): do you have an engine available to you already?
   
2. I'd say that there are 3 reasonable options available for a daily driver. You can either put in a more powerful d-series motor, a b16, or a b18.
   
1. The d-series in question is going to be the black-top dual overhead cam d16ZC motor, straight out of Japan. It's often referred to as the motor that should have come with the USDM Si, but we ended up with the d16a6 instead. This swap is almost a no-brainer. You unplug everything on your d16a6, pull the motor, drop the d16ZC in, and plug everything back up. Turn the key, and as long as your grounds are all solid and the motor was in good shape, it should fire up and you just gained 30hp. This is a good first swap, and a good candidate for turbo and daily driving. The troubles show up when you need replacement parts that aren't offered in the US (the USDM d16a1 is similar, but does not share all the same part numbers). Expect to spend $1,000 US to do this swap right.
   
2. The b16a1 is the most commonly recommended motor to put into a CRX. It's moderately straightforward, moderately expensive, and gives moderate performance gains (from 109hp to 160hp). You'll want to update your ecu or wire in a vtec controller and you'll need to take some "artistic license" with your engine bay but it's a tried and true swap and I have yet to find a sane person who's disappointed with this decision. Expect to spend $2,000 US to do this swap right.
   
3. The Integra LS motor (either b18a1 or b18b1) is what I'd recommend the most highly. B-series parts have a higher cost to power ratio than d-series parts, and the b18 puts out gobs and gobs of torque, compared to either the d16 or b16 motors. All the parts are USDM and currently very easy to get ahold of. The swap is marginally easier than the b16 because of the lack of vtec. Expect to spend $1500 US to do this swap right.
3. There are plenty of swaps that I consider unreasonable. Don't get me wrong, I'm impressed every time I see one done, but for whatever reason they don't come highly recommended. Here are some examples:
1. h22 - The Honda Prelude's girthy powerplant. Not a bad swap, but requires more work than is worthwhile for the average Joe. If you're looking for something mildly exotic, or a b-series doesn't quite do it for you, this is your best bet. I say that if Honda never put this series motor in the CRX or Civic, there was probably a worthwhile reason.
   
2. K20 - A shiny new motor, this is the latest Honda evolution. Nobody can deny the raw power potential these engines offer, or the bad-ass factor of having one in a CRX. Unfortunately, the cost is that you need to be either very rich or very good at fabrication due to high prices and the never-came-in-a-crx-factor.
3. Chevy v8 - Yes. Oh, worlds of yes. The biggest downside is that you wouldn't be the first... or the second. I'll pass on this one.
   
2. Transmission
1. Any b-series motor will mate up with any b-series transmission, and d-series motor will mate up with a d-series transmission. Don't mix-and-match them, it won't work. If it's within your budget, get an LSD-equipped transmission. It's worth the money.
2. To save headaches, I don't recommend hydraulic transmissions. The CRX is built for a cable transmission, and performs very well with it. I'm a fan of simplicity, and this is a prime example.
   
3. Drivetrain
1. D-series axles are pretty standard across the board. B-series axles are not. For all swaps, you'll want to check to see if you have ABS (your knuckles are a good place to start, I don't have ABS so I have NO electronics on my knuckles) and either get stock d16 axles just like your CRX Si came with, or 90-91 Integra axles for b-series swaps.
   
4. Electronic Management
1. Your ecu controls when your newly implanted engine makes its magic. If you skimped on this, you might as well give up on cars altogether. Seriously. You'll need to decide whether or not you're staying obd0 or "upgrading" (I love obd0's simplicity) to obd1 or obd2, then decide what ecu you're using, and how you plan to manage any changes you make to the motor. Every change that you make that's bigger than changing your air filter should have a tune afterward. As I like to get my hands dirty in both electronics and mechanics, I spend a lot of time reading on pgmfi.
2. It's very possible that, depending on the engine and management solution you decide upon, you'll need to do some wiring. Visit rywire and order a wiring harness beforehand, you won't regret it.
   
5. Other useful info
   
1. WUTZ THA JDM VTACK MOTOR! - Well, Vtec is a now-common technology that stands for "variable timing and lift electronic control". It's nice for a daily driver, but I don't consider it to be a defining feature when deciding on a swap. Howstuffworks has a great article that explains... well, how vtec works. I highly suggest it for anybody who doesn't want "standard" cams (or is interested in fuel economy while making power).
2. Check for emissions! If you live in California, or anywhere else that tests for smog, you may not be legally allowed to swap your motor at all. Some laws have loopholes, as long as the car passes a special smog test. You're entirely on your own on this one, but it's worth researching beforehand.

As always, my opinions are totally biased. Go ahead and throw caution to the wind and take on a swap nobody's ever done before. I'm always willing to buy failed swaps and use the shells for something better. I'm willing to author a catch-up post or a swap-in post for any CRX, or any motor (within reason, of course) that you're interested in. Just leave a comment on what you're thinking and I'll put it on my to-do list.