Reference: 10 mods for under $200.

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ReggieSD

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10 mods for under $200

i didn't really know where to put this...so mods, please feel free to move this to the appropriate section. i saw this on k-series.com and thought it was kinda informative. you may notice that brands and the parts are different...but this is to give you a good idea of what you can get. example: header - DC sports instead of the hp racing described below. hope this helps!


http://www.k-series.com/article_details.php?article_id=10

the site actually has links below each article on the actual "how to's" of each.

We all live in the real world and have families or other responsibilities that keep us from really modifying our cars to perform the way we dream they could. This article is to give you a quick rundown of several modifications that won't break the bank-but help you get there quicker and enjoy the ride! Prices are an approximation or general street price you can expect to pay from resellers.

The Concept: Tighter Handling
The Product: JDM CTR 22mm Rear Sway Bar
The Price: $110



We are all familiar with front and rear strut tower bars which link the top of your strut assemblies together to tighten your cars handling and make your suspension more rigid. The rear sway bar is another great way to improve your cars handling characteristics and is often cast aside when upgrading your suspension. This single bar has proven to be the best bang for your buck product to improve your cars suspension. While there are many other manufacturers which produce rear sway bars this unit was chosen due to price, availability and after all, it is OEM Honda.


The Concept: Lower Ride Height
The Products: Progress Sport Springs
The Price: $170



With your new sway bar installed it is now time to address one of the major issues with your EP, the ride height. Progress has been manufacturing springs for Hondas and other vehicles for at least 8 years and is one of the leaders in its field. The Progress units are not too aggressive with the rates being lowered 1.8 inches in the front and 1.5 inches the rear. This modification is guaranteed to make spirited driving around town much more enjoyable.


The Concept: Reduce Engine Movement
The Product: ES Motor Mount Inserts
The Price: $30




Have you ever launched your car and felt a jerking from your car that made you think that the front end was going to rip apart from all the wheel hop. Do you want an all around tighter feel for your car? Well if so, Energy Suspension's polyurethane motor mount inserts may be just the ticket. While these have been known to be quite troublesome to install everyone who walks away with them agrees they are well worth the trouble.


The Concept: Tighter Shifts
The Product: Aluminum Shifter Bushings
The Price: $17



This is the modification that EP owners rant and rave about. It is quite hard to believe such a trivial change in the bushings would make such a drastic difference in the way the linkage responds your shift throws. Well believe it! With these aluminum bushings in place you will notice more precise shifts and the extra play in the shifter itself which used to feel so cumbersome is practically nonexistent.



The Concept: Quicker, Shorter Shifts
The Product: Neuspeed Short Shifter Kit
The Price: $110



Now that you've installed your aluminum bushings your shifts are more precise but still a tad longer than most enthusiasts would like. Neuspeed is the only company which currently has acknowledged this problem and has released its short shift kit. This unit does not replace your factory shift lever but bolts onto it changing the pivot point and in turn shortening the throw. While some owners have complained of a notchy feel to the shifter once this unit is installed they all agree that it makes the EP more enjoyable to drive.


The Concept: Better Inlet Air Flow
The Product: AEM Cold Air Intake
The Price: $200



Getting the greatest volume of the densest air into your motor as quickly as possible is the first step at producing more horsepower. This unit meets those requirements and looks good under your hood while doing so. Again there are several different companies that manufacture cold air intakes or short ram units but I chose to go with the AEM CAI for two reasons. First off it does not require you to relocate any factory components as does the Injen. And of course the CAI provides more power then its short ram counterpart due to the denser air that is being fed to the motor.



The Concept: Better Exhaust Air Flow
The Products: HP Racing Header
The Prices: $195



With the intake now in place you have a good steady flow of cold air to feed your motor. There is one problem though, the restrictive stock exhaust manifold is holding back power in its runners. To eliminate this problem and uncork the available power the crew over at HP Racing has released its latest product for the K20A3. The quality, fitment and bang-for-the-buck price tag is what makes this unit stand out from the rest.



The Concept: Cooler Engine Temps
The Products: Mugen Radiator Cap/Thermostat/Fan Switch, Redline Water Wetter
The Prices: Cap $30/Thermostat $79/Switch $45, Redline $9




This is one of the most basic things that is often overlooked by most enthusiasts. If things get too hot inside your motor, you're losing energy to heat rather than directing it to the wheels. A hot cylinder head heats up the incoming air which lowers its density thus dramatically reducing the horsepower numbers you just received from installing your CAI.

The radiator cap and Redline water wetter are very simple to swap out. The Fan Switch can only be used in conjunction with the Thermostat and may be a little complex for the beginning tuner.

The Concept: Less Engine Friction and Better Engine Protection
The Products: Mobil1 5w-30, Spoon Sports Magnetic Drain Plugs
The Price: Mobil1 Oil $5 per Quart, Drain Plugs $45



We have just completed reducing the engine temperatures but like heat, friction is an engines enemy. The Mobil1 5w-30 oil is a great replacement over the stock 5w-20 but be sure to check which weight is best for your area. This can be done at your next oil change and the magnetic drain plug is sure to remove any metal shavings that would come in contact with it.


The Concept: More Stopping Power
The Products: Hawk HPS Brake Pads and Steel Braided Lines
The Price: FT Brake Pads $50/RR Brake Pads $45, Steel Braided Lines $105




We are all interested in making more power but with more horsepower comes the need for more stopping power. Your 0-60 is important but your 60-0 should not be neglected because it is just as if not more important. Here we have chosen to use the Hawk HPS brake pads which is essentially an upgraded version of your OEM pads. The steel braided brake lines are great for long track days, Auto-X, or spirited daily driving. Brake lines are one of the most neglected areas of brake maintenance, and the gradual degradation of these components can contribute to poor braking. As the original rubber hoses heat up, they tend to swell when the brakes are engaged, which results in a spongy brake pedal and reduced stopping distance. Steel Braided lines remove the ability for the lines to expand so you can feel confident in your braking.
 

Shiznit

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it definetely doesnt go in here thats for sure lol
 


nightryder99

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quote
The radiator cap and Redline water wetter are very simple to swap out. The Fan Switch can only be used in conjunction with the Thermostat and may be a little complex for the beginning tuner.

can someone explain what fan switch is all about ...its a cooland add on
I just purchased the coolant cuz im running a bigger manifold ..and i want to maintain good temps in engine
anybody got anything on this topic????
thanks
 

Fawks

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nightryder99 said:
bump....for my question
It is a switch on your Radatior fan so that you can turn them on by hand. I think.
 

k-series

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nightryder99 said:
can someone explain what fan switch is all about ...its a cooland add on
I just purchased the coolant cuz im running a bigger manifold ..and i want to maintain good temps in engine
anybody got anything on this topic????
thanks
The fan switch lowers the temp that triggers the fan to come on, thus keeping the motor cooler. I think it goes from 180 to 155 or something...


Steve
 

Matt.

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those aluminum bushing will work for the rsx, 7th gen civic si, and non 7th gen si's. I love them when I had them! They really make the shifting experience so much better!
 

Matt.

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k-series said:
The fan switch lowers the temp that triggers the fan to come on, thus keeping the motor cooler. I think it goes from 180 to 155 or something...


Steve
You can do that a cheaper way, Hard wire the fan to a switch. You can use two switched, cut the wire from the therm to the radiator, put one switch going from the therm to the fan, Then tap the wire before the switch coming going to the therm, and wire it to the fan, thus allowing you to turn the fan on when you want. But don't forget to keep the normal power on when you don't want to keep the fan on constant.

I don't know if any of that made sense, but it works in my head.
 

cgpEJ6

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I wouldn't think an AEM intake is really a cheap mod, (not the title of the article but it is the general idea) just go ebay all the way for that one.
 

rickles8099

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why dont you add a fuel pressure gauge and fuel pressure regulator to up the amount of fuel going into the engine. since there will be an increase in air flow because of the cai and header, you need more fuel.
 

k-series

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rickles8099 said:
why dont you add a fuel pressure gauge and fuel pressure regulator to up the amount of fuel going into the engine. since there will be an increase in air flow because of the cai and header, you need more fuel.
This was designed for K-Series cars. With no return fuel line the ECU handles fuel delivery of bolt ons fairly well.

The comment about the intake, a lot of people don't like to buy Ebay no name parts when it comes to their cars. So we tried to keep the majority in mind.

As for the fan always being on. That would kind of suck to always have that power loss running. The point of the switch is to keep the motor at a cooler temp WHILE monitoring the temp. You don't want the temp to get too cool. A hard wired fan would be fine if you had a temp gauge hooked up to monitor manually.

Steve
 

Tkdtim1226

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You could add light weight pullys and cam gears to that list I believe... Somebody correct me if I am wrong. I believe they are less than $200 and add hp.
 

Tkdtim1226

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quote
The radiator cap and Redline water wetter are very simple to swap out. The Fan Switch can only be used in conjunction with the Thermostat and may be a little complex for the beginning tuner.

can someone explain what fan switch is all about ...its a cooland add on
I just purchased the coolant cuz im running a bigger manifold ..and i want to maintain good temps in engine
anybody got anything on this topic????
thanks
Question: does having a better cap really keep down engine temp? Is there something I am missing here?
 

k-series

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You could add light weight pullys and cam gears to that list I believe... Somebody correct me if I am wrong. I believe they are less than $200 and add hp.
This was written for K powered cars. They don't utilize cam gears and pulleys are more than $200 for most of them.

Steve
 

k-series

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Question: does having a better cap really keep down engine temp? Is there something I am missing here?

The pressure cap is similar to the safety valve found on a kitchen pressure cooker. The pressure cap seals the operating cooling system forcing the hot pressurized coolant to carry approximately 50 more degrees of heat than the normal (212) boiling point of water. When seepage or leaks have reduced the quantity of coolant, the temperature rises, forcing open the pressure valve, causing even more coolant to escape.

The pressure valve also operates under normal conditions. When the cooling system pressure exceeds the rated pressure of the cap, the hot coolant escapes and overflows under the pressure valve and bottom seal of the cap and into the coolant reservoir tank. After the engine is shut down and begins to cool, the temperature, and therefore the pressure, drops to a point of slight partial vacuum equal to the task of siphoning the overflow coolant back from the reservoir tank, through the vacuum valve of the radiator cap, thereby continually maintaining the radiator at full capacity.

The desired siphoning action will only take place if the entire cooling system is free of all leaks and seepage.






Steve
 

Ian123

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This was written for K powered cars. They don't utilize cam gears and pulleys are more than $200 for most of them.

Steve
how does your engine work without cam gears? technology these days....
 
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