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A passion that traveled across international boarders

58K views 1K replies 23 participants last post by  drtalon123 
#1 ·
Honestly, I don't know where I should start. Maybe a little bit of background first!

I have been messing with honda's for years, almost 15 to be exact (since I got my license). Many of the honda's I have owned and help friends repair in my youngeryears were the starting point of knowing what line of work I wanted to be in.

I love cars (anything with an engine really), more specifically diagnosing really difficult drivability issues with them. Getting stuck on a problem really pushed me to learn more about things I was unfamiliar with. Through my diagnostic experiences as a vehicle technician, I have learned an incredible amount of internal combustion engine theory and operation including all of the additional systems that support their overall operation and the mechanics at work which ultimately couple the engine output to usable work at the wheels (the full circle if you will).

UNFORTUNATELY, like most people can probably attest, I'm not made of money, I don't have lots of money, I can't spend lots of money all the time (unless I want my wife and son to starve and have no home), I really had to think hard 5 times before spending $50 bucks without jeopardizing something of a higher importance, but that honestly never stopped me from continuing to pursue learning about so many really cool tips and tricks related to Honda's on the countless number of member driven community forums out there (the last year and a bit have been right here!).

I've tuned honda's, built engines/transmissions for honda's, done stupid/cool things with honda's, and most of the time it has always been with someone else's money. All I have ever been truly able to spend on things was time, and I took full advantage of a learning opportunity when it presented itself on someone else's dime.

I am at a stage in my life where money management is still a HUGE part of my responsibility for my overall family goals (as I am still not made from it), but over the past two years things have started to get, dare I say it, slightly "easier" (knock on wood) for me to have like an extra hundred bucks or so every month to put towards my hobbies and things I like to do.

Like most people here, working on their cars is therapeutic and stress relieving. Often times it can turn into downright addiction! I think I'm in the stress relieving group, as I spend time and money on my projects but it's not the end of the world if I have to not touch them for weeks/months at a time.

So without more boring self introductions, I wanted to share an ongoing project that started in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and ended up in North Carolina.


Here she is, the d-series honda platform that has continued to be my hobby that started 2 years ago: the 1999 Honda Civic SI (Canadian, EX in USA) with a low mileage D16Y8 installed by the owner who wanted to get it back on the road eventually (original engine blew up). He lost interest but had money to buy newer toys to pass the time. This car sat in the back of a truck shop for almost 2 years, and the owners of the place were threatening the owner to tow it away if he didn't move it. So I bought it for $200 bucks from him because the engine ran and it was at least worth that by itself, and had it towed to my house.
 

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#1,112 ·
Dude, watching that guy struggle with "the surge" makes me so excited to get this NA B16 going with a well matched transmission. The whole time I'm like "Damnit! You could go through that corner so much faster if you didnt have so much damn power!!" haha

I have a feeling that a well tuned NA setup would be just as fast at that thing and way more fun and balanced in the corners!

That is a sick car though, to have 400whp turbo as a track car that can stay cool on full song is amazing.
 
#1,113 ·
Got lots done on grey car over the weekend, but wasn't fast enough to have had time to go hang out with @Soul Engineering and see his new shop, yet!

It's coming along though, just lots of tedious stuff trying to get right.

New temp gauge harnesses are created and ran, ready for sensor installation into the adapters.

Tire Wheel Automotive tire Vehicle Motor vehicle


Fluid Communication Device Gadget Audio equipment Gas


Circuit component Finger Communication Device Gadget Wood


Also finishing the conversion to COP while I'm at it, fully removed the Prelude external coil and igniter setup, harness ran alongside gauge harnesses:

Motor vehicle Automotive exterior Auto part Gas Automotive super charger part


Forgot that I need to mod these Pro Seal head gaskets with a stepper bit to accept the 11mm studs lol.

Wood Machine Engineering Auto part Office equipment


Table Wood Food Gas Ingredient


Wood Flooring Gas Window Hardwood


Car Vehicle Motor vehicle Automotive lighting Hood


Vehicle Car Hood Automotive lighting Automotive tire


Motor vehicle Car Vehicle Hood Automotive design
 
#1,118 ·
So on to crankcase vent hat V2 lol.

My original boxy shape didn't account for the battery cutoff switch mounted against the cowl once the breather box waa installed in its home, since again I prototyped with a part off the car lol, left that detail out.

So I changed the design, this time hugging the breather filters tighter on the backside, with a recess to allow clearance for the cutoff switch.

Drew up the rough overhead sketch from the looking down viewpoint with some quick measurements, then printed just an 8mm extrusion hollowed out example so I could see how it would sit down over top of the filters and clear the switch:

Automotive tire Automotive exterior Hood Motor vehicle Vehicle


Car Motor vehicle Hood Vehicle Automotive exterior


Worked pretty good! The design is still going to be a two parter, since I couldnt fit even the slimmed down version within the print space on this printer.

Got it all drawn and rendered, with nipple on the right side for the silicone coupler, and the tongue and grooves. You can see the two fit together in wireframe view:

Computer Personal computer Rectangle Font Output device


Computer Personal computer Output device Font Gadget


Photograph Computer Light Personal computer Rectangle


Computer Personal computer Output device Rectangle Graphics software


Printing now, it will take all night lol:

Electronic instrument Engineering Art Machine Office equipment


Tomorrow looks to be a shite day, with high winds and like an inch of snow, but is supposed to be clear by the afternoon, so hopefully I'll be able to get back on Grey car.

Still need another 5 M8x1.25 helicoil inserts, only have 4 on hand in the shed. Will make a trip to the store at some point so I can finish getting the turbo mounted.

I did put 8 gallons of 93 in the tank as well, we're getting closer!!
 
#1,119 ·
So on to crankcase vent hat V2 lol.

My original boxy shape didn't account for the battery cutoff switch mounted against the cowl once the breather box waa installed in its home, since again I prototyped with a part off the car lol, left that detail out.

So I changed the design, this time hugging the breather filters tighter on the backside, with a recess to allow clearance for the cutoff switch.

Drew up the rough overhead sketch from the looking down viewpoint with some quick measurements, then printed just an 8mm extrusion hollowed out example so I could see how it would sit down over top of the filters and clear the switch:

View attachment 141415

View attachment 141416

Worked pretty good! The design is still going to be a two parter, since I couldnt fit even the slimmed down version within the print space on this printer.

Got it all drawn and rendered, with nipple on the right side for the silicone coupler, and the tongue and grooves. You can see the two fit together in wireframe view:

View attachment 141417

View attachment 141418

View attachment 141419

View attachment 141420

Printing now, it will take all night lol:

View attachment 141421

Tomorrow looks to be a shite day, with high winds and like an inch of snow, but is supposed to be clear by the afternoon, so hopefully I'll be able to get back on Grey car.

Still need another 5 M8x1.25 helicoil inserts, only have 4 on hand in the shed. Will make a trip to the store at some point so I can finish getting the turbo mounted.

I did put 8 gallons of 93 in the tank as well, we're getting closer!!
Shoot, just drive it here in the snow already lol!!!
 
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#1,120 · (Edited)
Are those keys blind holes in the female side? They're going to be a pain in your ass. A better alternative to keep the parts located is run an internal lip around the full perimeter and space it off by half a mm so there's clearance to compensate for the the part distortion. See how you go with it, but something like this will be easier to work with:

Rectangle Font Wood Art Drawing
 
#1,121 ·
Are those keys blind holes in the female side? They're going to be a pain in your ass. A better alternative to keep the parts located is run an internal lip around the full perimeter and space it off by half a mm so there's clearance to compensate for the the part distortion. See how you go with it, but something like this will be easier to work with:

View attachment 141427
Did you free hand that drawing?! My drawings suck if I dont have a ruler lmao.

That's a really good idea! I might have to do just that on the final piece.

You were right, it took a bit of love with a hand file to get them to locate, but eventually they popped in!

Hood Motor vehicle Car Automotive exterior Automotive design


Automotive tire Motor vehicle Gas Auto part Automotive design


Motor vehicle Hood Automotive tire Automotive design Vehicle door


I'm going to run a piece of rubber along the bottom to seal against the top of the breather box, then make a hold down bracket.
 
#1,122 ·
Speaking of more 3d printed shenanigans



Going to make a couple of these as well:


Thingiverse is kickass, if you can think of it, someone has probably already drawn it up and shared it to this site where you can simply download STL files and print stuff!
 
#1,127 ·
So shes back up and running now, and runs really good. Even beat a modded SVT lightning pickup on the way to work who was driving like a jackass haha.

The following things were done since I downed it last October due to the popping/backfiring issue, which is now fixed:

  • Head milled flat, rebuilt and pressure checked
  • Exhaust manifold cut back flat
  • New Pro Seal HG and Altrom stainless exhaust manifold gasket
  • New OMP TRS-E XL passenger seat with matching PCI racing seat bracket
  • Matching passenger side 5 point harness
  • Firewall holes plugged and sealed
  • OEM under-console shift boot installed
  • Aftermarket digital thermocouple based Engine Coolant, Engine Oil and Trans Oil temp sensors and gauges with new harnesses, installed
  • New stainless wastegate flange gasket
  • Rebuilt and flow tested FIC injectors by FIC
  • Converted to HondaRulez COP with D17 coils

I have not yet installed the rear PCI toe links or Camber adjusters I bought yet. Will do that as Hyperfest gets closer cause I'll have to shell out for an alignment again! Will also get the rear spherical trailing arm bushings from them as the date gets closer, I plan on trying that upgrade trackside, would be nice to feel a before and after!


My favorite new thing, the boot:

Motor vehicle Automotive tire Automotive design Textile Gear shift


Helicoils full depth for all holes:
Wheel Tire Automotive tire Hood Automotive lighting


Hood Motor vehicle Automotive air manifold Auto part Automotive exterior

Hood Motor vehicle Light Automotive design Automotive battery

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Getting closer:

Vehicle Car Motor vehicle Automotive design Automotive air manifold


Oil temp sensors installed:

Automotive lighting Automotive tire Hood Motor vehicle Light


Motor vehicle Automotive tire Automotive fuel system Automotive exterior Hood


First start:

 
#1,128 ·
I texted @Soul Engineering when I got to this point once the car was running, and timing had to be set. I like requestioned what life was when I went to hook the inductive pickup for the timing light around a plug wire, and my brain went:

Netbook Computer Hood Personal computer Laptop


Hairstyle Facial expression Vertebrate Cartoon Organ


Then I remembered froma long time ago seeing a boosted boyz video where they used a plug wire to convert to temporary coil-near-plug to set timing haha, after that the universe began to make sense again:


Watch Land vehicle Vehicle Hand Photograph


Automotive fuel system Hood Motor vehicle Automotive tire Automotive design


Automotive fuel system Hood Motor vehicle Automotive tire Automotive design


Running better:

 
#1,129 ·
Then I remembered froma long time ago seeing a boosted boyz video where they used a plug wire to convert to temporary coil-near-plug to set timing haha, after that the universe began to make sense again:
That's smart!

Oh yeah sir Model 3 lol... hows its running so far? What's your experience been like? Is the range decent for your commutes and normal trips?
Yeah it's really no dramas at all for the day to day, i work from home a couple of days and the office is only 15minutes away. Took it away for a whole weekend cruising around places and came back with about 50% battery still. I reckon interstate might take a little planning but our charging infrastructure is improving pretty quick.
 
#1,130 ·
Wow, has it really been two months since I last posted here?

So, a few things car related have happened since. Probably would have had sooner posts had I been able to secure an HPDE spot for Hyperfest, but was unable.

@Soul Engineering and I at least took part in some Hyperfest activities this year, but we were helping out a fellow friend with pit related items. Here's some pics from that:

Tire Wheel Car Vehicle Sky


Wheel Tire Automotive side marker light Vehicle Car


Car Vehicle Motor vehicle Hood Automotive design


Automotive tail & brake light Vehicle registration plate Car Vehicle Automotive lighting


A crazy EG parked next to him:

Tire Wheel Car Vehicle Land vehicle


Wheel Tire Vehicle Car Automotive tire


Tire Wheel Automotive tire Vehicle Tread


@Soul Engineering going for a ride:

Tire Wheel Sky Cloud Vehicle



Part of the reason for the trip was picking up a barely used mFactory 4.9 final drive for the B series GSR trans. That sucker is almost complete, but need to crap out another 1k somehow for an mFactory plate style LSD.

We took grey car up to Hyperfest for two reasons, 1 to get it to stretch its legs cause its been a minute since I drove it, and 2 getting Soul to break in the new passenger seat and harness. I don't have any form of social media, but a couple days later after the event, @Soul Engineering sends me this text:

Tire Car Wheel Automotive tail & brake light Vehicle


Grey car has made it to the big time lmao.
 
#1,131 ·
I've signed up for an HPDE event in August, yeah I know balls hot, needless to say will be making some changes to Grey car in the heat shielding, cooling system and ducting department. More on this to come in prep for the event.



Ive also dove into acquiring necessary safety equipment that I didn't have previously. I'm going to install this NASA CCR legal fire suppression system to the car:


And have taken the cheapest way into the realm of driver safety wearables: Zamp

Honestly, they make really good stuff at an affordable price. Got a Zamp 2A HANS device, a mix of Zamp ZR30 and ZR50 series all black 1 piece suit, gloves and shoes:




 
#1,133 ·
I've signed up for an HPDE event in August, yeah I know balls hot, needless to say will be making some changes to Grey car in the heat shielding, cooling system and ducting department. More on this to come in prep for the event.



Ive also dove into acquiring necessary safety equipment that I didn't have previously. I'm going to install this NASA CCR legal fire suppression system to the car:


And have taken the cheapest way into the realm of driver safety wearables: Zamp

Honestly, they make really good stuff at an affordable price. Got a Zamp 2A HANS device, a mix of Zamp ZR30 and ZR50 series all black 1 piece suit, gloves and shoes:





Zamp makes good stuff, so yeah, I won't knock it because it works. And keeps you safe for a decent price.
 
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#1,136 · (Edited)
Prosports, with a gauge plate from GregParts:

Automotive tire Motor vehicle Audio equipment Electrical wiring Electronic component


Automotive lighting Motor vehicle Automotive design Gas Automotive exterior


Car Speedometer Vehicle Gear shift Motor vehicle


Vehicle Car Steering part Hood Motor vehicle


Car Motor vehicle Vehicle Automotive tire Automotive design


Top row left to right: Boost, Oil Pressure

Bottom row left to right: Engine Coolant Temp, Engine Oil Temp, Transmission Oil Temp

If you get these, go with the premium electronic sender versions. They work very well, and come with well built 5V pressure transducers, and high quality thermocouple type temp sensors.
 
#1,135 ·
Speaking of ducting and heat shielding changes, I'll also be replacing my current front chin splitter with a full front splitter and air dam setup.

Splitter to be fabbed from plywood and ABS sheet, coupled with brackets designed to allow splitter to be easily removed from the car, and a new approach to the splitter front support rods for something rigid downward but a bit flexy upwards.

Having got these splitter brackets in, they are steel and very beefy. My goal with new splitter will be to be able to stand on it so as not to worry about flappage.

Tool Auto part Metal Household hardware Slide sandal


Also before designing rad duct work, will be moving from a 2 row to a 3 row half rad (from a 1 5/8" to a 2" core). Its on the way:

Product Rectangle Font Gas Output device


Will also move from ethlyene glycol 50/50 mix to straight water and water wetter added. Hoping that might help a bit as well. Also repurposing the bumper mounted oil cooler to become a water precooler for the GSR factory oil cooler. This way, warm water from the intake nipple will get pumped out to the bumper cooler, temps reduced, then piped to the oil cooler, then back to the lower side of tstat housing.

Short of going air to water intercooler and mounting a full size rad up front, I'll be pulling out all the stops to reduce coolant temps for event in August with the half rad! It should be fun.

PCI spherical RTA bushings are also on the way, but will be saved for trackside installation:


I really want to feel the difference side by side going from poly to spherical. All major rear end components will be spherical by that time.
 
#1,137 ·
Also, one final update for the night. I bought my co worker's car trailer for a very reasonable price to have something to haul toys with. Its this one from last year's hyperfest. He threw in a 10k lb 12v winch and 2 spare rims and tires!

Wheel Tire Sky Land vehicle Car


Never had a car trailer before, nor a personal vehicle for occasional toy hauling. Depending on the visual comfirmation come this Monday, I may also be taking delivery of my first full size pickup truck, used with 72k on the clock:

Automotive parking light Tire Automotive side marker light Wheel Vehicle


Tire Automotive tail & brake light Wheel Automotive parking light Vehicle


Tire Wheel Automotive parking light Vehicle Truck


I'm very familiar with the pros and cons of these trucks, having worked on a ton of them and learning their pattern failures over the years. First thing its getting is a TCM reflash lol. Until the recent silverado 10 speed, GM has had a hard time keeping transmissions up and running past 160k miles on these trucks. There exists aftermarket TCM strategies known to extend the life of the 6 and 8 speeds another 40+k miles, so I'll likely do that, then just keep good oil in it since these 5.3 V8's are Gen 5 GDI engines with DOD. Wont be much more than an occasional DD + toy hauler. I expect to see at least 5-6 years out of it before any of the usual pattern failures on these trucks begin to show their faces.
 
#1,138 ·
Went to a buddy's house and did some virtual VIR runs last weekend, in a 95 civic hatchback, NA with 240whp lol

I was AMAZED at how accurate the sensation of the rear coming around through certain high speed corners was compared to actually driving the track in a similar car. Very impressed with these sims, the one I drove was worth about 10k, but it was very cool! It became second nature after a few laps, heel toeing and all, was a blast!

Guitar Drum Event Audio equipment Flooring


Computer Laptop Computer keyboard Personal computer Gadget


Computer Personal computer Computer monitor Computer keyboard Audio equipment


Then for fun, V10 era F1 cars around Nordschleife, then Watkins Glen haha
 
#1,143 ·
2" core rad came in today, along with splitter quick release brackets. Will start on duct work and splitter install soon.

Automotive tire Wood Tool Toolroom Machine tool


All the gear came in as well, suit, shoes, gloves. Installed the HANS posts to the helmet, and got it adjusted per the manual:

Helmet Hard hat Headgear Engineering Gas


Automotive design Grey Automotive tire Motorcycle Carbon


Automotive design Motor vehicle Vehicle Luggage and bags Grey


The wife modelling the full gear outfit haha

Helmet Sleeve Textile Sports gear Breastplate


Also found a cool spark plug gapper today:

Green Hood Automotive tire Automotive lighting Finger
 
#1,144 ·
The wife modelling the full gear outfit haha

Helmet Sleeve Textile Sports gear Breastplate
now the head boards gonna get all dented up,,oh well better than the wifes head I suppose ..
 
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