88 LXi on the Autobahn

[Nyodreamz]

OK folks, quick lowdown:

I have a 88 Accord LXi coupe that I had to wrench away from my old lady and bring to Germany. She really loves this car and had to settle for a new Rodeo so I could take this one. I have a 2002 Chevy Tahoe but I couldn't ship it overseas due to some lame-ass unfreakin American rule by GMAC that you cannot ship a leased vehicle overseas. I could have bought it outright...but mathmatically the calculator kept saying it was cheaper to just go to hell. ANYWAY I just got the ride off the boat and was driving it on the Autobahn (more to follow on that) and it didn't seem to want to get up and go. I mean, once I got moving, I moved ok, somewhere around 100-105 mph. As I'm sure most of you have heard there is no speed limit on the Autobahn...that's a lie. There are stretches of road where there is no speed limit between cities which could be for some time, but the gas prices usually fixes that (1.11 euro per liter roughly about 95 cents or nearly $4 a gallon). ANYWAY, I noticed immediately that there is a front end problem as I pull to the right while accelerating and the brakes aren't in the best of health. But more importantly, I know this baby used to cruise up to 120 mph many years ago. I'm looking at 187,000 miles on the engine and wondering what I can do to get a better performance right off the git go. Since this is my primary vehicle until I sell the Tahoe (ah yes, the Benzzzzz!), I figure I can have some fun with it and get her looking and riding nice for my son who'll flux up my insurance in the not so distant future. I'll take all suggestions seriously, but I am looking for instant gratification right now. I'll post pics as soon as my personal crap arrives in country. This is a great site!

Biggest concerns: Sluggish, low top end

p.s.

If you know of a person(s) who thinks his/her ride is the ultimate, please be sure and let them know that there are some stock BMW, Opel, Audi, Mercedes station wagons riding on the Autobahn that'll make your peepee shrink they move so fast!! :omg:

[NXRacer]

i know exactly what you're talking about. I was speeding down the freeway one night with a buddy who drives a hyundai accent and after 105 he kicked my ass. I had the pedal to the metal and it wouldnt go anywhere....pissed me off!!

[Nyodreamz]

A hyundai accent...now that's funny! HA-HA!! I feel your pain but at least it Beemer's and Benz's that are blowing by me like I have 2 flat tires!

[Cyric_accord]

:lol :lol :lol :lol

Funny, Well... I don't know what kind of parts you can get in Germany... but one upgrade that would help out would be a new, higher-flow fuel pump, fuel regulator and rail, and 4 new performance injectors... even replacing the stock injectors helped me out a ton, I accelerate a lot faster and smoothly.

uhm, for performance parts... a CAI, header, Exhaust... Maybe reground cams. I don't know how technically inclined you are but if you could find one of those Euro/Aussie 3g Accords, I believe they were equipped 16-valve instead of our 12-valve, stick that in... a few more horses


beyond that, you'll have to ask the more experienced members

[thundertank]

hell yeah way to represent on the autobahn. i always wanted to drive on that thing but i realized that ill probably never get to so i just pretend some of the freeways here are the autobahn!!! lol

[johndej]

hmm........... if your already in europe. couldn't you prob get your hands on a B20 for an engine swap?

[zero.counter]

Any video?

I can see it now, *In an announcer voice* "The 3gee is catching up to the boxter but wait...oh well forget it, the boxer decided to get off the access road and onto the autobahn".

[Nyodreamz]

I guess it would have helped if I told you guys that I'm an aircraft mechanic...I know very little about cars, well engines and performance for that matter; so some of this stuff is Greek to me! What is a CAI? I can manage the header I think and sure can get the exhaust. How about suggestions for manufactures and aftermarket performance stuff you guys! I'm desperate to kill myself! If I succeed in doing so, I'll make sure it's spectacular enough for The Worlds Scariest Car Crashes or something! HAHAHA

I got back on the Bahn today and got up to 110...I would greatly like to peg the speedometer out at the 130+ mph (without NOZ LOL). Even with the front end problem this baby still handles like a dream! And before I forget...I am gonna need suggestions for brake upgrades...the autobahn is like a NASCAR road race...lots of stop and go in a hurry.

Also...what's a B20 engine?

[Cyric_accord]

Well a CAI is a Cold Air Intake.... do a search on the site, you might find the link someone put up to make your own or you could go for a premanufactured one from Weapon-R, AEM, Injen Technologies or a few others. If you want to find parts, check www.nopionline.com or www.ptuning.com or www.jcwhitney.com to name just a few website. I don't know a whole lot about brake upgrades for our cars, sorry

For the B20, our american hondas were either equipped with a 98 hp A20A1(carbed) or a 120 hp A20A3(EFI). The Japanese model Accord were equipped with a B20 motor that pushed 160 hp stock and fit into our cars relatively well, if you look around in the performance and engine swap sections, you should find more info plus a list of a few other motors that can drop into our cars.


and what is it with all these highly trained engineers or Mechanics that own hondas, but ask for help on them? :D i j/p but I'd think after working on aircrafts for some time, a car would seem like a piece of cake.

[Nyodreamz]

Thanks for your help dude. For the most part, Mechanics (other than auto mechs) end up working on cars for hours after work. I have had my hands in on some jeeps and older trucks just to get them and keep them running. I know some guys that are in to building rocket propelled cars for the Salt Flats. But I personally ahve never indulged in the art of performance enhancement but I'm all about it now. I will take the time to scroll through the thousands of posts and find what I need to know. But from time to time I'll knock on your door for some advice!
Thanks again...go easy man!
T

[johndej]

the B20 was also availible in some euro 3gs but it only had 140 cause of some changes. if you could find one cheap, its the easiest swap you could do if your 3g ever gets tired or you manage to run out an a20.

[cruznz]

Originally posted by Nyodreamz
For the most part, Mechanics (other than auto mechs) end up working on cars for hours after work. T

as a diesel mechanic,..i work 10hrs a day,...then head off to do some homers i got underway,...at the moment i'm converting a carbed mitsi galant to efi, replacing rocker cover gaskets and auto trans on a quad cam Legacy and trying to diagnose a vacuum leak on a 95 Saab........