0-3000 rpm sucks

[89accordlxi]

Why do our cars suck so bad from 0-3000 rpm? No matter what I seem to do, the car just seems so sluggish in that range. But after 3,000, all hell breaks loose!!! Maybe that is why our cars are called 3geez. :lol
Anyway, is it possible to increase the response in that rpm range. I already have cold air intake, msd and coil, which I thought would help and did a little. Until I got my 17" wheels. Now from a stand still it takes for ever to accelerate. Once I get the wheels moving then all is fine. Could my 17s have slowed me down that much????:confused:
But nevermind the wheels. What can I do to gain some lower range power. I already have plans to get headers and 2.25 piping, but I heard headers won't help much in the low end anyway...
So what else can I do short of an engine transplant. Will a cam help. Would timing have anything to do with it. I haven't had my timing belt change or adjusted for over 4 years. Maybe some valve adjustments would also help. Any suggestions..
I also have an automatic so that doesn't help matters either. When I get enough money, a tranny swap will be next on the to-do list.

Help me please!!!!:(

peace..

[A20A1]

Get an adjustable FPR

if it works for carbs then it should be good for FI.

[doug]

mine cuts in about 2200rpm, I've tried to find creative/non-destructive ways to keep it from falling blow that escept at dead stops and from dead stops trying to get it to 2200rpm as easy as possible. I run a rbuilt keihn, and for the most part it's fun.

[88WhiteLX-i]

yeah our real Power band is from 3-6 thousand RPM, which kinda sucks. It sucks for me because I have an automatic and the only way to get the revs up is to do a brake stand. Iam thinking 5-speed swap here........

[hondaisthebest]

you can also try to retard your timing a little bit.
retard the timing while give you more power on low rpm range.

[A20A1]

actually advancing the timing is for the entire powerband, but you must check and make sure that it doesn't knock when @ max rpm's.
A draw back is that:
Trap speed decreases
The good part it that:
1/4th mile times are better.

advancing basicaly helps the low rpm rang cause the air fuel mix is ignited earlier. You could go into more detail, I know funstick will have more to say.

[shepherd79]

i know that if you putt bigger wheels (heavier ones) it will have some HP from your engine. If you will look at SportCompact magazine, everytime the slam the tires the hp goes down by like 2-4 Hp.
you could get light wheels, but they will cost you a fortune.

[ACCORD EX]

if you shift @ 5500 rpm or higher you'll always be in the power range ( 3000 > 6000 ) in the following gear !

MIKE

[James]

Yeah, but who wants to be reving to 5500 all the time.. I have an auto and I generally shift at 3500-4000. And I will start at about 2700 in the next gear. I get decent acceleration, but yes, it is very sluggish before 2500 for me.

[ACCORD EX]

i am telling him that James because i see that he wants power ! ofcourse you are right james reving to 5500 rpm is not good !

MIKE

[89accordlxi]

Well, I don't know how heavy the stock lxi wheels were, but my new rims are 19.5 lbs which I thought was pretty good for 17's. I knew that the bigger wheels would affect my acceleration but damn, I didn't know it would slow me down this much. Plus, my gas mileage has gone from an average of 28 to about 25-26 mpg. Before the new rims, I had this this one place that I would do a speed test. I take the same interstate to and from work every day. from the end of one off ramp, I could accelerate to 60 before going under the interstate bridge. But after the new rims, I don't hit 60 until I am past the bridge.. I guess that's the price you pay to look good.
Anyway, where can I get a fuel pressure reg. I might give that a try.

Reving to 5500 is fun, I do it on a daily basis!!

peace out.

[madmod89lxi]

the acceleration problem is because the 17 are larger in diameter and thos raising your gear ratio i tried 17 and 18 on mine but when i race i always use 13 or 14 with the lowest profile i can get smaller wheel more gear ratio it looks funny iguees but my 60fttime are always better whit smaller tires

[AccordAddict]

k i know this is an old post but i dont want everyone bitching at me for starting a new post. i have the same problem as 89accordlxi, accept i dont have 17" rims! my cars low end power from 0-3500 RPMS SUCKS! when it hits 3500 it creates way more power. So my question is, what can i do to increase low end power from 0 to 3500? i was thinking a cam regrind or something. what is a fuel pressure regulator and what does it do? also if you have any other suggestions on increasing lower rpms please post. thanks.

[A20A1]

Gawd I was pretty retarded back then... anyways get a header.

Try and adjust your timing, or advance the distibutor.

Change the vaccum advance vacum line to a larger diameter vacuum line, the size of the brake booster line is a good size, you just have to adapt it to the distributor... that should help give more vaccum advance and the smaller vacuum port to the plenum should cause the vacum to drop a little less rapidly.

[shepherd79]

accordaddict, i thought your car overheated at one point. if your car overheated you messed up something. and you need to find that problem.
i know that my car is slow between 2000 and 3500 rpm but it is because i have performance cam in it.
if you take care your car and don't abuse it. it will take care you later.

[AccordAddict]

hmm ok im just gonna try and advance the distributor and get a header sometime. but does anyone have any cheap ways for more lower end power? will removing my Air Conditioner or any other weight reduction do anygood? cuz my ac dont work anyways. oh and a20a1 i was reading your cam link and im thinking of getting a Short Duration High Lift cam regrind, will that help?

[A20A1]

Yes that will help with that type of regrind... however you might just get a bump in low end and not like what the top end has to offer.

Increasing the vacuum line diameter is a cheap mod... you'll need a 5/32" to 5/8" adapter, I doubt they come like that so you may need a few. You could just go to 3/8" but that won't make much difference.

I use the vaccum line mod to hold more vaccum on my car casue I don't make enough to begin with.

[Slavic]

You're talking about lines 12 and 15 going from vacuum advance diaphragm to cold advance solenoid valve in the black box? Which one to change? Both?

[mag_pbg]

I say advance your ignition a little and to be safe put some high octane gas in it, I did that to mine and it deffently helped alot on the lower end, just remember you need a good mix of both to win a drag race.

[SteveDX89]

You can't make it faster. It's an A20.

[AccordAddict]

I say advance your ignition a little and to be safe put some high octane gas in it, I did that to mine and it deffently helped alot on the lower end, just remember you need a good mix of both to win a drag race.


Yeah im gonna try and advance the distributor but there are two phillips head screws that are under it that are very hard to reach and i cant get to it, ive tried it in the past. Maybe i need to gap my spark plugs? i have autolite double plats and i upgraded to 9.3mm wires and accel super stock coil, but do you think the autolites are already pregapped to where i need it? ive put octane boost in before (the $9 NOS kind) and it didnt do much at all. and will removing my ac do anygood?

[accordlxi2.0]

no don't do that if you remove your a/c or p/s belt, what are you doing freeing up about 1.5hp, not worth it.
i say if you can bore out the t/b and the intake.
that's what i had planned to(still plan to) do.

when you add a after market coil, you have to gap the plugs, and plus use ngk, those work's best for our car's.

plus when you advance the timing add some premium fuel i used 93.
and that's help alot.

[AccordAddict]

i ALWAYS put 93 octane in my car. have never put anything under... and i know i have to gap the plugs but im too lazy to take them out and put them back in it takes over an hour cuz they are placed in a hard to get location. and i think that these plugs are pre gapped but i didnt look at the box.

[accordlxi2.0]

hey that solve's one problem. as for the plug's i think the one by the timing belt is the hardest one.
i mean if you look at it, it's like the car has vtec.
under 3,000rpm's, it's gonna feel weak cause it's saving gas, and so fourth.
but what you can do that'll improve is have the secondaries open at all time's.
the bad thing is though i belive your gonna lose some of you top end.

[AccordAddict]

what do you mean by secondaries? and is it hard to remove the AC without much experience at all? my ac doesnt work anyways and i dont need it. i hate this slow shit i hope when i get a header my low end power increases alot. the reason i havent gotten one yet is cuz its like 150-200 for purchase, 50-100 for shipping, and 150 for installation. so maybe ill ask the exhaust shop if they can make me a custom header for cheap...

[SteveDX89]

1) You don't advance the distributor with a Phillips screw driver. You need a 12 mm wrench.

2) The spark plugs are not hard to get to. They're right in your face as soon as you open the hood.

3) AccordAddict's car is an 86. It does not have secondaries.

4) Buy a header and install it yourself. Get a Hayne's or download Paul's shop manual. It's easy.

[accordlxi2.0]

oh i did'nt see his year.
well forget what i said about the secondaries open.

[AccordAddict]

1) You don't advance the distributor with a Phillips screw driver. You need a 12 mm wrench.

2) The spark plugs are not hard to get to. They're right in your face as soon as you open the hood.

3) AccordAddict's car is an 86. It does not have secondaries.

4) Buy a header and install it yourself. Get a Hayne's or download Paul's shop manual. It's easy.

Oops yeah, sorry i forgot it was a 12mm. but yeah theres two on the bottom that are hard to get to, thers 4 total right? and yeah the spark plugs are hard man, i know they look easy, but they never stay in the ratchet, and my ratchet wont fit between these thick ass wires and the spark plug location. and i cant get them in straight unless i try twice.

[Vinny]

I know the 88/89 lx-i's there are 3 total to adjust timing. 1 nut and 2 bolts, each 10mm pretty sure the 86/87 LX-i's are the same. 1 nut and bolt on top and 1 bolt at the bottom

[SteveDX89]

Oops yeah, sorry i forgot it was a 12mm. but yeah theres two on the bottom that are hard to get to, thers 4 total right? and yeah the spark plugs are hard man, i know they look easy, but they never stay in the ratchet, and my ratchet wont fit between these thick ass wires and the spark plug location. and i cant get them in straight unless i try twice.

Get a 13/16" spark plug socket. They have rubber inside them that hold the spark plug. There should be no wires in the way when you're trying to take the spark plugs out. Pull the wire off and move it out of the way. Also when you're threading them in, do it by hand. Put the spark plug in the socket (make sure you have an extension), leave the ratchet off and turn them in by hand until they're tight. Then tighten with the ratchet.

[AccordAddict]

haha, man that is a comletely diff way i did it. i JAMMED those fuckers in there. and just kept tightening and tightening, the engine was hot when i was doing it so i couldnt do it by hand. i guess ill do a better job next time...

[Vinny]

Thats got to be one of the most pathetic things I've ever heard.

Man, you need a role model...