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Thread: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

  1. #1
    Bass Man
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    FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    Well, since my last performance thread got so much attention (2000+ views!!), I've thought up another worthy thread.

    I need to get as much cheap performance out of this little A20 that the greatest 3g reps have...

    Here is a review for everything I've done for a major feelable difference:

    Complete vacuum removal + Manuel secondaries: After this, I found out how much my secondaries WEREN'T working... After this VERY CHEAP mod ($3 in vacuum plugs), I increase my 0-60 by at least 2 seconds, and gain a LOT of throttle control.

    Adjusted the valves to; Intake: .006, Exhaust: .0010... Didn't feel a "power" increase, but idle has gotten smoother and I know my car is happier.

    Exhaust: Got my Flowmaster 60 series on... Sounds increadable and gave me quite a noticable power gain from a turbo muffler.

    Flipping the Filter Lid: I tried to fit mine, but I didn't see how it would fit, so what I did was put it upside-down on concrete and beat directly in the center with a carpenters hammer... The power gain wasn't noticable, but I'm sure I gained 1/2 MPG.

    I only advanced the timing by 4-5 mm, and I noticed a HELLUVA difference! I also didn't like how it was burning my gas so I set it back a little bit, but for Test & Tune, I can just break out the 10mm and take a second off my time easily.


    This is all I've done since I got it, and from the day I got it to today, I am at least 3 seconds faster (1/4 mile)....




    But why I started this thread was to find out how to get MORE power for cheap/free.

    I have heard you can Port Match your head for an RPM increase. FREE
    Also heard you can put an LXi exhaust manifold on for flow increase. Under $30 at a JY.

    I want to know about intake manifold mods... Like making the dual plain into single plain. Maybe a Carb spacer??
    Last edited by Bass Man; 04-06-2008 at 10:16 PM.



  2. #2
    3Geez Veteran gfrg88's Avatar
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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    youre carbed right?? if so why dont you flip your lid, or around it.. thats pretty cheap(free) advance your timing...not sure about this one, but why not try and swap the whole head for a prelude (a18?) with the dual carbs
    -Gio
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  3. #3
    3Geez Veteran gfrg88's Avatar
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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    oh and correct me if im wrong, but arent the efi cams better also??
    -Gio
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  4. #4


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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    Yes EFI Cam's are better
    2004-2011?

  5. #5
    Bass Man
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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    Thanks for reminding me!! I've done those but I didn't think about saying it...

    Does anyone know how much different the EFI cam is to the Carbed cam?? I guess I can search, but I am hoping this thread will be "THE" thread to search in.


    BTW!!! I got my exhaust tonight!! Put it in about an hour ago and DAMN! Turbo vs. Flowmaster, Turbo = OWNED!
    Last edited by Bass Man; 04-04-2008 at 10:44 PM.

  6. #6
    Bass Man
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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    Quote Originally Posted by gfrg88 View Post
    why not try and swap the whole head for a prelude (a18?) with the dual carbs
    This is the Carb Tech section, but yea, I have a carb.

    I need more info on this^^ Very interested.

  7. #7


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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    A18 Head Swap Isn't worth it unless you go with aftermarket carbs, the Carbs they use on the 2g ludes are alot worse then ours!

    if your gonna upgrade carbs, just get a nice webber for your A20 setup
    2004-2011?

  8. #8


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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    Well after Looking in my manuals I found this, maybe it's of help?:



    Thats Direct From a Honda Provided Shop Manual
    Last edited by forrest89sei; 04-04-2008 at 11:00 PM.
    2004-2011?

  9. #9

    2oodoor's Avatar
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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    advancing the timing should have given you better MPG. you need to readjust the idle afterwards and make sure the vaccum advance works. What advancing does is it lets the motor twist up faster with LESS throttle opening. you probably were "testing" it too much..lol

  10. #10
    3Geez Veteran MessyHonda's Avatar
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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    nothing is cheap on carbs....but a vac removal would make the car a bit quicker...but then you lose a good idle and it might suck trying to start it up in the cold.

    1989 Honda Accord LX-i
    B18c1 swap since 7/2011
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    Redzone tuned

  11. #11
    Bass Man
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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    Mornings are a bitch, but it makes up for it in performance.

    Does anyone have an A3 cam in their A1?

  12. #12

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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    Try a K&N filter and platinum plugs. Way cheap and they rock!
    Dr_Snooz

    "I like to take hammers, and just break stuff, just break stuff." - Beavis


    1989 Honda Accord LX-i Coupe, 240k miles, MT swap, rear disc swap

    Shop manual downloads available here: CLICK TO VIEW

  13. #13


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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    ^ Yeah I had a K&N and some NGK GP2 Plugs on my 1986 LX, Helped!
    2004-2011?

  14. #14

    cygnus x-1's Avatar
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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    Quote Originally Posted by gfrg88 View Post
    ...not sure about this one, but why not try and swap the whole head for a prelude (a18?) with the dual carbs
    NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DO NOT DO THAT!!!

    Ok, sorry. I'm fine now. Those A18 carbs are the worst. Imagine having not one crappy carb to troubleshoot, but two! It's twice the suckage. The best thing you can do is to ditch that factory carb for a Weber 32/36 or a 38/38. With either the throttle response will be better and you'll gain a little power at the top end. Not a cheap mod, but a must of you have other mods like a better cam and header.

    As for the head, you don't need to port match is so much as just do a good quality 3 angle valve job and clean up any casting flaws.

    Weight reduction is always good, and free.

    <OT>
    I see you have a Zuk project there. I'm about to start my own. I bought one from a guy in Nebraska that's in really good shape but doesn't have an engine. So I'm going to do the VW diesel conversion and run it on waste veggie oil. I'm (hopefully) going to pick up the donor VW tomorrow; an '85 Golf. Then next weekend I'm going out to NE to pick up the Zuk. Will be really nice to not get raped by The Man for gas.
    </OT>


    C|
    Last edited by cygnus x-1; 04-06-2008 at 07:45 PM.

  15. #15
    Bass Man
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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    Nice addition^^
    I spent a couple hours researching the A18 head swap and found the thread about how bad the carbs are on it... Too bad there wasn't an A18 FI that would easily swap over...



    As for the Samurai, go to www.zukikrawlers.com for awesome Suzuki tech... If you can think it, someone has already done it, and they might go to your thread and go NNNNOOOOOO!!!!(lol) to a VW engine... But I heard of people putting them in sammies.

  16. #16
    Bass Man
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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.


  17. #17
    SEi User turabaka's Avatar
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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    ^^ I'm kinda curious about the A18 head on the a20 block. carbs aside what's the major differences in it that make it better than the a20 head? I'm just kinda thinking how cool it would be to have an a18 head with dual 40 webers or something similar.
    Lostforawhile:we have to pick on him he's CAH he spray painted himself into this corner with the accord.

  18. #18
    Bass Man
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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    It might be a cool side draft project...

    There is a thread on here that said it raises Compression Ratio, and bolts right up to the A20 block.

  19. #19
    SEi User turabaka's Avatar
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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    awesome. Doesn't it also have stiffer valve springs? so that would mean higher revs. Or am I thinking of a different engine? I tend to get so damned confused with all the frankesteining we have to do to get decent power out of these engines. lol
    Lostforawhile:we have to pick on him he's CAH he spray painted himself into this corner with the accord.

  20. #20
    3Geez Veteran gfrg88's Avatar
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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    Quote Originally Posted by turabaka View Post
    awesome. Doesn't it also have stiffer valve springs? so that would mean higher revs. Or am I thinking of a different engine? I tend to get so damned confused with all the frankesteining we have to do to get decent power out of these engines. lol

    yes. this is why ive always wanted to do this swap but i dont know crap about carbs lol and it also raises cr
    -Gio
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  21. #21
    Bass Man
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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    Here is all the info you will need.

    https://www.3geez.com/forum/showpost....1&postcount=12

  22. #22
    SEi User turabaka's Avatar
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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    hmmm... it looks like the only benefit would be the stiffer valve springs. Otherwise you could just build a custom manifold for dcoe 40 or 45 webers. You'll have to do that anyway I guess. Oh well. Next idea. lol
    Lostforawhile:we have to pick on him he's CAH he spray painted himself into this corner with the accord.

  23. #23
    Bass Man
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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    Quote Originally Posted by turabaka View Post
    Oh well. Next idea. lol
    Direct injection FTW!!! haha.

  24. #24

    cygnus x-1's Avatar
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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    The A18 head on an A20 block would give you a little higher compression ratio, but probably not enough to bother with. The crappy thing about the A18 head is that the intake ports are not centered with the cylinders. So the airflow path is not the same to each of the two valves to get into the cylinder. When I took the A18 head off and looked in the ports I could see that the valve that was further away didn't have as much air flow to it, because the port wall on that side was way more caked up with crud, and the other side was clean. Now I suppose this could be by design, maybe it creates more swirl as the cylinder is filling or something, but it still doesn't seem optimal. Here you can kinda see that the intake ports are centered with one of the valves, and the other valve is off to the side.

    http://bluegreenlabs.com/Prelude/A18/A18Head.jpg


    There is actually a version of the 1.8L head (ET1 engine I believe, EDM) that has the intake ports centered with the cylinders so the paths to the valves are equal length. This would be a cool head to work with because of the equal spacing and also the smaller ports. The smaller ports would have better velocity than an A20 head (the A18 would too except for the goofy spacing) which would be nice for low end torque. Rjudgey has (at least) one of these heads and I think he made some pretty good power with it.

    Well anyway, as far as dual carb setups, you will have to have a custom manifold made up anyway so you might as well use the commonly available A20 head. And for any worthwhile bump in compression you'll have to resort to other means anyway, custom pistons, welded up combustion chambers, skimmed head, etc.


    <Zuki stuff>
    Cool site. Looks like you have a nice rig there. I'm not that hardcore (yet anyway ). I just like to cruise the trails once in awhile. I'm also more interested in the fuel mileage and being able to run waste oil as fuel than I am with big power. If I want to drive fast I'll drive my Prelude, not that it's very fast either. At least it handles well on the road.
    </Zuki stuff>

    C|

  25. #25

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    Re: FREE/CHEAP Mods.

    zukiage ftw!
    back on topic, you can use the double valve springs off the A18 head, about the only good thing about those IMO.
    free, cheap mods.. go to the JY and look under the hoods of all pre FI imports. You may get lucky and find a weber conversion, I got both of mine off mazda pick ups, cleaning them up can be a bitch though if they have set a long time with gas in them. You can also get Holley 5200 (almost the same carb) of Vegas, monza, pintos, fairmonts, 4cyl...Then make it fit you manifold by fabrication or just order the adapter plate.. cheap.

    You can also use chevy distributor advance springs, get the chevy curve kit set for lighter springs, quicker advance curve.

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