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49K views 116 replies 81 participants last post by  zengle 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
***FAQ/Lingo***

NOTE: This thread is for the purpose of compiling frequently asked questions and commonly used lingo. This is for reference only. If you have a contribution, please post. If you have a question, please use the search function or send a private message to the originator of this thread or the moderator of this forum.

Lingo: Since some of the members on this site use certain words, acronyms, and phrases that are uncommon to outside users we are attempting to make a reference area for this information.

VTEC: Variable Timing and Electronic Lift Control
VTC: Variable Timing Control
pwn3d: owned
NA: naturally aspirated; all motor
RH: race header
IM: intake manifold
K-Pro: Hondata K series programmable ECU
CR: compression ratio
JDM: Japanese Domestic Market
CEL: check engine light
MIL: malfunction indicator light; CEL
LCA: lower control arm
HF Cat: high flow catalytic converter
ITBs: individual throttle bodies
TB: throttle body
LSD: limited slip differential
DC5: chassis code for the 4th generation Integra/RSX
EP3: chassis code for the 7th generation Civic hatchback
ITR: Integra Type R
CTR: Civic Type R
CAI: cold air intake
A/F: air/fuel ratio
WOT: wide open throttle
TDC:top dead center
F/I: forced induction
EGT: exhaust gas temp
ECT: engine coolant temp
IAT: Intake Air temp
OPDS: occupant position detection system
IMG: intake manifold gasket
EMS: engine management system
I/H/E: intake/header/exhaust
ATCD: after top dead center
BTCD: before top dead center
LSA: lob seperation angle
K20A: Integra Type R/JDM Civic Type R engine
K20A2: 02-04 RSX Type S/EDM Civic Type R/AUDM Integra Type R engine
K20A3: Base RSX/Integra Type iS/Civic Si engine
K20Z1: 05+ RSX Type S engine

FAQ: These are some of the more frequently asked questions.

How much horsepower will my set up make?: The answer to this cannot be given without the use of a dyno. Please refer to the sticky that has dynographs from other users as a comparison for your upgrades. Understand though that all cars/dynos/parts are different, and what you see is not always what you get.

How do you get rid of a CEL with a race header?: So far the only way to get rid of a CEL is to either use the O2 simulator that Casper's Electronics (www.casperselectronics.com) makes or to use the K-Pro.

Will I run lean with Hondata's #4 reflash and a race header? : The only way to properly answer this question is to have the a/f ratio checked with a lambda meter. This can be done at a local tuning shop on the dyno or with an aftermarket a/f meter.

When is Hytech's kit coming out?: It does not look like it ever will. On top of that, the type setup they are supposedly using can be done for considerably less than what they were going to charge. Vaporware as some call it.

Does my car have the dual valve springs or single valve springs?:
For this I will quote Glimpse:
"33,312 (VIN number) and below for the 2002 Type S. Changes were also made in the CTR.

This was given by the TSB, but I don't take it as the gospel.

I also feel I should mention that Honda changed to a single spring design to minimize damage during a misshift. The dual valve springs are in no way weaker. A dual spring setup is usually optimal in high-reving motors as they resist valve float at high engine speed. However, during a misshift they are more likely to hold the valve in the chamber, leading to catastrophic engine damage. The softer single spring design is more likely to float, but is less likely to hold down the valve. The point of all of this being, don't think your valve springs are inferior if you have a 2002 with dual springs. You can still rev just as high as the single springs (actually, higher)."

Will I get a good answer by yelling and cursing at the people that have been around for a long time?: NO! Read the forum rules and stickies before posting anything and getting mad when anyone who has been around for a minute tells you to do a search without answering your question.
 
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#2 · (Edited by Moderator)
**Beginner Technical**

NOTE: This thread is for reference only. I have attempted to be unbiased as possible, and provide the reader with the most accurate information at the time of writing. If you have a question after reading this, please use the search function or send a private message to the originator of this thread or the moderator of this forum.

NOTE: THIS THREAD IS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION

All motor (NA) is the way to go with Hondas. They were built for it. Especially the RSX Type-S, it comes from the factory with 200hp, 142lbs of torque, and 11:1 compression. All from a tiny 4 cylinder engine! If you’ve decided to keep your RSX all motor, but don’t know where to start then this is the article for you. I’m going to go through and cover basic motor principles to help you understand what each modification is improving. Then we are going to go through each basic NA modification you can do to your RSX to gain more power.

Note: If you’re interested in more advanced NA modifications please refer to the “Advanced Tech” sticky under the NA forum.

Important Engine codes:

Engine Code : Car
K20A DC5R (Type-R) located currently only in Japan.
K20A2 RSX Type-S, and the Civic Type-R in Europe.
K20A3 Base RSX, and the Civic SI (02+)

We’ll discuss the differences of these engines later.

What is a engine? What is the purpose of a engine? How does it work? What gives a engine more power? These are all important questions that need to be understood before digging into your motor. If you don’t understand what your modification is doing to your engine you could potentially damage it. A excellent article that I recommend you stop and read now is on HowStuffWorks.com (http://auto.howstuffworks.com/engine.htm). For the rest of this article I will assume you have read that article thoroughly, and understand basic engine concepts.

Honda has detuned the K20 series engines extensively from the factory. Users on this forum have hit up to 240whp all motor without touching the bottom end (pistons, crank, rods)! That was under heard of 5 years ago. Why should I choose to modify my car for all motor only? All motor is typically more reliable than Force Induction (Turbos, or Nitrous) Keeping your car all motor requires basically no maintenance. Turbochargers and Nitrous will require you to maintain them. You can modify your car step by step, and piece by piece. If your decide to turbocharge your RSX you will have to install it all at once which can come with a hefty price tag. Besides who doesn’t like the sound of a K20 engine at 8600rpms? All motor will be more expensive for the dollar/hp ratio than turbos, or nitrous, and you will have less power. However, everything has its advantages and disadvantages. One important thing to note in your project plans is that the K20 engines are extremely sensitive to heat. If you haven’t noticed yet (or have only owned your RSX a few months) in the summer time the car feels much slower. In the winter time it feels like a totally different car. If you did your homework and read the HowStuffWorks article you will know that all engines like cooler air, but the RSX is very sensitive to temperature differences. Your “butt dyno” will notice a difference in power. Now lets look at some basic NA modifications you can do yourself to your car!

Intakes

This is by far the best first mod you should do to your car. It will allow a lot more air into the engine, and cooler air. More volume and cooler air as you already should know will allow your engine to make more power throughout the entire powerband. You have a lot of choices. You can choose between 3 different types of intakes.

Cold Air Intake (CAI)
Short Ram Intake (SRI)
Closed Box Intake (no abbreviation, some people call them CAIs)

A CAI intake will gain the most power on a stock RSX. They typically suck air in from inside the bumper low to the ground. There are many different brands to choose from (AEM, Injen, etc).

A SRI intake is a good intake for people worried about hydrolock; however, I don’t recommend a SRI at all. They will typically cause you to lose more power than gain it. They tend to suck in a lot of hot air from the exhaust manifold because of placement. Once again there are many different brands to choose from (AEM, Injen, etc).

A Closed Box intake is a intake similar to the stock design. It is basically a stock box with a less restrictive filter, and no restrictions in the box. They suck air in from a different location than the stock airbox pickup. There are a few types of intakes like this. The most popular one is the Comptech Icebox. The Mugen Intake is popular as well.

Which intake is for you? Good question. There are advantages and disadvantages to both intakes. Please refer to below for advantages and disadvantages. Note: This is not comparing install difficulty.

Intake Type - Advantages

CAI - Huge gain in power
SRI - Easy install, easy to maintain, no threat of hydrolock
Closed Box - Relatively easy install, easy to maintain no threat of hydrolock


Intake Type - Disadvantages

CAI - Hole in engine bay, pain to maintain because of filter location
SRI - Heatsoaks easily and can sometimes lose more power than gain it
Closed Box - Not as much power as a CAI, can heatsoak on really hot days.

The above is the basic advantages and disadvantages to each type of intake. This will provide you with a basic guide to picking which type of intake you want for your car. I will say a CAI is best for all out power, so if your building the car for drag racing go with a CAI. If your going to autox or road race I’d pick a closed box type simply because it provides excellent throttle response. SRI I would go with if I didn’t feel confident installing another intake on my car. The CAI and the SRI tend to be loud with the SRI being the loudest out of the two.

Cams
Here is a good link for an explaination of how cams work, lift and duration, and what they mean.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/camshaft.htm
 
#4 ·
I don't think it comes up often (usually during threads about cam installs), but maybe TDC (Top Dead Centre) should be there too? As well, even though this is the NA forum, maybe mention that F/I refers to Forced Induction (boosted) cars?

Good sticky! :thumbsup:

Peace

WhiZ
 
#6 ·
EGT exhaust gas temp
ECT engine coolant temp
IAT Intake Air temp
OPDS Occupant Position Detection System

also someone should draw or make a flash of the exhaust system components.
Header
Downpipe
Cat
and rest of the pipes.

:)
 
#7 ·
How could we forget I/H/E - Intake/Header/Exhaust?? :)

Peace

WhiZ
 
#8 · (Edited)
ATCD = after top dead center
BTCD = before top dead center
LSA = lob seperation angle

and for the noobs...

K20A = RSX Type R engine
K20A2 = RSX Type S engine
K20A3 = Base RSX/ Civic Si engine



(every thought about alphabetizing the list for quicker reference?)


lat-R
 
#10 ·
This site features a lot of introductory material to modern topics in Automotive Engineering. It is a good primer to learn how modern technologies that are being implemented in today's cars work. I recommend it for people who have a basic understanding of how cars work, but are looking for explanations on topics such as VTEC, VVT, suspension setups, chassis design, etc.

http://autozine.kyul.net/technical_school/tech_index.htm
 
#11 ·
ekk20sir said:
EK= 96-00 Civic
EG= 92-95 Civic
EF= 88-91 Civic and CRX
DC2 or DC4=92-01 Integra
DC5=02+ RSX/JDM Honda Integra 02+
OBD=On Board Diagostics
VTECH=900mhz phone, not VTEC. LOL
DC5 is on there. I could go through all the chassis codes, but THIS IS AN RSX FORUM!!!!!! Oh, you also forgot DB6 in the 94-01 Integra category.
 
#13 ·
What does VAFC stand for? Someone wanna help me out?? :dontknow:
 
#15 ·
ekk20sir said:
EK= 96-00 Civic
EG= 92-95 Civic
EF= 88-91 Civic and CRX
DC2 or DC4=92-01 Integra
DC5=02+ RSX/JDM Honda Integra 02+
OBD=On Board Diagostics
VTECH=900mhz phone, not VTEC. LOL
just to add to this list and be a bit more specific with the integras:
DC2 = 3dr VTEC
DC4 = 3dr non-VTEC
DB7 = 94-01 4dr non-VTEC
DB8 = 94-01 4dr VTEC
 
#16 ·
maxx said:
What does VAFC stand for? Someone wanna help me out?? :dontknow:
NOTE: This thread is for the purpose of compiling frequently asked questions and commonly used lingo. This is for reference only. If you have a contribution, please post. If you have a question, please use the search function or send a private message to the originator of this thread or the moderator of this forum.
 
#17 ·
atlanta represent :)
 
#19 ·
What was that all about?

A-town off in this mofugga.
 
#22 ·
Main Entry: re·stric·tive
Pronunciation: ri-'strik-tiv
Function: adjective
Date: 1579
1 a : of or relating to restriction b : serving or tending to restrict <restrictive regulations>
2 : limiting the reference of a modified word or phrase
3 : prohibiting further negotiation
- restrictive noun
- re·stric·tive·ly adverb
- re·stric·tive·ness noun

Pronunciation Key

© 2001 by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated
Merriam-Webster Privacy Policy
 
#24 ·
arcticblrsx-s said:
I mean like when someone says an exhuast is restrictive.
The stock exhaust on the RSX is just under 2" in diameter, and is a bit 'restrictive' because it does not allow for max air flow. Most after-market exhausts for NA applications are 2.25-2.5" and are therefore less 'restrictive' because they allow exhaust fumes to flow better. If you're running FI, you'll probably be looking at even a 3" exhaust, otherwise the exhaust flow is too restricted.

Does that help?

Peace

WhiZ
 
#26 ·
Once again, this thread is not for conversation, it is meant for the build up of a matrix for lingo. Please use PM for any questions.
 
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