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Greetings All -TSX Race Car Build

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build car race tsx
10K views 23 replies 11 participants last post by  xXxelis_prxXx 
#1 · (Edited)
Greetings All!

Please allow me to introduce myself and our team Ikon Racing and Development/Alt-Eco Motorsports!

We are currently in process of building an Acura TSX to campaign in NASA Performance Touring/Honda Challenge later this year and into next year.

We are working with a number of great companies on this project and look forward to the challenge of building a highly competitive competition vehicle.

My background is road racing in rear engine Porsche cars so this will be a learning experience constructing, tuning, setting up and driving a FWD Competition Vehicle.

My partner and co driver for this project comes from the Honda Drag Racing world successfully campaigning a 1500+Hp late model Accord in Pro FWD and is now making the jump to road racing.

I will post some photo's shortly of the beginning of the build process (Dyno,Tear Down,Cage Fabrication, Etc...) and will update regularly as the project progresses, looking forward to meeting members here and sharing our build and competition with all the Acura race fans here.

Best,
Jonathan Donner
 
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#3 ·
Thanks for posting the build here. I look forward to it. What can / will you do with the motor under NASA Performance Touring/Honda Challenge regulations?
 
#4 ·
Your welcome and Thank You.

Your welcome and Thank You Revenant.

In answer to your question NASA PT classing is based on points for mods, so the trick is to find the sweet spot where your car is competitively classed.

With this specific base platform (TSX) we are limited in how far we can go with mods and not end up being over-classed.

For this build we will do some basically minor mods to engine to slightly increase power and move the power band a little lower in the rpm range, that include an Intake, Long Tube Race Header, Cat Delete, Full Race exhaust, valves springs and retainers and a Hondata reflash as well as removing the AC compressor and running a slightly under-driven pulley system.

For durability we will add a full race clutch and pressure plate, oil cooler, Acusump, baffled oil pan, race radiator, low temp thermostat, low temp intake manifold and throttle body gaskets as well as replacing the crank/rod bearings with a slightly stouter product and running a full synthetic racing oil.

As we progress I will post more photo's as we install individual components during the engine build.

Best,
Jonathan
 
#9 ·
We thought the HP number was a little low as well.

We are going to test compression, give it a valve job as we are upgrading the valve train and go through through the entire motor completely and see if we find anything, we will post our findings when we are done!
 
#11 ·
Thanks MacLotus!

Thanks MacLotus,

I think that is a very nifty idea the K24 in the Lotus! Nice HP/Weight Ratio and the engine in the right place!

In answer to your question yes the TSX is actually being built to Grand-Am Continental Challenge Spec and we are working with NASA to get it competitively classed in Performance Touring.

It's a long and complicated story that I will share later as the project progresses:)
 
#12 ·
That power is really low even for a stock TSX...maybe you can run the engine from the 2006 TSX which makes significantly more power (about 180whp stock) vs the older TSXs' which are about 15-20whp less in stock form.

The 2006 with a reflash put close to 200whp.
 
#13 ·
Yes Ktec, we agree, we felt the dyno numbers were low as well.

Granted it is an 80K mi motor, (which should be just about nicely broken in for a Honda, not over the hill...) We are going to go through the entire engine and see if there are any issues (low compression etc...) and freshen it up a bit, and post the results after re assembly and dyno.

FYI: We will be doing a valve job, new upgraded valve train, engine bearings, cold air intake, insulating intake manifold gasket, race header, full race exhaust and a reflash. Our goal is 200hp and 170-180ftptq at the wheels.
 
#15 ·
Thank You!

Yes I agree, we did a lot of research prior to beginning the build project and are aware of the differences in the engines.

Early on we came to the conclusion that we needed to do this project in stages for practical and economic reasons.

Stage 1: Refresh the current motor for the initial launch of the car, testing, suspension set up and driver practice (including a few races).

Stage 2: Building a brand new 06 engine (factory long block, from inside out (complete balancing, a little bit of blueprinting (within rules limits) etc...) Vtec intake cam advance mods, Kpro etc...

We felt it would be better economically and safer (catastrophic failure due to driver error, mis-shift etc...) to use the existing motor in development stages as we ultimately need 2 motors (Primary race engine, and secondary back up engine) in the program as we plan to run a couple of longer NASA endurance races this year (8 hour at Road Atlanta and possibly the 25 Hours of Thunderhill)
 
#16 ·
Update Valve Job and Valve Train Upgrade

Our new valve train components arrived at the shop yesterday, so we will pull the head later today to send off to the machine shop, should have pictures of the process to post and more details by tomorrow.
 
#17 · (Edited)
Pics on Monday, Wolf Ridge, Support Vehicle Wrap

Hey Guy's!

We will be posting next batch of pics on Monday, apologies for the delay as our head wrench just called me from the car and he is headed out to participate in the Wolf Ridge Hill Climb this weekend and did not have time to send me over the pics.

You can check out some past photos and video of past hill climb events at Wolfe Ridge at: http://www.ccrscca.com/WolfRidge/WolfRidge/Photos_Videos/Photos_Videos.html

Also I have posted a picture of our team support vehicle (a turbocharged Honda Fit Sport) we are about to get wrapped based on the proof and are doing the same scheme on the TSX.

Would love your input, Do you like it?:thumbsup: Do you hate it:thumbsdow? Let us know!
 
#18 ·
Pictures of Head Removal For Valve Job and Performance Valvetrain Installation

Hi Guys!

Apologies for the delay. Here are the pics of master wrench Steven Rankins at 42 Autosports removing the TSX Head for the valve job and installation of the performance valve train components:





















 
#19 ·
Greetings!

I'm John Helgesen with Stahlwerks, the group that build the cage for the Acura. I thought I would share a few more pictures of the build. If anyone has any requests or needs, please feel free to contact me.

There was still a bit of cutting to do once we had the dash out, as we had to retain the steering column, but wanted to integrate the dash bar into the cage.






We had the cage boxed in the first day



We use 3d CAD software to develop the bars and get a perfect fit.












Thank you,
John Helgesen
Stahlwerks
 
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