Wednesday, April 11, 2007

List Of Modifications Done - March 2007

Time really flies. Im supposed to update my mods last month but i dont really have time to compile them and the worst part i have forgotten to take pix during the mods (too excited as usual). So i had to snap the pix after the mods process and sort them out. I took 2 months break in January and February from modding and now im back in action.

After reading my past postings, i reckoned its high time i update about my personal mods. If i had a Honda prolly the list is long, but since i dont have one like my brother, its one hell of a slow process especially with limited parts. So i hope i didnt dissapoint any Mivec-goers or 4G9X fanatics. Hee hee hee. Backyard Special is slow, low budget and definitely special.

(1) Used TopFuel Air-Intake From A Honda EG-6

All these while i have been using the stock factory air-box with Proton replacement filter kit. I have been waiting for many months for a nice TopFuel air-intake system and i managed to find one. The best thing about it that it comes in black colour. The earlier models came with red colour with a TopFuel logo stamped on it. Nowadays they just stick the damn sticker on it. I decided not to get the DC2 model due to the fact its not plastic. Steel and aluminium absorbs heat especially cooking in the engine bay plus under hot sun. To heat wrap is definitely ugly. HKS SPF and Apexi Power Intake was my 2nd option on the list but due to too many bad reviews on filteration test, i had to forget about them. Im not saying its bad, but if you have money and plans to change every 3-6 months, why not?.


(2) Used Mitsubishi EVO III 4WD Fuel Tank This is my 3rd fuel tank.

The original one came with the car and cant be used due to the fact it was meant for carburators. My 2nd tank was from a CA4A Mivec which was suited for my fuel injection engine and bolt-on installation during the hybrid two years ago. This 4WD tank was meant to clear my 2.5 exhaust system. With the current fuel tank, i'll scrape every roadkills on the road especially below the fuel tank section. So i had to dump the old tank. 4WD tanks are aplenty but you need to scout for a good one. Undented, non-rusted inside and outside and complete with the electrical holder mounts are hard to get, no joke and not cheap. My Walbro 255LPH fuel pump was a plug-&-play into the new tank.

(3) New 2.5" Mild Steel Piping, Center Box And Muffler

When it comes to exhaust system, i think there are so many school of thoughts. People like to copy others, believe whatever the rest is doing to make life simpler for decision making. The key to this exhaust system in layman is power. If you dont have power to push, forget about using bigger pipes. Its not about fancy and style, but more to killing your performance. I have been using 2" exhaust system for the last 2 years. The top end power struggle is bad for my performance. Im choking when the power needs to be released out. My old 2" system do not even have a midbox and when it comes to resonation, its bad. Coupled with a 5Zigen Border 304, its a neighbours' nightmare. So i decided to jump to 2.5" brand new setup. I actually scouted for used EK-9 complete systems but most of them are either scraped or rusted or too small for my likings which is 2.3". I was hoping for a complete AMUSE titanium exhaust but none to be found. I found a complete BuddyClub Racing Spec-II but it was rusted and beyond DIY fix. My new setup is complete mild steel 2.5" piping, custom mid box with custom muffler. I bought a box of Heatshield Products heat wrap and wrapped the pipings underneath the fuel tank. Not that i dont like stainless steel, but stainless steel will crack in time. Mild steel is the way to go for street application and cheaper.

4) Used Australian RPW 4-1 Full Race Header

I have to say this proverb again, "good things comes to those who wait". I had a week to go before buying a brand new R3 4-1 race header when someone mentioned about this Australian RPW toy. At first it may sound unreal since i never seen it before in real life but i managed to check it out and bought it with a big smile. To be honest, the best part about it, its mild steel. So less worry about long term cracking business. Secondly, the collector is 2.5" and so fucken big. I could shove a fat rat inside it. I thought ITR and TODA collectors were big for B-series Honda and i was definitely wrong. Honestly, if you dont have power, this header might just kill you at your low end. So everything has to come inline. The ground clearance is bad especially when you stay in a country with many street humps everywhere.


How much did it cost me? (prices after discounts and excluding labour charges)

(1) The used air-intake = RM350 + Brand new silicon reducer = RM120

(2) The used fuel tank = RM300

(3) The new piping+midbox+muffler = RM700 + Brand new heat wrap= RM170

(4) The used 4-1 header = RM1100

Grand Total = RM2740 (Its around RM3XXX in total with labour and hidden charges)

The rest are more to come. Stay tuned.

Mivek40