Upgrading the Exhaust System

After installing the intake filter, next to be upgraded is the exhaust system. Since more air is being pushed into the engine, I must find a way to efficiently let all that air out.

There are three parts to this system:

1. Headers - collects all exhaust gases from the cylinders, and funnels it into the next part;

2. Pipe - the long tube running the length of the car

3. Muffler - the part where all the silencing takes place

Research has taught me that the key to an efficient engine is to have the exhaust gases go out of the system as fast as possible. To do that, you must have sufficient exhaust velocity. To do this, you must have the right headers/pipe/exhaust diameter for your engine displacement. Rule of thumb is 2-inches for 1.3-1.6L naturally aspirated engines, 2.5" for 1.8-2L engines, 3" and above for F.I./Turbo engines.

My EG hatch build is a simple one, so sticking to OEM is the key to get quality and effective parts. 

Darwin of HCP has a surplus EG6 full exhaust (pipe and muffler) for around P5,500. This is a good addition to my car because first, it is bolt-on; second, it's more than 2" in diameter -- perfect for my new engine displacement (1.6L compared to the 1.3L of the stock PH12).

Comparison of my old 1.5-1.75 inch PH12 pipe and new EG6 pipe:

Had it installed in Mufflerland Kamuning for P800 bucks.

But of course, I get what I paid for. Installation was not perfect; welds are not clean, seems like an amateur install. If I have a chance, I'll have this re-installed by a more "pro" shop. Please suggest your favorite muffler shop here in the east/north in the comments.

The Breath of Life

My consumption problem (7KM/L) was just bugging me. Ever since the swap, there are times that I don't necessarily enjoy the power because I was trying to conserve gas.

Anyway, I thought I should actively do something about this problem. First thing that I thought to upgrade was the airflow system for the following reasons:

1. A constricted air flow (whether intake or exhaust) robs the engine of power.
2. The less power you feel, the more you step on the accelerator pedal.
3. The deeper the pedal, more gasoline would be fed into the cylinders = increased gas consumption.

Since the engine didn't come with any air filter box, the urgent thing to install is an air filter.

There are 2 popular configurations of after market tubular filters:

1. CAI or the Cold Air Intake - pipe is longer and the filter itself is located outside the engine bay because the colder the air, the denser it is (the warmer the air, the lighter it becomes -- that's why hot air makes hot air balloons float); hence, more air is pushed into the cylinder per cycle. This is more preferred to get more power, but this comes with a price. This will cost around P6K to P10K depending on the brand. You can also build this yourself if you have the necessary tools to bend the air pipes.

Here's how it looks like installed on a D16 VTEC SOHC Engine:

2. SRI or the Short Ram Intake - pipe is shorter than CAI and the filter is inside the engine bay. Air that goes through this system is hotter than CAI, but not as restrictive as the stock air box. Using this is also safe against "hydro lock", which is a term used when CAI is blocked by water from floods which can actually damage the engine.

SRI looks like this on a D16 SOHC VTEC Engine:

This is after all a budget build so I think I can live with SRI.

After reading some forums (HCP, GT, and MLPH), I tried looking for a particular kind of tube. This tube is a fat type that some say is really effective in accelerating air that goes in the manifold.

The tube looks like this:

I saw a Simota branded plastic tube with filter in Concorde but hell, it was really expensive at P3.5K. Knowing that I might find a better deal some place, I scoured Banawe for this kind but failed.

Since I badly need one already, I settled for a normal 3" aluminum intake tube and filter by Simota which only cost me P1.4K in C3 Audio. Not bad.

Do you think it is a good idea to buy the fat tube? Hit the comments and let me know what you think!

H3 Autoworks: Engine Transplant Turnout

I brought my car in Monday, and got it Wednesday night.

Just a few thoughts on the swap:

1. The transmission is still my OLD PH12 transmission -- not the S20 that Bong said that he would install.
2. Compressor is still my old compressor -- not the "complete" engine Bong has told me.
3. No air cleaner box was installed. -- again, not as complete as expected.

These are minor issues, but if a customer was told the swap is a "complete" swap, then the customer will expect a "complete" one. It's just a matter of managing expectations.

Anyway, the engine is good. It runs well, and the oil is clean. Power is not there yet because I still have the stock pipes (~1.25-1.5 inch) of the PH12.

The problem is fuel economy. Right now, I'm running at 7km/L. Less efficient than my PH12 at times!
ECU is a P70, head is P08, all stock.
If you know the solution to my problem, just hit the comment button.

Here are some pictures (of the head):

Update: Today, July 16, 2011, I finally got the papers of my engine swap. It has been a long wait.
Reason behind is that: 1. Bong can't remember where he got the engine; 2. The engine number is quite difficult to read. Anyway, I believe that's it's an honest mistake and I don't take that against H3. Of course, their expertise and years of experience in what they do can't be undermined by this minor inconvenience it has caused me. And my final say in this experience is that -- I will come back to H3 Autoworks for my engine concerns.

Pictures of my engine:

H3 Autoworks: The Engine Transplant

Today, November 29, I asked my friend (Ryan of my same village who got my extra fenders) to bring me to H3 Autoworks in Antipolo for me to canvass for an engine.

We met at Burger King Marcos Highway at around 7:30AM. I followed his car up to Antipolo -- keeping-up is really difficult for my car because his EG packs a B16EF vs. my PH12 engine.

As you go in the shop, you can see that the owner is a Honda fanatic. He has eight Honda cars, which includes 2 CR-Vs, 2 FDs, a bunch of EK9s, and Integras.

As suggested by Bong Hilario, getting the D16ZC is a more practical choice over the D15B (1600cc vs 1500cc). First quote for the ZC was P65,000.

The package includes engine, transmission (S20), EFI fuel tank, compressor, alternator, P08 ECU, all sensors, refurbishment of the engine, labor, and road testing.

Finally, I asked if he could lower it down to P60,000 which he did. That's a deal already considering the Banawe boys offered the same thing to me at P50,000. And who knows what the outcome will be in Banawe? With no plans of transplant this early, I made a decision of going with it at that moment (maybe because I was really impressed with all the cars in his shop?).

Here's Scratchy before we parted ways:

 

The Story of the Scarce Steelies

Okay. Since we need to make-over the car, why not start with the suspension system, right?
It needs wheel alignment, heck the car needs A LOT of under chassis repair.

What is the main goal of this project? ...to transform Scratchy to a Shiney!
So the goal is to transform it to something like this:

Clean white paint, some Spoon decals, Spoon muffler, 15-inch Spoon rims, a decent engine, etc, etc... Not bad, huh?

Now, on to the story...

Right now, I'm saving up for an engine, then paint, then the 15-inch rims, then lowering springs, then Gathers interior, then sunroof, then HID, then.... I got carried away, sorry.

The car needs wheel alignment. It veers slightly to the right on its 13" steelies.

It required around 3 hours of my time to realize that paying around P1,600 for wheel alignment will go to waste if I would upgrade my rims to 15s which would also require re-alignment. I have no money for the coveted 15-inch rims now. The answer: buy those cheap 15" steelies!

So I head-on to the friendly neighborhood "Blumentritt" to scour for a set of 15" steel rims. IT IS NOT EASY. With my cousin, I went to every store and I learned that it is so rare that it goes for P1,500 a piece, while 14 inchers go for around 1/3 of that or P500 a pop.

Hopeless, we tried stopping one last time. BINGO! We found a set. The store gave it for P1,000 a piece. A good deal as it is, I tried to haggle until it went down to P850. A really good deal.

They have two pieces in-store and paid for it immediately. Sad thing about this is that the other two rims were sourced from other stores, and they learned the normal going rate for these and they told me "Ay boss, dalawa nalang pala yan!"

Too bad.

Two weeks after, (which happens to be today) I called them up. They have the two for sale for P1,500 each. Knowing that I have no choice, I got the other two.

P850 x 2 = P1,700
P1,500 x 2 = P3,000
Total for the set: P4,700 vs. P6,000 (normal going rate)

After that, went straight to my cousins' tire store along Jose Abad Santos Avenue in Manila to pick-up some nice set of rubber.

Falken ZE522 2010 Model
195/55/15
On sale for P2,500 per piece -- the good thing about it? It's 60 days to pay!

Same brand as the tire in this pic:

 Same model as this car is rolling with:

And here are the pictures of the 15" steelies I bought:

I felt good about the car while I was driving home. The tires made the car's ride pretty comfortable versus the 13s that was installed. I felt no change in steering weight, which is good for a manual steering car.

That's it for today. Hopefully, I can install my newly-bought second hand Tanabe NF210 set of springs. Stay tuned for more!

EDIT:

Tried M7 along Aurora Blvd last Saturday to inspect my front bushings. No problem found but I still hear crunching noise whenever I pass speed bumps. I brought with me my Tanabe NF210, I let them install my new KYB Excel-G for EK VTI which I bought for P1,850 at Levin Auto Supply along Banawe (the other one was donated by my uncle of Triple J Tire Supply along Abad Santos in Manila).

 Here is Danny of M7. Done in around 2 hours.

Total Damage for installation of springs and shocks: P900. Not cheap but not expensive either.

Scratchy: What's in the Name?

(I'm posting this on my birthday. There's no better date to start a project other than this day!)

Scratchy. What's the story behind it?

Scratchy was first owned by my friend's aunt, then to her mom, then to her, then finally to me.
When they bought a new SUV, this has become an extra car. And with nobody to take care of this baby, I bought it.

The car has dents, matte white finish, with lots of scratches -- hence, they christened it "Scratchy".

More on the condition of the car and some pictures in the next entries.

Welcome to Project: Scratchy Blog

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to Project: Scratchy.

This is a build blog dedicated to my first-ever project car -- a 1992 Honda Civic Hatchback (EG Hatch)
I plan to build the car from bone-stock to semi-modified in my own time and my own pace.

I will scour the metro for parts, spend countless hours reading forums, get out and ask for quotation for anything from under chassis repair to engine swap.

Join me as I take this exciting journey.

Darren