Prelude Turbo

:banghead: I'm really confused as to what car I should buy. I am obsessed with Preludes, ask my friends. I do not know which type I really should get. I've wanted the Vtec ever since i really got into the car, but now I am see dyno runs of it only producing about 160 hp stock and the Si version runs 160 stock. Now this is also on 2 websites which are trying to sell a turbocharger and a supercharger. But i also saw a 99 lude's dyno run that was only running about 175 hp w/ a highly modified all motor engine. I am intent on turboing this car no matter what. I'm thinking about going w/ the FMAX kit. The FMAX says the Vtec runs about 158 stock but when their turbo kit is added on they say it can produce about 280 hp. That 280 would make sense if the stock was running about 190. I have read other forums that have said the vtec heads cant handle the turbo due to the special lodes on the variable valve cams. That they can only handle around 7-9 psi. I would like to maybe eventually get new pistons to lower the compression but that is something that would come very later on. What should I do, get the Si, Vtec, or find a totally different car. Also could u please explain to me why I am seeing these awfully low numbers.

9psi on a H22 is waaayyyy to much....don't go above 7psi. Forget the head, the block can't handle more than 7psi. The cylinder walls are fairly weak and thin, and will crack under much more than 7psi of boost. That being said, if you are intent on running above 7spi, put in stronger rods, lower c/r pistons, and re-sleeve the deck with AEBS or Darton sleeves. The AEBS sleeves can handle upwards of 55psi, so you won't crack those. As for the no VTEC running 160 and seeing a Dyno run of the H22 Vtec around that...remember, the non-vtec rating of 160 is the factory rated HP AT THE FLYWHEEL...the dyno printout you saw of around 160 for the H22 Vtec is an AT THE WHEELS HP NUMBER. This, of course, is less than the flywheel HP would be. The factory flywheel HP rating on this motor (USDM) is about 195HP, so of course the at the wheels number will be less than the flywheel numbers....the non-vtec at the wheels numbers won't be near the 160HP mark, that's the flywheel HP rating...just like the H22 Vtec, or any motor for that matter, the at the Wheels HP number will be less. Now, you CAN turbocharge a Vtec motor...so whoever told you that you can't turbocharge a Vtec motor had no clue what he was saying. That being said, there is the raging debate in the Honda Community as to whether non-vtec or Vtec is better for Turbo. The basic Idea behind non-Vtec being better is that the Vtec cam lob is high lift...High lift cams typically are not the optimal set-up for a turbo'd system. It can strave the turbo a bit at high rpm's..the result is a less effiecent turbo at the higher rpm's when the high lift lob is kicked in....non-vtec heads only have the low lift lob, so they typcially don't have this problem...Crower makes cams for motors that are turbocharged that have a lower lift, so it isn't as much of a problem with Vtec's then...still...you can Turbocharge a Vtec...it's just the a low lift cam is better for a FI app than a High lift cam, and the Vtec lob is high lift...that's all...nothing about the Vtec cam lob being special so it can't handle boost...it's the fact the Vtec lob is high lift, and as stated above, the turbo may experience spooling problems being less effecient at the higher RPM's, but that doesn't mean you can't boost a Vtec motor....plenty of people can, and have. It's just a matter of a low lift cam being better suited for FI apps than a high lift cam...and since the Vtec cam lob is high lift, that's where the statment that "non-vtec motors are better suited for turbocharged apps than a Vtec motor" came from....but just because one is better suited doesn't mean the other is bad, won't work, or can't be done...you can boost a vtec motor, and it will work...the turbo just may not be as effiecent at the higher rpm's, and may get straved a bit...but to some people, the added high rpm kick of Vtec is well worth this....to some it isn't...

:banghead: I'm really confused as to what car I should buy. I am obsessed with Preludes, ask my friends. I do not know which type I really should get. I've wanted the Vtec ever since i really got into the car, but now I am see dyno runs of it only producing about 160 hp stock and the Si version runs 160 stock. Now this is also on 2 websites which are trying to sell a turbocharger and a supercharger. But i also saw a 99 lude's dyno run that was only running about 175 hp w/ a highly modified all motor engine. I am intent on turboing this car no matter what. I'm thinking about going w/ the FMAX kit. The FMAX says the Vtec runs about 158 stock but when their turbo kit is added on they say it can produce about 280 hp. That 280 would make sense if the stock was running about 190. I have read other forums that have said the vtec heads cant handle the turbo due to the special lodes on the variable valve cams. That they can only handle around 7-9 psi. I would like to maybe eventually get new pistons to lower the compression but that is something that would come very later on. What should I do, get the Si, Vtec, or find a totally different car. Also could u please explain to me why I am seeing these awfully low numbers.
you need to do quite a bit more research. find out what it is that you want, and go for it. i have always had a real pull towards preludes also. i wanted a car that, obviously, was fast, but also one that would in turn have pantie-dropping capabilities. in other words, i wanted something classy and that looked really good. the 5th gen did it for me. so i ended up with a 97. the h22 is a solid fuckin motor.

as for you, put the hp #'s aside for just a second. go out and drive a few ludes...4th gens and 5th gens and make a choice. the 4th gen is a bit lighter, so hp #'s, technically, dont directly compare. if you are looking strictly at hp and you go out and buy some high schoolers beat piece of shit 4th gen, youre making a mistake...youll spend all of your hard earned cash on repairs and not mods...just go out and find a solid ride. then worry about what youre going to do to it.

Alright, thanx that helps a lot. http://www.turbokits.com/h22a_prelude_vtec_dyno.html
thats the site that i got the 9 psi number from, but another thing, I am running on a tight budget. I know the rods and pistons are gonna cost me a pretty penny but sleveing the block; is that gonna be epensive and/or hard to do. Is it something I am going to need a tuner shop to do? Also, is the FMAX turbo kit going to have decent parts. It has mostly turbonetics stuff. T03/04 hybrid turbine, spearco intercooler, turbonetic Bypass Valve, it has necessary fuel injectors, MF2 ERL 3D Map Injector Controller (not sure if that is good or not) MSD ignition timing management. Is the Bypass valve any different in performance than a blow off valve or is there any difference? I've heard people say kits aren't the way to go...Anyone have any ideas on what I should do?

Alright, thanx that helps a lot. http://www.turbokits.com/h22a_prelude_vtec_dyno.html
thats the site that i got the 9 psi number from, but another thing, I am running on a tight budget. I know the rods and pistons are gonna cost me a pretty penny but sleveing the block; is that gonna be epensive and/or hard to do. Is it something I am going to need a tuner shop to do? Also, is the FMAX turbo kit going to have decent parts. It has mostly turbonetics stuff. T03/04 hybrid turbine, spearco intercooler, turbonetic Bypass Valve, it has necessary fuel injectors, MF2 ERL 3D Map Injector Controller (not sure if that is good or not) MSD ignition timing management. Is the Bypass valve any different in performance than a blow off valve or is there any difference? I've heard people say kits aren't the way to go...Anyone have any ideas on what I should do?

Re-sleeving the block...if you don't know what your doing, I don't recommned doing it. And also, I wouldn't even trust a regular old "tuner" shop to do it...you need to make sure the shop knows how to properly build a short block. Not all shops are created equal. Now I believe it's in the $1400-$1500 vacinaty to re-sleeve, but if you are serious about running serious boost, thats the way to go. It's always better to save up your money for a mod you want/need, a proper one, than to spend less now only to have to redo it later...that ends up costing more in the end. As for whether a kit is a good idea of not, it all depends. If you know nothing about forced induction and have no one to help you put one toghter, then building our own my not be the best idea, as it amy be a hassle to learn about what you need and then find it all to put toghter. It can cost less in the end, and can equal more bang for the buck, but building your own kit may not be the best route for everyone. Also, not all pre-made turbo kits are equal, but a good premade kit will have what you need to properly and safely boost your vehicle...others will leave stuff out you need. I know you'll need a BOV...just do some research, I can find you a few books/article to read if you are intested in various kits or building your own.

Oh I know what everything does and is used for in the turbo kit and i really believe i could install it w/ 2 of my buddies. I just dunno how good of quality those products are. I guess I need more research, but its hard to find information on which product is better over its competitor becuase mags tend to just talk about how good a product is, not compare it to anything. I guess what I'm trying to say is that kit gonna be good or should i go w/ Greedy or DRAG or Edelbrock(not 100% sure if they make 1 for the lude) or if i should go and find each part by part. Now w/ that I could do, cept intercooler piping could be difficult to obtain if i cant find it in a kit. Also, I like to think that i have a great deal of knowledge on mostly all parts of the car except the computers. I know what they do n all, cept the whole standalone engine management thing is something that confuses me on what u all gotta do, i know what u have to do but not how is what I'm trying to say. Like pretty much the programing is that part that would be difficult to me and thats what worries me about a custom kit. I unsder the turbo, BOV, wastegate all that shit cept the ECU. Ok I'll stop before I make myself sound even dumber.....cuz i bet i already have sry bout the ranting I'm just really obsessed and this is all i think about 24/7

Well, I know lots of people don't like greddy, plus they come without an intercooler and BOV. You have to buy those as extra parts extra. I think it's like $600-800 depending on the intercooler you get, and I can't remember the cost of the BOV. Still, I know greddy kits tend to have less power than some in a lot of cases, but you most likely won't blow a motor, which is a plus. I know they use a mitsubishi turbocharger made to their specs. I do have a buddy who's car is sponsored by Toyo, and he has a Greddy Turbo kit on his prelude, and he likes it a lot. I don't think Edelbrok has kits for the prelude, I could be wrong. I know lots of people like the drag kit, though I personally don't know anyone who has one. I forget the turbo type they use, and don't have my info near me currently. I haven't any perosnal experience with the FMAX kit. That's true about the mags and their reviews, they never do a compare and contrast. I can symithize with you having thoughts about your car consume you 24/7.