EK1 Power!

well i've finally finished my EK1 swap into my 83 civic wagon. for those of you who haven't seen any of my other posts regarding it here is the recap:
1983 Civic Wagon
1.8l (1751cc) EK1 Block (honed and rebuilt)
non-CVCC EL1 head (off canadian 1.6l motor)
port & polish with 3 angle valve grind, deck shaved 20 thousandths
272º cam (medium grind, 260º stock)
14lb flywheel
Dual sidedraft Weber DCOE40 carbs on custom manifold
4-2-1 F-series header adapted to fit
2.25" exhaust w/free flow muffler, no cat.


the swap was not without it's headaches, i ran into many problems and even faced the possibility that i fried the new rings on initial start up. luckily that was not the case as i have put about 600 miles on it and the compression tested above stock. another one of the annoying problems was losing power on the highway after 10 minutes of driving, turned out to be a clogged fuel filter, runs fine now. i still have an alternator issue to deal with and i have to find some time to remove the brake booster (requires removing drivers side carb) so that i can run a proper set of filters (looks like no more power brakes!) the engine is performing nicely but will be needing larger main jets to regain the top end of my power band. good bye good gas mileage, i have been averaging 21mpg this last 2 weeks :eek:
here is a pic of the new red beast. for those who are curious, the gage is a fuel pressure gage to make sure my pressure regulator is performing properly, it's correct more or less but has some funny tendencies.

http://www.redpepperracing.com/gallery/albums/after_swap/aab.sized.jpg http://www.redpepperracing.com/gallery/albums/after_swap/aaa.sized.jpg

Awsome job! I finally got a plate for my project and am finishing a few bugs! Good to see someone else out there working hard. :D

Glad to hear you got it all together and running! One of these days you'll have to take a trip down my way so I can check it out!

My D16A1 project sits pretty much the same as how you last saw it (only my garage is much cleaner now)...

...Damn I'm jealous...

NICE WORK!

not sure when the next time i will be down with my car, i'm coming briefly this weekend with my brother for christmas but we're going home pretty quick. i should really get the filters on there before i go on longer trips too. i'll probably get to all that on my time off next week

well today was another big day. i pulled off the intake and exhaust manifolds to shorten the header a bit, it was knocking against the fire wall so i just took about an inch section out to tuck it closer to the engine. while i had the manifolds out of the way i eliminated the brake booster so that i could fit my weber ring filters in. starting in first is a lot smoother now without the bone shaking rattle and the breaking is adequate without the brake booster, you just have to press the pedal considerably harder now. tomorrow i will be putting a set of larger main and idle jets to pick up the top end.

well the new jets are in, it now pulls good to 6k and a little above. it also doesn't have the 2500 and below dead spot.

So, gonna post new pics of the installed motor? Glad to hear you got everything sorted out! Keep it up, Andrew!

yeah, the redpepperracing.com server where i have my pics has been down all week. if it doesn't come back soon i'll find somewhere else to put them. i think it's just for maintenance

pic, perhaps a little big tho. i should get a more up to date pic with the filters and junk in

Edit: took pic out, too big

some new pics with the filters on. also have a little breather for he crank case vent. and, note the lack of a brake booster http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/images/smilies/sly.gif
http://www.redpepperracing.com/gallery/albums/after_swap/aad.sized.jpg
also one for lxndr, finally got a pic with the Si wheels on.
http://www.redpepperracing.com/gallery/albums/after_swap/aag.sized.jpg

Thanks!

Now you just need to lower it a bit, then shave all the handles and trim...

Hmmm...

Maybe not.

lower... maybe a little, i think stiffer is the next thing on the addenda

Stiffer IS better! (insert corny response here). But, lowering it would drop the center of gravity, thereby reducing body roll which would make it more stable when turning.

But, don't listen to me, I'm just playing the devils advocate simply because I've lowered almost every car I've owned (including a '75 Dodge Dart Swinger).

Can you get Konis or Tokicos for your car? How about stiffer springs? You've got feaf springs on the back right?

well my plan is to either cut the front springs (which still leaves me using old loose springs) or get some made to fit. in the next couple weeks i'm going to do some calling around to some local spring places to see if i can get a set of lower stiffer coils wound for the front (don't have the bar things like you 84-87 guys). there are some Konis out there for this car but they are like gold in the 2G world so it's probably going to remain with OEM struts. for the rear i should be able to get a custom unileaf or something made to fit my dimensions to stiffen it up (i'm talking stiff in the rear, no rider comfort whatsoever) and i'll probably stick a inch and a half or a two inch block under the axle. the problem with lowering the rear (at least in the first gen wagons) is that the struts bottom out really quickly, i think Justin March said he had about 1" of travel left. he ended up adapting some Chevy S10 struts to work. it may not be an issue with the second gen wagon tho.

Seems like it would be relatively simple to construct a plate that would allow you use an adjustable spring up front. OPM Autosports makes 'em for the rear of 3G Civic, 1G Crx and 1G Integra models. It's basically a cup that fits in the top of your strut tower that secures a stiffer smaller diameter spring. Can you adapt a different spring in the rear? Maybe out of something like an '80s Toyota truck that would probably have a stiffer spring rate? Or how about adding helper springs?

well i've pretty well decided on getting a set of leafs made, other civic guys have done it and it just seems like the easiest way to get the best result. it's the front that is still up in the air. you are right in that i can simply use a smaller spring so i may end up doing something like that. tine to do some research first to find out what is cost effective

We interrupt this thread for an important announcement:














DO NOT CUT YOUR FRONT SPRINGS!

You may now return to your normally scheduled thread which is allready in progress.

care to elaborate? some pretty experienced guys in the first gen world might disagree.

Well.. I'm not particulary talking of the 1st Gens.... I just hear that cut springs are........ *sighs* I'm tired... I was thinking of heating your springs to allow them to drop... *dohs* I need to get more sleep or drink more coffee... Cutting your springs would be a fine alternative, but I am guessing you plan on getting different springs, right?

Cutting springs with a cut off wheel is fine. cutting them with a torch or heating them up and letting the car drop is a BIG NO NO. I've cut many, many springs because there was no alternative. I've never had any major problems with the way the springs perform after being cut, but keep in mind that cutting stock springs does not stiffen the suspension. Cutting stock springs will lower the center of gravity, but that's all that will happen. I have a friend that used the "heat-n-drop" method on a '63 Buick, and his car is the worst ride I've ever been on! He was just too lazy to do it right, and now he's got an uneven ride.

well i've gotten the alternator issues sorted out so thats all good. now it's just body work and suspension left on the to-do list. average gas mileage since the swap: 17.4 mpg. i guess my honda has lost it's economy car aspect...but it goes fast.

Something about those dual webber carbs... They like the gas!