What was it before the head change?
What was the boost before the head change?

Why dont you just send me the darn supercharger?????

tik,tik,tik,tik,tik,,,,,,

 

I think you won't be happy until you hit 220whp.
That'll be a lot of fun......no need to steer while changing lane, just punch it!!!!!!

 

The car is still not right. Jackson racing sent out another pulley (smaller) than the original and it's producing 8 lbs of boost which, to answer Travis, is what the car came with from Mini Tec (204 whp) and when retested back in ~December. This new head and smaller pulley bumped the whp to 240 today.

Something is fishy and I just don't get it. Why would changing the head reduce the boost? The head flows quite a bit more than the old one so why would boost go down? I have the race version of the supercharger, too. Something is weird here.

The K20A2 reportedly had a different bottom end (cams?) than my K20A3 so despite having the K20A2 head now, I'm still running less compression than the RSX. The potential upside is that I can run a smaller pulley yet (2mm) and take the car to 11 lbs and/or upgrade the short block...or so I am told - be clear on the nature of the hear-say advice. I want to take the car to the vtec gig for Mini Mania next weekend so I'm at a bit of a loss.

I told the Hondata guys to go ahead with the pulley, which they state isn't available on the market for some reason, but spoke to Jackson and can have it here Monday. So I told them to hold off on the block improvements. My reason in part being that the motor seems like it should run better longer at lower compression except when under demand. If true and considering that the new pulley should get me to my idealistic 300 bhp assuming the average boost to hp ratio is around 10-15 per pound. I'm a bit dissappointed in the numbers but the car is plenty powerful. The 3.47 final drive should give me better drivability and more accerleration so in the final analysis it will hopefully be okay.

Joy. Pure joy...in Bizarro World that is.

 

First... I haven't read the entire thread (some, but not all...), so forgive me if some of this has been gone over before...

When you changed the head, did you change the cam as well? If the cam has a lot of overlap in the duration, the boost may be going right out the exhaust valve before the intake closes. Better flow could add to the effect as well.

 

IanF - We did not change the cam and what you say is interesting and you're likely on to it. Thanks for stating that as you're the first one to be able to explain this to me in terms that I can conceptualize.

If your right, then HORSES*&%! I should have changed the cam and had a proper K20A2 rather than a K20A2.5. Another lesson learned at the alter of many George Washingtons.

 

Glad to help. Before going through the hassle of swapping the cam, maybe check the aftermarket for a cam specifically designed for forced induction?

 

Travis 10 - are you coming this weekend to the Mini Mania Vtec event?

 

No. I am very bummed out about it.

If things change between now and Fri I will post.


TTI

 

I was more concerned with the trophy than you.

 

You had me thinking for a second.... I figured it out.
She is pissed that I have been on the comp as long as I have tonight so I am getting off of here.....

TTI

 

Well, it's been since January 15th since the car was in my garage...and good riddens! The damn thing takes up too much space anyhow.

Touched it today though...that was special.

The car is awaiting its third, yes third, supercharger pulley.

Hopefully by Thursday it will be at 250 whp.

Here's the latest Dmini style photo shoot:
The new tag...

The new steering arms, just received today...


The steering arms are TOTALLY different. Better? Shoooooooooooot, I have no idea. I might be able to get them installed tomorrow.

Travis, my wife refers to my obsessive compulsive cpu antics as, "mini-teching". It's a verb used around our house which has a negative connotation.

Be good.

 

Tic, tic, tic, tic, tic, tic, tic, DING!

Well Smallzilla is back in the garage. I think I'm at the threshold of too much HP for front wheel drive. The first launch tonight was straight as an arrow. My heart sprang with joy. Every launch after that was hard left or right...not like when it was broken, but still hard to manage. It ran hot also so I'm not sure what's up with that. I'll post the dyno chart tomorrow when I can scan it at work. Not happy with the output increase for the dollar exchange but should probably stop looking for more power.

The spare tranny arrived in Canada today at Housmann Autosport. Production for the first 3.47 final drive for a K series is underway.

Car is getting detailed for tomorrow for the Minimania show Saturday.

Monday to the A/C shop and then after that back to the tuner to figure out the hot running issue.

I need to get it right in the next couple of weeks because it's scheduled to tour Yellowstone the first part of June. Finally I may get some good photo opportunities.

The drama continues...

 

The latest...


Before the new head and pully...

 

Where did the new steering arms come from?

TTI

 

M.T., naturally.

Edit: By the way, the turning radius is DRASTICALLY better although it makes the steering stiffer but HOLY MOLY it turns like one would expect. It's truly amazing to see the difference just a slight downward angle can make.

 

Been working on the car all night trying to figure out this crazy torque steer madness and I think we have it but want to run it by everyone. Let me give the timeline and you tell me what you think:

Timeline: Shock towers began to show flex / bending after the new front shocks and rear springs were installed --> installed K-brace strut and replaced bending towers --> on the drive home, I flogged the car for the first time and broke my steering arms --> second set of steering arms arrive and were installed by 7ent --> the eratic jumping and torque steer begins - we removed the second set steering arms yesterday and found that they were cracked in the same area as the last one which was the drivers side, the passenger side did not crack either time --> steering now is stiffer --> the car is still very difficult to steer under mild to heavy accleration but different than on Wednesday when we aligned the car but still had the old steering arms mounted --> tonight we observed the steering rack flexing while dry steering (turning the wheels back and forth) primarily where the rack attaches with 2 U-bolts at the fire wall --> we tightened the four bolts at the fire wall with no improvement --> noticed that the firewall flexes to the touch --> the U-bolts pass through an ~ 2 inch long 3/8 inch wide thin metal strap.

We concluded to weld 1/4 plate steel on either side of the U-bolts but were too tired to do it tonight. My concern with this approach though is that the plates would be "floating" and would need to be tied to something else because the firewall is so damn flimsey. Any thoughts?

 

Is the car fully caged? I think you're on the right track with adding reinforcements... but keep in mind... the chassis - while stiff for its time - was still designed for a ~50 hp engine... and you've more than quadrupled the power as well as adding weight to the connecting points...

 

Partial cage - yup...I realize that I'm the outer limits.

I actually dropped smallzilla at a blacksmiths today. Yes, you read that correctly, a blacksmiths. I couldn't spend the time to go back to Infineon on account of the upcoming vacation so I went to the local blacksmith. Definately not a refined conversation but hopefully he'll get that thing to the point that if it moves again that it will be taking the floor with it.

I think I was the highest horsepower vtec at the Minimania gig this weekend. There was a BEAUTIFUL orange B series there. I'll post some photos after I download.

 

Meno-

I haven't seen any posts about the vtec event. Was it great? Blacksmith? Were you parked amid Amish buggies? Correct color at least.

 

How and where is it connected? For the best effect, the cage will need to be welded to and triangulated at all of the various suspension and engine mounts.

 

Caged behind the front seats - bolted through the floor at two points per side - cage does not come forward toward the engine bay.

 

As promised, the beautiful B series from the Mini Mania event this past weekend. I don't remember if I ever met the guy as I was gabbing all day...




NOTE: Slight barrel roll on edges - Edited comment just for Dmini

 

Thanks for the photos, Meno. Nice car, indeed. Wonder if this body kit would solve your problem with rock chips? Looks like it could. Zeemax? Like the what's on that blue one located on an island west of you.

 

Here's the DYNO run from the Vtec weekend at Mini Mania - different kind of dyno than what I've previously experienced. This was the type where one jacks up the front of the car (FWD), takes off the wheels of the car, bolt these boxes to the car, release the floor jack and then rev. Can't speak to the accuracy of this method but it looked neat...and Smallzilla is extremely loud at 8000 RPM's...extremely loud...piercing loud...even after adding a resonator...



Car is still with the "Amish" - fender flare fell off so I'll try to get that fixed before the big trip to Yellowstone. A/C will have to wait unitl my return. Money and tranny have been sent to Canada for the final drive. Nearly one year to date of receiving the car and still have bugs to work out.

Whhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeee!

 

Man, Meno, I really do love your car, but after reading the odyssey of getitng it to run (and remain running), I'm really rethinking my plans to one day own a VTEC Mini.

Certainly if I did build one, I'd use the smallest, mildest VTEC engine (which would still be a huge improvement, HP-wise) in the most non-agressive tune, and would forego all the trimmings like AC, power windows and all the rest...