CAI Improved version (Full set Picture)

Needless to say, there is some flaw with my DIY CAI prototype and I finally have these flaw fixed today. Some of the issues are:
1) Intake dimension not fit to bumper hole (Fixed by changing new intake design).
2) Water and dust can was suck directly into filter box. (fixed by changing out let design to have gaps).
This is less than RM10 and snap fit, it is solid with 2" diameter anti collapse.

Update: Just tested it with OEM filter.... feel is good and expected power comes in after 2.5 RPM, ramp at 3k onwards till VTEC and goes wild. :) (I love it)

1 Minute Warm UP! (Tech tips)

I have came across an article Yesterday night on car warm up. It is interesting and actually enlightening to me. I used to warm up my car for more than 5 minutes everyday which is WRONG! Very wrong indeed and now wonder my FC is so bad.
For old carburetor engines, long warm up is ok (maybe good too). But for fuel injection engines, long warm up is a bad idea (Why? see below). So now I only warm up the engine for less than 1 minute and drive slowly to let the engine heat up gradually.

This article is from Mother's News, please give all the credit to them.
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Ask-Our-Experts/Green-Transportation/Car-Engine-Warm-Up.aspx
"Although you might think it’s easier on your car to let it sit and gently warm up, doing so is a bad idea for a number of reasons. Most importantly, it does indeed waste gas.

The vast majority of cars on the road today use electronic fuel injection. When your car’s engine is cold, the computer tells the fuel injectors to stay open longer, allowing more fuel into the engine to help it run cold. As the engine warms up, the injectors let in less fuel and everything returns to normal, so to speak.

The problem is, letting your car sit and idle is the slowest way to bring it up to operating temperature because it’s generally sitting in your drive at just above idle speed. And this method to warm up also invites other problems. Remember that modern cars are equipped with a multitude of devices to help them run clean, including a catalytic converter (sometimes three of them), a device in the exhaust system that works to burn off unburned hydrocarbons in the exhaust stream. A cold engine emits a far higher percentage of unburned hydrocarbons than a warm engine. Unfortunately, the average catalytic converter can’t process 100 percent of unburned hydrocarbons even in the best of times. Importantly, the catalytic converter needs high exhaust temperatures to work properly. Throw in a cold engine emitting a high percentage of unburned hydrocarbons, repeat several hundred times, and you can end up with what’s called a “plugged” converter. In a nutshell, the converter becomes overwhelmed and literally ceases to function. This won’t happen all at once but over time, the end effect is the same: poor mileage and significantly dirtier exhaust.

The best bet? Even when it’s 10 degrees F outside, start your car, let it run for 30 to 60 seconds to get all the fluids moving, then drive off gently. Your engine will warm up faster, your exhaust system will get up to temperature faster so the catalytic converter can do its thing, and you’ll use less fuel. Which is what you wanted all along anyhow, right?

If it's below zero outside, it would be a good idea to give the engine five minutes or a little less before you drive off into the frozen wilderness!

— Richard Backus, editor in chief, Gas Engine and Motorcycle Classics magazines"

EK4 for Sale (4 door 6 Gen Civic)

Hi ALL,

My friend is selling his original EK4 B16A Manual (4 door) 98/2000
Items:
1) Changed to 99 dahboard.
2) Piggy back E-manage.
3) Extractor 4-2-1 5Zigen (Jasma)
4) Suspension Tein Hi/Lo Soft/Hard.
5) Original Spoon 15 inch RIM (4 hole)
6) Original EK4 Body and Interior.
7) EK4 Chassis (No major accident)

Minor Touch up required on:
1) Spoiler.
2) Body paint (Current pain color is similar to Wira Dark Blue)

Price: 48k Nego. (Loan should be around 20k)

Please call Owner: Ah Keong (012-2832556) for more detail.
Thanks for viewing.

DIY Air intake Filter Update.

Finally I managed to find the comparable foam filter material. It cost RM25 for 1" X 2' X 3'. So I cut out one piece and prototype installed it to the HKS cartridge. I have also snap some pictures comparing the OEM filter vs the DIY re-furbished filter. After installing it, I can feel Air pulling into the DIY CAI opening. Will drive the car tomorrow to feel if there is any difference. If this works then it would be very economical for me to DIY install the material to any filter cartridge (OEM needs to be cut and modify a bith to prevent the foam filter from being sucked into the intake. Currrent HKS have the green barrier designed to it.

Update 30 July 2009: I have tested the Filter, indeed the air pull is much greater but there is a trade off. Dust and small particle (especially water droplets) can sip pass thru it. So my conclusion is Sponge filter does have improved air flow but it can only trap bigger sand particles. Dust and water droplets may escape. My verdict is "Go back to OEM filter", it is cheap and effective to filter if couple with CAI. (CAI does direct more air but it also carry dust and water droplets).

My Next DIY Experiment!

I noticed many comment on my air filter. I recently changed the air filter to Stock unit when i found out that the HSK unit (which comes with engine change) was gone. So I will be testing to rework it soon. I still need to get the filter sponge material as it is not easy to find compatible replacement.

My Fish Tank.

Finally I managed to clean the 3 footer tank. I used to have more fish but most of it was dead. They jumped out of the tank due to fear (my son whack the tank with his hand when i was not around). So now i only have 1 Discus and 2 Rummy nose in the tank. I also found the tank infested with snails, so will be getting some loaches to help control the snail population. Will add more Discus after my son grew tired to whacking the tank.

CAI Mod update.

I was wondering why did my CAI does not really feel the air pull or push? Then today i oepn up the top end of my filter box. It seems that the CAI is blocked so I cut an opening to let the air flow smoother..... Will test again :).

Durian Fest! RM7.90 Eat All you can!

Durian fest at Bukit Gantang rest area

Submitted by pekwan on Thursday, July 16th, 2009

Bernama

Thursday, July 16th, 2009 05:52:00 (Taken from MalayMail)

THE "Let's Eat Durian Fest" is being organised by Plus Expressways Bhd at the north-bound Bukit Gantang rest and service area in Perak, starting tomorrow.

For a mere RM7.90, enthusiasts can enjoy various types of durians to their hearts' content. The three-day fest will start at 10am and will go on until the stock for the day runs out.

Other activities planned include a durian-eating competition, durian-based cooking competition and the best durian competition.

Besides durian, the public can also savour other local fruits like rambutan, dokong and mangosteen throughout the fest to promote local fruits as well as Bukit Gantang as a local fruit destination.

Sounds tempting :)...... Go or No Go....... (The RR is near Taiping)

It starts on Friday (Today 17 July 2009) until this Sunday (19 July 2009).

SCAM Artist (aka CON MAN!)

The world now days is so full of these people who want to make it rich by cheating others. Below is some extraction from TheStar, that I think is important:

● REMEMBER, scam artists prey on your emotions, such as patriotism. Before you help an individual or a charity, take time to find out what you are getting into;

● Always ask questions. Find out what options are available. For example, if a caller informs you that you have won something, ask if they can confirm it in writing and a phone number to call them back;

I was hit once when I was in emotional limbo due to some personal problem and was approached by a "so call friend". Lucky for me the person is not an expert artist so my loss is minor compared to what I learned and experienced from this encounter.

A few weeks ago I was approached by someone offering investment plan for food outlet using prepaid card system, he sits down and explained the whole system to me. The key point is I could get more money by introducing more friend to join. If this was 2 years ago, I might have been hooked as the price is really cheap ranging from lowest 280+ to 1k. They even printed out the menu and shop lots which is real. But like the old saying goes "once Bitten twice Shy", I take it with a pinch of salt. I junked the pamphlet, brochures and name card the moment the introduction is over.

Today I read this in the Star (Sound exactly like what I heard before):
"Many of them operate under the guise of multi-level marketing operations which blur into pyramid schemes, which are illegal.

A market observer pointed out that these establishments would promise returns that even top fund managers found hard to attain in good economic times.

Many of them operate like Ponzi schemes which made no or little actual investments from money collected from the public.

Often in such schemes, the earlier investors would usually get some returns, compared with those who join later.

Surprisingly, many of those who are employed as agents with these businesses do not think such schemes are illegal.

“How can it be a scam when I can make money?” an agent attached to an established restaurant chain said.

The restaurant has half a dozen outlets in the Klang Valley and offers the public membership for a fee which entitles them to make money from eating at the outlets and through referrals.

What makes it interesting is that several of these establishments found taking deposits or cash from the public have been operating for a number of years without ever being questioned by the authorities if their operations are legal.

In the past one-and-a-half years, there has been a significant rise in such operations."

The Once Famed EX-Touge Machine with TLC

Needless to explain as the people who saw this might know what is this car (For those who don't know: This is TOYOTA TE71). Check out the rear spoiler and the restoration works done. It has proper back seat and interior and definitely a fruit of labour and love. The color scheme of Blue and White matched if nicely. Very clean and picture worthy car.

4-1 tested with S-flow muffler Vs Straight-flow HKS

Note:
The left 'round' unit is HKS Straight flow.
The right Oval unit is Replica Mugen S-flow.

The combination:
1) Original 4-2-1 with S-flow ~ 9.4km/l.
2) Replica 4-1 with Straight flow ~ 6 km/l.
3) Replica 4-1 with S-flow ~ (Collecting Data)




























I tested the 4-1 combination with the S-flow muffler versus the Straight-flow HKS muffler.
I found the S-flow muffler is better at town driving and better FC compared to the straight-flow HKS. The power and torque for (4-1 + HKS) only starts at 4k RPM onwards and climbs like crazy for VTEC. VTEC revs feels like limitless. Below 4k RPM is different story, loss of torque and power causes the car to feel so sluggish and FC to drive it in town is NUTS....more than RM0.28 per KM.
I changed back to the S-flow, right after the exhaust pipe cooled down.
I will still be keeping the Straight flow HKS for occasional needs..... hahahha (If you know what i mean).