Track Daze!

In December ever purchased an NSX! since then he has been turning it into an even more impressive car than Honda designed. This weekend was its inaugural track day event, and It was also another momentous weekend because Patrick debuted his freshly K swapped civic.  While patrick had encounterd a few small glitches with his tune, and a bad TPS. Ever's car performed flawlessly without even a minor hiccup. While the two of them were out on track enjoying their cars i was behind the lens trying to resurect FUNCTIONTHEORY.COM. This event was put on by the LVRPCA Las Vegas Region Porsche Club of America, and took place a spring mountain motorsports race track in Pahrump NV. Ever wasn't the only one with a mid engined super car, as you can see in the pictures below there was definitely some people with money out there.

Below are some of my favorites, and to see the other 200+ click the flickr links below. if you hover over day 1 and day two you can scroll through all the pictures, or just click each album to view in large format.

DAY #1

DAY #2

Here are my Favorites

please click on the picture to experience them in full size!!!

My work is done

It's official, Erics car is all the way done, K pro and tuned by church automotive. It's an indescribable feeling to have seen this project from start to finish, too see the happiness that his car brings him makes everything worth it. In the beginning his expectation and desire to have the fastest street dominating car was a bit unrealistic, so to convince him that a k20 would be fast when all he wanted was to beat super cars and motorcycles was a bit of a challenge. But to be honest with him having that much power in a daily street car would be pointless, all you would do is spin out everywhere and lose races because you weren't at a prepped  track rather on an inconsistent street. So I told him to have faith in me and let me build him a fast reliable car. With this weight on my shoulders and not knowing if an all motor k20 would meet his unrealistic demands for power, I proceeded to build his car.  I knew that a k20 would be more then enough power to make a fast car, especially in a civic hatch platform. Horsepower is just a number, it's all about power to weight ratio and how you use the power. I hate people that say " if we were at a track I would smoke you." Or "if I had slicks I could beat you." Eat a dick douche bag, don't bring a gun to a knife fight. Always in the back of my mind I was worried that his car wouldn't  be fast enough for him. But a month ago when I deliverd the car to him I was much excited when he was pleased with the performance of his car, and the constant phone calls trough the month to help drive home the fact that he loves it. Mind you this was PRE tune, stock ecu only making 210-220 hp to the wheels. 

So as of today I'm happy to say that the car is on kpro and completely tuned, with numbers exceeding my expectations  and his expectations. He couldn't be happier that the car is making 250 hp and 174 ftlb torque. He realizes that he's not going to be beating Ferraris and Lamborghinis but he is more then excited with the end result of it, which makes me feel very relived. 

I didn't have cameras or anything so all the pics and videos are from my phone. So sorry in advance for quality. 

Throwing some new plugs in before the tune 

Thanks to justin my Honda hookup with out him this project would have cost a million bucks. 

At churches

And the final reaults. 

Daigos Outta Control R35

How to clean K20 Idle Air Control Valve ( IACV )

                  I am making this post because... When i first started up my brothers K swap I was first excited that it was running well,, but after a min of smooth idle it would begin to surge. Which as most Honda owners know its most likely a Throttle Position Sensor ( TPS ) issue or a IACV issue. So after checking my voltage and correctly setting the TPS the motor would still surge once it was warmed up, (bummer)I did some research online and came to the conclusion that the IACV needed to be cleaned. all the articles said just take it off the throttle body and spray some carb cleaner in it and bam it should be fixed. Seems easy enough, bought some carb cleaner took off the throttle body and took the IACV off , sprayed the carb cleaner some black stuff came out. Put the IACV back on the throttle body, put the throttle body back on the car, started it and same issue once it was warmed up, surge surge surge. i knew there was something i was missing so i took it back off and just figured it out for myself. Below are my results, step by step on how to completely clean your IACV so it works good as new. feast on the fruits of my labor.


So Step 1.

 Is obviously take the throttle body off the intake manifold. you do this by taking a off  your intake, take off the throttle cable, remove the two small water lines that go to the IACV, disconnect the tps, disconnect the map sensor, disconnect the IACV plug, and there are 4 12mm bolts that hold the throttle body to the intake manifold. you should be left with this

 As you can see the IACV is on the bottom of the throttle body.

Step 2.

Get a Phillips screw driver and remove the two Phillips screws hold the IACV to the throttle body, make sure you press firmly on the screw driver as to not strip the screws out. Stripping the screws out isn't a life ender, but it would just be easier if you didn't strip them out.

Step 3. 

Pull the IACV off, it should come off with ease. Mind the rubber gasket and the two screws. i put the int he throttle body and set it aside so I don't lose any of them.

Step 4. 

You will now need to  disassemble the IACV, this is the most tricky part. You notice that the IACV sensor has two "star" screws holding it together, they aren't any Allen wrench sizes, and they aren't torx bit sizes. Im sure somewhere someone know hat tool to you to take the screws out, but i just use a grinder with a cut off wheel and just make a small slit in the head of the bolt to make it a "flat head" screw now.

Step 5.

Take a fairly large flat head screw driver and apply direct pressure and turn counter clock wise to loosen the two screws. I realize that in the pics it is hard to see the slits i created in the screw heads.

Step 6.

Now the IACV should come apart and you will notice that there might be rust, or other gunk in both pieces, this is where you will spray the carb cleaner into both parts to clean it all out.

Step 7. 

In the last picture from step 6 you see my left index finger is pointing to a small silver cylinder that has a small tab on it and a shaft the goes through a bearing. you must be able to freely spin this with your fingers this means that the IACV is going to be fully functioning. If yours is like mine and after spraying carb cleaner into it, it still doesn't spin. then you are going to have to use some WD-40 or other lubricant to free the shaft and allow it to spin freely. this is very important, The way the IACV works is is by sensing how hot the engine is and it does this by reading the coolant temp as it goes through the IACV. once warm enough it will allow the shaft to spin around blocking a small hole that allows the car to have a steady low idle, much like a choke. if this shaft cant freely spin then it can't properly block the small hole allowing air in, thus acting like a vacuum leak causing a surging idle.

Step 8.

 Now that your IACV is freely spinning with ease. ( note this might take some time, a lot of finger spinning, and WD-40 to continue to flush it out) if you don't take the time to make sure it is freely spinning then when you put it all back together its probably still going to surge. now re assemble to IACV using the two screws you made slits in.

Step 9. 

Re attach the IACV to the throttle body using the two Phillips screws and rubber gasket that you stashed in the throttle body for safe keeping. if you forget the rubber gasket then the coolant is going to leak into your throttle body.

Step 10. YOU'RE DONE!!!!!!! now just re install the throttle body and attach all sensors, hoses, throttle cable, and air intake. ( mine is missing a few sensor and im not going to be re installing it onto my motor, as the motor is currently not in the car and i need new gaskets) but this should help you get your car to stop surging. 

The Weight Has Been Lifted

                    As you might know if you follow my Instagram Erics car is done. HOOORAAAYY, I will finally be closing a very challenging chapter in my life. In no way am i complaining or even suggesting that I regret doing this build. However i do realize now, that i took a much rougher road along the journey then i should have.
                             
                          Lets go back to 1998 maybe 99' when i was sophomore in high school, and I learned of "rice burners" and purchased my first issue of supper street. I was immediately hooked and i knew then that i wanted a honda civic. it was just a style that i liked, it was different, and it was cool that a 4 cylinder could be as fast or faster then a v8 "muscle car." fast forward a few years and i got my first "honda" it was a white cx hatchback it was awesome but ridiculously slow. But it was mine and i loved it, not having much money i got a second job working at a small shop in Carson as a shop bitch, But learning everything i know today from there. Some how i found  a way to get a b16 in my car, I totally pieced it together but it worked great, i had the head built by Tom at portflow three angle valve job, port polish, milled 40K, titanium valves and valve springs. I payed it off by working at the shop. I got a used clutch from a tranny job i did, threw some oem axles in, that were laying around the shop, one of the guys that worked there helped me wire the knock sensor and the 4 wire o2, I borrowed someones chipped p28, and boy did the car rip. well at least by late 90s/early 2000's standards.I always lusted after the HOLY GRAIL. The JDM Type r swap, this being 5000 bucks and pretty rare at the time i knew i was never going to get it. fast forward to 2003, I got a great job opportunity to move to Las Vegas. (this story is going somewhere i promise) so having multiple tickets for street racing, and wanting to start fresh in Las Vegas with no debts i decided to sell my car and pay everything off. I thought this was it, i am out of the scene. But much like being in the bloods or crips (I assume) you are never really totally out of it, and my passion for imports layed dormant while i struggled as a adolescent out on my own with my girlfriend, in a strange new city having to pay rent, phone bills, utilities, food to eat, and all other essentials of living. blah blah blah, i bought a truck tried to be a bro with a preunner. blah blah blah, met my best friend. blah blah blah, he had a mirage. With that small crappy 500 dollar car he got from some mexican that beat the crap out of it. We tinkered with it doing small things to get it running and driving correctly, then we slammed it and put a cage in it, and he was even thinking of putting a 4G63 in it. With that car the spark was reignited and i felt that i could know longer stay away, i had to get another Honda. this was 2005ish, and he was kinda realizing that  a mirage was lame. so he bought a 240sx and we swapped a SR20 in it and he started drifting. and we took the mirage out in the desert and DESTROYED it! I drove my truck into it, he gashed a hole in the tranny oil pan(it was auto) from a rock and the car would no longer drive, I pushed it back to his house with my truck. That marked the end of my down time from hondas, and i ended up getting another Civic but this time a vx, and again wanting a type r motor but knowing that there was no way i could afford one. I met "jdm mike" a dude from the original mid 90's boom of hondas. this guy probably has more rare/race stuff in his three car garage, then anyone else in las vegas. He had a jdm sir 2 swap that he was going to put in one of his cars but ended up getting married and not wanting anything to do with imports any more he sold it to me with payments so i could afford it. and its still the motor i have today in my civic today.

                Now that you know a little bit about my past, i can move on with my main point i was getting too. I have always wanted a Type R swap. its more then just a fast motor, It has meaning, sole, personality. its not just a B16 or a GSR. its a legit race version motor. it helped honda achieve the title of fastest production FWD car.

                Like every single person in the world, i am selfish. With Erics inheritance i saw that not only could i build him one awesome civic, but i could finally live out my teenage dream of having a type r motor. So Eric being the awesome brother he is knew that i always wanted one, and he had enough money to buy him and I one. so we did it i took the plunge i dove in head first researching everything for a K swap,and price everything out. Then figuring out how  i could take all the money he had allocated for car stuff, Build him an awesome civic and still have money left so i could get a type r motor too. on paper i was able to work everything out, it seemed like everything was added up i could afford everything. but after buying the two motors, the car, and the first wave of parts it became apparent that i would not have enough money to complete his car, through that time the selfish part of me did not want to give up my motor. The teenage dream that had finally come to fruition, One of the goals that i was able to accomplish in my life.so rather then selling it to get the money to finish his car, i dragged out his build for almost a year buying car parts with everyone of my checks. putting all my bill son the back burner and living paycheck to paycheck just to keep my dream alive, the dream of a type r motor. this not only put stress on my brother and I's relationship, it was putting tons of stress on my actual relationship with my girlfriend. This caused much animosity, and put much strain on our relationship. I cant even blame her, i was making such stupid decisions to help keep my type r motor. blowing off bills for a fuel system, or a traction bar. borrowing money just to keep our phone on and keep that damn motorcycle insured. As i dug deeper into a financial hole i could see that it was getting bad but i knew that i was so close and if i could just get a couple extra bucks i could finish the car. I felt like a heroin addict or something, i could see the downward spiral i was in, im 32 years old and playing with hondas. still acting irresponsible and selfish to achive my own goals. but i could not deviate from my plan. i truly felt like i had to have a type r motor in my car, i felt as if it was some sort of milestone that i needed to reach. In a way i feel like saying set your goals and do what ever it takes to accomplish them, but in another way i realize how selfish that is.

                 I am such a lucky guy that i have my sweetie pie, and that she loves me more then she probably should. As of today April 6th 2015 Erics car is DONE, I am driving it to D.C. on April 17th. i would also like to say that i am very lucky that my brother loves me as much as he does, and Bro i promise its worth it.
   
                 Now that the chapter is pretty much closed i do not regret anything, it was an amazing journey. I found out that i almost like the "building" almost more then the actual having the completed project. each time i accomplished something on his car i felt so good, it was soo rewarding. I was able to build a car that is my ideal image of what a honda should be. fun, fast, reliable, and respectable. I have so much pride in this build, so much soul. I am very sad to see it go i feel like i built my dream car. But the saving grace is that i still have my type r swap sitting in the garage, and though it may not be going in anytime soon. I can rest assure that it will always be an amazing motor, and that my dream will one day be fulfilled. but until that day comes Eric will have an amazing car, and I hope that he will enjoy it as much as i do.

                Now i probably could have just told you all that i a few words, but you wouldn't have a heard a great story and learned a little more about me.


                Here is a detailed spec list of the car
MOTOR
2006 JDM dc5 prc swap
hasport mounts
skunk2 swap header
RBC intake manifold
Karcepts throttle body adapter
Karcepts CAI with velocity stack
Karcepts Fuel rail and lines
AEM FPR marshal liquid filled gauge
Ktuned stainless steel clutch line
Ktuned tensioner pulley
Made my own charge harness/ ground wires
Hasport conversion harness
Secondary O2 harness made by 2point1 (k20a.org member)
Ktuned radiator hoses/heater hoses
Oem gsr throttle cable with Karcepts bracket
Exedy 3 puck sprung clutch
Hybrid racing timing chain tensioner
Drive shaft shop level 2.9 axles
Ktuned traction bar
Ktuned no cut shift box
Skunk2 alpha radiator
Oem prc stock ECU
walbro 255lph fuel pump
Custom 3 inch exhaust.

Chassis/Suspension
GSR brakes all around
DA booster/master cylinder
40/40 prop valve
Brembo cross drilled and slotted rotor all around
Stoptech pads all around
ARP extended studs all around
JDM type r front sway bar
ASR rear subframe brace and sway bar combo
Skunk 2 PRO S V2 coilovers
New bushings through out the car

Wheels/tires
Kosei K1 15x7 +35
Nitto NT-05 205/50/15

MISC
All brand new brake fluid
OEM Honda coolant
OEM Honda MTF
Wix oil filter
Castrol GTX oil

Now on the the real reason you clicked the link. THE PICTURES!!!!!!!

thanks again to my BFF ever for shooting the pics, they are awesome as per youzhe.

And a quick video of a 2nd thru 5th pull till it hits the speed limiter. yes it is a 6 speed trans too.