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View Full Version : 89 Prelude performance (b20a)



SECUR1TY
13-03-2005, 09:51 PM
Ok.. I've read as much as I could about what people had to say about the b20a and performance.. and there wasnt much.
Im soon going to be doing some mods to my car's head, eg: pistons, con-rods and eventually down the track a turbo kit.
I would just like to know WHAT parts and WHERE would I go to do these mods in the Sydney area?
Now, I know the do's and dont's with Nissans as I previously owned a heavily modded r32 GTR and parts are everywhere bla bla bla.. But I dont know much about the b20a and compatible performance parts.. Would someone PLEASE help me with my search? I dont know of any workshops or decent prices i should pay OR parts i should use

racinghonda
14-03-2005, 07:46 AM
My advice is you're planning to go down the turbo route is to get another B20A and put stronger conrods and pistons in, then get the components you need for a turbo. Most B20A are getting a little long in the tooth and IMO won't survive for long in a FI environment. If you want to make decent power, FI is the only way to go.

Chassing NA power with the B20A is not easy or cost effective. Problem is that the engine doesn't like to rev all that much due to its long stroke design (high piston speeds). You can fit higher compression B16A pistons to bump things up to 10.5:1 (approx) compression ratio and make a bit more power but that is basically an engine rebuild and you would only do that if you had to rebuild your engine.

All I am running at the moment in terms of HP mods are headers/extractors, muffler, intake and a bit more ignition advance. Enough to get the 3rd gen to an ok 16.126s 1/4 mile.

spiller
14-03-2005, 05:11 PM
Yeah i agree with racinghonda on all of that. Another thing to consider is what you want out of your prelude. Do you want a car that is fast in a straigth line or do you want some thing that can also handle? If you want the first, do the turbo but be prepared to spend big dollars in order to gain some sort of reliability. IMO the 3rd gen is more suited to handling than in line speed and with the added wieght (in front of the axel) that a turbo set up will bring will result in a lot of understeer etc....

So sorry i didnt answer your question and im not lecturing either but just letting you know what you could be up for if you tkae the path that you want to go down, just in case you werent aware. Also, go to preludeaustralia.com as well because there are a lot ore of us around there to answer these sort of questions.

So yeah, goo luck with it all and keep us posted on what you deicide to do/how it goes.

SECUR1TY
14-03-2005, 07:53 PM
im more interested in straight line power but i want a turbo as a last resort.. for now my lude does pretty well against v6's, i keep up pretty well as im running custom headers with a hi-flow cat, modafied intake and some kind of a/m filter facing the front (battery is in the boot(will update photo gallery soon)). ive gotten quotes for a piston, con-rod and cam gear upgrade which will give me some kind of gain for around $2000.. im just looking for a reliable car i can throw my money at bit by bit because im going to have it for a while.. but i like the b16a piston idea.. thanks for that guys.. any more help will be greatly appreciated

91'lude
15-03-2005, 09:53 AM
Just wondering, why did u get rid of the GTR to go with the prelude? B18C/H22A conversion is also a long term option, when done right, can give you serious gains in power. Be willing to be looking at a $8 grand conversion, but than you have tons of tuning potentual on these vtec engines.

Usual Suspect
15-03-2005, 10:54 AM
find a B20A Vtec hybird motor and drop her in. Good power gains from just a standard B20A.

SECUR1TY
15-03-2005, 12:19 PM
i rebuilt the motor and got offered a really good price for it.. i always had the prelude as my get-around car while the gtr was in the shop.. i want to keep the b20a.. i just want more grunt thats all

91'lude
16-03-2005, 09:05 PM
find a B20A Vtec hybird motor and drop her in. Good power gains from just a standard B20A.

Since when have we had a b20a vtec?

I beleive CRV's use b20b's... vtec, but there hardly performance.

JDM.Power
16-03-2005, 09:57 PM
go to croydon motorsport an...ask them

ludemobile
16-03-2005, 11:10 PM
B20 Vtec is way too much trouble compared to doing a H22 conversion. The H22 in the 3rd gen chassis will $#!T on alot of cars. If you manage to turbo it like a guy did in the US, he got up to 550 hp in that thing until some a$$hole smashed into him, then you would be unstoppable...to a certain extent.

SECUR1TY
17-03-2005, 11:14 AM
ok.. i said b20a engine performance.. not h22a conversion..
i just need parts that will give me more power and torque on my b20a..
ive heard cam shafts dont make much of a difference in b20a's so thats staying stock till something breaks.. i just want to know what kind of pistons and rods i should use to maybe increase compression by a bit.. then a metal head gasket (hope it holds it together)

Usual Suspect
17-03-2005, 06:22 PM
Since when have we had a b20a vtec?

I beleive CRV's use b20b's... vtec, but there hardly performance.

Its a hybrid motor, as i said. Mate a b20a with a vtec and u have a b20a vtec, good for racing.

U might wanna try www.3geez.com mainly accord 3rd Gen Owners but fair few prelude owners and fair amount of info on the ludes aswell. Best thing u can do is i/h/e. After that you start spending a lot of money for small gains. And i think ur right cams arent really worth it, they give some increase, but not much.

SECUR1TY
17-03-2005, 09:17 PM
thanks for the link man.. really helpful. i didnt know the accords came with the same engine. UR TOPS!!

Usual Suspect
17-03-2005, 11:20 PM
they do lol!!!

I thought preludes had b20's and accords had a20's?

ludemobile
18-03-2005, 12:43 PM
I know the Accords had B20 engines but they are a tad bit different aren't they?
As in the difference of the valve cover and the power steering hose is in a much better location that ours. I think the engine specs all up are different too but I'm not 100% on this so don't quote me.

SECUR1TY
19-03-2005, 03:49 PM
im selling the car and buying an r33 or getting another r32 gtr.. ALOT less trouble with performance.. anyone interested in a sexy 3rd gen?

91'lude
20-03-2005, 09:46 AM
I was looking at a well kept 3rd gen *to upgrade from mine*, it looks way riced in ur pic... email me some photo's.

Hawk
28-03-2005, 08:05 AM
Just boost the lude and be done with it :)

Most things will have to be custom made as unlike the GTR there are not a great deal of 'off the shelf' performance enhancments for turbo B20 's

91'lude
28-03-2005, 10:18 AM
You'd know mate :P

Share us your tales of the prelude? Performance, and how much it cost :P

http://img80.exs.cx/img80/46/hawk200407221601ridefile21xp.jpg :D

Usual Suspect
28-03-2005, 07:32 PM
oh do tell.

Lokid
28-03-2005, 09:02 PM
Get a HA22 =) and Add Booost


"Dude wheres my Honda Crx?"

91'lude
30-03-2005, 06:12 PM
Boosted h22a in a 3rd gen prelude? Youd wanta be bulletproof, the amount of weight infront of the front axil, under breaks the thing would understeer incredibly bad, you'll be off the road in no time.

SECUR1TY
31-03-2005, 12:28 PM
should be gone in a week, im so sad to see it go...

toE edit - You're not privileged to sell as yet.

Hawk
01-04-2005, 05:21 PM
You'd know mate :P

Share us your tales of the prelude? Performance, and how much it cost :P

http://img80.exs.cx/img80/46/hawk200407221601ridefile21xp.jpg :D

Prelude Tales -->
Bought as a very very unfinished project. Owner ran out of money before the potential could of been realised. Push started and drove home very slowly. Started rectify and replacing all required componets ie, had larger injectors BUT standard fuel preasure reg and pump were still fitted, so on and so on.....

Cost -->
Original owner handed over reciepts for engine work $6700.00
Fixing the overlooked areas and restrictions $4800.00
No reciepts for microtech engine management $ ???.??

Performance -->
Have not yet run down the quarter, still have BIG traction problems. Car is currently running 6 and 9psi. Dyno figure is coming after I get another heavy duty clutch. Car is still to be tuned properly with current set up and so is running rich for safety reasons. My goal is to run 10 and 14psi and I would love it to run a low 13/high 12.

Specs -->

rebuilt and strengthened B20A with laser cut ACL decomp plate
custom exhaust manifold
t28bb source from spec r s15
custom dump with secondary wastegate pipe
3" mandrel bent system
alloy cooler pipes with 550x300 duelpass cooler
LT8 microtech engine management
surge tank and 550hp external fuel pump
duel stage boost setup via missle switch
larger (unkown size) injectors
rising rate fuel preasure reg
215/50/17 smoke makers fitted to all wheels
standard height heavy duty springs

91'lude
01-04-2005, 05:59 PM
Have you got strut and sway bars installed? The chasis would have to be dam stiff to put out that much power.

You payed a hell of alot for all those modifications, how much did you pay for the car with those parts installed? Sounds like you got a bargain.

Do you have any reliability problems, like blowing things on the b20a6 with turbo on it. 6-9psi isnt a extremely high amount, i beleive Prelude_PSI ran over that and he got a 14 flat quarter mile.

Hawk
01-04-2005, 10:17 PM
sway bars and strut bars and traction fixes are in the future , once the engine side is completely sorted out to a level I am happy with. Reliability seems quite good. Cars last longer when looked after and cared for (including driving techniques) the correct way.

I originally purchased the lude for $8g.