Civic Forumz - Honda Civic Forum

WHERE THERE'S A WILL, THERE'S A WAY. THIS PLATITUDE SO COMMON IN AMERICA MANIFESTS ITSELF IN INTRIGUING WAYS WITHIN THE AUTOMOTIVE WORLD. MOST RECOGNIZABLE IS THE WILL OF RACERS TO WIN OR ACHIEVE A SPECIFIC goal. But even engine and vehicle builders have that fire burning in them too. only the drama for them unfolds much more slowly.
This is the story of one such builder. keep them. Sloan realized he better start approaching companies about personal partial sponsorships instead of presenting a school project to them. It's much harder to persuade a company to sponsor you as a privateer, but it beats surrendering the parts to the school.Dane Sloan has been a friend of HT's for a couple of years now and was introduced to us as a relative new-bie. We watched him grow over the months to become a fairly competent wrencher and all-around Honda buff. Not long ago he filled us in on a project he's working on. He kept a photo journal and notes of his work, and before long we realized we had a story on our hands.
Sloan is building a road racecar for Honda Challenge competition so he doesn't have to use his daily-driven Integra, To achieve this, he plans to use a USDM 816 del Sol motor, bore and stroke it to 2 liters, and drop it into a 1989 ED6 Civic hatchback chassis. He hopes the 25-percent increase in displacement will amount to an equally useful goose in power (the B16A1 is rated to put out around 160 tip at the crank in stock configuration).
The project was made all the more tempting for us when Sloan said he wanted the satisfaction of knowing he built this car on his own. He'd do all the leg-work in lining up parts and labor, we'd look at the car when it was done and, if we liked it, give Sloan's narrative a shot in the mag. It was a no-brainer.
Sloan began researching this project at the 2003 SEMA show in Las Vegas. He hustled to meet key people, catch up with technology and take a crash course in the industry. While there he met Tom Jung, Carmen Arias and Barry Meza from Arias Pistons. Jung set Sloan on the right path, giving him plenty of technical advice and essentially becoming one of the project's tech advisors. He continues to provide Sloan with guidance.
Sloan also took an automotive engine rebuilding class at Fulterton College, a local junior college in Orange County. Calif. Like a lot of schools, Fullerton's Automotive Technology Department preps men and women for employment in the automotive service and repair industry. Instructors who are certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) teach the courses that make up the program. In addition to a strong background in technology, hands-on experience is emphasized and the program facility at school offers a good range of equipment and resources.
For Sloan, entering the program not only meant he had a place to work, but also that he had supervision In case he ran into any problems. He proceeded to build up the cylinder block and internals at school, and when the term ended the operation moved to the garage at Pro Street Import, At PSI, owner Eugene Castro helps out Sloan whenever he can; he too has become a de facto tech advisor on the project.
While most institutes have automotive programs that can help you learn the basics, using the school to solicit parts donations from manufacturers can get somewhat dodgy. Typically the parts become the property of the school and will have to stay on campus, meaning if you use the school to get free parts you probably won't be able to

1. SLOAN SHOWS US THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CYLINDER HEAD, FIRST AS
IT LOOKED FRESH OFF THE BLOCK, THEN AFTER THE WORK DONE BY RS
MACHINES. THE FOLKS AT RS CLEANED UP THE TOP OF THE COMBUSTION
CHAMBER AND DE-BURRED THE EDGES OF THE ROOF. THIS ANGLE ALSO
LETS US SEE THE 33MM INTAKE AND 28MM EXHAUST VALVES THAT ARE
STOCK ON THE HEAD. -....:.

2. RS ALSO PORTED AND POLISHED THE HEAD. LOOKING AT THE "AFTER" PHOTO YOU CAN SEE JUST HOW MUCH MATERIAL WAS REMOVED FROM THE PORTS, PARTICULARLY AROUND THE SPLITTER.

3. THE SHOP THAT SLOAN WORKS WITH, PRO STREET IMPORT, PURCHASED THE B16'S VALVETRAIN FROM PORT FLOW DESIGN AND THE CREW AT RS ASSEMBLED THE VALVE AND ROCKER ASSEMBLIES. THERE THE TECHS PUT TOGETHER THE ROCKER ARMS AND LOCKED THEM INTO THE HEAD WITH A PAIR OF ROCKER ARM SHAFTS. THEY ALSO INSTALLED STOCK B16 LOST-MOTION ASSEMBLIES, VALVES, VALVE LOCKS AND RETAINERS, AND PORT FLOW DESIGN INNER AND OUTER VALVE SPRINGS.

www.HONDATUNINGmagazine.com 51

4. THE B16A1 BLOCK WAS SENT TO GOLDEN EAGLE FOR CLEANING AND SLEEVING, AND WHEN IT GOT BACK THE FIRST THING SLOAN DID WAS BOLT IN A MICRO-POLISHED AND CHAMFERED INTEGRA IS CRANKSHAFT. THE LS CRANK, COUPLED WITH LS CONNECTING RODS, OFFERS THE NECESSARY STROKE LENGTH FOR THE DISPLACEMENT SLOAN IS SHOOTING FOR. IN ADDITION, DIAMOND BAR MOTORSPORTS PROVIDED LONGER-LASTING GS-R BEARINGS TO KEEP THE CRANK SPINNING.
AFTER THAT SLOAN FLIPPED OVER THE BLOCK AND GAPPED THE ARIAS HIGH-TENSION PISTON RINGS. TO SET RING END GAPS, ONE COMPRESSION RING AT A TIME IS PLACED INTO THE CYLINDER SO IT IS SQUARE TO THE SLEEVE WALL. THEN WITH A FEELER GAUGE THE END GAP IS MEASURED AND THE MEASUREMENT IS COMPARED AGAINST THE RING'S SPECS. THIS PROCESS IS REPEATED SEVEN MORE TIMES, ONCE FOR EACH OF THE TWO COMPRESSION RINGS ON EACH PISTON. IF THE RINGS ARE TOO BIG A GAP FILE CAN BE USED TO SHAVE OFF SOME MATERIAL.

5. GAPPING COMPLETED, SLOAN LUBES UP THE PISTON SKIRTS FOR INSTALLATION, AND THEN USES A RING COMPRESSOR TO SLIDE THE PISTONS INTO PLACE (THE COMPRESSOR PREVENTS THE RINGS FROM GETTING CAUGHT ON THE BLOCK). HOLDING THE COMPRESSOR OVER THE CYLINDER, THE PISTON IS GIVEN A COUPLE OF HEARTY TAPS WITH THE HANDLE FROM A MALLET UNTIL THE PISTON RESTS COMPLETELY WITHIN THE SLEEVE AND THE CONROD SEATS TO THE CRANK JOURNAL UNDERNEATH. AGAIN DIAMOND BAR MOTORSPORTS CAME THROUGH WITH THE GS-R BEARINGS, THIS TIME FOR THE RODS, AND SLOAN MADE SURE TO LUBE THE INSIDE OF THE BIG END OF THE ROD SUFFICIENTLY. AFTER EACH BIG END SEATS THE BLOCK IS FLIPPED OVER AND THE ROD CAPS ARE SECURED AND TORQUED TO SPEC. ARP ROD BOLTS MINIMIZE THE RISK OF A FAILURE.

6. THE ROTATING ASSEMBLY IS COMPLETED AND THE BLOCK IS READIED FOR A CYLINDER HEAD. ARIAS 85MM FORGED SLUGS RAISE COMPRESSION TO A REMARKABLE 11.5:1; LUCKILY THE DUCTILE IRON "GODZILLA" SLEEVES THAT GOLDEN EAGLE OUTFITTED THE BLOCK WITH SHOULD WITHSTAND THE INCREASED AMOUNT OF AIR/FUEL. THE NEW 85MM BORE (IT'S 81 MM STOCK ON THE B16A1) COUPLED WITH THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED NEW 89MM STROKE CREATED BY THE LS CRANK AND EAGLE SPECIALTIES FORGED H-BEAM LS RODS (IT'S 77.4MM STOCK) BRING DISPLACEMENT TO TWO LITERS, NOT BAD FOR A MOTOR THAT BEGAN ITS LIFE DISPLACING ONLY 1.6 LITERS. A 0.030-INCH COMETIC HEAD GASKET GOES ON NEXT, AND THEN THE HEAD.

7. THE HEAD IS FASTENED TO THE BOTTOM END, THE NUTS TIGHTENED STARTING WITH THE CENTER TWO STUDS AND MOVING OUTWARD, DIAGONALLY ALTERNATING FROM ONE ROW TO THE OTHER. THEN THE JAPANESE YS1 CABLE TRANSMISSION WITH LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIAL IS HOOKED UP, GIVING SLOAN A 4.4:1 FINAL DRIVE RATIO. THE LAST TOUCH IS BOLTING ON THE SHINY ARIZONA RACE & MACHINE GEARBOX MOUNT.

8. WE CAN NEVER STRESS THIS ENOUGH: WHEN YOU'RE PUTTING A HEAD TOGETHER MAKE SURE TO USE LOTS OF ASSEMBLY LUBE. HERE SLOAN OILS UP THE ROCKER ARMS AND CAM GUIDES BEFORE THE CAMSHAFTS ARE DROPPED IN.

09. THE BUMPSTICKS ARE SKUNKZ'S STAGE II VARIETY, OFFERING 0.485-INCH OF INTAKE VALVE LIFT FOR A DURATION OF 266 DEGREES AND 0.466-INCH OF EXHAUST VALVE LIFT FOR 262 DEGREES.

10. SEALS ARE INSTALLED ON EACH CAM END WITH A TOUCH OF SILICONE ADHESIVE SEALANT AROUND THE DIAMETER OF THE SEAL TO PREVENT LEAKING.

11. ATTACHED TO THE ENDS OF THE CAMS SLOAN IS RUNNING A PAIR OF EVOLUTION INDUSTRIES' TIME N LOCK ADJUSTABLE CAM SPROCKETS, A NEW PRODUCT IN THE B-SERIES PERFORMANCE AFTERMARKET THAT CLAIMS TO BE THE ONLY LOCKING GEAR IN THE INDUSTRY.

12. THE CAM CAPS AND PLATES ARE INSTALLED ONTO THE HEAD. A NUMBER AND ARROW CAST INTO EACH OF THE CAM CAPS EXCEPT THE END ONES LETS US KNOW HOW EACH CAP IS ORIENTED IN RELATION TO AN ADJACENT CYLINDER. THE END CAM CAPS MEANWHILE HAVE EITHER AN "I" FOR THE INTAKE SIDE OR "E" FOR EXHAUST AND A CYLINDER NUMBER, EITHER 1 OR 4, TO INDICATE WHICH END THEY GO ON.

52 HONDATUNING.november.2004

27. THE TEDIOUS JOB OF MATCHING ALL THE WIRING FROM THE B16A1 HARNESS TO THE P28 '92-TO-'95 CIVIC EX/SI ECU IS NEXT ON THE TO-DO LIST. ONE THING SLOAN HAD TO DO WAS EXTEND THE VTEC, O2 AND KNOCK SENSOR WIRES SO THEY WOULD REACH.
28. THE MAP SENSOR WIRES ALSO HAD TO BE EXTENDED FOR CORRECT FITMENT. WE ALSO GET A PARTIAL LOOK AT THE STR 68MM THROTTLE BODY THAT SLOAN CHOSE FOR HIS COMBO.
24,25,26. THE GOOD PEOPLE AT EARL'S PERFORMANCE PLUMBING PRODUCE THESE BILLET SANDWICH-STYLE FILTER ADAPTORS THAT DIRECT ENGINE OIL TO A HEAT EXCHANGER-TYPE OIL COOLER. THE ADAPTOR MOUNTS BETWEEN THE OIL FILTER MOUNTING BOSS AND THE FILTER; YOU'LL SEE HOW THE REST OF THE OIL COOLING SYSTEM WAS INSTALLED IN A FUTURE ISSUE.

, ARIAS PISTONS
310/532-9737
DIAMOND BAR MOTORSPORTS
909/594-6632
; EAGLE SPECIALTY PRODUCTS
s 662/796-7373
** EARL'S PERFORMANCE PLUMBING
310/609-1602
EVOLUTION INDUSTRIES INC.
909/594-7969
GOLDEN EAGLE MANUFACTURING
909/592-4311
HONDATA
310/782-8278
PORT FLOW DESIGN
310/257-0351
PRO STREET IMPORT
714/739-5683
RS MACHINES
310/328-5514
NEED INSTALLING, LIKE THE BISIMOTO HEADER THAT'S SQUEEZED INTO THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE BAY. MUCH HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED, BUT MUCH MORE LIES IN FUTURE. ©
NEXT TIME:
THE DRIVETRA1N
COMES TOGETHER,
AND WE LOOK AT
THE FUEL, OIL AND
BRAKE PLUMBING
THAT EARL HAS SET UP.