Wesmaster

My Spoon Thermostat and Switch went in last week...I need to do this Hondata gasket....<rubbing chin>

rocketman

Actually, I called hondata to ask them a few install questions because there were no installation instructions. While talking to the guy he mentioned that the bolts should be over-torqued a little bit, so I passed this on to the mechanic doing the work.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by DMENACE021
[B]So am I right by saying that what this mod does is let the engine run cooler?

twohoos

Just got back from Sears Point (what a blast!) and I remain impressed and happy with this gasket. As others have noted, it keeps the intake manifold cooler -- MUCH cooler. After 30-minute track sessions I could pop the hood and rest my hand on the intake manifold. It gets warm to the touch, but never hot. Around town, the car runs as if it's always a crisp, cool day -- the butt-dyno says it pulls harder from stoplights and in bumper traffic. IOW, its "around-town driveability" is markedly improved.

The difference is noticeable mostly at lower rpms, as one would expect -- it's during those times that the engine is relatively "sipping" air from the intake manifold, i.e. the air has much more time to absorb heat from the manifold before being drawn into the cylinder. In WOT VTEC, when the air is flowing rapidly through the manifold, my butt-dyno notices little if any difference. (There may indeed be some improvement, but it would be lower in both absolute and relative magnitude than at low rpm.)

For 60 bucks, I'd rate this as a must-have mod. However, I'd recommend drilling out the coolant hole that Hondata leaves plugged, and manually bypassing the throttle body and IAC sensor. This is a truly trivial, 5-minute job that allows coolant circulation to continue. See the notes Prolene and I wrote here.

Da Hapa

Hey guys.

Excuse the ignorance, but for the newbies or those of us who are losing our minds (me!) could you go into a little more detail about the Hondata part? Is this the little piece of carbon fiber that a board member was selling way back when to keep heat away from the intake? Does anyone have any pic's?

I did a quick search and came up empty. I know I could find more if I were being diligent but am taking the lazy route here.

Thanks in advance,

cdelena

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Da Hapa
[B]Excuse the ignorance, but for the newbies or those of us who are losing our minds (me!) could you go into a little more detail about the Hondata part?

rocketman

this is web page for the actual product

http://www.hondata.com/heatshield.html

marcucci

The material is not fibrous (not carbon, phenolic, etc.) but is "plasticky." It has the consistency of nylon but is rated to much higher temps (like 500 degrees F). Hondata will not divulge the material, but they (and I) stand behind it from the standpoint of reliability.

The material replaces the stock manifold gasket. That's all it is. It blocks (by default) the coolant line that goes to the TB and IAC. This is not a bad thing, but as Prolene et al pointed out, it prevents "proper" bleeding of the coolant system. If you are concerned, drill it, and bypass those lines manually with hose.

The material cools the manifold by blocking that line as well as increasing the distance from the manifold to the head and using an insulating material (the stocker is steel!). The "spacer" is pretty simple in that it's just a replacement for the stock gasket... with insulating properties.

eckler_11

[QUOTE]Originally posted by marcucci
[B]
The material replaces the stock manifold gasket. That's all it is. It blocks (by default) the coolant line that goes to the TB and IAC. This is not a bad thing, but as Prolene et al pointed out, it prevents "proper" bleeding of the coolant system. If you are concerned, drill it, and bypass those lines manually with hose.

DMENACE021

Do you think performance shop will be familiar and able to do this install well?

RacingE S2000

Any good mechanic should be able to do this mod.....All that you are doing is replacing a gasket...I would take it to your local mechanic before the performance shop.... imho