ITRCA

About $2000 to be exact. Anyway, as some already know I have an AEM CAI, and bypass currently installed. I'm thinking to get the the Mugen 4-1 Header, and Mugen Sports Exhaust (blows my $2000). Or, save the $2g's and get a Jackson Racing Supercharger (I know...that makes me a hypocrite...but I want the speed!). Someone talk me out of the Supercharger, or tell me a better way to spend my $2 g's (other than internals). I'm thinking an exhaust and header are necessary next steps...to add to the intake (anyone else understand what i mean by that? lolx).

I don't think an exhaust is a nedccessary next step. I run stock exhaust and am making 180 hp and 130 ftlbs on a dyno that reads low. And I have killer midrange.

I woudl say a header is a good deal but I would buy a JDM 4-1 or a Toda (Those are my 2 personal picks). The JDM 4-1 and cat/text pipe should run you around $500. Toda/Mugen/SMSP shoudl run you about $1000 with act. I think if you want an exhaust a T1R is a good setup but unneeded.

What year is your R? Also a VAFC with tuning is a good consideration.

it's a '98. my friend was telling me about the JDM header as well...

and the idea of a supercharger is still tempting

I say blow the money on suspension upgrades! MUgen sway bars, good set of coil overs etc.!

i say get more money and do it all =)

Go on EBay and you can get a jackson for like 1200 bucks, heck, for that matter if you can't, I think I still have a friend selling one brand new for like 140....Jackson is a cool toy, but it knocks you out of ever doing any competitive road racing, as you would be a little outta your league in that classes you'd be running. As far as street goes, it's simple for the most part maintenence free power....

What ever's clever, if worst comes to worst, you can sell the charger. I'm a big all motor fan, but to get the power you get outta a charger, you'll need to spend a lot of money. I'm in process of sleeving mine to a two liter with a set of Toda Spec-C cams, and am hoping to make as much as an otherwise stock ITR with a charger (about 220-230whp)

Any way, later,
Aj

Oooh...spec-c is kind hard to keep on a daily driven type-R isn't it?
anywho, trey, where would i go about getting JDM 4-1 Header? I heard Inline 4 in huntington beach...do u know of anywhere else? Also, how can I tell an authentic JDM header, to a rip-off?

AJ, can u give me more info on your friend who is selling the supercharger?

Decisions, Decisions...i wish i could just win the lotto...

Sure, let me find out if he's still selling it, one was selling it for like 1200 or maybe he said 1400, not sure, but one was used and one was new, and they wanted about the same thing, but the used one had the ten pound crank pulley included. Let me find out the scoop and if either person still has it, I'll give you his number so you can call. As far as JDM headers go, there are a number of places that sell it.

aj-racing.com
jdmhondaparts.com
ipsracing.com
randdmotorsports.com
Modacar.com
Optauto.com

I'm sure there are others that I just can't think of, but they're all pretty much in the same ball park, actually inline four is usually the cheapest for the DC JDM 4-1, which is basically a nice copy of the OEM one, but comes in stainless or ceramic for about the same cost or less.

Easiest way to tell it's not a rip off, is look for the brackets for the heat shields, I would think most people making fakes wouldn't bother to weld on heat shiles mounting brackets. also make sure it has a 2.5 inch collector. Other than that, that's about it.

Later,
Aj

so, what's wrong with the Mugen 4-2-1 Gymkhana spec? izzit just the price tag that scares u all away?
a friend says, with the JDM header, I'll have to get a JDM Cat...anyone confirm this? does this also apply with the Mugen 4-2-1?

The Mugen 4-2-1 header is great, it's just mad loot, and for the same price the Toda header is supposed to make a little more power. As far as JDM cat, you really just need a 2.5 inch collector welded onto your cat, but a JDM cat would work too....

Later,
Aj

weld some cheap piece of metal to my (possibly soon to be) expensive Mugen Header and Exhaust!?!? lolx.
Anyway, do u think the 4-2-1 design produces more torque than the 4-1 does?

another thought...the stock exhaust manifold is kind of restrictive, so an aftermarket one would be beneficial, but isn't the stock ITR exhaust flowing pretty nicely already? maybe i should just keep it, and swap out the header, and with the $1000 saved from not buying the exhaust, i could buy some internals...maybe cams...?

well, about welding something to your cat, if you have it done right and don't skimp out on it, there are plenty of places that do tig welding, that will look perfect, I mean, go forbit someone might look under your car and see some nasty welds...lol....any way, neither the stock manifold or exhaust are very free flowing depending on what you have done, if you need a lot of flow, the stock stuff isn't cutting it.

The 4-2-1 design doesn't necesarily produce more toruqe, it just produces power in different places in the rpm band, and depending on the modifications done to the car, it could be more or less torque than the 4-1 in different places. Hard to explain, it's mainly mid range power with the 4-2-1, and mainly high end power on the 4-1.....

And, with a thousand dollars, you really can get a set of cams and a valve train, so you might as well get a really trick exhaust and just save for cams at a later date


Later,
Aj

so, which (in ur opinion) would u go with...4-2-1, 4-1?
(i'm kinda wanting to go 4-2-1 myself, but i'm asking for opinion, and why u think so...

4-2-1, it's got more ground clearance, and creates more midrange power where most hondas lack power. Not only that, it looks mad trick.

Later,
Aj

great...so u can verify the need for the JDM cat, or a 2.5" collector with the header?

(man, and I was gonna go ahead and order it right now)

You can do either. A JDM cat is 2.5", as is the collector size on any JDM-spec header (Mugen, Toda, Spoon, OEM) so you can bolt that directly on. Or you can modify your stock US cat by cutting off the header side collector and welding on a larger 2.5" one.

is it a bad idea to get the headers flange changed to in case i wanna keep my cat intact so that i can re-switch headers to stock for my guarantee.

going the test pipe route is probably annoying as hell on the highway huh?

You would not be able to simply switch the header collector to a 2.25 inch collector. If you were going to do that, you might as well get a much less expensive header that already has a 2.25 inch collector, as you will completely screw up the flow characteristics by welding on a different flange, not to mention, that's not something that can easily be done, correctly at least.

Aside from that, why would you modify your header to keep your stock cat intact, get a test pipe...to keep your stock cat would be dumb any way, you'll have a 2.5 inch collector on a very free flowing header connected to a 2 inch cat, what point would that be, you'll defeat the purpose of the header, or at the very least minimize it's power potential. Either that, or if you want a cat, get a high flow cat like a random technologies cat or something, that has the option of a 2.5 flange. If you need to take something in to the dealership, more than likely they won't say anything about a header, unless it's directly related, but if you're really paranoid, you can just pull the header and either test pipe, or high flow cat off, and put your stock stuff back on.

Well, what ever you decide, good luck with it.

Later,
Aj

I'm afraid the test pipe will get me very noisy with the Dc cat back i remember you mentionning somewhat of a riceyer sound than that of mugens exhaust but i do wish to get a test pipe

well.....sometimes with speed comes sacrifice, but in this case, I'd agree with you, it will be a tad on the raspy side, but all things considered, it shouldn't be that bad, and actually if you go with a high flow cat, it probably won't be bad at all. Though I haven't had the DC cat back on my car to talk from experience. Though, one thing I can say is, dont run a Greddy Evo wtih no cat on your ITR, they sound mad raspy with no cat...

Any way, good luck what ever you decide..

later,
Aj

Unless your exhaust is really trashed you can actually get some money for your used ITR exhaust manifold (call it a header) and cat back. It is a nice, cheap upgrade for GSR owners. Post it in the classifieds at Honda-tech.com. That is also a great place to look for a used jrsc and other items.

I found the solution to my problem, thanks everyone for ur advice, tips & tricks...and so on.

Take some of the 2000 and get yourself a light FW and nice clutch, I did and can't belive how good the car feels.

Also a set of cam gears then tune it on a dyno

Also a set of rims that are lighter and wider too.

Just a thought...