Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

hey guys I need you help bad I have reciently swaped my 97 dx 4dr civic to a ls/vtec and I just can't seem to get much power out of it I have seen many ls/vtec's running low to mid 13's at the track consistantly. I have been racing the track to the last 3 years so I know how to drive my car. I running a obd 1 ecu p28 chipped, with a obd2 conversion harness and harness from a 96 ex, it does throw a iacv code but thats it. the setup is as follows,
93 ls bottom end with 99 si oil pump,99 si b16a2 head with a 99 si intake manifold and a b18 throttle body, 98 gsr dizzy, with stock oem wires. and ngk plugs, the only bottle neck that I can think of is that I am still running the stock header form a 93 ls I have runn it with both a cat back and open headers I ran a 15.4 with a buddy in the car with the cat back and a 14.9 with just me and open headers,

at this point I am clueless I have tired messing with the timing the fuel pressure and no luck any ideas would help me a ton guys i really need your help

PLEASE! all suggestion welcome
thanks

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

Limp mode?

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

I would just say that the 4dr is too heavy and it needs some boost ;).
steve

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

Yeah that must be it ::)

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

Fixes all your codes. Also your set up is in a heavy car and your set ups is just that a basic ls/vtec w/ about the worst header honda ever made. I bet with just a basic header upgrade the car will open up alot.

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

I cant understand though why my ls/vtec is so slow?? As well as my brother inlaw's is running 15.2 with the same setup just a different cat back but the 91 Ls header?? I know it's not in limp mode because then it wouldn't rev above 4000 RPM, as well as the fact that my inlaws ecu went into limp mode before. It just kind of irritates me when I test and tune the piss out of the car and we cant rip down better than 14.9's, and 15.2's in which a buddy of mine is ripping down 12.3's with his stock Ls/VTEC NA!!! with just an open DC 4-1 header and Nitto's in a 1700 lb. 93 hatch. If some one could give me some insight on what's up here or if running an open performance header like the DC will really make up from a 14.9 to perhaps even a 13.9 or 13.5? : ) again thanks alot guys and all inquiries welcome

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

HELP!

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

Your car is heavy!!!!!!!!!!! That simple your friends car is fast because it's light 97 4 dr dx is a pig. Your car is making 150 whp at best it's not suppose to run 12's. LS/vtec stock make less power than gsr's do so what would you expect.

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

LS/VTECs spank GSRs though.

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

When there fully built yes but w/ stock ls pistons you have a low compression b series

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

ya ok ls/vtec's are lower cr's but they still put out around 190-220 hp N/A depending on mods, which does spank gsr's I have already done that at the track, I was atleast especting to break into the 13's with it either way I know the car isn't running like it should and I just don't think limp mode would allow me to runn 14.9's do you guys think that switching to a dc 4-1 header would make a huge differance or not? if so how much on my 1/4 times. my bro inlaw is even running a vafc on his setup and still not any faster where is the bottle neck?

oh my car is a big heavy around 2200 lbs but I still think is should run faster then a 14.9
once again guy in advance for all the help. any ls/vtec guys out there help

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

vafc on a stock motor isnt going to help much if at all. The header should do you some good, but i cant picture you runnign 13s all motor stock internals in a four door imo

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

2200 lb ek 4 dr dont think so the hb weigh more than that.

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

Ive seen the setups and I think youre trying to support 200hp on exhaust manifold and downpipe designed for 130, I bet a DC 4-1 header and a matching test pipe will net you at least a half second in both cars in the qtr

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

man the hatch does not weigh more then 2200 lbs. I weight my car the the station at the track and it was 2400 with me in it and a interior the hatch's must be lighter then 2400 anyway's the point of my post is what can i do to get some more hp out of my ls/vtec I know it's there but it is chokeing somewhere thats what I need everybodys help on.

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

Ok first things first, you need to get rid of the CEL, when I did my gf's swap OBD2-1 I got a IACV code right off the bat, and the car ran ok, but not up to par. If the ecu doesnt see that input it will be in limp mode. Limp mode in a OBD1 and OBD0 car doesnt mean a 4000 rev limit. You need to fix this code, also be sure to set your base timing to 18 degrees. I think all we had to do to fix the IACV was swap 1 wire and that was it.

They dont put out that kind of power in stock form, a standard ls/vtec (stock pistons) with lets say a stock b16a head, Intake, header, exhaust probably wont even get you over 175whp, it also really depends on how good your tune is. What "chip" are you running on your p28?

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

The information given is more than enough to understand ls/vtec in stock form are not monsters. LS/vtec's got popular because gsr blocks were way over priced for years. Get a real header fix your codes like I have been saying since the first response. Jeff's and my responses are more than enough info your header is crap and you have check engine lights on a stock ls/vtec in a 4dr and you want to know why it doesnt run 12's on motor ::) ::). Show me a stock bottom end,cams ls/vtec makin more than 175 whp they dont exist.

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

Whatever chris, that extra 37cc in the B18a/b bottom ends is easily a 10-20hp jump on a stock GSR,

Hahha j/k ;)

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

did you change the pistons on the lsvtec? If you are still running the stock ls pistons ofcourse its gonna be slow. I know that because I have one. Get some b16 pistons and bump the compression and tune, and you will see high 13s.

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

well I do apciate all the help guys on the subject really I do, and as for the chip I am running well I have ran just about them all spoon,skunk2,mugen,and a custom gsr map, I belive the best of them all was a skunk2 but the gsr gave me better low end torque what do you guys runn in your setups,and the idea were I thought i would be getting some where around 200hp I thought was from endyne, or one of the pages linked to hmt eighter why I guess I was misled on the subject, the only reason i second guess myself is that I have seen my buddy with that ls/vtec rip 12' and 13's with it and it was a stock bottom end and top half I went to a web site where you calculate the 1/4 times and such to get hp and it came up over 200hp so thats what got me confuised. but anywas thanks a ton for all the help guys.
p.s just got a 3rd gear burnout with it yesturday will post vid soon

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

fix your cel

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

how about some boost? i think that might help your horsepower problems.

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

Why are people saying thats a heavy car.

Because it is NOT.

The times do seem kind of on the slower side.

Like some SMARTER people are telling you, fix the cel, get a real header and you should improve.

I was doing 14.6 in a bolt on 94 gsr, so you should be faster than that for sure.

Good luck dude.

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

hey whats up..well i'm going LSVTEC in a 95 hatch ..i have all my internals type r with some CTR cams i was wondering what timing belt do i need ...i was told i could use a GSR ..well i have a 00 b16 head and my block is a 95 ls ??

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

I think the LS timing belt should be ok.

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

Yeah the stock Ls timing belt will work just fine

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

So much bad information

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

well you can you either a ls belt or a gsr depends on if you have a gsr water pump or ls what ever you have for a water pump is what you have to use for a timing belt. I suggest using the stock ls way cheaper parts. and mine runs ice cold anyways my bro inlaw's has no fan and runs cold with a ls pump. good luck with the setup and let me know your times

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

fix your cel that really holds back a car a lot. since having a cel your ecu decides to throw a little bit more fuel. one of my buddies car was throwing the iacv code and it ran like ----. same ls/vtec ----. and once it was fixed what do u know. runs like a champ. trust me fix it and you will notice the difference. and i was about to tell the guy the same thing. if you use an ls water pump u can use an ls timing belt. gsr water pump gsr belt.

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

even though my car is throwing a cel from the iacv, I usually do the honda key trick turning the ignition on and off 4 or 5 times and then start it again and it goes off but the car isnt any faster, would this be because the iacv still needs adjustment and the ecu still knows this? also I was looking at my iacv adjustment screw and it is a 5-point allen screw, do i need a special Honda tool to adjust it? or just look around in the neighbors garage for an equivelent tool? lol

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

I give up ::)

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

just fix it...just because it doesnt show a check light doesnt mean the computer doesnt know its there. just FIX IT...stop being fucken lazy...

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

sorry about that guys that was my bro inlaw and your right he is being to f'ing lazy won't even get his onwn screen name, but i will make sure to relay the message to him, I will let you guys know about how the car runs next summer, right now I am on to repairs I nailed a deer a little while ago and it need some tlc to be right again . DEER SUCK

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

i vote ban

Re:Help Tunning my LS?VTEC way to slow
 

well i have a ITR water pump so should i use the gsr timing belt