1991 Accord LX Race Car

[ukemike]

47th place overall

So at Thunderhill last weekend we placed 47th overall and 19th in B class. We ran without any mechanical issues unitl the very end. The handling was much improved. The brakes were flawless and as good as anyone out there. In the twisties and in the braking zone we could match just about anyone there. Naturally being a F22A1 we were a bit down on power compared to the 944s and the E30s so we couldn't contend for the win.

It was awesome beyond words and was epic fun. I can't seem to believe that a car that I did 90% of the wrenching on has actually finished two 14 hours endurance races.

With better pit stops and longer drives I think we could have a longshot at a B class win.

We are discussing the December race at Sears Point.

Our one problem was that on Sunday it got harder and harder to start. At our last driver change / pit stop we had to push start the car. I haven't had a chance to troubleshoot it yet, but it seems it must have been the pick-n-pull battery. If the alternator were dead and the battery low, it wouldn't continue to run.

Talking after the race we got thinking that instead of more power, perhaps we need lower gearing. Thunderhill is a fast track and it was probably 95% 2nd and 3rd gear, with grabbing 4th for a few hundred feet at the end of the longer straights. A lower final drive would let us use all the gears and could let us stay in the power band more often. That's like having more power without loosing the reliability.

Is it possible to change the final drive ratio? Are there trannies that fit that are geared lower? I read that the h22/h23 tranny is geared lower. Does someone know where the ratios can be looked up?

check out our race blog for the story, pics, and some video of the race

http://picknpullracing.wordpress.com

[wagon-r]

Are you still running a F22 transmission? If so, your solution is a simple swap to a H22 or H23 manual.

Following are the gear ratios for the F22, H23, and H22:
F22 3.307 1.809 1.185 0.870 0.685
H23 3.307 1.950 1.360 1.070 0.870
H22 3.307 1.857 1.320 1.034 0.812

In addition, the final drive is 4.23 on the H22 and H23, compared with 4.06 on the F22. But the gear ratios are the biggest difference - the H22 and H23 have much closer gearing.

And it's an easy, direct swap. The F-series and H-series transmissions use the same case, so a direct bolt in.

Just stay away from the M2U4 transmissions used in the Prelude SH. This is a completely different transmission.

[aventari]

Awesome race dude! Where do you live? I hope soon we can be at the same race together and have a CB7 party

Do you not have a GoPro on the car? PM me, I'm an engineer at GoPro

[aventari]

Are you still running a F22 transmission? If so, your solution is a simple swap to a H22 or H23 manual.

Following are the gear ratios for the F22, H23, and H22:
F22 3.307 1.809 1.185 0.870 0.685
H23 3.307 1.950 1.360 1.070 0.870
H22 3.307 1.857 1.320 1.034 0.812

In addition, the final drive is 4.23 on the H22 and H23, compared with 4.06 on the F22. But the gear ratios are the biggest difference - the H22 and H23 have much closer gearing.

And it's an easy, direct swap. The F-series and H-series transmissions use the same case, so a direct bolt in.

Just stay away from the M2U4 transmissions used in the Prelude SH. This is a completely different transmission.

Great info. I should start looking for an H23 tranny for my lemons CB7. What cars came witht he H23?

[wagon-r]

In the US, H23 was only used in the 92-96 Prelude Si. 92-96 Prelude VTEC had the H22, plus all 1997+ Preludes had the H22.

And there are other options for close-ratio transmissions from Japan.

[ukemike]

Awesome race dude! Where do you live? I hope soon we can be at the same race together and have a CB7 party

Do you not have a GoPro on the car? PM me, I'm an engineer at GoPro

We do not have a gopro or a cool suit setup, or radios, or a cool RV. We are too low budget for any of that.

GoPro engineer huh? Do you work at the Clearview Way campus in San Mateo? I am involved with the environmental consulting on the garage construction project at that location. If I had a donated or loaned gopro I would make good use of it. If I had the money for one, I'd get car parts instead. The main reason I'd want a camera is to see how my team mates turn in faster laps than me.

I live in the North Bay and my team is trying to figure out if we will race at Sears Point in December. I've been covering the bulk of the cost so far, with substantial help from my team mates, but my wife is in grad school full time now so we have to live on my income alone. All racing, even crap-car racing, is expensive.

[ukemike]

[ukemike]

update - brakes

We decided not to do the December Sonoma/Sears Point Race. We are going to the the February Sears Point race instead. I've been on hiatus for a while but yesterday I got going on it again.

Our brakes were magnificent at the last race but those Porterfield 4E pads chewed up the cheap rotors we had. So we got some better rotors, stoptech slotted. Yesterday I put the new rotors on. Before the last race we replaced rotors since some of the pads had worn too much and had scored the surface. That time was a nightmare. When removing the rotor/hubs the bearing had come apart and we ended up having to cut off the part of the bearing that stayed on. So before we re-assembled it we put white lithium grease on the contact surfaces.

This time it all came apart like a charm. We decided to keep these bearings for one more race before replacing them. So I got the rotors back on and while doing that saw that the pads are gone too. So that adds to the budget. We will probably try the standard porterfield 4 compound this time hoping for less rotor wear.

To do list includes:
replace the starter (I hope that's it)
new pads
oil change
coolant flush and replace with distilled water again (race rules)
oil change
brake fluid flush and bleed
find and fix the power steering fluid leak

[ukemike]

Sears Pointless 2016 Feb 13 and 14

We are just about ready. We've got the a4 header and a race muffler installed. The suspension we upgraded before thunderhill was magnificent. We are debating getting another day or two out of our tires or starting with new tires. I got rid of the AC compressor. We have new stoptech rotors and porterfield pads. The brake fluid is flushed with fresh Redline 600 fluid. The oil is changed. We replaced the windshield. I think we are ready to race.

Tomorrow we will do some cockpit de-scuzzification and maybe give it a bit more of a wash before we take it around the block.

We are entered in Feb 13 and 14 LeMons race at Sears Point (currently called Sonoma Raceway). It's going to be a blast. Tonight I will be updating the blog, after I have some new pics up there I will get them up here as well.

[Sleeper93accord]

We are just about ready. We've got the a4 header and a race muffler installed. The suspension we upgraded before thunderhill was magnificent. We are debating getting another day or two out of our tires or starting with new tires. I got rid of the AC compressor. We have new stoptech rotors and porterfield pads. The brake fluid is flushed with fresh Redline 600 fluid. The oil is changed. We replaced the windshield. I think we are ready to race.

Tomorrow we will do some cockpit de-scuzzification and maybe give it a bit more of a wash before we take it around the block.

We are entered in Feb 13 and 14 LeMons race at Sears Point (currently called Sonoma Raceway). It's going to be a blast. Tonight I will be updating the blog, after I have some new pics up there I will get them up here as well.

Fun looking build!! Great job

[ukemike]

On saturday I finally tackled the power steering leak. The previous weekend we drove it and found the leak. The PS fluid is routed through the speed sensor on the tranny. One of those was leaking. I replaced them both. Rockauto sold me 3/8" hose, but the big one was 5/16 and the other was a size down from that! I hope it all worked and that the leak wasn't from the speed sensor itself. On sunday we packed up for the race. Last week I ordered our new tires. Tirerack is having a closeout sale on the BFG Force Rivals. $114 each. Not bad for a 200 treadwear tire. Then in a fit of craziness I started shopping frantically on CL for some wheels. I didn't want to get rid of the Dunlops that still have some tread left. I found some and bought them and got the new tires mounted to them. If all goes well I'll have lots of in-car gopro footage.

The build blog is updated http://picknpullracing.wordpress.com
Here are a few pics

[ukemike]

test drive

https://youtu.be/w3v6OXKyW4A


we took it out for a test last weekend

[cb9love]

I bet the look of the driver of the green car was priceless

[ukemike]

I'll try to keep the blog up to date this race weekend. With pics etc. In car video will have to wait.

http://picknpullracing.blogspot.com

I've already seen lots of honda goodness. There was a 600 that was really more of a purpose built race car than a 600. We are paddoked next to a team with an early integra. I think the prelude is back.

[dhill_cb7]

I can't wait for the updates! That should be this weekend. I have never attended a race of any sort.

I know some of my family goes down south for a race every year but I generally have school and work.

May I ask why the track requires "distilled water" instead of coolant? Sorry if that is a noobish question. I honestly do not know why.