I got a '97 EX from a friend. It's got a B18C1 from 1998 with 80,000 miles. 10 pounds of boost. Racing clutch, a pretty decent-sized turbo, intercooler by I think Turbonetics, Apexi cat-back exhaust, and no test pipe. Power steering and A/C removed. Aluminum flywheel, racing clutch, nice wheels. It's lowered, and has the suspension parts that make the tires not bow in as such \---/ but rather be straight |---|. I don't know nearly as much about these cars as you guys do so I will be asking for some information.

As it's winter, and I have a turbo, the spark plugs that the previous owner used are NGK BKR6ES plugs, which apparently burn a bit cooler, to avoid detonation, which I guess is bad for the turbo. I've been biking to work as the plugs are fouled now in the cold Michigan weather, and need to get some new ones. These appear to be pretty cheap plugs, and are gapped at 0.048. Does this all seem right to you, should I get some plugs that are a bit more expensive? I want to avoid stress to the engine if I can, so I don't want something that'll be causing detonation or anything like that. Feel free to pour your knowledge out all over me. Weird visual there, oh well.

I want to make a list of exactly what part numbers are in the car so I can figure out what to do next with it, but first I obviously need to put some new plugs in and get it running so I don't have to bike 3.5 miles to work every day in the Michigan winter!

Also I will put pics up for you guys!

 

Get the same plugs that were in it.


P.S. Lowering the car makes the car go like this /---\, not like \---/. Also, the suspension parts he has installed are called a camber kit.

 

i gotta a serious question? take no offense. why do people buy cars that have stuff already done to it??? i see no reason to. how do you know if the car was built correctly or how it was driven?? just wondering. a buddy of mine bought a 97 prelude from a guy in des moines IA and it was a mess. hagard *** put together. some bolts were loose. the turbo was a ball bearing and my journal bearing spooled up faster and spun way better than his ball bearing turbo. my opinion on that car is the guy took the CHEAP ROUTE in his build and once the damage was done just fixed the obvious problems and sold it and let someone else take to worse and bigger problems. im not tryin to bring you down or anything im just wondering if you knew the history of the car or what. sounds like it was a pretty good deal.

 

The guy's owned the car since '97 when his parents got it for him, he's a kindergarten teacher in the area, dating a girl I live with (7 of us on the lease here). He and his Vietnamese buddies are way into Civics, and he has put a couple engines in himself. I can't speak to if it's a journal or ball bearing turbo or if everything is installed exactly right, but I want to learn as much as I can and do things the right way if they aren't already. I trust the guy, and I see him every day, and if I have problems he's promised to help me out. He raced the car at a local track only once, to see how it could compete, but I've ridden with him in it in past couple years, and he really didn't push the thing too hard. All the same, I want to know every part that's in there and if it's the right one or not, but the weather's a bit cold for that now!

Whoops, I meant /---\... jeez.

So the camber kit is the part that makes the tires not bow in? Good to know. Thanks.

 

Wasn't sure if it was just a mistake or you really thought it was the other way around... wasn't trying to be a jerk, just trying to let you know it was otherwise.

Yea.
Though, I forgot to mention an alignment too. On our Civics, the camber is not adjustable from the factory, so it requires the installation of a camber kit, and then an alignment.

 

No, I didn't think that at all! I felt stupid for even saying \---/ after I realized. So a camber kit.

I got the new plugs, NGK bkr6es-11 in, and they work fine. Now I don't have to bike to work!

 

Oh alright, just making sure because lately people seem to take everything I say as mean. lol

Good to hear you don't have to bike to work... that's gotta suck in the weather you get!
Ironically, I also replaced spark plugs today... mine were fouled from the Seafoam I ran through the engine, and forgot to replace plugs afterwards.

 

where in Michigan are you? I'm in Marquette!

can't wait to see pics, they were correct to say run the same colder plugs, and what octane gas are you running?

and .030 is what you should be gapping the spark plugs to generally, heres some info:

http://www.honda-tech.com/showthread.php?t=877602

 

Well, you know, gotta watch out for those del sol drivers. just playin man, its a beautiful car.

 

Nah, no offense taken man!

I gapped them at just over 0.030, and used the 6 plugs. In the past, the previous owner has used both 6's and 7's. He also says it's running a bit rich, because it's really hard to get the right ratio and if you get close, it's easy to have it run lean, which would not be good!

I only put Premium in it, and only from Shell.