TODA Europe is pleased to confirm that a high performance TODA Racing stainless steel exhaust manifold is now available for the European FN2 version of the Honda Civic Type R.

Developed specifically using extensive dyno testing to suit the characteristics of the FN2’s K20Z3 engine, the TODA Racing exhaust manifold is produced from high quality, lightweight stainless steel and uses a 4-2-1 design to boost mid-range torque.

Key technical features of the TODA Racing Civic Type R FN2 exhaust manifold include:-

• Dyno developed 4-2-1 layout to optimise mid-range torque
• Dimensions Ø 45mm – Ø 50mm – Ø 55mm – taper – Ø 60mm
• Optimised high flow pipe joints and angles to maximise gasflow
• Service adaptor included for stock Honda A/F sensor  
• CNC machined manifold / cylinder head mating flange

Designed to run without the front catalyst, the TODA Racing FN2 exhaust manifold has been back to back dyno tested by Torque Developments International, where it proved to significantly boost mid-range torque and top end power.

Available now from TODA Europe, a division of TDi-Plc, the TODA Racing Civic Type R FN2 exhaust manifold is priced at £1105.00 – excluding VAT – click on the link here to purchase now:- http://www.tdi-plc.com/catalog/toda-racing-exhaust-manifold-p-16104.html



Do you fancy getting the ultimate in performance from your tuned FN2′s motor? Then TODA Racing has got the product for you, in the form of a new balancer shaft delete kit http://www.toda-europe.com/catalog/toda-racing-balancer-shaft-killer-p-1491.htmlwhich has just been dyno proven to generate impressive power gains throughout the rev range. But what’s the idea behind the balancer shaft delete kit? Read on…

When Honda launched the FN2 model of the Civic Type R it undertook what seems, with hindsight, to be a fairly major redesign of the K20A2 engine as found in the original EP3 version. This engine, known as the K20AZ3 not only featured revised elements such as cam profiles and a drive by wire throttle, it was also upgraded to hit new European NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) targets. How did it do this? It introduced a pair of balancer shafts into the bottom end of the K20A engine, which are not found in the awesome JDM FD2 version of the Honda Civic Type R, which also happens to make a lot more power than the European model.

On the K20AZ3, Honda’s engineers produced a pair of cast iron shafts, about ten inches long and about two and half inches wide, which weigh a staggering 4 kilograms. Counter-rotating against one another, they are driven from the oil pump and are located at the top of the crankcase, where they rotate within the splash lubrication at the top of the FN2’s sump oil. “The problem with this design,” says TODA Europe’s / Torque Developments Sam Borgman, “is that it also creates a significant amount of windage.” ‘Windage’ is a term that describes the drag on an engine component when oil clings to its surface during operation, which erodes the engines overall output – in other words power is lost inside the engine before it ever leaves.

Firstly, let’s talk about what you get with the TODA balancer shaft ‘killer’ kit. The major piece of the package is a new oil tray, an oil pump drive chain, a new dipstick and a TODA large capacity oil pump, which is engineered to function without the balancer shafts and features lower gearing designed to provide superior lubrication at high engine speeds. “The factory oil pump is designed is to run all qualities of oil, potentially very old thin oil, with a massive safety margin and actually at high revs there is excessive oil movement which results in cavitation,” says Torque Development’s Sam Borgman, meaning bubbles can form in the oil. “This also causes a high level of parasitic power loss on the engine, so it’s another area where the TODA balancer shaft killer kit could potentially gain,” he reckons.

Either way, we were about to find out, because Torque Development’s technicians installed on a FN2 test car, which already packs some tasty tweaks;- notably a Comptech Stage 3 supercharger kit, Hondata Flashpro ECU and a lightweight flywheel. In this specification it clocked a respectable 260bhp at the hubs at 7960rpm on Torque Development’s Rototest VPA-R9 hub dyno http://www.tdi-plc.com/index.php?pge=C_dynocam

Let me make this totally clear from the outset, fitting the TODA balancer shaft ‘killer’ kit is not a DIY job, because you have to remove the main bottom engine pulley, plus the cam chain drive system in order to access the chain drive mechanism for the oil pump.  Realistically it’s a six hour job, so the key question for every FN2 tuning fan has got to be, is it worth it?

Happily, the data emphatically suggests that yes it is. Straight off ‘our’ supercharged FN2 picked up 10 bhp at the hubs at 8060 rpm, which equates to approximately 12 bhp at the flywheel. But the peak gains are only half of the story, because, as you’d expect from a modification that reduces internal losses, the FN2 picked up power right across the rev range, from tickover to the redline.

Similarly, the engine picked up torque at all points, with a peak gain of 5 lb.ft at the hubs, equating to approximately 6 lb.ft at the flywheel. On a naturally aspirated FN2 with near stock output you’d get proportionally lower gains – TODA Racing reckons 5 bhp at the flywheel is typical in these instances.

In addition to the power gains, the engine’s response was much sharper, testimony to the reduced mass it now enjoyed. Crucially, bearing in mind that the TODA Racing kit has removed the very components designed to reduce vibration from the K20AZ3 engine the FN2’s owner reported that it still remained smooth, particularly at very high revs, happily confirming that removing the balancer shafts doesn’t degrade the driving experience.

Does this mean that the TODA balancer shaft killer kit is the new hot engine tweak for the FN2? Potentially yes, but as ever it’s a question of finances, so here’s a run down on the costs. The TODA balancer shaft killer kit itself costs £458.25 including VAT http://www.toda-europe.com/catalog/toda-racing-balancer-shaft-killer-p-1491.html, with fitting weighing in at £499.37, plus oil.

In total you’re looking at just under a grand, which, if you’ve invested four or five thousand pounds in a supercharged or turbocharged FN2 and are looking for the ultimate in no-compromise power, makes perfect sense. For mildly tuned normally aspirated cars it’s harder to make the case, but as you stroll further down the lengthy avenue of FN2 tuning, then TODA’s balancer shaft killer kit is without doubt a direction worth taking.

Key technical features of the TODA Racing EP3 pulleys include:- 

 
• A two piece crank pulley with optimised material specification to provide an efficient, low wear oil seal

 

• The retention of the hexagon socket design on crank pulley so original Honda crank tool can be used for installation and removal

 

• Special red anodised finish to enhance engine bay appearance (black / blue / gold) available at extra cost

 

• Available in a/c and non a/c formats
 

Prices and part numbers for the different pulley kits are as follows:-

13810–EP3–HAC (with a/c, including standard length belt) £360.00. To purcahse this product now, please click on this link: http://www.tdi-plc.com/catalog/toda-racing-light-weight-front-pulley-with-p-18695.html

13810–EP3–HOO (without a/c, including shortened belt) £380.00. To purcahse this product now, please click on this link: http://www.tdi-plc.com/catalog/toda-racing-light-weight-front-pulley-without-p-18694.html

The additional colour options cost an extra £50.00 and require a three week lead time.



 

 

 

It’s always nice when other people appreciate the quality of Torque Development’s work – in writing.

“The performance uplift is dramatic.”

“It fills the CTR’s cammy VTEC void to bursting with low and mid-range torque.”

“The result is very impress any-gear, any-revs performance, and the 2.0-litre motor is still happy to rev to 8K and beyond.”

In this case it was Evo magazine’s Richard Meaden who supplied the platitudes as he recently tested a Torque Developments supercharged Honda Civic FN2 and was impressed by both the quality and performance of our upgrade, as published in Evo no:145.

Bookings are being taken now for the FN2 supercharger upgrade, which provides excellent performance at an affordable price. Please contact Torque Developments staff for more details.

To achieve this, MUGEN’s engineers have produced high quality lowering springs, which reduce the ride height by 10mm at the front of the car and 5mm at the rear. In conjunction with the specially valved dampers, the MUGEN sports suspension kit subtly, yet effectively enhances the dynamic qualities of the FN2 Honda Civic Type R, without sacrificing ride quality.

Carrying part number 50000-XLR-K0S0, the MUGEN Honda Civic Type R FN2 Sports Suspension kit is available now from principal MUGEN stockist Torque Developments International Plc, costing £1898.07 including VAT @ 17.5%. To purchase online, please click through to http://www.tdi-plc.com/catalog/mugen-sports-suspension-p-17768.html

Honda’s K24A motor is increasingly finding its way into the engine bays of Civic and Integra models. Why? Because it’s an easy swap to mate the K20A I-VTEC engine’s cylinder head to the K24A’s block, thus creating a big bore ‘gorilla’ engine at relatively low cost that easily fits straight into a Civic EP3, FN2 or Integra DC-5.

But to produce a really high power K24A / I-VTEC engine requires super strong internals, which is where TODA Racing’s expertise is unparalleled, hence its latest releases for the big bore Honda motor; a high compression forged piston and I-beam connecting rod set, plus a ‘High Stopper’ metal head gasket. 

i) TODA K24A High compression forged alloy pistons and I-section con rods

Available in two bore sizes (87.00mm and 87.50mm,) the TODA Racing forged high compression ‘power profile’ pistons produce capacities of 2354cc and 2381cc when used with the standard 99mm stroke K24A crankshaft. The TODA Racing K24A pistons are CNC machined to a crown volume of 6.5cc and are produced from the highest quality aluminium forgings on a 3000 tonne press.

Key technical features of the TODA Racing K24A pistons include:- 

-          Balanced as a set to within +/- 0.25 grammes

-          Improved oil removal system designed for tuned applications

-          High strength gudgeon pins

-          Defric coating applied to skirts to aid running in and reduce internal friction

Produced from the highest quality forged chrome moly steel, the TODA Racing I-beam connecting rods are the ideal compliment to the forged pistons and come complete with fully floating small end bushes and are fully balanced as a set.

The TODA K24A high compression piston and forged I-section connecting rods are available now from TODA Europe, carrying parts numbers priced at £1145.00 including VAT @ 17.5%.

ii) TODA ‘High Stopper’ metal head gasket

Designed specifically to provide the ultimate seal for big bore K24A block / K20A I-VTEC headed ‘gorilla’ engines, the metal ‘High stopper’ gasket is available in three different formats which accommodate the differences between the older and newer style K20A I-VTEC cylinder heads:-

a) For EP-3 / DC-5 K20A I-VTEC heads onto K24A block, 0.6mm thick

b) For FD2 / FN2 K20A I-VTEC heads onto K24A block, 0.3mm thick

c) For FD2 / FN2 K20A I-VTEC heads onto K24A block, 0.6mm thick

The TODA Racing ‘High Stopper’ metal head gaskets are available now from TODA Europe, priced at £155.25 including VAT @ 17.5%.