Spoon EK9 Hi Comp B18C Track Car

[ijwhiteman]

Ok so thought i'd redo my build up more for my own benefit than anything else.

I'll let the pictures do the talking.

SPEC

Vehicle

1997 EK9 Civic Type R

Colour

CW

Weight

Dry weight approx 950kg

Engine

JDM B18C-R 13.2:1 CR built with

Wiseco Semi-Coated Slipper Style racing pistons
IBspec RODS
TODA Spec C Cams
SUPERTECH B-Series competition valve-springs and retainers
Viton stem seals (Inc new guides)
A1Tech headstuds
Bosch Injector Dynamics 725cc ultimate injectors
Hondata S300 ECU (Inc launch control)
AEM True time cam gears
Mugen baffled sump
Setrab 19 Row oil cooler

Gearbox

Mugen 2 way LSD
MFactory 4.785 final drive

Other engine performance enhancers

Mugen 4-2-1 manifold (modified)
Thermotec cool it heat wrap
Spoon engine mounts
Skunk2 gen2 Intake manifold (Port matched to 72mm)
BDL 72mm throttle body
AEM V2 induction kit
Koyo Full width Radiator
Endyn breather/Oil catch can
Spoon N1 style Custom made exhaust system ID 2.5"
Spoon HT leads
Spoon carbon/kevlar plug cover
Spoon rad stays
Spoon socks
Spoon yellow cam cover
Spoon replica engine torque damper
Vibrant breather oil cap
Samco hoses
Karui 4.4kg flywheel
Earthing kit
Bonnet dampers
Polyurethe Shifter bushes
Polyurethe Engine mount bushes
Password JDM Battery tie down

Exterior Mods

Seibon carbon fibre bonnet
Aerocatches
Black sunstrip

Interior Mods

Oil temp/pressure gauge
Water gauge
Recaro SPG's
Buddyclub side mount rails
Spoon steering wheel
Spoon SRS steering boss
NRG Detachable steering boss
Mugen pedals
Willans harnesses
Fire extinguisher

Suspension/Handling

Carbing 8 point roll cage
D2 coilovers (Front spring rate 12.7 kg/mm and rear sping rate changed to 9.8 kg/mm)
D2 LCA
D2 Rear camber adjusters
Buddyclub P1 Front camber adjusters
Spoon front strut brace
Spoon rear strut brace
C pillar brace
Rear lower tie bar

Camber and Toe settings

Camber

Front -3.0
Rear -1.5

Toe

Front 0
Rear -0.1

Brakes

Spoon calipers
Cusco replica master cylinder brace
EBC Yellow stuff pads Front and Rear
Hell braided lines
Motul RBF600

Wheels

Track Rims
Rota Slips 15*7"
Black wheel nuts

Tyres

Toyo Proxes R888 195/50/15

Ice

Removed

Here's how she arrived anyway. I was very excited the day i picked her up. After owning and destroying an EK4 the prospect of owning a Civic Type R was immense. Also i picked her up on my Birthday.

Anyway things moved very quickly with a massive thank you to Martin, Matt and Toddy for all there help when it came to transfering the performance parts i'd accumalted from the EK4 onto the 9. It was quite nice really having a load of performance parts to put on at once.

NSX Wheel nuts

Before

After

I was having issues with oil consumption of the B18 engine so we stripped it to investigate the cause and also to find a top end rattle.

B18C Head gasket in preperation for the rebuild

Valve stem seals

Hamp oil filter

Slim washer jets

New Honda badges

New Honda headlights

Rear strut brace

Lower tie bar

C pillar brace and roll cage

Tweeters

D2 Coilovers and LCA

Heres how she is sat

Spoon N1 inc B pipe and Decat

Sunstrip

EK9.org sticker

Willans harnesses

 

[ijwhiteman]

Mugen pedals

Red stiched gear gaitor

Toyo R888's

Painted the calipers red

Polyurethene Engine bushes and gear linkage bushes

Bonnet dampers

The bay with some bits painted This will change as i don't like all the painted bits it looked better in my head lol

Integra Type R front brace

Spoon oil cap

Spoon rad cap

Mugen 4-2-1 manifold

Spoon elbow

Then came some more Spoon whoring when i found a rear strut brace. My addiction and obsession was begining to take a strong hold!

Spoon Sports Rear strut brace

Before

After

Few more Spoon items thanks to my fellow Spoon Whore ash-EK4.

Spoon engine mounts. less than 2k miles and the rear has never been used.

Spoon HT Leads

Spoon plug cover

Before

After

Spoon Yellow cam cover. I'm going to redo this so it's perfect for when the B18C is fitted.

A very chunky but very light C Pillar brace

Before

After

 

[ijwhiteman]

MORE SPOON came in the form of some cheaper but overpriced items.

Spoon Rad stay

Mugen baffled sump

Spoon Rad stay and Spoon coloured cam cover fitted

Rad stay before

And after

Was very busy one day in spring as i started to get stuck into owning an EK9. Something was very special about that!

Cleaned everywhere in my engine bay, took off all the brackets, removed the battery and tray to clean all behind things that i could get at with the engine still in.

Also RESTORED manifold!

Sand back with a 240 grade, then 400, 1000, then 2000, polish with metal polish and clean with brake clearner. Job done looks sweet again.

And removed the Aircon.

Before

After

And some cleanish pics with my Bro's Teg.

So after my weekend of cleaning i woke up the monday morning to find myself in agony, think i had trapped a nerve under my shoulder blades. Probably from all the cleaning....

So i looked out the window to find it Raining so there goes me cycling to work. Probably wouldn't have been able to anyway cause my back was hurting so much. So what choice did i have... To take my very clean car to work. This pains me to do this because she looked absolutly mint and i didn't want to make her dirty...

Still no choice so i get in and take my usual route trying to be ginger to avoid making unecessary spray and dirt.

Only at the last minute to find this in my path @ 60mph!

It wasn't to bad but i was pist to say the least! It was at this point i decided i should stop loving things so much because when ever you do they get damage. My Track show car was heading more to be a track car! Use it for what it was intended for! Driving

A few months later i was ramping up towards a full 12 days at the Ring. More parts started to arrive and more preperation required. These 12 days would prove to be one of the most costly errors of my driving career!

Lower Tie Bar just a cheapy to find out if i have sufficient ground clearance. H Brace later on.

New Rubber!

Toyo R888's GG compound

 

[ijwhiteman]

New rims

SPOON SW388

I WISH!!!

Rota Slipstreams 15 x 7" flat black

Before

After

These are mainly going to be my track and summer rims, for long distances, winter and shows the standard rims will be used. Refurb for them coming soon.

The Slips had improved the handling further though, wider rim and wider offset had given me more responsiveness, decrease in body roll and overall a much nicer cornering experience.

So the weeks before the trip and i mean litterally 2 weeks before i fitted some last minute parts including the B18C which had a few new parts and i was fully hoping i had cured my oil consumption woes.

EBC Yellows Front

Buddyclub P1 camber adjusters as my skunk2's blew the week before leaving for the ring.

Buddyclub racing spec condensor also there is now the B18C tucked up in there And i added some blue samco hoses.

Spoon front strut brace will take one fitted once i've polished it back up

AT THE NURBURGRING

The car handled superbly, took a while to rebuild my confidence after snetterton but the setup was awesom.

Suspension allignment

Front

2.5 deg negative camber

0 deg toe

tyre pressure 32 psi cold

Rear

1.2 deg negative camber

0.1 deg toe in

tyre pressure 32 psi cold

LSD on track very important! My car would not understeer at all which was great! I was really suprised how well the standard diff performs you just can not appreciate what it does for you on the road!

R888's on track league of there own, they really change there characteristic! So pleased with these won't be using them so much on the road anymore such a waste of a great track tyre!

B18C a little disspapointed really it still lacks the power and torque in some sections so i'm going to be focusing my attention on improving this for future. The extra revs where nice compared the B16A2 i had last year.

Suspension i still feel is a bit soft even on hardest but it is still a road car and on the road it can be harsh.

Rota slips big improvement over stock the extra width from the offset really reduces roll made the car feel much nicer to drive and alot more stable only gripe is the scrubbing on some corners arround the ring but not enough for me to worry about! It never does it on the road!

Brakes superb the yellows like the R888's come to life when they are at correct operating temperature. I was still able to lock up semi slicks on track with the standard set up just with yellows added. Still i'm going to improve this with some (hopefully) Spoon calipers, braided lines and yellow rears.

Seats are no longer supporting enough arround a track so fixed buckets are required along with reduction of weight and some more power before we go back in April!

Heres a pic

 

[ijwhiteman]

So after i returned from our fantastic trip i had a list as long as the track of parts i wanted to change to improve the restrictions on the cars abilities and how i wanted it to feel.

Thankfully a good friend of mine decided he would break his car instead of selling it while my other good friend the bank manager and over time obliged nicely!

A Spoon SRS boss

Why one of those your wondering....

Because...............

Spoon steering wheel

Note the red stitching

New Yellow stuff pads for the rears now

New fluid as my pedal is a lil spongey after 2 Ring trips

Spoon strut brace fitted

Ring sticker fitted

More Spoon......

Spoon calipers.............. They need a clean mind

Goodbye recaros.....................

Hello.............

Recaro SPG on buddy club rails

Need a new cover for the passenger one though due to a rip... Recaro are on the case

Oh stripped the roof liner out and remainding plastics

Spoon steering wheel fitted

And Hel braided lines

Things then moved pretty slowely the next few months weather, cold/flu, xmas and general life getting in the way.

I'd decided away from the Final Drive at the time for a number of reasons...

What had happened...

My interior loom decided it was going to melt itself to pieces and after it runied most of my electrics i decided to get another second hand loom.

What an arse of a job that was! 3 DAYS! Still got it all back in with only one fault at the mo and that was my drivers side switch now won't undo my passenger side window... There is a blue plug that i couldn't find a home for i knew it had something to do with that! Anyway that got the car running again.

Also at that time i got these

Spoon Sports ECU

 

[ijwhiteman]

Next up was a Spoon Sports taper t/b

This certainly helped throttle response, partial throttle feels so much more powerful low down and i'm sure combined with the ECU its made the top end rev freely! Car just felt great!

I also got a Fire Extinguisher for Germany. Just to be on the safe side really!

Since that lot my new Recaro seat cover turned up that has now been fitted!

The carpet had to come out for me to fit my loom so that ended up staying out!

I also got a Cusco Oil catch can which I link into my PCV to monitor my oil consumption better. After i took my T/B off there was a lot of black oil stains in the I/M and back of the old T/B so it was definitely getting into the inlet track!

And in the coming weeks I had to fit my brakes...

I'd been toying with a carbon bonnet but couldn't find the right deal at the time which was very frustrating!

Also added some stickers...

Cusco oil catch tank

Spoon calipers fitted and finally bled properly!

EBC yellows to rear aswell! Over killed the copper slip!

Removed the carpet and while i was there i did some electical work that was much needed!

Some Spoon and Advan decals to continue the Spoon EK9 theme

This was an arse to fit! Getting it all lined up, spoon sports central and so many bloody air bubbles! Took about 2hrs in total to get it right...

Brackets removed ready to be powdercoated in black

Cam cover removed, it was always felt when i got the yellow cover that if i liked it i would get it repainted later on. If not then i move it on...

So all parts ready to be stripped of paint, this is one of those jobs you wish you never started!

Fitted my Red cam cover so its covered up and protected. I hate the look now!

So applied paint stripper to cam cover

And brackets

Man i forgot how much this stuff stings when you get it on your hands!

After much time of paint striping, scraping, wet and dry paper and washing, it finally looked like this.

Next job was to mask the areas up for that OEM look.

If you lay masking tape over the top then carefully cut arround the holes it works quite well!

Eventually with a bit of patience you end up with this

So then just plugs your M6 holes i used some old screws i had

Here

And here

And finally where the seals bolt down too.

I found that M12 washers fit in the groove perfectly only i can't show this fitted as i need to get some bolts tomorrow from work to hold the washers in place. The washers cover this area up

Cam cover and parts back from paint, and some reinforced pipe

 

[ijwhiteman]

The fitted photos don't do it justice the colour is more like the above photos. Just i'm a crap photograhper!

Carbon bonnet ordered...

What a weekend followed! The work just goes on and on at the mo, i found that my BC camber arms had sheared there bolts off... Not impressed managed to remove them today so just waiting on new high tensile bolts now.

I was very busy getting it ready for Germany and the very first EK9.org trip!

Thermotec heat wrap

In the mean time we got my full width itr radiator fitted. We also fitted a new thermostat mine was shot to siht! I tell you what no more smoke and hardly any black spots appearing on the bumper... Amazing how bad my car was running before we changed it...

After we'd done the radiator we fitted my aerocatches... That was a horrible job with many moments to check allignment and re measure and check again....

Underneath

Locating pins

Catch open

Catch closed

Positioned my fire extinguisher in a convienent place

So off we went ot Germany convinced i'd cured or drastically reduced my oil consumption issue.

Spooned EK9 went back off to the Nurburgring.

What a great time we had, apart from the weather. The list of car modifications got bigger and bigger.

My track rods broke on the way home, my driveshaft packed up and my oil consumtion was getting worse and worse.

Time for a build me thinks.....

Anyway

NRG Detachable Steering Boss

This was bought initially to bring the steering wheel closer and give me more control when on track. Its also a great theft deterant too.... No steering wheel means it can't simply be driven off. I LOVE IT. Feels so much more focused.

 

[ijwhiteman]

Before

After

So my oil problem. I'd absolutely had enough and decided i want to keep the car long term and get the oil problem fixed once and for all.

Several emails bounced back and forth with a few reputable compaines until i finally decided on Will @ RDT (AKA EK9Turbo). His attitude, methodical approach and genuine enthusiast sold it to me. Even though the cost was well over 3 times as much as what i'd planned. His reputation sold it to me ten fold!

The Preliminary spec sheet for the build read like this.

Semi-Coated Slipper Style racing pistons WISECO

IBspec RODS 1.8L ARP2000 stretch-bolts

ALL OEM Honda Bearing set

Type-R Oil-pump, Honda OEM, Brand New from Japan

Type-R B-series water-pump - Brand new from Japan

TODA Spec C Cams

Viton stem seals for HIGH OUTPUT, high compression enignes

A1Tech headstuds (Superior to ARP). For high power applications

81.75NB - New OEM Factory HG

B-series timing belt, state engine

Bore then hone to spec and plateau cork hone finish

Labour, Full blueprint 4CYL Honda shortblock building

Bosch Injector Dynamics 725cc ultimate injectors

Honda B series spring LMAs 14820-PCB-305

HONDA B-series Cam Seals pair

Honda B-series seals , orings (upper)

Re-cut, polish and seat valve faces and sealing angles (3x angle valve)Serdi 4.0 + aluminium cleaning

Machine cylinder head flat on diamond bed Rhottler

S300 P28 OBD1 interface with all options added

SUPERTECH B-Series competition valve-springs and retainers.

Skunk2 gen2 Intake manifold

Skunk2 70mm throttle body

Water jet clean box and block + high temp HD laquer

AEM True time (gen 2) cam gears pair HONDA B

REBUILD - GEARBOX HELICAL 5spd labour only (Mfactory 4.785 final drive and Mugen 2 way LSD)

Engine & gearbox removal or reinstallation regular
setup

A few updates followed

21/10/10

Block and head had a (stage 1)paraffin wash initially at water blasters, its gone to machine shop for (Stage 2)acid-bath, (stage 3) steam clean jet washed, (stage 4) steam-parts-washer machine then its back to water blasters, then lacquered, then machined, then jet washed down.

Will had a phone call from the machine shop about the exhaust valve guides, they have about 3mm of valve end-play! New guides are a must, prices he’s quoted are £4 each and £50 for removal of old/fitting of new. This is a sure sign the valves and springs have been spinning around at very high engine speeds. This occurs when you don’t have enough pressure in the spring for the engine speed. You spin the motor to! Not good, so looks like we've found the problem to my oil consumption!

Box is being stripped as we speak...

22/10/10

Everything except gearbox has been water blasted. Looking mint. Will commented that the head must have been rebuilt with new stem-seals in the past as it looks like someone has been using a chisel or pliers to get the old seals off as nearly every guide had a mark or a little chip out of the top of it! All exhaust guides being replaced, intakes are OK, though some with chips at the top they will seal fine. Next step now is machining head and block THEN onto steam dishwasher/parts washer machine again (think its about 150* at high pressure) to clean and then dry everything out, then its air blasted for a few hours literally with all plugs out and then inspected with the borescope to make sure everythings clean and no trac of deposits. Then it gets the 2pac laquer coating and it’ll always look ‘wet’ then.

Machining starts Monday. Dropping pistons off with him on the morning, just got everything back to him in time after the water blasting and intensly tedious rinsing process.

12/11/10

Engine and box fully cleaned and lacquered.

Block and head have been fully machined.

Bearings have been ordered.

Diff ring gear has arrived.

Setrab oil cooler ordered. For obvious reasons really, with more power come more heat and on track it will only get hotter so and oil cooler with thermostat is an absolute must.

The engine build should begin on the 18th of Nov and provisional collection date is 4th of Dec.

13/11/10

Some pics from Will. Only a small selection

Old parts

Problems with the guides

Dirty block

In for cleaning

Cleaned head and block

Cleaned and lacquered box

OEM diff v's Mugen diff

Mugen diff ring

MFactory 4.785 final drive

Looks like the box has been apart before. Note the taper bearing, this is not OEM and all the seals where aftermarket aswell.

And the box of goodies (Note the Toda C cams, the Hi Compression pistons and BDL 72mm throttle body)

 

[ijwhiteman]

Where do I start....

OMFG

Car is an animal!

I've gained 35whp over my JDM B18C that had IHE.

YouTube - RDT Built Hi Compression EK9

How does the car drive....

The car pulls like an absolute STEAM TRAIN. Even with a Spoon and Mugen exhaust system choking it. Right from 3k rpm it launches all the way to 9000rpm with out a blink of an eye. The MFactory 4.785 is also PERFECT, gears are lovely especially 4 and 5th which is now shockingly quick how it just pulls and pulls!

Will also installed Launch Control which i was a bit like "ah its a gimik won't really use it..." I fcuking love it! Such good fun and crap me side ways does the thing take of now. 0-100 and brake HARD with the spoon calipers is truely an organ displacing moment!!!

Mugen Diff is certainly taking some getting used to...

Clunk bang clunk crack bang bang clunk is all i get arround town and driving into my work. I feel embarresed as i get lots of looks and work colleages telling me something is broken on my car...

How ever get it out on the open road and start abusing it and HOLY COW! The diff is phenominal!!! Truely amazing! It has transformed the handling 10 fold!

Overall the car is now an amazing piece of kit. Still got plenty to do and another visit to Doncastor to finalise the project.

Will spent a lot of time on this project and a lot love has been put into it. Every attention to detail shines through with what Will has done and i am very pleased with the results (Ba my exhaust)

Would i use Will again??? With out a doubt in my mind! Yes!

Would i recommend Will for all your Tuning and Build requirements! Hell yes!

WILL TOP MARKS!

All i will say is i hope his future customers are more patient than i am! I expect Will is glad to see the back of me!

FEW UPDATED PICS

 

[ijwhiteman]

Nurburgring 2011 pics and video

‪Spoon EK9 @ Nurburgring‬‏ - YouTube

 

[ijwhiteman]

Reserved 9

 

[ijwhiteman]

Reserved 10

 

[ijwhiteman]

Reserved 11

 

[ijwhiteman]

Reserved 12

 

[matt o]

excellent detial fanny lips! look forward to seeing it and you when its done (althought at this rate mine mite be finished before yours ) think i need to do something like this to aswell altho got far too much history to re-write!!!

 

[LiamEk4]

holy cow you have a amazing build mate when is the car back from will? look forward to seeing more

 

[No_Fear]

i want your C Pillar bar

nice progress!

 

[martin251184]

Looks good mate! Should not be a problem taking you to collect car on the 4th.

You really do have an extremely well specced car! Never add up how much you have spent. I reckon you would pass out.

 

[ek9cub]

i want your C Pillar bar

nice progress!

Just bought the same one off Livvy its a El'sport C pillar bar, only cost 50quid a lot better than the B-C pillar bar I use to have.

 

[ijwhiteman]

Updated with some build pics

13/11/10