New Member and NSX owner with Questions

[SmknVTEC]

High all at NSX Prime.

Back in November 2004 I purchased a 2000 NSX-T 3.2 (NA2 I think you guys call it) Berlina Black on Black with 6200 miles. The car was bone stock and I paid cash in the amount of $57,500. I did not intend to do anything with the car except use it as a garage queen like the former owner apparently did but, that fell through. Since my family has owned a total of 8 Acura’s (Legend’s, Integra’s, TL, NSX) and I had/have two Integra’s (current one 97 GSR w/Greddy air intake and Greddy header, 167K miles) which I did slight mods to, I started molesting my current girl. I have not gone deep into it yet but, I took her to the track recently for my first time ever at a track, did horribly but, loved every millisecond of it.

Here is the best run of the night which my buddy completed. My R/T time (I assume that is the reaction time?) was surprisingly faster than my buddies considering I am slightly handicapped but, his end results were better. The air temps of the night were in the 90’s, I had the factory rear Bridgestone’s at 40 PSI (later I read on here that it should be between 22-29 PSI) and I have a custom air intake that we designed ala Pep Boys for $70. Both of us were first timers. Here is the best run of the night.
R/T------- .619
60’-------- 2.086
330-------- 6.005
1/8-------- 9.161
MPH------- 78.24
1000------ 11.837
¼--------- 14.085
MPH ----- 100.18

You can stop laughing now. I know some of you guys out there with 3.0 liter engines, bone stock, run low 13’s. Do you think our slow times were from the too high tire pressures or maybe the engine is not broken in yet at 9200 miles? On my first run I dropped the hammer at 6500 RPM got the car 45 degrees sideways off the launch then missed second and third shifts. All that and I pulled 15.5 second ¼ mile or, the times that my 97 Integra could probably manage. I now know from reading on here that 3000-3500 RPM is where the hammer should be dropped off the line. Since then we installed a Comptech short shifter (no more missed shifts!) and a SOS Cantrell design ram air intake. Hopefully this weekend when we go again, getting all these things in order should render at least the factory times (low 13’s) that could be expected from the NSX.

A few things I want some advice on are future mods I plan to do. I was looking at a Nitto drag Radial at least for the rear tires (quoted $185 each). These will wear a little faster than OEM tires? I also want to get a Big Bore Throttle body from SOS. Are these good? It probably won’t really add horsepower as such just improve throttle response? Also, I thought I read here that unless the car is bored out to 3.3L the Intake Manifold is not worth it? I also read that one of you guys install the Comptech Headers and Exhaust and actually got slower ¼ mile times? That bothers me because I might want to get those Comptech items. I saw some people take the engine cover off their NSX’s to lighten weight and see the engine from through the glass. Good idea or not? Dealer said not a good idea because it could get too hot shattering the glass. And finally, I want to paint my calipers blue with the high heat paint from Pep Boy’s. Anyone have any trouble after they did this and does it constantly need to be touched up after time and use goes by?

Hey guys, thanks again and I look forward to joining your tight nit family here at NSX Prime.

 

[nsxtasy]

High all at NSX Prime.

Yes, we are all high at NSXprime.

I took her to the track recently for my first time ever at a track

Sounds like you went to the dragstrip, rather than the track...

I know some of you guys out there with 3.0 liter engines, bone stock, run low 13’s. Do you think our slow times were from the too high tire pressures or maybe the engine is not broken in yet at 9200 miles?

It's probably driver skill. I'm not sure about those claims of low 13's, though. The problem with comparing times is that everyone has a different set of mods, a different amount of gas in the tank (at 111 pounds per full tank, that matters), different stuff emptied out, different driving skills, etc. At least magazine times tend to be consistent (since they use bone stock cars, professional drivers, full fluids, all standard equipment, etc) at around 4.9 0-60 and 13.3 in 1/4, give or take a tenth.

I was looking at a Nitto drag Radial at least for the rear tires (quoted $185 each). These will wear a little faster than OEM tires?

These will wear a LOT faster than OEM tires (which is why Nitto doesn't publish a treadwear rating for them). If you intend to get drag radials, get an extra set of wheels so that you can use your street tires on the street.

I thought I read here that unless the car is bored out to 3.3L the Intake Manifold is not worth it?

Air intake? Basically not worth it.

I also read that one of you guys install the Comptech Headers and Exhaust and actually got slower ¼ mile times?

Not likely. The headers and exhaust should improve times, although not as much on the 3.2-liter '97-05 as on the 3.0-liter '91-96.

Maybe someone got lower times, but if so, it's due to other causes, not the Comptech headers/exhaust.

I saw some people take the engine cover off their NSX’s to lighten weight and see the engine from through the glass. Good idea or not? Dealer said not a good idea because it could get too hot shattering the glass.

It won't get too hot. However, you lose the seal of the rubber gasket on the engine cover, which could possibly cause the engine hatch lid to rattle, and it could possibly shatter if you don't close it gently.

 

[SmknVTEC]

nsxtasy,

I was hoping you would find this thread. I have been reading your posts for a month or two now and you are a super knowledgeable guy. Thanks for your comprehensive reply.

When you say Air Intake not worth it I was talking about this intake manifold from SOS http://www.scienceofspeed.com/products/exhaust_airflow_products/NSX/ScienceofSpeed/intake_manifold/
I thought a member said that was not worth it unless you had SOS bore the engine to 3.3L.

What do you think of the Big Bore Throttle body? http://www.scienceofspeed.com/produ...ts/NSX/ScienceofSpeed/big_bore_throttle_body/

Glad the headers and exhaust shouldn’t slow the car down. That didn’t sound right. My friend and I thought maybe if someone upgraded to larger piping that caused a loss of pressure, this could cause a counterproductive loss in performance. What is the factory piping size on the NSX and does that need to be upgraded in size when redoing the exhaust?

That’s interesting about the rubber gasket. As it is right now I have to really slam the engine glass lid hard because the vacuum seal is too good. I saw someone just put the mesh one on his car. I'll have to check that out. Maybe I will take off the factory one, see if it rattles and if I like it removed.

Finally, how do you accomplish those multiple quotes from one post like you did above? When I reply via the "quote" button, it just quotes the entire post and I cut what I don't want to quote. What am I missing?

Thanks again nsxtasy and all who read this thread.

 

[nsxtasy]

I'm really not familiar with the intake manifold or big bore throttle body. (But Chris and his folks at Science of Speed are knowledgeable and have great customer service.) I also don't know the answer to your question about piping size. Sorry!

That’s interesting about the rubber gasket. As it is right now I have to really slam the engine glass lid hard because the vacuum seal is too good.

I'm not sure whether the engine glass lid has a "correct" technique to shutting it, but I do it the same way as the trunk lid - lower it gently and then apply increasing pressure with my fingers pushing down directly above the latch until it latches.

Finally, how do you accomplish those multiple quotes from one post like you did above? When I reply via the "quote" button, it just quotes the entire post and I cut what I don't want to quote. What am I missing?

I just do simple "copy and paste" operations from the full original quote as needed, using CTRL-C for the copy and CTRL-V for the paste.

 

[SmknVTEC]

Ok.
No problem.
Do you or anyone have any experience unhooking the TCS? It is a pain to turn it off every time the engine is stopped and I wondered if there was a fuse I could pull or if it can be successfully unhooked at the engine.

 

[nsxtasy]

Do you or anyone have any experience unhooking the TCS?

Why would you want to do that?

I turn it off using the dash switch when I'm at the track (racetrack, not dragstrip), but on public roads, I think it's better to leave it on...

 

[SmknVTEC]

I see.

Well we accidentally left it on at the drag strip for the first run; almost fried the clutch and it ran 16 second quarter mile. Next run he turned it off and shaved off 2 seconds. I personally don't get on the throttle too much on the city streets although, one time from turn off the stop light, I accidentally broke the tail lose. When I realized what was going on, I recovered in a sweat 2nd to 3rd third move which was super fun and would have been foiled by the TCS. When I looked down I noticed I had turned off the TCS anyway. I usually turn it off instinctually because I like to get the true feel of the car. I just read in another post that there is a fuse. Maybe I will just pull it when we are at the drag strip and leave it in for daily driving.

 

[SmknVTEC]

Hi guys.

Went to the Drag Strip last night and ran about the same times. I talked to an "expert" there and he said the NSX won't run 13's in the atmospheric conditions we had last night. It was about 95 degrees and 60% humidity, dewpoint over 65 degrees and a density altitude of about 3500 feet. Glad I talked to this guy because now I don't feel so bad and I will not sell the car now That stupid TCS screwed us up again because we forgot to turn it off for a run or two. Anyway, has anyone ever had experience with this product: http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/...owse/s-10101/Ntk-AllTextSearchGroup?Ntt=cryo2
Thought it might help with the extreme heat we have been having here.