February 1997

Finishing First!

February 20, 1997 A Newsletter By Colin Sato Volume 1, Issue 2

There will only be 500 people fortunate enough to experience 8400 RPM in a road car. This is because there are only 500 examples of this extraordinary sport coupe being produced for American consumption. Five Hundred! That's it! But what makes this car so special? What does the "R" really stand for? And how many are we going to get in Honolulu? What makes this car so special?

Well for starters, the new Integra Type-R motor produces the highest specific output (horsepower per liter) of any mass-produced normally aspirated automobile engine ever produced for the United States. 195 horsepower out of only 1.8 liters! This has the fastest piston speed of any production vehicle, even faster than Honda's Formula 1 and Indy Car motors.

Hand porting the heads is a laborious process but results in a smoother flow of air into the combustion chambers for more power.

Acura engineers pulled out all the stops when they created this extraordinary new Integra. They initiated several important changes from our successful GS-R DOHC motor with VTEC (see separate article). The car will only be available in one color: Championship White, to commemorate the company's first Formula One victory in the 1963 Mexican Gran Prix. By tossing out some of the creature comforts like sound insulation, the rear wiper washer, cruise control, vanity mirrors AND the air conditioning, Acura has lightened the car by 92.4 pounds. Perhaps the "R" really stands for Race.First they exchanged the regular GS-Rs dual air intake system with a single but larger intake track. They revised the exhaust system headers to keep the exhaust gases flowing smoothly through the new lower restriction mufflers. They also hand polished the cylinder heads (a first in a production car), stiffened the block, strengthened the connecting rods, pistons, and crankshaft. Modifications to the engine management computer allow a 8500 RPM fuel cutoff. My guess is that the "R" in Type-R must stand for Rev! Cause this motor revs like no other.

The Type-R uses specially balanced connecting rods to insure vibration free running up to 8400 RPM. Note the little "R" stamped into the rod!

To compliment the increased power, Acura has beefed up all the related parts. To transmit that extra power, they've specified a new stronger 5-speed transmission with shorter gear ratios. A new helical limited slip differential, enhances the cars agile quality, and revised aerodynamics help high speed stability.

The double wishbone suspension remains but stiffer springs and shocks lower the car 15mm. New larger disc brakes with larger calipers are housed in distinctive five bolt wheels instead of four. More aggressive tires complete the package with Bridgestone RE-010 replacing the Michelin XGTs found on regular

GS-Rs How many of these special cars are we going to get in Hawaii? Three maybe Four! I guess the "R" really stands for Rare!

One of the six 1998 Type-Rs sold by Pflueger Acura in 1998!

If you are interested in this car or our other fine new or used cars, please contact me Colin Sato at work 942-4555. Or via my VoiceStream Cellular/pager 255-1255. I am also on-line so you can e-mail me at 73522.1256@compuserve.com.

Thanks again for all your support!

Technical Update

VTEC: Variable Valve Timing and Electronic Lift Control

To understand how VTEC works, consider this. While you’re walking, you can breathe all the air you need through your nose. But if you start running,your body needs more oxygen, and you start taking big gulps of air through your mouth.

It’s the same with an engine. The intake manifold and the intake valves are the breathing apparatus of an engine. At low to medium speeds, they can handle the air intake needs. But as speed increases and the engine demands more air, the intake system would have to get larger to allow more air to pass into the engine.

A cut away view of the dual overhead cam VTEC system. Note the three lobes over each cylinder, the secret of power without turbos!

What VTEC does in conjunction with the dual-stage intake manifold is increase the amount of air feeding the engine by advancing the valve timing, increasing valve lift and increasing valve-opening duration. This allows the engine to make the most of that extra air and fuel. And it does this without sacrificing low-end response and torque or engine durability, common problems with previous solutions to this dilemma. What you feel is a gentle surge as the VTEC kicks in at around 4400 RPM, then a second, stronger push when the dual stage intake system opens at 6000 RPM. Come in for a test drive and you’ll see what all the excitement is about

May 1999 Update!

Over the last few years our competition has started to introduce various Variable Valve Timing schemes. Toyota calls it VVT-i, at BMW it's Double Vanos etc. These systems are vastly different because they only advance the timing, they are unable to change the lift and duration of the valve opening! This is significant! In our analogy above, it would be like trying to get more air into your lungs without the ability to open your mouth wider!

The Fastest Lap

Honda Leads IndyCar Spring Training

CART Spring Training Two came off without a hitch at the Metro-Dade Homestead Motorsports Complex. With few exceptions, the drivers and teams took to the oval track for 5 open test sessions.

This year seemed to be a repeat of last years sessions. The dominant team was again the Reynard-Hondas of Ganassi Racing. Teammates Jimmy Vasser and Alex Zanardi were the two fastest through most of the testing.The top speed in last year's Spring Training was 196.622 mph scored by Honda driver and PPG Cup Champion Jimmy Vasser. The top speed this year was also posted by Vasser, 195.441 and his teammate was only a few ticks behind with a best of 195.147.Other drivers showing a lot of speed were Paul Tracy in the Penske-Mercedes, and Michael Andretti in the brand new Swift 007 chassis with Ford power All in

all we are looking at an extraordinary season. Four chassis manufacturers, four engine suppliers, and two tire companies make for the best racing on the planet.

See you in Florida for the first race of the season, March 2.

Built by Colin in 1999......with lots of luck!