Power Pages: 1998 Acura Integra GS-R

Owner: Import Tuner
Dynamometer model: SP Engineering Dynojet Chassis Dyno 248E

DYNO1
BASELINE
Air Temp @ 71 Degrees Fahrenheit

Peak HP 159.7
Peak TQ 116.2

Baseline Horsepower: 159.7
Baseline Torque: 116.2

PROS
When it comes to being king of the sport compact industry there is only one nameplate that truly deserves that title: Honda. Honda has long been producing true sport compact vehicles since most of our parents where still in diapers. From the original rear-wheel drive S900 convertible to the latest NSX, Honda has stay true to their lineage of designing and manufacturing vehicle that are fun to drive and reliable as hell. One such vehicle that put Honda over the top in the mid-1990's was the introduction of the third generation Acura Integra. If you were one of the lucky soles to get your hands on a GS-R model you were in heaven. The sweet 8000 rpm redline with the rev-happy VTEC engine made for an awesome driving vehicle. The great thing about the third generation Integra is the amount of aftermarket performance goodies there are for the Acura. We could dedicate an entire book the size of most dictionaries for the amount of parts there are for the vehicle.

CONS
The flipside of having a vehicle so adored by the aftermarket is that there are tons of third-generation Integras rolling around so making it stand out from the rest is not an easy task if personalization is what you are after.

DYNO NOTES
As stated earlier the 1994 to 2001 Intergra GS-R came equipped with a 170 horsepower 1.8-liter DOHC VTEC engine. The drawback of having a high-revving engine is the lack of torque the engine produces. The GS-R engine only produces 128 lb-ft of torque so there is not much get and go power. On the dyno we were surprised how healthy our tester was producing 159.7 horsepower and 116.2 lb-ft of torque to the wheels.

DYNO2
DC Sports 4-2-1 Stainless Steel Header
Air Temp @ 72 Degrees Fahrenheit
Temperature difference from previous run: +1 degree Fahrenheit

Peak Hp 163.5
Peak Tq 119.3

PROS
The DC Sports 4-to-1 stainless-steel header is a beautiful piece of work, almost too nice to put on the car. The header is a two-piece design constructed from stainless steel and polished afterward. The header turns a nice golden glow after the engine is run a couple of times.

CONS
The bad part of having polished stainless-steel is once you stain it, it is impossible to get back the golden glow. Make sure you wipe the header thoroughly after installation or else the stains from your greasy hands will show.

PARTS INCLUDE
Stainless-steel 4-to-1 header, stickers and instructions.

TOOLS REQUIRED FOR INSTALL
10- and 12mm sockets, ratchet, 6-inch extension, 10-, 12- and 22mm wrenches.

DYNO NOTES
To keep dyno numbers consistent we left the Integra strapped to the dyno. We have found in our testing, when a vehicle is removed off the dyno, horsepower figures can change without any changes performed on the vehicle.

INSTALL TIME: 45 min.

DYNO3
AEM V2 Cold-air Intake
Temperature difference from previous run: +0 degree Fahrenheit

Peak HP 165.4
Peak TQ 121.8

PROS
The AEM V2 intake is a monster. Constructed from mandrel-bent aluminum the intake draws cold-air for the passenger side fender well for cooler charger air. Cooler charge air equals to more horsepower. Also a notable is the large four-inch piping and cone filter that the V2 intake utilizes.

CONS
The intake is loud--really loud--but if you are into that, I guess it's not a bad thing.

PARTS INCLUDE
Aluminum intake piping, 4-inch cone filter, misc rubber hoses, hose clamps, misc hardware, license plate, stickers and instructions.

TOOLS REQUIRED FOR INSTALL
10- and 12mm sockets, ratchet, extensions, standard and Phillip screwdriver, needle nose pliers.

DYNO NOTES
As with all header installs, make sure you let the car cool down sufficiently and use enough WD-40 to help loosen those bolts.

INSTALL TIME: 25-40 min.

DYNO4
DC Sports Exhaust
Air Temp @ 72 Degrees Fahrenheit
Temperature difference from previous run: none

Peak HP 167.6
Peak TQ 123.9

PROS
The DC Sports exhaust system we tested was a prototype piece but by the time you read this, the product should be available for purchase. The system incorporates mandrel-bent stainless steel piping with a N1-style bullet stainless steel canister. True to all DC Sports products, the exhaust system went on like factory and installation was extremely straightforward.

CONS
The system is rather loud but with the silencer in place the system is much quieter.

PARTS INCLUDE
Stainless steel exhaust system, gaskets and misc hardware.

TOOLS REQUIRED FOR INSTALL
See previous exhaust installs.

DYNO NOTES
Installing any exhaust products require proper cool down and some WD-40 on the fasteners is a real good idea unless stripping bolts is your forte.

INSTALL TIME: 60 min

CONCLUSION
With over a decade under its belt the 1994-2001 Acura GS-R model still packs a heavy punch. Simple bolt ons on the Acura can make it a real speed demon. Add a pair of cams and adjustable cam gears and get ready to hold on. There is nothing like hearing an engine screaming full tilt at 8000 rpm. Now imagine that going through a tunnel.