Pros
B16 powerplants have been a long time favorite among the Honda and Acura community. While every imaginable add-on and buildup has been documented since its debut, we at 2NR thought it was time to reintroduce this popular 1.6-liter motor with some of the newest products on the market today. Spinning the rollers for this particular test is a bone stock 2000 Civic Si with a recorded 75,000 miles on the odometer. The modifications on the car were Neuspeed spark plug wires, Motegi Trak Lite wheels, and Kumho MX rubber.
Cons
We came across a frightening scenario on our initial dyno pull. The vehicle belched out a frightening 76 wheel hp followed by a pungent smell of fuel. After some troubleshooting we found the culprit to be a loose spark plug wire on cylinder number one. After a quick scolding of the owner and lecture on vehicle maintenance, we were back on track and rolled the dyno to a more familiar horsepower figure of 135 wheel hp.
Temperature
72.1 degrees Fahrenheit
Notes
The day before our dyno testing was to commence, the vehicle was given a basic oil, cap and rotor, and spark plug change as routine maintenance.
Parts
Voltage unit, zip ties, double sided tape, mounting bracket, nuts and bolts, instructions
Tools
10mm and 12mm combination wrench, 10- and 12mm socket, ratchet, screwdriver, allen wrench
Pros
The Kazama "Voltage" combines an engine grounding kit and voltage stabilizer in one. While standard ground wires can help on many of the older model vehicles, the Kazama unit uses three capacitors that are constantly in a charge and discharge mode. This can improve performance by reducing loss from voltage irregularities to various components in the vehicle. The Kazama Auto Voltage unit uses thick, gauge-shielded wires with gold plated ends as well as a centralized connection to the unit. As an added feature, this voltage box has a visible LED voltage display and the visible capacitors are backlit with a blue LED.
Cons
When it came to mounting the unit, we noticed that the unit itself had to be opened in order to facilitate the mounting holes for the nuts and bolts; a minor setback, if you are one of those impatient individuals that can't wait to slap on products and sail into the sunset.
Temperature
72.7 degrees Fahrenheit
Temperature difference from previous run: +0.6 degree Fahrenheit
Installation Time
30 minutes
Notes
The big question that always comes into play is: "Where are the proper mounting points for the grounding wires?" We won't attest to having the final say in where the best location is, but we obtained our dyno numbers using the rear firewall, the factory 10mm bolt located adjacent to the coolant neck on the block (look for the four black ground wires loomed together on one connector), and the valve cover bolt. From 3700rpm till redline, the Kazama voltage seemed to do its job as the highest recorded gains of 4hp was consistent from 6000rpm all the way to redline. A respectable 5 lb-ft of torque was unleashed at 5700rpm.
Tune it.
Power Is Everything
Pros
Magnaflow has been in the exhaust business for over 25 years, so you know that they've done their homework when it comes to developing an exhaust that's performance orientated-even for the Honda. Using an all stainless steel, mandrel-bent cat-back exhaust system, the 1.6-liter Civic exhaust comes with an 2.25-inch diameter slip-fit stainless exhaust tubing and polished stainless-steel 4-inch tip.
Cons
We came across some minor problems when installing the provided gasket between the catalytic and the B-pipe. The factory heat shield surrounding the lower portion of the catalytic prevented the new gasket from properly fitting. Using a pair of tin snips and pliers, we carefully cut and removed the unwanted metal portion and bolted the unit on within minutes.
Notes
Dyno graphs displayed a horsepower pickup from 5500rpm at the VTEC crossover point till redline. A solid 5hp and 5 lb-ft of torque was recorded at 7500rpm till redline. Keep in mind this exhaust system still uses the factory catalytic converter and keeps your vehicle smog legal while keeping those cops off your back. We're positive that combining this exhaust with an aftermarket header would net some serious horsepower gains.
Parts
Exhaust, nuts, bolts, instructions, U-clamp adapter, gaskets
Tools
14 and 17mm combination wrench, 14 and 17mm socket, breaker bar, extension, ratchet, pliers
Temperature
Air temperature: 73.2 degrees Fahrenheit
Temperature difference from previous run: +0.5 degrees Fahrenheit
Installation Time
60 minutes
Tune it.
Power Is Everything
Tools
10 and 12mm socket, ratchet,
extension, screwdriver