Hey all,

So I've owned my 2001 for almost a year and a half and I'm saving for CT Base kit SC. I'm leaning towards this kit because it will pass emissions and from my research is very reliable. My mechanic also has experience installing the CT kits on the NSX. I was wondering what would be needed other than EMS and injectors if I ever wanted to turn up boost in the future (I have a ACT PP, upgraded banjo bolts, ap2 retainers, and ARP bolts). If I had issues with emissions it appears that switching back to the base CT kit platform (~5.5 psi) would be fairly easy?

I know that the majority of the power increase is over 6K, but is there any noticeable boost in power below 6K? I was also thinking of adding 4.44 gears to compliment the base SC kit. Essentially my main goal is a decent increase in power at all RPMs and have a reliable, hassle free car. Also heat soak with my K&N FIPK is really bad in 90 degree weather....would the CT kit with aftercooler and closed ice box intake help with heat soak? thanks in advance.

 

You can up the boost by changing the pulley on the SC. I went to a 7 lb. pulley with no problems.

4.77 gears will help down low.

 

As far as emissions, the stock ecu with base kit supplies piggy back and rising rate fuel pressure regulator is what makes it compliant. You can generally go one pulley size down for another 1psi and still utilize this outfit, but past that above 7psi you will need injectors and move to some type of EMS. You can swap back and forth between these parts pretty easy to pass emissions. Where it gets a little convoluted is swapping back and forth the pressure regulators -which you will go back to stock with the EMS/higher boost, so id just leave that installed and either remove the SC belt or just watch your foot and not get into boost. But removing is the best easy solution, then you dont even need to worry about swapping pulleys, you just swap injectors and plug stock ecu back in, which takes all of about 20min.

The SC kit has an aftercooler which helps manage the added IAT from the supercharger, but nothing in the kit is going to mitigate the heat soak you are experiencing now. There are some things you can do to help NA or SC, but generally SC just increases IAT around town. Airflow is the biggest heat soak issue, and there is no airflow in traffic and around town. Hood vents and relocating your AIT sensor closer to in coming air/filter along with some form of snorkel or clear air path to filter will help quite a bit. So will capping off coolant to the TB and intake manifold.

I generally dont like re gearing, it feels more eager around town, but overall doesn't perform as well. Its a gearing multiplier which is a bandaid for lack of pulling power. This is a sports car, not a truck. Generally the more power you make the less gearing you want to capitalize on it. The ap1 suffers a bit out of the hole with the weak trq curve of the F20, and the slightly longer gearing legs of the ap1 trans, but adding a SC mitigates most of that assuming you are tuned properly with lower rpm vtec transition. The piggy back that comes with the base stage kit does lower vtec around 4500rpm, which is pretty decent. You can go lower with an EMS. If your running an F22 and ap2 trans I wouldn't even consider re gearing at all. Its already too short/concentrated, with the low 8200 rpm limit. Will just make it worse.

 

^^^ amen

 

I know the SOS kit lowers vtec...does the CT kit also lower Vtec engagement?

 

Yes the current CT-Engineering kits do. The old gen Comptech kits do not.

 

Awesome, thanks...time to buckle down and save some cash at a more rapid rate!

 

Your gearing will depend on what power level you want for now and later on. I wouldnt touch the gears until you know the power you're gonna stay at

 

Yeah, some guys go the opposite direction and run 3.90 - 3.73 when they get into 500+/350trq range. Mostly turbo guys because of the powerband shape and higher general yield. I wouldn't touch the gearing on a SC set up myself.