Hi guys,

I was looking at my wheel arches and it seems like they were sprayed black as per the picture below, is this normal from factory? I'm thinking its rust protection coating

Also I had a read at the forum and its seems that with F20C2 engines (02+ models) the VTEC kick is smoother and less noticable? can anyone confirm?

Thanks,

[img]

 

Doesn't look standard to me

 

You are right about the vtec (although not sure it is 02+ maybe it is 04+). My car is an 05 and shortly after I bought it I questioned if the vtec was functioning correctly on mine as I couldn't believe there was all the hype about "vtec kickin in yo" for what to me didn't really seem that major an event.

I believe that the changeover is said to be more aggressive on the earlier cars and a kind member took me out for a spin in theirs to see the difference but to be honest I thought it was only slightly more aggressive if at all to me. Maybe it's more apparent if you drive a later car immediately after driving an early one yourself.

Saying all of that it definitely is more of an event when it kicks in mid bend than on a straight.

 

It's an aural event if you have an aftermarket intake. :-)

 

Factory underseal is pretty much non existant

 

Factory protection was generally on the primer and the finish applied over it . The factory stuff is white .

It was pretty poorly applied usually as Japen doesn't do silly things like use tons of road salt and grit ,I believe JDM cars have virtually none

My car the rear wheel arches had some but this stopped short by about 25mm of where the rubber arch lip guards were fitted , and here some surface rust had started , under the rubbers there was none , I am not sure that the rubbers are responsible like many say for the beginnings of arch corrosion , it just migrates under the rubber from further back , my a rch lips were rust free under the rubbers!

I would also guess where people have roof leaks , boot leaks, boot condensation this collects down between the inner wing and outer wing where the two are spot welded together to form the arch lip, and the rust starts in side . I did poor some dilute Waxoyl into this area in a vane hope of at least getting some thing down into the joints . 50% white spirit , car stunk for ages, but at the time it was off the road being worked on.

My thoughts on the subject

 

The standard stuff is pants. I'm having mine fully undersealed and getting the rear arches protected before the inevitable happens.

 

I can't see an image but from the discussion, I would check to see if its not being used to hide nasties.