Air Intake Project - 2002 SE V6 VTEC
 

Sorry I closed the thread in error..............................



I am starting the long list of desired mods to my 2002 Accord SE AT V6 VTEC. I am wondering what all is involved in converting it to a CAI or SRI?? Any help is appreciated.


I realize it is equipped with a factory CAI but I was wondering how much noticeable performance will come from an aftermarket CAI or SRI??

It depends upon the tuning/resonance.

As a general rule, an aftermarket intake will ever so slightly increase max output while at redline, however, there is also usually a commensurate reduction in mid-range torque.

Then there is the whole hot air induction issue when running an SRI in hot weather. In such scenarios power output suffers pretty much across the board.

Long story short, most manufacturers these days do a pretty darn good job at tuning their engines. If you want a nice measurable increase in power then you typically need to go for a supercharger or turbocharger, and those little toys are pretty spendy.

Thanks for the input. Sounds like I am in for a long expensive project.

If you're contemplating a forced induction on your car, bad idea. Why? Now that I understand you have a Gen 6 V6 Accord ES, there are several reasons:

• The automatic transmission in your car is well known to be fragile; bumping the power of the engine will dramatically shorten the life of your transmission.
• While switching to a manual transmission is technically possible (using something like an Acura CL as a donor car), it will be very-very expensive and time consuming.
• Engines in V6 style do not leave much room for the necessary plumbing for a turbocharger; if one manages to make the plumbing fit, the life of the turbo will most likely be compromised due to heat buildup due to the cramped spaces under the hood.

If you really want a project car if this ilk, sell your car and buy an otherwise identical car with the I4 engine and a 5-Speed manual transmission. Not only will there be more room under the hood for a nice clean turbocharger installation, but the manual transmission will be able to cope with the extra power.

Can you suggest what would be suitable upgrades for this model? Selling it at this time is not really an option. Plus for the mileage and price I bought it at I would be losing money.

Suitable upgrades for Gen 6 models with the V6 (in fact, most generations with the V6 and automatic transmission combination), are pretty much limited to suspension, wheels, and tires. There are more expensive and time involved upgrades which can yield some better performance numbers, but those typically involve retrofitting the engine with either the heads or just the cams from some Acura models. The Head/Cam upgrades are said to provide as much as 20 horsepower up at redline; a quarter to half that in the mid ranges.

The problem is, even with a modest upgrade to the engine, your chances of overpowering your transmission increase significantly.