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[Kitdy]

The only interesting car Honda makes right now, other than perhaps the Accord Coupe.

There is no buzz around the Si anymore. The next generation model needs reviewed and some coverage from the press to get people talking about the car again - the Si is not even on my radar.

Other cars in the segment are putting out way more power. The game has changed, and once again Honda is the laggard.

I think the Accord Coupe is pretty boring. A powerful V6 FWD car is kind goofy. I have come to terms a bit with FWD, but in that application, it is unideal

[Ferrer]

Other cars in the segment are putting out way more power. The game has changed, and once again Honda is the laggard.

I think that's missing the point of Honda's. They've never been about sheer power but about carefully engineered components.

[Kitdy]

I think that's missing the point of Honda's. They've never been about sheer power but about carefully engineered components.

So what about that car is advanced? It features V-TEC. Hot shit.

Other companies have moved on to more advanced gearboxes, DI, etc. At least Honda has a 6 speed in the SI - they are short a few gear ratios compared to other manufacturers in a few segments, and often they still rock SOHC engines.

Does anyone write home about Honda engines anymore - their cutting edge technology, their driveability? I certainly don't hear anyone singing the praises of Honda.

One thing I can give the Si props for is that it keeps natural aspiration even if this means less power compared to its competitors - how wise of a business strategy this is I am not sure.

If you can get a GTI or Mazdaspeed 3 or some European market hot hatch with more power, then on paper at least, the Si is not a great catch.

I think the Si is kinda an indicator of Honda lagging behind the market in general.

[IBrake4Rainbows]

It's not ever been a paper winning company, has Honda.

The idea being the components work so well in unison the end numbers are meaningless as opposed to the actual balance and order of things.

I completely agree - recently Honda has shifted from an engineering to a marketing focus, and the results are not pretty.

[f6fhellcat13]

The SI's engine is a gem, though. It's just hidden in a less-than spectacular package.

Congrats, Vindesh!

[Matra et Alpine]

Honda have never been a headline grabber in general.
Leave it to the Type-R to be "sporty", the rest just deliver what it says on the tin.

But .....

[crisis]

for the 'Naro..

[csl177]

There are few things automotive that look as diabolically purposeful as a set of tube headers.

[henk4]

Now I understand why the two parts are not symmetrical but does that affect engine performance?

[csl177]

Symmetry isn't important, though it can affect the length of exhaust pulses and therefore the engine's sound. What's more important for performance is that those pulsations are timed properly by tube diameter and length to work best with timing/ignition, improving combustion efficiency.

[crisis]

Yeah, I think the lack of symmetry is because they have to fit but retain the ideal tune length. So they route it where they can.

I must say I expected a difference but for it to be subtle. This is far more noticeable that I thought. And when the computer maps the new tune it is supposed to get better. Most pleased and it sounds better too.

[LeonOfTheDead]

Symmetry isn't important, though it can affect the length of exhaust pulses and therefore the engine's sound. What's more important for performance is that those pulsations are timed properly by tube diameter and length to work best with timing/ignition, improving combustion efficiency.

It's more about volumetric efficiency (the amount of air you get into the cylinder, just to make sure that is the right terminology), the combustion efficiency is obviously influenced, but to a less extent.

I'm not sure if this is the case, as afaik it's not a high revving engine (is it?), and pulsations are not that strong or useful at low revs. Doing some analysis last semester, they were starting to get "interesting" at around 6.000 revs, even if you can call them useful from say 11.000 revs.

Of course it all depends on the whole layout. Pipes length is mroe important then diameter btw.

The asymmetry shouldn't be a problem as what matters is that they are of the same length. Geometry itself isn't a huge factor given there are no strong variations in diameter or tight bends, which would cause the pulsations to be reflected. Which is what you want, just timed with valves openings as CSL said.

[Matra et Alpine]

Exhaust expansion contrl in the pipework is critical.
At peak power you want the pulses travelling in the pipe to create partial vacuum behind them to help "pull" the next exhaust pulse. So in a branch, if they come together too soon you lose that gain and too late and you lose the strength of it. It is tuned to occur in the optimal areas for power.
A good design can add 10% a bad design can rob 50%
Main thing after timing is then restriction and as long as no arbitrarily tight transition then it's not so critical. Again, for te PEAK performance the aim is to have equal restriction on all to avoid imbalance at the expansion point ( in these cases the 4-1 branch )
Look good

[LeonOfTheDead]

Exhaust expansion contrl in the pipework is critical.
At peak power you want the pulses travelling in the pipe to create partial vacuum behind them to help "pull" the next exhaust pulse. So in a branch, if they come together too soon you lose that gain and too late and you lose the strength of it. It is tuned to occur in the optimal areas for power.
A good design can add 10% a bad design can rob 50%
Main thing after timing is then restriction and as long as no arbitrarily tight transition then it's not so critical. Again, for te PEAK performance the aim is to have equal restriction on all to avoid imbalance at the expansion point ( in these cases the 4-1 branch )
Look good

A good design can add even 20% actually, on top of what other design solutions can do.

[pimento]

A good design can add even 20% actually, on top of what other design solutions can do.

I guess it depends on how bad the original is.