About the engine blowing up thing... that's kinda what I was afraid of...

And if there's no fix for that fundamental problem, maybe I just leave well enough alone and live with a working engine with a 6500 redline :-)

Why they did all this for such a slim vtec band I'll never know... I will admit, though, it is fun until the rev limiter kicks in.

about the ABS, I know the front two tires locked up on the gravel road... I didn't check the rear ones...

thanks again for your help