How much of a difference would it make if i changed my cam gears to something like aem or skunk2 cam gears? Is the price you pay for these worth it? And is the difference that noticible? Also does anyone know anything about vtec controllers? I know that you can adjust when your vtec kicks in but isn't that bad on your engine?

 

Depends on what all you have done. You won't gain anything from just putting them on. You need to dial them in on a dyno. I was pushing 23psi on my built C1 and gained 9 whp from dialing in the exhaust cam. If you're a basically stock motor with bolt-ons, they're not going to do much (if anything) for you. Don't waste your money on those, or a vtec controller unless you have a good deal of work already into the motor.

 

I don't have many mods to it yet, but i need to start somewhere. I have an aem v2 intake, dc sports headers and full dc sports exhaust, msd ignition, ACT Stage 2 Clutch, ACT lightweight flywheel, Nology plug wires, and that's about it. I'm wanting to add an aem pulley system, and maybe some cams gears, but if it's not going to help then i shouldn't do it. What else can I do to start building it up?

 

DON'T DO AEM PULLEYS! They are a friggin waste of money and will end up ruining your alternator. I used to have them and did not notice a single thing from them. OEM pulleys are just fine.

Cam gears wouldn't do much for you now. I'd move onto something else. It all really depends on what your goals are. You're really wasting your money throwing it all at superficial bolt-ons. If you want to make real power you're going to want to pull the motor apart and put some better components in: rods, higher compression pistons, cams, valvetrain, intake manifold, etc. That's where you're going to gain real power. You will, of course, potentially remove some reliability from it unless you are very meticulous and build it right. That's the case with any build...

hih

Edit: btw, ACT doens't make 'stage' clutches. They make them in various codes like HDSS, XTSS, XTR6, etc... You probably have an HDSS.

Additionally, you have a header, not headers. Header is singular on your motor.

 

Upgrade your cams and valvetrain if you going to have cam gears.

 

Wrong..so wrong, adjusting the intake on almost a purely stock motor can and will get you better power, and over faster reving..plently of stock b16's and stock gsr's that i've tuned have seen good fuel map recovery's on this, now i'm not saying go out and buy a pair but if you've already wasted your money it is good to have..adjusting your intake by 1 or 2 usually does the trick..i'm not tryin to be a penis here but i'm stating what i've seen, stock maps usually have very big dips in them and adjusting the cams gears usually breaks that in half and allows for better tuning i assure you.

 

Very true, pulliest = waste of money because of the fact their light weight the car has to work x4 harder to move it and keep it moving , specially at idle..lost in power = aem pullies.

 

I don't disagree, and I apologize for my discrepency. My 9whp was actually on my intake cam, not exhaust. :shhh:
The problem lies in the price/payoff balance. Plus, you'll only see good (safe) results from dialing it in on the dyno.

 

Very good advice :P