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Metamorphosis - Stage 1 (Chapter 3)

A few days after the oil and spark plugs change I made another trip down to Kaitenaz Racing. This time around, it was for installation of high performance voltage and electrical grounding products. Most people around the globe are still skeptical about the true nature and functions of these voltage items and there is a lot of misconception about its power and torque gains which leads to individuals thinking about how far-fetched these products are and shun them almost immediately. I'm here to attempt to clear any misinformation, misgivings, misconceptions and anything that I might have missed. Personally, these grounding and electrical products represent a new philosophy in engine tuning as an option for individuals who are seeking to improve on response and drivability without having to rip open the engine block and replace the internals for serious gains. Before moving into the details of these products, I believe a simple explanation about a Voltage Stabilizer's function should be addressed. 

Voltage Stabilizers: A Stuff Of Legends?

Battery-Type Voltage Stabilizers.

Battery-type Voltage Stabilizers are additional components that are attached to the car's battery positive and negative terminals and can be used in tandem with one another. This is the simplest form of Voltage Stabilizer upgrade any car can acquire. It's function is to store battery voltage in it's in-built capacitors, so under heavy electrical usage (e.g.: Air Cond, ICE & Sound System, Lighting) and heavy acceleration, the electrical strain would not be dependent on the battery but instead, draws power from these components instead giving a better a faster distribution flow of electrical current to all the electrical components and sensors within the engine bay.

In cars of today, the ECU (Engine Control Unit) is much more advanced and smarter as they govern and control more parameters and sensors which in turn means that there is a greater flow and transfer of electrical signals between sensors (MAF, Throttle, Ignition, Injectors etc.), electrical devices (alternator, air conditioning unit etc) and the ECU. Thus saying, there is a huge amount of electrical load that is being imposed on the ECU and all electrical components in the car. This is also why, when a car is running with audio, headlights and air conditioning, performance of the car tends to drop because of the lack of electrical power to supply to the sensors and electrical components within the engine bay and the interior of the car. 

This brings me to the reason why I emphasize on the installation of voltage products and grounding cables. 

A Race Towards the SUN

The Integra Type-R is no exception when it comes down to installing voltage and grounding products. Honda may have designed the Type-R meant for performance enthusiast and purists by removing it of certain  luxuries, but that does not mean that it has lesser electrical load compared to other cars. Contrary to that, it is due to the K20A's high revving nature and its need for a better spread of torque that brings me to Kaitenaz Racing once more to install the voltage products from SUN Automobile and Guang Dao. Both of these brands are given high regard from the press and end users alike and are the crème' de la crème in the voltage tuning world as their quality and performance gains are second to none. 

For the battery side, I opted for 3 of the top range VS (Voltage Stabilizers) from SUN Automobile. 

Hot InaZma Type MR

The Hot Inazma Type MR is a VS that is designed to stabilize the voltage from the battery to help maximize electrical system efficiency, resulting in smoother power and torque delivery over a Multi-Rev (low to high RPM) range which results in better gas mileage and a longer battery life. It dispenses electrical charge from low to high-end RPM band evenly, so that power and torque gains are evident all across the chart.

Hot InaZma Hyper

The Hot InaZma Hyper has similar functions to the Type-MR except that it comes with an additional three grounding points for the InaZma System-Up kit to directly ground any 3 electrical points or sensors within the engine bay. That way, the flow of current comes direct in contact with all the vital points of the engine components like the injectors, the engine block, the chassis, transmission etc.

Hot InaZma Generation 2

Hot InaZma Generation 2 resolves and removes the sulfuric acid by wave pulses as a  battery will sometimes leave a surface of crystallized electrode and the sulfuric acid adheres to the electrode board of the battery. This generally happens with the aging for a battery. This in turn contributes to the extending the life of the battery, and always keeps the potential of the battery at a high level. Removed the sulfuric acid returns to the electrolyte as diluted sulfuric acid, and it contributes to the performance recovery and the maintenance of the battery. The Hot InaZma Generation 2 draws out higher potential, promotes  power and torque improvements, response and the improving gas mileage.

Grounding Cables & Alternator Boosters

Having the right grounding wires can greatly improve a car's electrical system by creating a direct link from the battery to the engine, the body, and the chassis. The best wires on the market will reduce impedance, which in turn will prevent power loss. This is important for any vehicle, but it is crucial for cars and trucks that are used in racing, as the power drain on the electrical system generally far exceeds that of a car that just runs to work and back every day.

There are different brands, types, and styles of grounding wire kits, but most car enthusiasts choose to go with a pure copper design. These models are fantastic conductors, so they provide a low resistance connection. Copper kits might be a bit more expensive than those constructed from other materials, but its definitely worth every cent. Voltage products coupled with grounding wires will free up additional horse power and torque from a stock engine because all electrical devices and sensors have a better electrical signal flow and distribution and thus, everything is operating at a very efficient level which translates to lesser load and that frees up additional horse power previously unattainable.

Sun Automobile Hot Earth System-Up Kit 

I chose the Sun Automobile InaZma Hot Earth System-Up Kit for the fact that the cables are lined with 1,477 lines of thick gauges 99.99% pure copper and either 3 or 4 layered construction and gold-plated terminals are used to connect directly from the cylinder head and other points under the hood to the battery to provide on ultra low resistance connection. Designed to exceed stringent OEM specs for heat resistance and durability, these cables are the absolute best available. 

Sun Automobile Muffler Earth Kit 

Sun Auto now offers specialized earthing straps to properly ground your exhaust system to the chassis. Based on research & development of the Hyper Ground System, the new Muffler Earth is designed to maximize exhaust efficiency by minimizing static electricity that obstructs exhaust flow inside the muffler. Benefits include: Increased torque response, reduced static electricity in exhaust, reduce vibration noise from exhaust and to improve corrosion resistance of the muffler and exhaust system. This kit comes with 2 muffler earthing cables, one for the front where its connected from the exhaust manifold (usually near the O2 Sensor) and the other for the rear where its connected from the muffler to the body.

Benefits of Copper Grounding Wire Kits

Simply replacing the factory grounding wires with a copper kit will benefit a car in several different ways. The driver will instantly notice that he gets quicker throttle response and that the engine is more stable, especially when it reaches high speeds and RPMs. Exhaust gases will be cleaner as well.

Pivot Ignition Earth 

I also had the Pivot Ignition Earth cable attached to the direction ignition coils. The additional earth wire on the Pivot Composite Earth Cable has a conductor circumference 2.5 times the normal wire. This improves the firing speed by reducing voltage loss and increasing conductivity of high frequency waves released by the ignition coil. Moreover, by facilitating ionization during combustion, it improves gas mileage and engine torque.

Photo-Conducted Pressure Power Plus Accelerator Alternator Booster Cable 

This product is given a name which even Buck Rogers would find difficulty in remembering. But despite the rocket science term it was given, it actually works wonders. This cable is a direct connection between the positive point of the alternator and the positive terminal of the battery. It provides significant improvement on electricity flow and stability by providing an Alternator Positive Direct Charge with a Nano Booster to the battery's positive terminal to maximize the battery's positive charge, increases battery ampere charge, stabilize the voltage flow from the battery and also reduce the load on the battery. It also comes with an additional 3-point grounding kit which has a conductor circumference 2.5 times more than the normal wire. This improves the firing speed by reducing voltage loss and increasing conductivity of high frequency waves released by the ignition coil.

Ignition Coil Voltage Stabilizers

Its present day and now most automobiles run on gasoline coupled up with EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection) and DI (Direct Ignition) coils. The vehicle’s ignition system is designed so that a 12-volt battery can generate the very high voltage required to create such a discharge. The heart of this system is a device called an ignition coil.

This ignition coil is a pulse-type transformer. Like other transformers, it consists, in part, of two coils of wire. These are both wrapped around the same iron core. Because this is a step-up transformer, the secondary coil has far more turns of wire than the primary coil, which is wrapped around the secondary. In fact, the secondary coil has several thousand turns of thin wire, whereas the primary coil has just a few hundred. In your car, this allows some 40,000 volts of current to be generated by a modest battery.

In a car’s ignition system, direct current (DC) is used (provided by the battery), because the idea is not to create steady, continuous induction, but one single, dramatic induction from a sudden collapse of a magnetic field. As current flows to the primary coil, an increasingly large magnetic field builds up around it as well as around the secondary coil housed inside. When this current is stopped, the field suddenly collapses, and this rapid change induces a surge of current in the secondary coil, which streams out the high voltage Output Terminal and is enough to jump the Spark Gap in the circuit. This spark then ignites the fuel mixture and gets the motor running.

There is just one problem with this scenario. The collapsing field also induces a lesser surge (back EMF -Electromotive Force) in the primary coil, creating a second, unwanted surge of electricity traveling back through one of the primary terminals toward the switch. To keep that surge from reaching the switch (and creating a damaging spark across those points), a Capacitor is inserted in the circuit. This capacitor – called a condenser in auto ignition systems – safely absorbs the back EMF.  

Sun Automobile X-Power

The Sun Automobile X-Power is a highly efficient ignition tuning and strengthening system. It focuses on direct ignition engines and is available in 4 and 6 cylinder versions. It was designed to, 

• Increase Engine Response

• Improve Fuel Efficiency

• Increase Horse Power and Torque

• Reliable ignition spark throughout the entire rev range

• Reduced emissions / stabilized idling

The Sun Automobile X-Power addresses the problems associated with ignition coils and the capability of the X-Power to rectify these issues:

• A normal ignition coil inherently generates back electromotive force (back EMF) during operation. This back EMF negatively affects the ignition device inside the coil, decreases plug voltage, and negatively affects plug efficiency. With this problem, voltage not only becomes unstable but also produces ignition time lag in the next ignition cycle. The Sun Automobile X-Power works by absorbing all back EMF, which aids to improve plug voltage and promote complete combustion by producing 100% coil efficiency. Furthermore, the Sun Automobile X-Power eliminates any ignition performance loss due to decreased electrical current under heavy throttle.

• Since ignition efficiency over the entire rev range improves, available torque and acceleration response improves; this efficiency enhancement also contributes to better fuel efficiency and a reduction of harmful emissions.

Other Forms/ Supplementary Volt Stabilizers

Having covered the main voltage items for the battery, alternator and ignition section, I decided to complete the whole circle of voltage tuning and maintaining efficient electrical flow and proceed to add in the supplementary volt stabilizers. These are not replacements to the volt stabilizers in your car but are supplements to enhance certain parts of the car's electrical system and ignition system. 

Supplementary voltage stabilizers covers the grounds of removing electrical noise and load, as well as stabilizing the electrical signals from the interior of the car. 

Sun Automobile Hot InaZma Pulse

The InaZma Pulse is a device used to eliminate the electronic noise and increase the effects of ground returning to the negative post of your battery. This will prevent glitch and unwanted noise coming from electrical device and also avoids functional decline of each device. With the InaZma Pulse, the potential of all electrical components of your vehicle can be extracted as much as possible. Installation of the Inazma Pulse is easy. One cable is grounded to the negative terminal of the battery, and the other two cables are grounded at the radiator and alternator. The InaZma Pulse is a supplement to the negative side of electrical circulation, whereas the Hot InaZma/Hyper Voltage System increases the efficiency of electrical circulation on the positive side. With InaZma Pulse, the electrical noise generated from your car's ignition system within the frequency band from 750 RPM until 6000 RPM is absorbed and combustion efficiency of your vehicle is increased. As a result, you can expect various positive effects on your vehicle such as increased horsepower and better torque, increased gas mileage, reduced audio noises, stabilizing idling, brighter headlight illumination, and reduced gas emission.

Sun Automobile Hot InaZma Pocket

The Hot InaZma Pocket completes our Voltage Stabilizer project for this month. The Pocket helps realize your vehicle's full potential. By simply connecting the Sun Auto InaZma Pocket to your car's cigarette lighter socket, it can aid your electrical system to operate at peak efficiency. It keeps the electrical system stable by storing and providing much needed electricity during times of high pull-i.e. sudden acceleration, turning on the A/C, turning on the lights, and when using the radio. Through its special surface treatment technology, the Hot InaZma Pocket produces 2,500 to 3,000 pcs./cc of negative ions, thus reducing unwanted odors in your vehicle.

Sun Automobile Hot InaZma Super Pocket

The Hot Inazma Super Pocket is a new voltage stabilizer based on Hot Inazma technology. Released in 2009, the "Super" model uses higher-capacity capacitor than the original one. Connect it to your cigarette socket or Suncom Clepo to get peak operation efficiency. A/C, stereo, lightings & many other electrical components in your vehicle are constantly creating a load on your car's electrical systems. These cause fluctuations in voltage which prevents the vehicle from performing at optimum efficiency. Hot Inazma Super Pocket is designed to stabilize the interior  voltage for enhanced electrical system efficiency. The Super Pocket model uses dual 470 µF capacitors.

Suncom Clepo

The CLEPO is a noiseless power supply with triple sockets and also functions as a electrical noise cleaner.

This CLEPO cuts down on noise when you are maximizing your ICE (In Car Entertainment - CD / Radio / TV), while driving. It has two LED's which signifies 'Tuning - Green LED' and 'Clean - Blue LED'. It has a rotary knob in which you can select the Tuning or Clean function. Clean as it states, cleans the electrical noise and Tuning provides a minor boost in the electrical signals to give better response while driving under load. Setting it between the 2 brings about the 'Auto Clean' function where the LED's blink intermittently between each other. 

Driving Impressions

Freedom. Unchained and unleashed. The R's pedal feels much lighter and more insistent for the 'Go'. Give it a few more hours for the voltage stabilizers to charge itself properly and it provides a stable and consistent electrical backup and charge, good enough for my R to feel energized every time I'm in need of a shot of the i-VTEC surge mixed with adrenaline. Think of a Marathon runner who has had a dozen Red Bulls and you'll get the picture. The R now performs smoother while driving and performance is much much more consistent. This is due to the fact that the electrical signals traveling between electrical devices have become efficient and have sufficient electrical voltage for them to run at maximum efficiency.

Idling revs have become smoother, and overall throttle response consistency from stand still is much improved. On the go, the car surges forward with urgency and mid-range response (between 3,000 - 6,000 RPM) is smooth, but still aggressive as it feels like the car is ready to pounce to the i-VTEC zone, given a little bit more throttle input. High-end power delivery is awesome as the revs jump from 6,000 to 9,000 RPM in a blink of an eye. You can feel the engine note change and while there's an inherent smoothness from the Torco oils and Nology plugs, the engine's characteristic is livelier, and there's this very sweet, high pitched supercharger-like 'zing' over the roar of the engine. 

During the drive, there's one very important fact to note. During deceleration, the revs at which ever point its at will sustain for at least 2 - 3 seconds before embarking on a very slow descent. This is the beauty of the Sun Automobile X-Power, as the voltage for the direct ignition coils are at a constant supply which provides consistent firing of the spark plugs and in turn sustains the revs at the point of throttle lift off. Upon re-acceleration the revs bounces back to that point where it left off and continues from there providing that kick-in of torque, power and response towards the redline. High end power in the i-VTEC zone is filled with the explosive energy and the sound during the switchover point is louder and stronger.

In A Nutshell...

Voltage Stabilizers is the wave of the future for performance car enthusiasts who are looking for another outlet to improve on the performance of their car. They are developed to stabilize battery voltage among other functions for enhanced electrical system efficiency, allowing your vehicle to operate at its maximum potential. By having a whole load of stabilizers that covers every area of significance in the car and grounding wire kits to perform its intended tasks, it makes the car drive smoother and better. Having said that, the most significant increase in performance is torque and throttle response. With stable electrical flow, the engine, the ECU and all the sensors and electrical devices are operating at optimum efficiency as there is a significant reduction is electrical load. Drivability is enhanced making for a smoother and more enjoyable drive as the car is much more responsive to the driver's throttle input. While horsepower and torque gains may vary from car to car, there will still be a decent gain of power on the dyno. These products free up the latent horsepower trapped in the confines of the electrical load maelstrom which robs every modern day vehicle of its intended potential.

Tried and tested on many different cars, each yielded different results, but positive gains nonetheless. For the Integra,  products from SUN Automobile and Guang Dao provided significant improvements in overall performance and response which is proof that high performance, race bred engines benefit well from these voltage and grounding items. This because the engine is running at optimum electrical efficiency which allows for the true nature of the R to shine.

There are significant improvements throughout the whole power band, but the most pronounced power and torque gains was from 2,500 RPM all the way to our 9,000 RPM redline. From the 1st to the 4th gear, the pickup response was superb with a great bang of power coming in from 6,000 RPM onwards. The 5th to 6th gear now is so much smoother and during cruising, the still pull very strongly when power is needed. The R now has better torque and power on demand. 

The R is already a crotch rocket to begin with, but why settle for good when good can be better. There are a lot of misleading information about voltage stabilizers out in the market with claims and promises of stratospheric gains, which is why I always emphasize on doing proper research and getting opinions from as many individuals as possible before deciding on what to go for. It has to suit your budget and also your driving style. Different volt stabilizers we designed for different applications. Some are for economy while others are for performance. It all boils down to what you are looking to improve in your ride. I place my faith in SUN Automobile and Guang Dao as they represent the best there is in the market. Unsurprisingly, they did not fail me and instead gave me a feeling of euphoric ecstasy every time I tap the throttle pedal of my R. 

Is it worth the money spent on these items? Granted it is slightly more costly than other brands in the market, but when you love your ride as much as I do, you'd naturally want the best for it and personally, I have absolutely no regrets whatsoever. The best part is, these products are transferable from car to car, so it makes it a very worthwhile investment.

Coming up next, I head down to ST Wangan once more for another round of dyno testing to see if my butt dyno and my feel of performance increase are real gains or mere delusions of grandeur. 

SUN Automobile Hot InaZma Type-MR

SUN Automobile Hot InaZma Hyper

SUN Automobile Hot InaZma System Up Kit

SUN Automobile Hot InaZma G2

SUN Automobile Hot InaZma Muffler Earth

SUN Automobile Hot InaZma Pulse

SUN Automobile Hot InaZma X-Power + Harness for Honda K20 Engines

SUNCOM Clepo

SUN Automobile Hot InaZma Pocket

SUN Automobile Hot InaZma Super Pocket

Kaitenaz Racing

8, JALAN PJS 11/16,
BANDAR SUNWAY,
46150 PJ, SELANGOR D.E.

TEL : +603-5635 5351

Type MR: MYR 700  (USD $ 206)

Hyper: MYR 840 (USD $ 350)

System Up Kit: MYR 190 (USD $ 56)

G2: MYR 670 (USD $ 197)

Muffler Earth: MYR 150 (USD $ 44)

Pulse: MYR 670 (USD $ 197)

X-Power + Honda K20 Harness: MYR 1150 + 400 (USD $ 338 + 117)

Clepo: MYR 190 (USD $ 56)

Pocket: MYR 305 (USD $ 90)

Super Pocket: MYR 410 (USD $ 120)

Photo-Conducted Pressure Power Plus Accelerator Alternator Cable + 3 Grounding Cables 

Kaitenaz Racing

8, JALAN PJS 11/16,
BANDAR SUNWAY,
46150 PJ, SELANGOR D.E.

TEL : +603-5635 5351

Photo-Conducted: MYR 428

(USD $ 126)

This Feature Segment's Total Expenditure:

 MYR 6,103

   (USD $ 1,897)

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