New to cars, need a little help!

[Daaamon]

Let me start by saying hello everyone, my name is Damon!
I recently became infatuated with cars, especially the Acura Integra.
I decided to research the car, and now i am interested in purchasing one.


I live in southern California, I've been researching Acura engines, transmissions, exhaust systems, intake manifolds, exhaust mainfolds, etc. After looking over things very carefully, I still have these few questions.


- Is it safe to buy a used Integra GSR, or an integra with a GSR swapped into it? Or would it be better to buy a teg stock, and pay for people to swap the GSR in at a shop. The thing is, I don't think my dad will have the cash to pay for it, as he is paying for most of the car as a graduation gift to me (C/o 2008 lol).

- What is a "block", "Head", and what is the difference between a straight pipe and a Cat-bacK? And which one of these exhaust systems would be the best if i have an Integra GSR, or a civic coupe or HB with a GSR swapped into it?
+ Greddy Evo II
+ Buddy Club 2
+ Skunk2

- When someone states a ratio (i.e ' 14:1:1'), what are they referring to? I think it has something to do with the piston compression or the camshafts or something? Please explain as thoroughly as you can, as i catch onto concepts quite easily.

- How will an intake mainfold and exhaust effect gas mileage, horsepower, and performance?

- What exactly IS horsepower (Sorry).

Thanks in advance for your replies guys, and if this is not the right subsection for this post, I will gladly remove and post in the appropriate section.


I will be checking the forum daily for updates.

[CapnToll]

You sir need to first direct all of those questions to howstuffworks.com. If you type in single words like "camshaft", "engine" etc. you will get excellent explanations along with great graphics and animations. Best place to get base knowledge that I know of. Also, try using the search button on this forum as well. You're asking a lot in one post. I can answer all of those questions, but it would be MUCH easier if you took a look yourself and kind of showed that you had some knowledge, so others could more accurately answer some of those questions without having to cover such a wide array. I'll give it the quickest shot I can though.

Honda/Acura vehicles are reliable. As long as routine maintenance has been performed, the motors and the cars will be fine. If you want an Integra, and the GSR motor, just find an Integra GSR. The money difference nowadays in negligible anyways. Not too many Integras have GSR swaps; the civics etc do have GSR swaps if you're looking for a 1.8L in a light Civic hatch.

READ Howstuffworks "Internal Combustion"
This points out all the parts on a single cylinder 4 stroke engine.

Search up Compression Ratio and Air/Fuel ratio. Compression ratio is the ratio of the Volume in the combustion chamber when the piston is at Bottom Dead Center, to the volume in the combustion chamber while the piston is at Top Dead Center (this is based on the area of the cylinder...bore, and the stroke of the motor). Air/Fuel is the ratio of Air to Fuel being burned during the combustion process.

Search up Horsepower. Horsepower really isn't a "thing". Torque is a measured quantity, which horsepower is based on. Torque = Fr (Torque = Connecting Rod Thrust * effective Crankshaft radius...this is based on a diagram I can't draw with the keyboard). ''r'' varies from 0 to Crankshaft Throw. The Power is the derivative (with respect to time) of the work being done in the engine.

BHP (brake horsepower) is measured as (according to SAE) = 2(Pi)TN/60000 kW. where 1 kW = 1.35hp, and N= crank speed in rpm.

As you can see....I can go on and on with this....with more equations...but it would help if you did some research on your own.