What's that steel bar doing there?
11-26-2004, 10:23 AM
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What's that steel bar doing there?
mounted underneath just behind the front license plate there is a solid steel 1.5" x 1.5" by 10" bar mounted by rubber end mounts, what the heck is that for??
and Q. 2) my mid said 60% oil life left, then i changed my oil and it now says 50%, so what exactly does the mid do?? is it just a "idiot light", if not then why did it drop to 50%??
and Q. 2) my mid said 60% oil life left, then i changed my oil and it now says 50%, so what exactly does the mid do?? is it just a "idiot light", if not then why did it drop to 50%??
11-26-2004, 10:41 AM
#2
What's that steel bar doing there?
Originally Posted by cvajs
mounted underneath just behind the front license plate there is a solid steel 1.5" x 1.5" by 10" bar mounted by rubber end mounts, what the heck is that for??
and Q. 2) my mid said 60% oil life left, then i changed my oil and it now says 50%, so what exactly does the mid do?? is it just a "idiot light", if not then why did it drop to 50%??
and Q. 2) my mid said 60% oil life left, then i changed my oil and it now says 50%, so what exactly does the mid do?? is it just a "idiot light", if not then why did it drop to 50%??
11-26-2004, 10:44 AM
#3
11-26-2004, 12:11 PM
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Originally Posted by Tripp11
11-26-2004, 03:08 PM
#5
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Damper...
Originally Posted by cvajs
mounted underneath just behind the front license plate there is a solid steel 1.5" x 1.5" by 10" bar mounted by rubber end mounts, what the heck is that for??
11-26-2004, 04:14 PM
#7
My mechanic says it is a damper to absorb vibrations. It is called a front bumper dynamic damper. He told me this last March, but I haven't been able to find it until today.
Click here for the parts list.
It is number 13 for the beam and 14 for each of the brackets in the picture
Click here for the parts list.
It is number 13 for the beam and 14 for each of the brackets in the picture
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11-27-2004, 02:34 AM
#9
Burning Brakes
Guys,
This is just a wild guess but I wonder if it is also used to help score better with the insurance bumper tests. I know that many cars have a special bit of reinforcement in the rear bumper that helps to improve the "rear into pole" tests. Again, it's just a guess on my part.
dsc888
This is just a wild guess but I wonder if it is also used to help score better with the insurance bumper tests. I know that many cars have a special bit of reinforcement in the rear bumper that helps to improve the "rear into pole" tests. Again, it's just a guess on my part.
dsc888
12-01-2004, 08:59 AM
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Originally Posted by dsc888
Guys,
This is just a wild guess but I wonder if it is also used to help score better with the insurance bumper tests. I know that many cars have a special bit of reinforcement in the rear bumper that helps to improve the "rear into pole" tests. Again, it's just a guess on my part.
dsc888
This is just a wild guess but I wonder if it is also used to help score better with the insurance bumper tests. I know that many cars have a special bit of reinforcement in the rear bumper that helps to improve the "rear into pole" tests. Again, it's just a guess on my part.
dsc888
1) this short solid steel bar has no absorbing qualities what-so-ever. it would simply transfer "all" energy from one side to the other during impact.
2) the bumper test is kinda ludicrous (IMHO). deformation of the parts indicates that the incident energy is being absorbed by the parts instead of the people inside [the test fails to disclose several more important physics #'s such as kinetic energy into the pole (different cars at 5mph have different KE), shock (dA/dt), these are very important #'s]. a low shock test (such as bumper test they do) may be tolerated by a person, but the manufacturer was doing real engineering to have the energy absorbed by the parts and minimal energy transfered to the people inside the car (hence the heavy marketing hype of the "crumple zone" a few years back).
3) i also do not agree with the Insurance tests of ramming a car head on into a solid block of concrete (that's not real world).
so what's that bar for???
12-01-2004, 01:36 PM
#15
an Acura has-been
The engineers wanted to make sure the car was not 50/50 front / rear, so they needed to add the weight to the front, just to make sure it sits about 60/40 
With all the weight reduction they did, you would think they would not have wanted a lump of steel in the front of the car?
Maybe it is to try and reduce the harmonic resonance in the 5AT models, I think in the svc manual it is missing in the 6spd (Ron, can you check?)
With all the weight reduction they did, you would think they would not have wanted a lump of steel in the front of the car?
Maybe it is to try and reduce the harmonic resonance in the 5AT models, I think in the svc manual it is missing in the 6spd (Ron, can you check?)
12-01-2004, 02:04 PM
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Originally Posted by need4spd
The engineers wanted to make sure the car was not 50/50 front / rear, so they needed to add the weight to the front, just to make sure it sits about 60/40
With all the weight reduction they did, you would think they would not have wanted a lump of steel in the front of the car?
Maybe it is to try and reduce the harmonic resonance in the 5AT models, I think in the svc manual it is missing in the 6spd (Ron, can you check?)
With all the weight reduction they did, you would think they would not have wanted a lump of steel in the front of the car?
Maybe it is to try and reduce the harmonic resonance in the 5AT models, I think in the svc manual it is missing in the 6spd (Ron, can you check?)
well, i don't think the 7-10lb block equates to 10% of 1500 lbs (rough #'s at 50/50 split of a 3k lb car).
still a mystery....
12-01-2004, 02:18 PM
#17
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Originally Posted by cvajs
well, i don't think the 7-10lb block equates to 10% of 1500 lbs (rough #'s at 50/50 split of a 3k lb car).
still a mystery....
still a mystery....
I'm sure he was joking :P
12-01-2004, 02:56 PM
#18
Originally Posted by need4spd
Maybe it is to try and reduce the harmonic resonance in the 5AT models, I think in the svc manual it is missing in the 6spd (Ron, can you check?)
If you can give me a reference to the service manual page, I will include it in my post above to distinguish between 5AT and 6MT models.
12-01-2004, 03:41 PM
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Originally Posted by need4spd
Maybe it is to try and reduce the harmonic resonance in the 5AT models, I think in the svc manual it is missing in the 6spd (Ron, can you check?)
this would explain (perhaps) the vibrations we 5AT owners have (not because of having the bar, but why the bar and vibrations exist), and maybe that bar is to flatten out the intensity of those vibrations. this makes the most sense thus far.
12-01-2004, 04:00 PM
#22
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So, whether 6MT has it or not!?...
Originally Posted by PoochaKannInc
Nope. That is not it. 
So, does your 6MT have that bar? Could you check for us? Thanks... I guess they should have it, too...
12-01-2004, 04:09 PM
#23
Not a Blowhole
I think it is for NVH control - and the vibes some people have in their cars do not originate in this area anyway - they are powertrain vinbrations. Hell, you could buy another one and epoxy it to the one already there, but it would not change a thing.
I thought at first it might be part of the crush zone engineering, but I have never seen it used like that in any other car, so I canned that idea. Often, styrofoam is used to slow and control the direction of crush zones. One thing is for sure - I would not want that hunk of metal heading for my head or my privates at 70 MPH. No way.
I thought at first it might be part of the crush zone engineering, but I have never seen it used like that in any other car, so I canned that idea. Often, styrofoam is used to slow and control the direction of crush zones. One thing is for sure - I would not want that hunk of metal heading for my head or my privates at 70 MPH. No way.
12-01-2004, 05:04 PM
#24
Originally Posted by Ron A
My mechanic says it is a damper to absorb vibrations. It is called a front bumper dynamic damper. He told me this last March, but I haven't been able to find it until today.
It is number 13 for the beam and 14 for each of the brackets in the picture
For the full parts listing, go here
http://www.acuraparts247.com/sunnysi...All&vinsrch=no
It is number 13 for the beam and 14 for each of the brackets in the picture
For the full parts listing, go here
http://www.acuraparts247.com/sunnysi...All&vinsrch=no
12-02-2004, 02:10 PM
#25
an Acura has-been
Originally Posted by cTLgo
I'm sure he was joking :P
did not help to give it away.
Originally Posted by Ron A
I never could find it in the service manual, but I checked the parts list for the 6MT. It had the same picture, but items 13 and 14 are missing from the descriptive part, so you are probably right.
If you can give me a reference to the service manual page, I will include it in my post above to distinguish between 5AT and 6MT models.
If you can give me a reference to the service manual page, I will include it in my post above to distinguish between 5AT and 6MT models.
I do not have the svc manual anymore, I gave it back when they bought my car back. Sorry I can not give a specific page reference.
A long time ago there was a thread on this, I think that is where rets got the photo from as someone asked what the bar was for?
12-02-2004, 09:47 PM
#27
Originally Posted by ChRiS_nYc
i have automatic my friend has manual... he has one and i dont.
The automatic has a damper, the manual, as far as I can determine since I have never actually looked at a 6MT, does not have a damper.
12-02-2004, 10:07 PM
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Originally Posted by ChRiS_nYc
i have automatic my friend has manual... he has one and i dont.
12-02-2004, 10:16 PM
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Originally Posted by cvajs
mounted underneath just behind the front license plate there is a solid steel 1.5" x 1.5" by 10" bar mounted by rubber end mounts, what the heck is that for??
and Q. 2) my mid said 60% oil life left, then i changed my oil and it now says 50%, so what exactly does the mid do?? is it just a "idiot light", if not then why did it drop to 50%??
and Q. 2) my mid said 60% oil life left, then i changed my oil and it now says 50%, so what exactly does the mid do?? is it just a "idiot light", if not then why did it drop to 50%??
question 2: the simplest way to put it the mid is like an idiot light (only smarter)... the mid takes into accout many variables that can affect the service life of oil. how fast you travel (stop and go vs hwy), how you drive (do you baby the car?, or drive it like you stole it), and your area (extreme climates, gets all the info it needs from the engine comp) so it will basically give you a service life based on your particular car usage. and will also remind you of other service required. however it cant tell if and when you have changed the oil. you must reset this yourself, from the the computer will start over. its just coincidense that it went from 60-50 a short time after you changed it
12-03-2004, 11:44 PM
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Originally Posted by ChRiS_nYc
oil life meter is just a timer i thought?
12-04-2004, 08:55 AM
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strange, but my oil life indicator reset its self to zero after an oil change at mobil, i watched them the hole time and they are not smart enough to reset it.
12-04-2004, 04:07 PM
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Originally Posted by derfp1
strange, but my oil life indicator reset its self to zero after an oil change at mobil, i watched them the hole time and they are not smart enough to reset it.
12-27-2004, 03:46 PM
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It appears to be an NVH (noise/vibration/harshness) damping device. I read the old M-B 360SL (convertibles) had a weight on the order of 70LB cantilevered off an inner front fender to reduce cowl shakes. The placement, weight, and rubber bushings are tuned to damp a specific frequency, so don't change it expecting to improve on Honda's engineering.
02-21-2011, 09:40 AM
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I just bought one with a wrecked front end and a slightly crushed Front Bumper reinforcement bar. I was about to throw that on but now I'm wondering if I'm going to need to get a new one plus this piece. Anyone ever take it off and notice a difference?