Reccomend a Good Mod for a regular driver

[Neal]

I have had my type R for 4 years now. I'm not a racer, I just drive it every other day to work (just not like all the other commuters). I've been thinking about trading up but I just can't part with the car, nothing else drives like it for even twice the money. So I'm looking to spice it up a little. What performance mods would you recommed I do to the car if I were willing to spend 2k per year ? (I added clifford, alpine and bazooka last year, and am looking for relatively simple mods to add and remove)

[pUrExTc]

Intake, Header, Exhuast, (possibly an ECU).

They make your car sound nice, minimal power gains, and little to no maintenance.

Y'feel me?

[Neal]

(Not feelin it yet.) Any specific Intake ? more cold air ? doesn't the type R already have a modified intake ? I read a few posts that claim they really don't do much on their own. I certainly respect your opinion, so if you had 2k to spend one your trusty little commuter, what one or two things exactly would you buy ? (thanks in advance and sorry If I'm repeating anothers post, this question is basically what's the best 'bang for the buck')

[AlvinOne7]

HmMM.... I would definately get a Skunk 2 ECU or a VAFC.... not getting a cold air intake is useless to me..

[Neal]

So that's be one Skunk 2 OBD1 harness and one skunk2 ECU P72 mod ? If I send in my core then it can't exactly be undone, right ? can I get that mod with a new chip so I can return to 'stock' in the future ?

regarding the VAFC, in an Apexi ok, or is an AEM or similar required ?

Got any vendors you would reccomend ?

[CanadianR]

For $2000 US dollars i'd buy a Mugen intake, a good header with a 2.5" collector, and 2.5" high flow cat. If you want to get a good header get something like the Toda header, it usually goes for $980 US, or if you want the best bang for your buck, get a DC JDM 4-1 stainless steel header, which goes for around $350 US.Or you could go for the best out there and spring $1400 US for a Hytech, but i think in your case it might not be the best choice. The Mugen intake is $650 US and it's by far the best intake made for the R. A good high flow cat will run you around $150 US. Depending on the header you choose, you may have some $ left for a good 2.5" exhaust. Then, next year i'd buy a Hondata S200, maybe a fuel pressure regulator, and some adjustable cam gears and take the car to a good tuner and have all that stuff tuned. All this stuff is pretty much maintenance free once installed and tuned and should net you around 15-30 hp at the wheels, maybe a little less, maybe a little more, depending on exactly what you buy; but the power curve of your engine will be much improved.

[xanctus]

How about stuffs that good for both of you and the the R itself...HID??

[George Knighton]

(Not feelin it yet.) Any specific Intake ? more cold air ? doesn't the type R already have a modified intake ? I read a few posts that claim they really don't do much on their own.

In my opinion, most intakes do not do much for the ITR unless you are also dealing with other serious modifications that it sounds like you're not about to undertake.

An exception seems to be the Comptech Icebox, which offers some little improvement even on otherwise stock ITR, and the benefits of the forced cold air, while controversial and largely unproved quantifiably, enjoys a good reputation among the track fiends and racers.

As far as a header goes, it's hard to dispute the relative, economic worth of the DC JDM 4-1 header and the header it copies, the OEM JDM 4-1 header. Both of those headers provide a discernible oomph while also not costing much (especially the DC). We're talking about the DC JDM. There is also a DC USDM that you don't want.

If you buy the OEM JDM 4-1 header, you can even get heat shields that will make your car look entirely stock to the casual observer. Nobody would even know the header were there.

Exhaust...there are any number of good systems out of the box, and it could be a matter of taste and what kind of name you want on your car.

I have had two different versions of the SMSP 2.5" exhaust and cat on my car, and both performed very well. (As the years go by, my car gets built a little more and more...I have an SMSP header now, too.)

On the other hand, you could save a bundle and get a-hold of Mkteller8 and buy one of his pre-bent systems. They're very cheap, and he provides good service. You'll save a heap of money this way and you'll have just about the same power as anything with the Mugen name on it. LOL... If you can deal with having the power but not the name.

I respectfully disagree with the advice about a plug-in pre-programmed ECU.

With the recent prevalence of decently trained tuners, I'd advise you spring for at least the cheap version of the Hondata like I have. It's almost infinitely tunable and you will not have to replace your computer again, regardless of almost whatever changes you make to your motor.

Lastly, I'd like to presume to warn you that you are opening a Pandora's box here. Once you start modifying, one thing leads to another, and you will almost never be satisfied.

[George Knighton]

For $2000 US dollars i'd buy a Mugen intake, a good header with a 2.5" collector, and 2.5" high flow cat. If you want to get a good header get something like the Toda header, it usually goes for $980 US, or if you want the best bang for your buck, get a DC JDM 4-1 stainless steel header, which goes for around $350 US.Or you could go for the best out there and spring $1400 US for a Hytech, but i think in your case it might not be the best choice. The Mugen intake is $650 US and it's by far the best intake made for the R. A good high flow cat will run you around $150 US. Depending on the header you choose, you may have some $ left for a good 2.5" exhaust. Then, next year i'd buy a Hondata S200, maybe a fuel pressure regulator, and some adjustable cam gears and take the car to a good tuner and have all that stuff tuned. All this stuff is pretty much maintenance free once installed and tuned and should net you around 15-30 hp at the wheels, maybe a little less, maybe a little more, depending on exactly what you buy; but the power curve of your engine will be much improved.

Wow. An informed opinion. LOL...

Why the Mugen header over the alternatives? I don't recall ever seeing an improvement on a basically stock motor that'd be worth the price...but I certainly don't know everything.

[Bbasso]

What about a very simple mod like TIRES? what do you have on the caR now?

Maybe...?

Also what about the brakes, do you have better pads, fluid and lines?

[Neal]

What about a very simple mod like TIRES? what do you have on the caR now?

Maybe...?

Also what about the brakes, do you have better pads, fluid and lines?

The brake system is all stock.

The original tires were swapped out at about 12k mi for Michelin Pilot SX-GT's (they had great ratings from tirerack and drove about 80% as well as the factory ones). At 32k miles one of them picked up a nail at very high speed so by the time I got to the shoulder it was ruined. those pilots are no longer made so I had to swap out for the kumho ecsta's. (but they werent balanced well, it now pulls right a little on a downshift for example). so that's the tire story (well' you asked).

Nice new lightwieght red calipers would be nice, what would you recommend ?

[CanadianR]

For $2000 US dollars i'd buy a Mugen intake, a good header with a 2.5" collector, and 2.5" high flow cat. If you want to get a good header get something like the Toda header, it usually goes for $980 US, or if you want the best bang for your buck, get a DC JDM 4-1 stainless steel header, which goes for around $350 US.Or you could go for the best out there and spring $1400 US for a Hytech, but i think in your case it might not be the best choice. The Mugen intake is $650 US and it's by far the best intake made for the R. A good high flow cat will run you around $150 US. Depending on the header you choose, you may have some $ left for a good 2.5" exhaust. Then, next year i'd buy a Hondata S200, maybe a fuel pressure regulator, and some adjustable cam gears and take the car to a good tuner and have all that stuff tuned. All this stuff is pretty much maintenance free once installed and tuned and should net you around 15-30 hp at the wheels, maybe a little less, maybe a little more, depending on exactly what you buy; but the power curve of your engine will be much improved.

Wow. An informed opinion. LOL...

Why the Mugen header over the alternatives? I don't recall ever seeing an improvement on a basically stock motor that'd be worth the price...but I certainly don't know everything.

Hey George, we're missing you over on Honda Tech. No not the Mugen header, i haven't heard much about the header that's good, and it did pretty poorly in the great header test. But the Mugen intake has had a fair number of people show a 7-9 whp improvement on an R, with most people saying it felt like even more than that, but we know a dyno won't really show exactly how much of a benefit a CAI is.

[CanadianR]

quote]
Nice new lightwieght red calipers would be nice, what would you recommend ?[/quote]

I'd recommend what Bbasso suggested, get new pads, brake fluid and maybe some stainless steel lines, and replacement rotors if your current ones are worn. Really though, if you're just gonna be driving around on the steet and commuting a brake upgrade isn't gonna do anything for you, except look cool. In fact if you don't drive the car hard the stock pads and everything alse should be all you'll need, just replace them if they are worn. The stock brakes are actually very good and upgrading them for some aftermarket brakes won't make the car stop any faster, it really just makes them more fade resistant, which you are only gonna need if you're an experienced driver on a road course. Also, most of the upgrade kits out there require you to get larger than 15" wheels so you'd probably have to buy wheels and tires as well. There are some threads in the Road/Race section that talk about good pads, stainless lines and the like, check that out if you're interested.

[Bbasso]

If your still on the stock wheels, Try the Azenis 205/50-15 tires, they are sticky as could be but they lack the wet performance that most have. But the Azenis are still good in the rain as long as you drive reasonable. I don't like them cause they are a bit wide for the 15x6 inch rim and cause a vaugeness in steering (sloppy)- I went with Rotas 15x6.5 and Kuhmo MXs in 205/50-15 and could not be happier.

As for the Brake pads, I had in mind Axxis Ultimates and ATE blue brake fluid from Clobaltfriction. I could not beleive how nice it made the stock brakes feel and they are Great already! And then I got a deal on SS brake lines so I installed them and again got my brakes to the point that I would not change anything else.

[nsxtasy]

I agree that the first mod would be tires. Get Azenis if you're in a desert climate where rain is not a big factor. Otherwise, spend a bit more for either the stock RE010, or something like the S-03. That will set you back about $500.

Spend the other $1500 on driving schools, and taking your car to the racetrack. It will improve your car's performance more than anything you could do to the car itself.

I hear there's a good one coming up at Summit Point the first weekend in June...

[kepani]

i would first say that a track event or two would be the best way to get your feet wet. as you mention, you only daily drive the car. it's quite possible that you have not tasted your cars' full potential. participating in such an event would allow you to become very familiar with the limits of the car; which i'm thinking you already know is high.

once you've seen the cars' capability in stock form, you can make judgement as to what type of modifications to go with.

i personally found that at my level of tracking ability, the stock suspension was more than adequate. i decided on upgrading the exhaust system; jdm sized header (2.5" collector), jdm length cat (must be changed out to fit jdm header application), matching b-pipe and exhaust/muffler. in addition, the other simple upgrades such as adding a rear upper strut bar.

it sounds as though you've got quite a lot of money to spend on the car ($2k/year). take your time to choose the best parts for your needs. also, pick quality parts as well. there are a lot of great products out there with an equal share of bad ones.

good luck!

kepani

[98cwitr]

if you dont race and just want a little spice in your R get a SRI (short ram intake for u NON RACERS out there )

[Neal]

So, last question before I start ordering stuff, how much will the noise increase if I add the DC JDM 4-1 stainless header ? what about a Mugen intake ?
(I really love the sound of the engine when I'm working it, but I spend 20 minutes at 5500 rpm every morning and night so I'm really not seeking the kind of sound the sport/race driver might be.)

[B2FiNiTY]

It seems like your car is just a daily driver without much racing. I would recommend getting HID's 4300K philips kit. Nothing else short of that.

After HIDs maybe rims and some lowering springs.

If anything breaks on the car, then go aftermarket. There's no need to spending money on things that make you go faster if you don't push your car 90% of the time.

[tonyanjaii]

At least an Intake! The Sound of VTEC is so damn cool. Stock suspension is fine, I wouldn't mess with that if you are just daily driving the car. HIDs is a plus, I love em', always had them, once u got them, u never go back.

STOCK vs I/H/E Car, of course the modded car is gonna have more power, theres no question about it, whether its tuned or not.

As far as the JDM 4-1 or DC SPORTS JDM 4-1, these header are good, for the cost that is, but do keep in mind, considering the road condition you drive on, especially since you daily drive ur car, becareful of speed bumps and such, which can dent in your header.

I pimp a mugen 4-2-1 header, has the best clearance ever, sits higher up from the oil pan, basically the oil pan goes first before anything hits the header.

[Cosworth]

Power Mods:
1. Mugen Intake (~$550-$600)
2. Toda 4-2-1 Header (~$950-$1,000) (like stock ground clearance!!!)
3. SMSP Cat (2.5" inlet, 2.25" outlet) (~$150-$200)
4. V-AFC (~$225-$300)
5. Dyno Tuning: $100/hr (probably need 2hours)
-Cost: Around $2,000
-Guaranteed to see at least 8-10hp minimum gain throughout the VTEC power band. (and some below VTEC range)
-No need to really get an exhaust to start out. I/H/C gets you tons of power that you can feel. Exhaust can come at a later time, if you want more power (but with slightly increased noise depending on the exh).
-TUNING IS THE KEY!!!

Suspension Mods (for 99% street driving):
1. Mugen Lowdown Coilover (~$1,400-$1,500) : Complete bolt-on
2. Zeal Coilover ($xxx-$2,000): Many diff models to choose from: Corner weighing is recommended, but not required

What I would do... do suspension mod (Lowdown) and get GOOD tires (S-03, RE-010, G-Force KDW). I say this, 'cuz when you do I/H/C mod, there is one weak link... highflow cat don't last the life of the car (unless you want to spend $1,000 and get metal-core catalytic converters from japan).

G'luck. [/u]

[Azcheron]

IF i had 2000 bucks to spend on a stock R this is EXACTLY what i would do, because this makes the car feel 100% different and spices it up which is what u want


stage 3 clutchmaster clutch and flywheel
and a nice set of azenis tires

the clutch totally changes the feel of the car, grabs way faster, and together with the flywheel it makes the car seem faster than it really is.
in my GSR when i added just those 2 mods, i was able to chirp the first 3 gears when racing. and tires are a must

[nanertyper]

I would(have done) ATS FD, clutchmasters stage 4 clutch and clutchmasters 7.5lbs FW. It's not too extreme on the streets and it will keep you from speeding on the highway.
The acceleration you feel from this will be far greater than what you would feel with an I/H/E setup.

[Civic-2-ITR]

[quote="bbasso"]If your still on the stock wheels, Try the Azenis 205/50-15 tires, they are sticky as could be but they lack the wet performance that most have. But the Azenis are still good in the rain as long as you drive reasonable.quote]

HI, i'm a new guy.

I agree with what you said about the Azenis. I road raced them on the dry and in the rain. Azenis held up great in both conditions on the track. On the street, its a different story when its raining. If the road is not smooth or has puddles, the car will be jerked around. The tires don't have enough water ways to vent out all the water, so the water will start pulling the tires in a way.

I had the Azenis 205/50/15 on both 15x7 and 15x6.5. The 15x7 feels a bit stiffer on the turns on the track. On the street, u wont notice the difference.

[xc1097]

if you want stock sized rim w/ upgraded brakes
i would never get brembo gt kit
they costs much as $3000+ and will need at least16 or 17
you can go w/ SpoonSports kit
which fits within 15 stock perfectly and it's still 4piston caliper
at 1/3of brembos
but if you still want brembo w/o spending $3000
you can go to junkyard and look for 04 TL w/ 6speed manual
they come w/ brembos as standard
but will need 17's at least!!!
i'd recommend picking up 04 TL wheels while you get TL brembos