Pseudo's Guide to Adding Power to Your 4G
05-11-2014, 02:15 PM
#83
Fwd???
Does it fit a 2010 FWD???
Second Modification: J-Pipe.
The J-Pipe is the lower section of the "headers" on your TL. This piece of plumbing isn't bad from the factory, but has shown major dyno improvements on the 3rd GEN TL, and is a noticeable pep-pick-me-up on the 4G. This pipe can be changed in the garage by yourself with proper sockets and hand tools, and done in under a couple hours. Most AZine members will tell you this is the best bang-for-your-buck option on the TL.
Options:
~$425 + Shipping - RV6 LongTube J-Pipe (Includes 3rd Cat Delete)
~$425 + Shipping - XLR8 J-Pipe (Leaves Factory 3rd Cat)
These have both been reported to be high quality pieces. I purchased the RV6 J-Pipe, and the welds/flanges/gaskets/bolts - everything is spot on and excellent quality.
The RV6 pipe should be a larger performance gain across the powerband than the XLR8. The trade off is if you live in an emissions state - you probably aren't going to be able to pull off the RV6 pipe. When Kentucky was an emissions state years ago, and my Civic at the time failed emissions (no cats, big headers) - I was able to give my receipts on the header and test pipe I purchased as "attempted repair to exhaust" for a voucher to pass - so don't rule this out as an option.
You will get some rasp from this mod. This will be "buzzy" at times and audible in cabin.
Conservatively, this is an 8-10 HP gain by itself. Perhaps as much as 10-15 HP.
**I am not paid to endorse or slander any product; just speaking on opinion, experience, and observations - which makes me objective.
The J-Pipe is the lower section of the "headers" on your TL. This piece of plumbing isn't bad from the factory, but has shown major dyno improvements on the 3rd GEN TL, and is a noticeable pep-pick-me-up on the 4G. This pipe can be changed in the garage by yourself with proper sockets and hand tools, and done in under a couple hours. Most AZine members will tell you this is the best bang-for-your-buck option on the TL.
Options:
~$425 + Shipping - RV6 LongTube J-Pipe (Includes 3rd Cat Delete)
~$425 + Shipping - XLR8 J-Pipe (Leaves Factory 3rd Cat)
These have both been reported to be high quality pieces. I purchased the RV6 J-Pipe, and the welds/flanges/gaskets/bolts - everything is spot on and excellent quality.
The RV6 pipe should be a larger performance gain across the powerband than the XLR8. The trade off is if you live in an emissions state - you probably aren't going to be able to pull off the RV6 pipe. When Kentucky was an emissions state years ago, and my Civic at the time failed emissions (no cats, big headers) - I was able to give my receipts on the header and test pipe I purchased as "attempted repair to exhaust" for a voucher to pass - so don't rule this out as an option.
You will get some rasp from this mod. This will be "buzzy" at times and audible in cabin.
Conservatively, this is an 8-10 HP gain by itself. Perhaps as much as 10-15 HP.
**I am not paid to endorse or slander any product; just speaking on opinion, experience, and observations - which makes me objective.
05-12-2014, 08:32 AM
#84
HeartTLs, don't take anything personally, my response is not an attack on you in any way. I'm just going off of basic sound fundamental facts that have been around for ages. I would suggest if you want to find out about mods and actual gains from them, to do some research on these. Of course a company is going to say "we got 15 HP from our exhaust", what they don't explain is that they threw every other mod on there as well and had it tuned and then added the exhaust. This means every mod I mentioned before, then you can start talking about 50-60 hp gains and TQ gains in the same areas. But until you do all of this it's only realistic to see gains of 15hp tops from all of the mods. When I did my C5 Vette I only got 20Hp from all of the bolt ons and then added the cams with an Aluminum polished intake manifold, the numbers came to life and put me at close to 60hp and 60 TQ in gains. My buddy did the opposite thinking he would gain near 40 with just the cams and intake, I think he dynoed in at 12 I believe in gains. These were all performed with tunes as well. At a well known Vette speed shop. Even the guys there will laugh at you when you come in and say hey give me that magnaflow that will give me 20hp.
02-20-2015, 08:49 PM
#87
Brock, you can't compare your Corvette experience with an Acura. You're talking a lot on your end with no facts either. The corvette comes from the factory with every high performance trick Chevy can throw at it. It's a pushrods engine that is still struggling to survive in today's age of technology. Acura is not throwing all of that at the TL because it still has to be a daily driver family car that will run for over 500,000 miles with oil changes. 10-15 hp from a cat change and J pipe is very realistic on this engine. I think all of the above mods can give a substantial increase, but I would also think a tune would be needed to get the full benefit. My cousin has a G37. He did the exhaust and intake on it. He had it in a dunk and it made 265 at the wheels. After a tune it made 305. He didn't do a bone stock dyno, but it's pretty clear that he made more than 40 rwhp from a CAI and exhaust on a Japanese 3.7 V6. If you want to reference another choked engine and how a CAI and exhaust will help I can go American pushrod for you. I have a '01 Harley FXDX. It made 62hp and 72 lbs.ft at the wheel I changed the exhaust to a 2-1, added a high flow intake and jetted the carbs. It then made 76hp and 84 lbs.ft. That's 14 hp and 12 lbs.ft at the wheel on a two cylinder engine. I understand your points, but don't start stating that he would need cams and a new manifold when they are already very well sized for power but hurting from a severely choked exhaust.
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12-09-2015, 10:22 AM
#96
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As I was just about to order my Takeda SRI. I will start with the throttle body spacer and J-pipe and go from there. Do the HFPC's help the tone? Also what difference does it make at the gas pump? Lowered mpg's much?
01-05-2016, 08:40 PM
#97
I applaud the effort here, but there are some important things to know here....
1) Much of the OP's commentary is subjective.
2) The pricing and linking is all very insensitive to time. Hyperlinks and prices change all the time.
3) There is an assumption than an RV6 j-pipe 'should' make more power than an an XLR8 one, and this is a baseless claim, according to our research at Heeltoe.
4) An ATLP cat back won't make 10x the power of a pair of Magnaflows, but it sounds 10x better and looks 100x better. (subjective, right?)
5) Fails to mention that no matter what parts you are shopping for on your 4th gen, Heeltoeauto.com is the best place to browse! We carry all the above brands on our site and are great to deal with.
So I say, great effort on this thread for sure! Op, review these items in online stores, too! Preferably on Heeltoe!
1) Much of the OP's commentary is subjective.
2) The pricing and linking is all very insensitive to time. Hyperlinks and prices change all the time.
3) There is an assumption than an RV6 j-pipe 'should' make more power than an an XLR8 one, and this is a baseless claim, according to our research at Heeltoe.
4) An ATLP cat back won't make 10x the power of a pair of Magnaflows, but it sounds 10x better and looks 100x better. (subjective, right?)
5) Fails to mention that no matter what parts you are shopping for on your 4th gen, Heeltoeauto.com is the best place to browse! We carry all the above brands on our site and are great to deal with.
So I say, great effort on this thread for sure! Op, review these items in online stores, too! Preferably on Heeltoe!
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malibuflavor (08-16-2017)
03-16-2017, 07:56 AM
#99
There has to be the equivalent to a plenum on the car, every car has it. It's where the throttle body is located. I don't know the actual size of the throttle body for the TL on either engine, but a stock one can only move so much air. Just like a garden hose can only handle a certain amount of water. You need to go to a larger hose if you need more water. If there are no cams and any addition of throttle body, then you will never create the proper air flow for all of these mods. Plain and simple, this goes for any car, be it a Mustang, Corvette or a Beetle. All gasoline engines work the same way in regards to air flow, everything involved needs to be upgraded. A good example is a toll road, the traffic moves fine, you get to the toll and there is congestion and then it opens back up after the toll. You hit one restriction in your engine and it basically bogs you down. I think a lot of the power you feel is in your mind and you want to feel that power. Like I said 10-15 hp max if your lucky. Which in a 1/4 mile means basically nothing or in any other terms of performance.
Speaking from an engineering perspective:
A) If the camshaft pulley is the largest of the pulleys, using a lighter one will reduce the overall moment of inertia (rotational mass) of the group the most, but even lowering one of the pulley's weights (no matter how small) will still reduce the total moment of inertia.
B) As with electricity, water, or air flow, resistance in series is cumulative (i.e. intake/exhaust flow) if you have 4 choke points in a line and you remove 3, this will reduce the overall resistance by a lot more than having 4. It would be ideal and most beneficial to reduce all 4 choke points.
All in all, I'm more debating the logic at which you arrived at your conclusion. To truly talk numbers, obviously a dyno is king, which we both agree on that.
04-08-2017, 11:43 AM
#101
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2012 4G TL AWD Mod Question
I currently own a 2012 Acura AWD.
I recently installed a Takeda Cold Air Intake and have some questions.
I read that the Takeda gives it a sluggish pull at lower gears and it is exactly my concern.
NOTE I have not tuned the car what so ever. It is purely stock un tuned with a Takeda install.
How do you guys recommend I start modding my car?
I recently installed a Takeda Cold Air Intake and have some questions.
I read that the Takeda gives it a sluggish pull at lower gears and it is exactly my concern.
NOTE I have not tuned the car what so ever. It is purely stock un tuned with a Takeda install.
How do you guys recommend I start modding my car?
04-08-2017, 10:04 PM
#102
I currently own a 2012 Acura AWD.
I recently installed a Takeda Cold Air Intake and have some questions.
I read that the Takeda gives it a sluggish pull at lower gears and it is exactly my concern.
NOTE I have not tuned the car what so ever. It is purely stock un tuned with a Takeda install.
How do you guys recommend I start modding my car?
I recently installed a Takeda Cold Air Intake and have some questions.
I read that the Takeda gives it a sluggish pull at lower gears and it is exactly my concern.
NOTE I have not tuned the car what so ever. It is purely stock un tuned with a Takeda install.
How do you guys recommend I start modding my car?
07-17-2017, 09:27 AM
#103
Drifting
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Great thread. I pulled the trigger on the Magnaflows this weekend. The ones you recommended were a great fit and a good alternative to a full catback (about 1/4 of the price with install). They still needed adapters and mounts of course but it only cost me $180 from Master Muffler here in Utah. Very happy with the sound and the butt dyno seems to confirm some added power. However, that could simply be placebo effect since the engine feedback is much better with the new mufflers. I kept the old mufflers and tore them open just to take a look. I'll have to post pictures later. They seem like they'd definitely cause restriction compared to the Magnaflows which are straight through.
09-18-2017, 05:51 PM
#104
Intermediate
I think this thread is great. Will need to add that I noticed the biggest differance with a tune using Ktuner. Noticable gain with atlp v2 catback and xlr8 Jpipe. But the Ktuner makes it scream, squat, and pull hard. Cant wait to get my HFPCs on and update the tune.
09-18-2017, 06:34 PM
#105
Wait till you custom tune it and do a 3rd and 4th gear pull..
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carbonTSEX (09-19-2017)
09-18-2017, 10:50 PM
#106
Got my j-pipe delivered today. I'll probably have my buddy help me put it on later this week since he has access to a lift. Should be getting my HFPCs in the next few weeks. I might try to get her on a dyno too since the shop at his school has a mustang dyno.
09-19-2017, 08:48 AM
#107
09-20-2017, 02:19 PM
#109
I would just wait till the HFPC comes in and do it all at once.
09-20-2017, 04:35 PM
#110
I'll probably take it to a shop to get the pre-cat's put on since they're a bit harder to install than the j-pipe. I'm gonna do a custom tune after I get all the power mods installed but it would be nice to have a few dyno runs on the same dyno before and after.
09-20-2017, 05:10 PM
#111
Ain't know if you want to take your J pipe off twice but if your anxious nothing wrong with that lol
09-20-2017, 07:25 PM
#112
Honestly I want to feel the difference with just the j-pipe on first.. RV6 said it'll probably be a couple of weeks before I get my HFPCs and I'm not a very patient person haha. The shop I use is really affordable, only charged 70 bucks to install my magnaflow mufflers.
04-29-2018, 01:23 AM
#113
Great thread on how to add extra power. Thanks for taking the time to put all this information.
can the transmission and differential hold up to the added power? Are we talking about 40hp to the wheel total?
can the transmission and differential hold up to the added power? Are we talking about 40hp to the wheel total?
04-29-2018, 09:04 PM
#114
I don't think there are any issues at that HP if you keep up on the fluid changes.
10-03-2018, 05:53 AM
#115
Wow - This is still here!
So many moons ago I put this together on what I did to my 09 TL. We're still Honda/Acura Folks, with a loaded MDX for the kid-hauler, but in the time since, I've owned a 500hp C63 AMG, a 600hp/760ft/lb torque CLS550 Renntech, and Currently own a 500hp/700ft/lb E550 Cabriolet.
I'm looking at replacing the wife's leased C300 with a 2012 TL, because we don't drive enough to justify another lease, and it's massively cheaper to insure a 6 year old Acura than a new Benz.
That said, it would be more my runaround car with her taking the MDX for daily duties, and I don't leave things alone.
Looks like the RV6 parts have been refined a bit more, and now there's a K-Pro flash option that goes with them.
Has anyone done all the bolt-ons I did previously (gaskets, lower intake runners, cold air intake, PCDs, J Pipe, and exhaust) and done the tuner? Any compelling results.
When you drop $2500 on a flash for the Turbo V8 Benz - you're getting 100+ whp and 150+ torque gains over stock maps. You throw in exhaust, intake, and some downpipes, and those go up by 25% - and it's across the powerband power, not peaks.
Deciding if it's worth it to curse every tool in the toolbox changing out the rear PCD on a J powered Acura for near immeasurable gains - or just stick with giving the Benz copious amounts of tire shredding torque.
I'm looking at replacing the wife's leased C300 with a 2012 TL, because we don't drive enough to justify another lease, and it's massively cheaper to insure a 6 year old Acura than a new Benz.
That said, it would be more my runaround car with her taking the MDX for daily duties, and I don't leave things alone.
Looks like the RV6 parts have been refined a bit more, and now there's a K-Pro flash option that goes with them.
Has anyone done all the bolt-ons I did previously (gaskets, lower intake runners, cold air intake, PCDs, J Pipe, and exhaust) and done the tuner? Any compelling results.
When you drop $2500 on a flash for the Turbo V8 Benz - you're getting 100+ whp and 150+ torque gains over stock maps. You throw in exhaust, intake, and some downpipes, and those go up by 25% - and it's across the powerband power, not peaks.
Deciding if it's worth it to curse every tool in the toolbox changing out the rear PCD on a J powered Acura for near immeasurable gains - or just stick with giving the Benz copious amounts of tire shredding torque.
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dopeboy1 (10-03-2018)
10-03-2018, 09:37 AM
#116
The inconvenient truth
K-Pro flash?? What is that and where can I find it... Doesn't the 'K' in K-pro mean its for a K series engine?
Last edited by dopeboy1; 10-03-2018 at 09:39 AM.
10-03-2018, 09:52 AM
#117
Looks like there's a whole thread on the "k-tuner" flash in the forum here. Still - only 270-280 whp? I've been DialDriving 500+ WHP for 5-6 years now. That's a lot of coin. Shame comptech never came up with a supercharger for these. The J motor pulleys / blower setup hasn't changed since like 1999. The MAF and DBW on the other hand....
https://www.rv6-p.com/tl/4th-gen/
https://www.rv6-p.com/tl/4th-gen/
10-03-2018, 11:09 AM
#118
Drifting
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Pseudo, to answer your question on value, I'm afraid I'd have to give it a thumbs down on a HUGE difference with all the mods and Ktuner. I've spent about $4K between all the mods you mentioned, and then some, along with Ktuner. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I did it and impressed with the results. But I'd guess I've gained somewhere in the range of 30-40hp at most and about that much in torque. Again, I'm very happy with the results but it's not going to be anything compared to your Merc.
10-03-2018, 12:14 PM
#119
The inconvenient truth
Oh I thought for a second there might be a cheaper alternative to Ktuner. I really want the end user kit but figure it would be like a G note in Canadian funds when all said and done.
It may be 4K for like 30-40 hp but at least we can take solace in the fact that even with all those mods our cars are still extremely reliable and even if they brake down they wont cost an arm and a leg to fix.
Anyways great thread Pseudo and glad to see your still kickin around!
It may be 4K for like 30-40 hp but at least we can take solace in the fact that even with all those mods our cars are still extremely reliable and even if they brake down they wont cost an arm and a leg to fix.
Anyways great thread Pseudo and glad to see your still kickin around!
10-03-2018, 12:26 PM
#120
Drifting
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^ True. I wish there was a reasonably priced, reliable vehicle that put out 400+ hp. If there is, I've been unable to find it. While I'd love one of the cars Psuedo sports, I'm just not baller enough to afford the cost of ownership. That, and I'd probably get in trouble. I already push the TL to it's limits. Lately I've gotten pretty good at drifting around corners when it's late at night and no one's around. The stock suspension is pretty good, especially having recently replaced all the coils. And the bald tires help. 
