Hondata RDX Reflash - End User Reports!!!
11-15-2007, 12:03 AM
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Hondata RDX Reflash - End User Reports!!!
Since I just got my RDX ECU reflashed and expect a lot more owners to follow soon I think it is a good time to start a thread on end user experience.
Well the whole process took less than 4 hours for me since the authorized Hondata dealer that I went to is less than an hour away from Hondata. I was pleased on how easy the process was and the results were just as advertised.
The gain in low end torque is definitely noticable. I feel the torque kicking in sooner and more "punchy" . The car feels "lighter" in most situations. It also seems to have more air/power flow during turbo boost - I hear a more air-sucking sound from the engine. And LESS TURBO LAG!!!!! On the freeway the gain is there during passing but not as exciting as the low end gain.
Again the above was the experience I had - no dyno test was done to show the gain but I feel the results are consistent with Hondata claims. Feel free to ask me questions and I will do my test to answer your questions with my limited car knowledge.
Last but not least, thanks to Hondata for a job well done on the RDX ECU reflash.
Well the whole process took less than 4 hours for me since the authorized Hondata dealer that I went to is less than an hour away from Hondata. I was pleased on how easy the process was and the results were just as advertised.
The gain in low end torque is definitely noticable. I feel the torque kicking in sooner and more "punchy" . The car feels "lighter" in most situations. It also seems to have more air/power flow during turbo boost - I hear a more air-sucking sound from the engine. And LESS TURBO LAG!!!!! On the freeway the gain is there during passing but not as exciting as the low end gain.
Again the above was the experience I had - no dyno test was done to show the gain but I feel the results are consistent with Hondata claims. Feel free to ask me questions and I will do my test to answer your questions with my limited car knowledge.
Last but not least, thanks to Hondata for a job well done on the RDX ECU reflash.
11-15-2007, 12:37 AM
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Three Wheelin'
Please also let us know if you notice a difference in fuel economy. I expect that it won't be much different either way, except for the fact that you may be more inclined to push it harder than before since you it is that much more fun with the power gains.
11-15-2007, 06:23 AM
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so sweet man, im so jealous, i need to find the time to not have the car for 3 days and the money, im saving it for that exhaust first =)
so my question is, did that "authorized dealer" charge you anything extra? like a service fee? or was it straight up $595? thanks chinh
so my question is, did that "authorized dealer" charge you anything extra? like a service fee? or was it straight up $595? thanks chinh
11-15-2007, 08:40 AM
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Originally Posted by sasair
Please also let us know if you notice a difference in fuel economy. I expect that it won't be much different either way, except for the fact that you may be more inclined to push it harder than before since you it is that much more fun with the power gains.
I definitely will let everyone know if fuel economy gets better. Even if it stays the same it is a plus since more power is produced. The sound from the engine makes me think it burns differently: less restrictive and "cleaner". I have to control my gas pedal first.
11-15-2007, 08:45 AM
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Originally Posted by chyllintsx
so sweet man, im so jealous, i need to find the time to not have the car for 3 days and the money, im saving it for that exhaust first =)
so my question is, did that "authorized dealer" charge you anything extra? like a service fee? or was it straight up $595? thanks chinh
so my question is, did that "authorized dealer" charge you anything extra? like a service fee? or was it straight up $595? thanks chinh
Let me know how the exhaust sounds. I will only put in a performance exhaust if the sound is not loud and not annoying - is there such a thing?
11-15-2007, 09:31 AM
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Originally Posted by cwepruk
Did it take 4 hours for them to do the reflash?
I was thining of stopping by a local Hondata dealer, but I figured it would take an hour or so.
I was thining of stopping by a local Hondata dealer, but I figured it would take an hour or so.
Hondata dealers do not have the machine to program the ECU.
The dealer has to take ECU to Hondata for programming (3 hours for driving and programming for my dealer since he is close to Hondata).
I think 10 minutes to remove ECU, 40 minutes to drive to Hondata, 1 hour wait/programming ECU, 60 minutes drive back with traffic, 5 minutes to put back ECU.
The wait time at Hondata can be long since they do reflash for other Honda models, too.
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11-15-2007, 10:40 AM
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I thought all dealers had the ability to perform the reflash themselves.
If I give it to my dealer to ship it off to Hondata, sounds kinda like a waste of a middle man.
If I give it to my dealer to ship it off to Hondata, sounds kinda like a waste of a middle man.
11-15-2007, 11:02 AM
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Since i can't find an edit button, I also emailed my local shop and they said they could do the reflash right there.
Guess I was wrong:
Guess I was wrong:
You will need to remove the ECU and send it to Hondata through a dealer . Unlike reflashes for other Honda models you will not need to send the key and immobilizer; just the ECU. Fill out this form and contact a Hondata dealer. Hondata does not sell direct. All ECUs must be sent to Hondata for reprogramming. No Hondata dealer has the equipment to reprogram this ECU.
11-15-2007, 12:49 PM
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Originally Posted by cwepruk
I thought all dealers had the ability to perform the reflash themselves.
If I give it to my dealer to ship it off to Hondata, sounds kinda like a waste of a middle man.
If I give it to my dealer to ship it off to Hondata, sounds kinda like a waste of a middle man.
This does not make sense for us end users for this particular upgrade, but they have to standardize the service policy across the board for all services. It helps if there is a problem with the upgrade.
11-15-2007, 06:30 PM
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Originally Posted by aznbo187
Does the car accelerate a lot smoother now?
From standing still position if I punch it I still feel the big turbo "kick" but less jerky and lag is still there but less.
11-15-2007, 11:30 PM
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Originally Posted by chinhman
The authorized dealer did not charge me anything extra. Just $595. His work is nothing: just remove the ECU (a few-minute job), drive to Hondata, drive back, put the ECU back in.
Let me know how the exhaust sounds. I will only put in a performance exhaust if the sound is not loud and not annoying - is there such a thing?
Let me know how the exhaust sounds. I will only put in a performance exhaust if the sound is not loud and not annoying - is there such a thing?
nice, thanks
and yessir there is such exhaust... the one he is making is aimed to sound like a g35... quiet when idle and light purr when gassing... theres a sound clip on the thread for the exhaust he made for a TL
11-15-2007, 11:33 PM
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Originally Posted by cwepruk
I thought all dealers had the ability to perform the reflash themselves.
If I give it to my dealer to ship it off to Hondata, sounds kinda like a waste of a middle man.
If I give it to my dealer to ship it off to Hondata, sounds kinda like a waste of a middle man.
11-27-2007, 10:48 AM
#16
anymore updates....from re-reading the original post, doesnt seem like you are overly pumped about the gains....or are you? haha are there really noticeable differences, are are they things that you slightly notice? Its nice to see the Hondata stats & graphs, but how does the car feel OVERALL compared to stock? worth the 600?
11-27-2007, 01:41 PM
#17
There is a lot of psychology in the way Honda tune their high performance engines. The S2000 for example is initially tuned to have a smooth torque curve. Then the VTEC point is raised to create a lag and a small surge when the highcam is engaged. The result is that the car feels faster - you feel the surge, but in fact the car is slower.
The RDX torque curve is reasonably smooth both before and after the reflash. Some people may not notice much difference. Some people may.
Bottom line here is that most butt dynos are way of the mark. You need to measure the differences on the dyno before and after. That or put it up against another, stock RDX.
The RDX torque curve is reasonably smooth both before and after the reflash. Some people may not notice much difference. Some people may.
Bottom line here is that most butt dynos are way of the mark. You need to measure the differences on the dyno before and after. That or put it up against another, stock RDX.
11-28-2007, 01:23 AM
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I had my TSX reflashed...my favorite mod for sure.
Hondata, any 0-60 times for a reflashed RDX? I recall a video of 2 TSXs on your website, one stock, one reflashed and it clearly showed the reflashed TSX beating out the stock one. Any plans to do a demo with the RDX?
Hondata, any 0-60 times for a reflashed RDX? I recall a video of 2 TSXs on your website, one stock, one reflashed and it clearly showed the reflashed TSX beating out the stock one. Any plans to do a demo with the RDX?
11-28-2007, 09:52 AM
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Originally Posted by sasair
Please also let us know if you notice a difference in fuel economy. I expect that it won't be much different either way, except for the fact that you may be more inclined to push it harder than before since you it is that much more fun with the power gains.
More good news to share. The gas mileage seemed to get a bit better on freeway driving, stayed about the same for city driving - probably because I abuse the power more.
11-28-2007, 10:14 AM
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Originally Posted by MMike1981
anymore updates....from re-reading the original post, doesnt seem like you are overly pumped about the gains....or are you? haha are there really noticeable differences, are are they things that you slightly notice? Its nice to see the Hondata stats & graphs, but how does the car feel OVERALL compared to stock? worth the 600?
Definitely worth more than $600 and it is faster than it was before the mod. I take this mod over intake+exhaust mod since I like to maintain the quite sound. Also it is easier and less expensive to undo if needed.
And yes I am enjoying the car a lot more. I feel like living the Mercedes commercial in which the guy makes multiple trips to the grocery store to buy one item at a time (one trip for salt, one trip for pepper,...).
11-29-2007, 02:58 PM
#21
Instructor
Maybe, you can, if you don't mind, demo (a quick test drive down the street) a test drive, if you're in california - Like a personal test drive.
It was only a thought...but a cool one.
It was only a thought...but a cool one.
11-29-2007, 03:10 PM
#22
Originally Posted by chinhman
Definitely worth more than $600 and it is faster than it was before the mod. I take this mod over intake+exhaust mod since I like to maintain the quite sound. Also it is easier and less expensive to undo if needed.
And yes I am enjoying the car a lot more. I feel like living the Mercedes commercial in which the guy makes multiple trips to the grocery store to buy one item at a time (one trip for salt, one trip for pepper,...).
And yes I am enjoying the car a lot more. I feel like living the Mercedes commercial in which the guy makes multiple trips to the grocery store to buy one item at a time (one trip for salt, one trip for pepper,...).
12-08-2007, 07:27 PM
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Originally Posted by chinhman
Since I just got my RDX ECU reflashed and expect a lot more owners to follow soon I think it is a good time to start a thread on end user experience.
Well the whole process took less than 4 hours for me since the authorized Hondata dealer that I went to is less than an hour away from Hondata. I was pleased on how easy the process was and the results were just as advertised.
The gain in low end torque is definitely noticable. I feel the torque kicking in sooner and more "punchy" . The car feels "lighter" in most situations. It also seems to have more air/power flow during turbo boost - I hear a more air-sucking sound from the engine. And LESS TURBO LAG!!!!! On the freeway the gain is there during passing but not as exciting as the low end gain.
Again the above was the experience I had - no dyno test was done to show the gain but I feel the results are consistent with Hondata claims. Feel free to ask me questions and I will do my test to answer your questions with my limited car knowledge.
Last but not least, thanks to Hondata for a job well done on the RDX ECU reflash.
Well the whole process took less than 4 hours for me since the authorized Hondata dealer that I went to is less than an hour away from Hondata. I was pleased on how easy the process was and the results were just as advertised.
The gain in low end torque is definitely noticable. I feel the torque kicking in sooner and more "punchy" . The car feels "lighter" in most situations. It also seems to have more air/power flow during turbo boost - I hear a more air-sucking sound from the engine. And LESS TURBO LAG!!!!! On the freeway the gain is there during passing but not as exciting as the low end gain.
Again the above was the experience I had - no dyno test was done to show the gain but I feel the results are consistent with Hondata claims. Feel free to ask me questions and I will do my test to answer your questions with my limited car knowledge.
Last but not least, thanks to Hondata for a job well done on the RDX ECU reflash.
12-11-2007, 09:30 AM
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Originally Posted by sfrederiksen
Is there any noticable increase in NVH (noise, vibrations, harshness)? It would be nice to see the power increase without adding vibrations or noises! Thanks!
There is somewhat of a drawback to the quiet sound with this speedy suv. During passing, there is more chance for the cars ahead changing lane right into you because other drivers don't hear the RDX coming and don't expect the "suv" to pass them so quickly. For this reason I use full headlights more often after the mod.
12-11-2007, 11:43 PM
#25
'06 RL Tech
Originally Posted by hondata
There is a lot of psychology in the way Honda tune their high performance engines. The S2000 for example is initially tuned to have a smooth torque curve. Then the VTEC point is raised to create a lag and a small surge when the highcam is engaged. The result is that the car feels faster - you feel the surge, but in fact the car is slower.
The RDX torque curve is reasonably smooth both before and after the reflash. Some people may not notice much difference. Some people may.
Bottom line here is that most butt dynos are way of the mark. You need to measure the differences on the dyno before and after. That or put it up against another, stock RDX.
The RDX torque curve is reasonably smooth both before and after the reflash. Some people may not notice much difference. Some people may.
Bottom line here is that most butt dynos are way of the mark. You need to measure the differences on the dyno before and after. That or put it up against another, stock RDX.
12-14-2007, 06:07 PM
#27
'06 RL Tech
Originally Posted by sfrederiksen
Not sure if we can post links. Visit hondata's website and go to dealers..there's plenty in houston (google it)
02-02-2008, 12:30 AM
#31
Yeah...this is a real PITA since you had to take/send ECU to dealer and then they ship out. Would be feasible if you can send your ECU directly to Hondata. The VW way us much simpler: go to a local dealer (APR/Unitrin/GIAC/Neuspeed) and flash via OBDII port using a PC.
What is the official HP/TQ rating of our trans?
What is the official HP/TQ rating of our trans?
02-02-2008, 12:27 PM
#32
Originally Posted by SinCity
Yeah...this is a real PITA since you had to take/send ECU to dealer and then they ship out. Would be feasible if you can send your ECU directly to Hondata.
It's my understanding that you contact an authorized dealer, make the deal, they can provide you with a Purchase Order so can can ship it and your ECU to Hondata and they will return it to you.
02-15-2008, 02:00 PM
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ok, so those of us who don't have a Hondata shop anywhere nearby, do we have any options? I'd love to do this but there are no shops in new england from what I can tell.
02-16-2008, 08:08 PM
#37
You can mail it to the dealer.
You can mail it to the Hondata dealer, and he then will mail it to Hondata. You don't have to go in. Just fill out the form and contact your closest one. Which, in your case is probably in New York, and there are 4 dealers there to choose from. The Hondata site shows you where your ECU is so you can pull it out.
