Hey guys, at 1200 miles in, I just tried my first Vtec, I tried before but I hit 85 on the highway before I could even reach the 5k limiter on 3rd...so I decided not to vtec at that point since i'll be well into the 100's...

But anyway, yesterday I finally Ran it up to 6100 on 2nd gear but I didn't notice any significant pick up from the car...However, I do like the pull of the car around the 3-5k range. Am I suppose to feel a huge difference from 3-6.1 and 6.1-7? You think the changes in the 06 made the lower end stronger so the difference in Hi-cam were not as large?

Hrm..must investigate this some more...however, that said...the car performed wonderfully...as afterr 2nd shifting to 3rd...I saw my speedo at 90...and not wanting to speed I let off the gas but the car stayed at 80-85 for a good 30 seconds....It was insane how it maintained that speed so well....

 

interesting.... were you doing this on LIE, Grand Central, Clearview....?

 

same here haha.... I hit 120, and no significant feel other than the flatline feel i usually get from 2-6k. Am i not flooring it hard enough? or is it supposed to feel flat?

 

The difference in the second cam profile is mostly audible.

In terms of power, my understanding is that with VTEC on the TSX, the thing to notice is what doesn't happen. Without VTEC, the Torque would fall off and the power wouldn't continue to build linearly. With VTEC, you can stay on that nice, fairly linear ramp in power up to the red line.

 

I never noticed VTEC switchover until after I installed the CAI.

 

vtec w/ CAI> vtec w/o CAI

 

I thought i-VTEC was supposed to allow switchover all through the power band...?

 

oh hrm..CAI eh..?

I did this upstate as I am there for college right now.

I dunno if a CAI is really good for me....

a. I dont really enjoy an annoying exhaust sound that (does it do that?), although I like how G35's sound...
b. I heard they're pretty susceptable to water damaging the the engine, Up here, its Rain, rain, and more rain...

But if someone can make me an informed consumer, perhaps i'll add one to my car this summer, or more possibly a SRI?

Even with all that said, Im usually those that don't like to push the engine to its max...a light beater on cars. I enjoyed the pull in the 3-5k range. The 3k pull is much stronger than the 2k pull I believe, that I can feel. Maybe a SRI is better for me?

 

Stage 2 VTEC (6000-7300rpm) is not that noticeable in the stock form. However, with the resonator removed, you'd have to be senseless to NOT feel/hear it.

 

Yea, I live in NY too, trust me, as long as you don't drive through a river, you will be fine.

And the sound isn't ricey, the CAI allows you to hear just how amazing the K24 really sounds without the resinators and restrictors.

 

But for 2006, they added larger intake valves and increased the intake and exhaust flow to the stock engine, which would seem to make adding a CAI less of a difference vs. stock as far as performance is concerned, but I'm sure the noise/sound is still noticable.

 

Have a read about about vtec, and i-vtec (which the TSX has), and it will become more clear why vtec isnt as noticable as say, an integra.

 

I wonder if the resonator and filter box are the same as 04/05? If so then it seems that they would be even more restrictive on the 06 than they were in the 04/05 and the engine would benefit more from a resonator removal and aftermarket intake.

 

You def hear vtec a lot more with the CAI. I def recommend getting it, it does not sound ricey at all. Real nice sound. And if ur that worried about water, just put it in short ram mode.

 

According to the parts catalog, the 2006 has its own unique resonator box. looks exactly like the 04-05's but it is different.

 

What about the intake ducting? I thought that was bigger in diameter as well?

 

You sound like a prime candidate for the Comptech Icebox. It should answer your a) and b) concerns. Its quiet (its a sealed like stock as opposed to the SRI and CAI open filter elements) and AFAIK it has never had the hydrolock problem since its filter element sits pretty high. It should give plenty of noticable power between 3-5k.

Either way, all intakes sound close to stock when you are cruising.

 

 

I have had those same thoughts, but don't know for sure. Should be the same size coming from the air box outlet, but different going to the TB assembly?

I will be installing the top half of the icebox on my '06 tonight. If I remember, I'll take some I.D. measurements of the intake tube. I will probably not remove the resonator and do the lower half until after it starts to warm up outside.

 

Actually, I get the impression most the '06 flow changes were downstream of the filter so making any changes prior to it should be just as benefitual if not more so.

 

I still wish someone could answer this definitivly. I've been asking in my 2006 CAI thread for a while but no one seems to have a good answer to it. I have a CAI on order scheduled to be delivered friday and if it doesn't fit I'm going to have a cow. At least it will be a good excuse to pull off the resonator even if I have to put the stock intake back on.

 

So you're saying that extra 6-8HP just made a world of difference?

 

if you want to feel a rush from like 5-8k RPM, buy an Integra.

 

It does make a difference, especially in the sound of the crossover

 

Better yet get a 2.0L S2000 and get an ever better rush up to 9k!

 

I think this sounds like it would be good for me too. Unfortunately, I have no CLUE what I'm doing under the hood besides the minimal stuff. Where would I have something like this installed on my TSX??

 

It's not hard, I did a full CAI install myself with no problems and I had never done any engine work before. The Icebox is even eaiser than the CAI.

You still need to remove the resonator though, which is a true pain in the ass

 

too many people think "VTEC" gives you a "kick" like a turbo or supercharger.....

i wish ricers would stop implementing that myth...

VTEC does give you more power but you're technically not supposed to "feel" it...the transition into vtec is supposed to be smooth...

if you want a kick, get a turbo and vtec.. now that i can attest was fun on a honda... '96 civic ex d16y8 sohc vtec + greddy turbo td04h-15g 6psi daily... now that gave ME a "KICK" the second you hit 3000RPM...and defitnitly gave me mid-range torque...

you want to really feel "VTEC", put this or a comptech SC on your TSX....

 

^ Have you ever driven a S2000?

 

ur right... u only "feel" a pull from that range bec the engine puts its max torque there... but the only NOTICEABLE and very adrenaline rushing that that happens when u hit vtec it ur speedometer. u wont feel any pull... but its the speed that changes. what should happen is when u floor it, STARE at the speedo and the rpm, when the crossover occurs look at the speedo crossover into flying mode. u wont necessarily "feel" it or even hear it, bec ur lookin at the wrong place, LOOK AT UR SPEEDOMETER WHEN U CROSSOVER INTO VTEC, it should be a big leap

p.s. vtec isnt for sound or torque its for speed, and thats what ull notice.... try it, its pretty cool

 

Like Gibson said, its an easy install, just a pain in the a** to remove the resonator. The only hard part about any intake is removing that resonator, specifically that bolt right by the foglight hole in the bumper. You need one of those flat socket wrenches (don't know what this is called exactly) since there is absolutely no clearance to get a regular socket wrench on there and a regular wrench would take an eternity.

I wouldn't pay anyone else to do it, as its one of the easier installs. If it wasn't for that 1 little bolt (and having the correct tool) it would have taken about an hour.

 

The 04/05 stock intake tube (connected to the throttle body) is 3.5" i.d., just fyi.. My guess is the 06 is the same, with only a reworked resonator. I'd also guess it will benefit roughly the same as 04/05 from a CAI.

 

The 06 might actually benefit a more due to the larger TB and intake duct (I'm thinking that might be from the TB to the valves) -- not to mention the shape of the intake valves were enhanced to help increase intake flow, the high RPM cam profile for the intake cam was modified to provide increased intake valve lift and duration, and a ventilation passage was machined into the engine block to reduce pumping friction by increasing air flow between cylinders.

 

You get successively less acceleration as you upshift. You will notice VTEC the most in 1st because that is where you get the best acceleration and the lobe shift is most noticable. When accelerating at 80-90mph of course it will feel "flat" becuase you are comparatively not accelerating as much.

 

I'm in buffalo with a cai injen no harm yet and theres been crazy rainfall and snow.

The other mods as well has held up.

I love my cai plus with voltage stabalizer and grounding kit I maintain all the power that most people complained about cai . (losing power in te lower band.

 

Last night I changed out the '06 stock airbox lid and filter to the icebox. I did not pull out the resonator, but will once the garage floor thaws out in the spring. Anyway I took some measurements of the intake tubes just to compare to the 04/05's. Reach had specifically asked for the TB OD to see if his Injen will fit.

Inlet to air-box ID (harder to measure) ~ 84 mm, 3.3"
Icebox outlet ID ~ 82.5 mm, 3.25"
Icebox outlet OD ~ 87 mm, 3.42"
Top throttle body OD ~ 72.5 mm, 2.85"
Top throttle body ID ~ 67 mm, 2.64"

It seems as though the TB numbers agree with JTso's bored out TB @ 66.75 mm for the ID. The intake tract does seem to match up to the below quote from Honda (although it should read diameter and not radius). Peter are you sure the intake tube ID was 3.5" at your TB connection?

"The TSX uses a single-stage intake manifold that for 2006 has been retuned to increase intake air flow from 95 liters per second .... Enhancements to the intake system for 2006 include:

* Intake radius increased from 70mm to 80mm
* Intake manifold bore enlarged from 60mm to 64mm
* Throttle body diameter increased from 60mm to 64mm"

Anyway take it for what it's worth. I did my best with the measurements, but was getting a little rushed since the garage was cold.

 

Have you ever driven any car with the more significant VTEC transitions? i.e. S2000, Integra Type-R, NSX? There is a kick comparable to that of a FI setup.

 

I've driven the ITR and can say that you really haven't experienced VTEC until you've drove this beast. After the switchover, there's a distinct growl and and instant kick of added HP. It's simply a blast to drive.

 

Yeah, for sure. My friend had a EG6 hatchback with B18C fully done with VTEC from 5000-9000rpm, OMG, that was pure fun, especially when the M3 behind us faded into the rearview mirror after the turns.

 

I vote you should get a Injen CAI you will love it