I must admit, I was skeptical on first reading these posts.

I'd just purchased a new TSX 5AT w/nav, and I loved it; but I was unhappy with the acceleration drop between 5000 and 6000 RPM.

After reading about the Hondata reflash on this site, I decided to jump in and do my own research. I read as much as I could, and finally decided that the reflash made sense, and took the plunge. At Christmas time, I ripped my car apart and sent it’s guts to California. I was moderately happy with the results. The HP and torque curves were indeed leveled out through the RPM range; but there was no real change in overall performance measurements.

I continued to read the Acurazine site about other “bolt-ons”. I also read other sources that contradicted the same claims and advice.

I noted that the vast majority of Acurazine contributors were under 30 (I’m 61), and seemed to be willing to go to some expense for small or unproven results.

I realized that real performance alterations were made by large, technically sophisticated, high performance shops; and involved major engine rebuilds, total chassis redesigns, and other professional work designed primarily for the track.

The mod fans seemed to be a different breed; dedicated, but amateur, garage tinkerers, looking for some uniqueness to their rides. They seemed often to be conversing only with one another via various web sites and only amplifying their own misinformation.

None the less, I decided to try a Comptech rear sway bar. It didn’t cost much; and despite all the chatter about squeaking bushings and broken end links, most contributors seemed to think it helped handling. None of the authors seemed to be race qualified professionals, so their assessments were not necessarily expert.

I must admit I do like the results; but again, I’m not a race qualified professional, so my assessment is not necessarily expert.

I got especially intrigued with the plethora of discourse on air intake modifications. I read from other journals that the manufacturers had obviously spent vast amounts of engineering dollars to create very elaborate counter- resonant moisture safe, ultra filtering intake systems designed to also complement the best performance characteristics of their engines. Why would they put such a large complex sophisticated piece of equipment into spaces specially designed for them, if they were not the right thing to have in the car?

None the less I felt compelled to pursue this journey into the “Moder’s” world. I was curious to find out what the attraction was, to do some measuring and assessing of the truth or foolishness of these pursuits, and just to be a “Moder” for a while in my doting old age.

I bought a G-tech accelerometer, and begin experimenting.

The first set of runs I did with the G-Tech were with the reflash as my only performance mod and produced some rather high HP and low 0-speed times compared to subsequent tests. That was a cold and windless day. I’m still baffled as to why those results exceeded all but the latest tests.




A later set of baseline runs produced decidedly different results.




I used these later, slower runs as my standard of comparison for the mods that followed; but I’ve always striven to exceed the results of that first set of runs in February. First I just ran with a K&N air filter in the filter box. That seemed to have either no effect at all or only a slight effect depending on which set of baseline readings I compared to.




Later I tried JTso’s OEM intake mod:

https://acurazine.com/forums/showpos...88&postcount=1

I, however, left the stock airbox and stock filter untouched. This did, in fact, yield some measurable results; but still didn’t get me back to my February baselines. There was only a modest increase in noise level at high RPMs from this mod.




I was encouraged by the slight effectiveness of this mod; and, since I now had my resonator etc. successfully removed, I decided to take the plunge and put in a real cold air intake. I was excited to find that “Hopup Racing” still had one red K&N Typhoon left, and I grabbed it. With resonator out, the install was easy, and I did it while watching part of “The 12 hours of Sebring” on the Speed Network on a TV I’d carried out into my driveway. (Acura won in it’s class BTW.)

As you can tell I’m beginning to be transformed into a real car nut. I even bought tickets to the US Grand Prix in Indianapolis this summer.

Well, I was astounded at the results I got from this cold air intake!!!






Also, the deafening roar above 6000 RPM was impressive. (At normal 2-3000 RPMs you can’t tell it from stock.) At least 10 if not more like a 20 HP gain is outrageous!!! I think my reflash from Hondata was just waiting to be paired with this intake improvement.

I am no longer a doubting old fart. I’m now just a silly old fart who wants to don a ball cap with “Ferrari” on the front and cruise my car through the old “Bonnie Doone’s” drive-in in South Bend, IN like we did when I was in High School.

You guys have won me over. The thrill is in taking what I bought as my best choice in cars and making it an even closer match to my ideal, through my own efforts. It also is a learning experience and gives me a sense of belonging to a new unusual community

As we speak, I have a set of Comptech headers out in the garage just waiting for the weekend to be installed.

“Ich bin ein modder”

 

Damn impressive. There's plenty more to do. Keep going

 

just wait until you open up the exhaust

 

love your story telling.

keep up the work.

 

Glad you're having fun. You've stumbled onto it, but that's the real point. (to me at least)

A word of caution about that Comptech header. Installing it on a 5AT (like mine) has been known to cause a significant rattle in the exhaust. The true cause is unknown, but may have something to do with resonance in the exhaust track at low rpms in gear. My personal (unprofessional) opinion would be to return/sell it and use a DC Sports header isntead. You can PM me if you want more info.

 

Once you start, you can't stop.

 

^ ditto

 

Ain't that the truth. I bought my 04 6MT last July, and my mindset was, "tints, maybe wheels, and that's it."

Less than a year later I've done a short shifter, CAI, RSB, JDM tails, and plan on installing A-Spec suspension tomorrow... and I'm pricing DC Sports headers. It's an addiction.

 

i agree with most things you said. keep just posted with your progress. it's really nice to see some more mature members to diversify az. great to see numbers too.

 

god i have an fujita cold air and now i really want to reflash my car... like for real... too bad i live in delaware on the east coast ahah i know i can ship my ecu and immobilizer out but i am soo nervous to do so

 

Awsome post.

Just goes to show that you're never too old to work on your car. Do to it whatever makes you happy.

One other thing, to all those who say the TSX has NO power. Even the AT baseline of 7.36sec in 0-60 isn't bad and is nowhere near the 9 second times that were initially reported when the TSX first came out. To think that a couple of fairly easy modifications get you in the sub 7 second category (on an AT no less) is pretty good news to me. Yes, its not a race car, but its a damn fine entry luxury sporty sedan.

 

welcome to the modder world! your lucky you got funding =(.. im still a freshman in college. lol. but the mods will never end! i too said i would only do minor things.. but i think after doing the ss... i figured if i could make it through all that alone, i can do so much more... since then i've even learned to solder and done my window up and one touch sunroof, replaced my speakers.. and whenever they come in i'll have the acura racing pedals & aspec suspension... i wish the hondata reflash wasn't so expensive... but congrats on the switch from the regular everyday driver to the driving enthusiast!

 

Awesome post!!