M-010: Putting the TL on a diet (Update Links in Post #1)
11-16-2012, 08:36 AM
#1401
If you open up the trunk lid on the interior portion you have those rails which provide support. Anyone ever think of grinding them off the sheet metal? I wonder how heavy that would be?
11-16-2012, 08:54 AM
#1402
So I put a lot of stuff in my trunk so after realization of this, getting stuck on the side of the road without a spare I only take it out when doing an autocross competition. The floor board that covers the spare is back on as well but without the liner on the trunk lid the reverse lights are unprotected and I actually cracked one in half when a box had slid back and hit the assembly. I dont care to put the liner back on but I also dont want to crack the reverse lights. Any ideas?
11-16-2012, 11:31 AM
#1404
There is a lot of metal you could cut out or remove with a spot weld drill. It just comes down to how far you really want to take it and is it worth your time/effort. You also need to paint it to prevent corrosion/rust. If you ever plan on putting interior back or selling the car this is not an option tho.
I drive my car on street without a spare. Only time in 10 years I had an issue was a few months ago when I snapped my driverside axle. A spare wouldn't have helped then anyway, so just used a tow truck.
I have a big foam bedding piece that I put in my trunk when I am transporting things. I would not want things on the metal floor clanking around and scraping the paint up anymore.
I drive my car on street without a spare. Only time in 10 years I had an issue was a few months ago when I snapped my driverside axle. A spare wouldn't have helped then anyway, so just used a tow truck.
I have a big foam bedding piece that I put in my trunk when I am transporting things. I would not want things on the metal floor clanking around and scraping the paint up anymore.
Last edited by brian6speed; 11-16-2012 at 11:34 AM.
11-16-2012, 01:00 PM
#1405
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The hood I'd do again in a second. It's about 6 lbs. of metal and the worst side effect is that the hood metal caves easier when pressure is applied. But how often do you put pressure on the top of the hood? Hasn't been a problem in the last several months since I've done it. integrity is still very good and very stiff.
The trunk however, I might reconsider. I certianly don't regret it since it removed about 5 lbs. of metal. But the trunk is significantly flimsier with this metal removed, even if the side beams are intact. I believe it has to do with how much pressure the springs put on the trunk mounts. You have to close the trunk from the center if you do this since closing it from one side will cause it to disort enough to hit the latch unevenly. Also, it's so light now that opening it with the trunk button is almost violent. It launches up way too fast. I only open it with the remote button now so I can catch it when it pops open.
11-16-2012, 01:06 PM
#1406
I remember you doing the hood but I didn't know you did your trunk too. Yeah the trunk springs are very aggressive and shouldn't be taken for granted. With the setup I'll probably be going with, the lack of metal on the trunk won't matter too much.
11-16-2012, 01:12 PM
#1407
Yea thats what I figured. I guess I'm putting the trunk liner back on 
.
On a side note, anyone know how much the stock resonator weighs? I know its heavy but I wonder how much weight would be saved by using a magnaflow instead.
Vill0169 for giggles I typed in Acura TL race track in google and youtube, your blog and youtube videos are one of the first things that come up!
. On a side note, anyone know how much the stock resonator weighs? I know its heavy but I wonder how much weight would be saved by using a magnaflow instead.
Vill0169 for giggles I typed in Acura TL race track in google and youtube, your blog and youtube videos are one of the first things that come up!
Last edited by jpm3071; 11-16-2012 at 01:15 PM. Reason: f
08-09-2013, 08:03 AM
#1410
i am not sure I will do this anytime soon but I have been thinking of removing the spare wheel well and put down a cuple of steel bars and a thin sheet to cover the hole.. originally I wanted to do it to have an exhaust go straight out and not use dual mufflers..
However I found out it would get rid of the lift/jack mount point in back and I do not have a lift setup at home (one day)..so that project is on hold
I got two years before I think about making this into a more track friendly car.. and also buy a lift
However I found out it would get rid of the lift/jack mount point in back and I do not have a lift setup at home (one day)..so that project is on hold
I got two years before I think about making this into a more track friendly car.. and also buy a lift
10-07-2013, 10:54 AM
#1411
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Does anyone know if the 6MT has the "front damper" (7.5 lbs weight)? I was under my 2004 6MT yesterday and couldn't find the damper weight. I looked exactly where Inaccurate indicated it should be, but I only see two holes in the front bumper where the weight might attach. I wonder if Acura deleted it due to the increased 'sportiness' of the 6MT.
10-07-2013, 02:06 PM
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Does anyone know if the 6MT has the "front damper" (7.5 lbs weight)? I was under my 2004 6MT yesterday and couldn't find the damper weight. I looked exactly where Inaccurate indicated it should be, but I only see two holes in the front bumper where the weight might attach. I wonder if Acura deleted it due to the increased 'sportiness' of the 6MT.
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10-07-2013, 02:45 PM
#1413
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Since this thread is semi revived, I thought I might throw in a few projects I've done to reduce a bit of weight lately.
Cipher Seats - Wow, those factory seats are heavy!
The good is obvious - 80lb. weight reduction. Also, new seats. My old seats had a few tears so this was both an aesthetic and performance upgrade. I really like the feel of the new seats. They hold you in much better than the stock seats. They're plenty comfortable too. They can be a slight pain to get out of since the edges on the seat are reinforced and not just padded like the stock seats.
The bad - No more seat heaters. No air bags in the aftermarket Cipher seats. My airbag light is stuck on. Very little adjustment options - I even omitted the sliders due to safely concerns. Instead, they're mounted direct - metal to metal with the same bolts the stock seats used. And last but not least - they were a huge pain to install. This was likely because I didn't purchase the mounts from Cipher but instead, fabricated my own mount which is thicker and better than what I'd probably get from Cipher. Still an 80lb. weight savings altogether vs. stock. Would I do it again? Yup
Radiator Fan removal - About 5 lbs. if I remember correctly. It was a while ago when I removed it, before summer. The AC has worked great and the engine coolant has only ever peaked at 230F one time. Otherwise, it's stayed at 185-210F the entire summer, even with nineteen 100F+ days here in Salt Lake City, UT. I tried removing the other fan but that's a no go. If you're moving it's fine. If not, your AC is pretty much useless since there's no air moving through the condenser coils. I'm guessing you'd overheat rather quickly as well. But I only left it out for a day, not long enough to find out
Exhaust heat shields (all except the one above the fuel tank) - About 6 lbs. altogether. This includes the one above the jpipe, mufflers and resonator. These are pretty thin aluminum so they don't weigh much but they add up. I was hesitant to do this at first, figuring Honda engineers must have put them there for a reason. However, I took heat readings of the metal above where these components are positioned several times after driving on hot days with an IR thermometer and never observed temps above 140F. Considering on some of those days, the heat coming off the road is probably 120-140F anyway, this doesn't seem too hot. They've been off the entire summer with no noticeable ill effects.
Cipher Seats - Wow, those factory seats are heavy!
The good is obvious - 80lb. weight reduction. Also, new seats.
My old seats had a few tears so this was both an aesthetic and performance upgrade. I really like the feel of the new seats. They hold you in much better than the stock seats. They're plenty comfortable too. They can be a slight pain to get out of since the edges on the seat are reinforced and not just padded like the stock seats. The bad - No more seat heaters. No air bags in the aftermarket Cipher seats. My airbag light is stuck on. Very little adjustment options - I even omitted the sliders due to safely concerns. Instead, they're mounted direct - metal to metal with the same bolts the stock seats used. And last but not least - they were a huge pain to install. This was likely because I didn't purchase the mounts from Cipher but instead, fabricated my own mount which is thicker and better than what I'd probably get from Cipher. Still an 80lb. weight savings altogether vs. stock. Would I do it again? Yup
Radiator Fan removal - About 5 lbs. if I remember correctly. It was a while ago when I removed it, before summer. The AC has worked great and the engine coolant has only ever peaked at 230F one time. Otherwise, it's stayed at 185-210F the entire summer, even with nineteen 100F+ days here in Salt Lake City, UT. I tried removing the other fan but that's a no go. If you're moving it's fine. If not, your AC is pretty much useless since there's no air moving through the condenser coils. I'm guessing you'd overheat rather quickly as well. But I only left it out for a day, not long enough to find out
Exhaust heat shields (all except the one above the fuel tank) - About 6 lbs. altogether. This includes the one above the jpipe, mufflers and resonator. These are pretty thin aluminum so they don't weigh much but they add up. I was hesitant to do this at first, figuring Honda engineers must have put them there for a reason. However, I took heat readings of the metal above where these components are positioned several times after driving on hot days with an IR thermometer and never observed temps above 140F. Considering on some of those days, the heat coming off the road is probably 120-140F anyway, this doesn't seem too hot. They've been off the entire summer with no noticeable ill effects.
10-07-2013, 03:24 PM
#1414
Since this thread is semi revived, I thought I might throw in a few projects I've done to reduce a bit of weight lately.
Cipher Seats - Wow, those factory seats are heavy!
The good is obvious - 80lb. weight reduction. Also, new seats. My old seats had a few tears so this was both an aesthetic and performance upgrade. I really like the feel of the new seats. They hold you in much better than the stock seats. They're plenty comfortable too. They can be a slight pain to get out of since the edges on the seat are reinforced and not just padded like the stock seats.
The bad - No more seat heaters. No air bags in the aftermarket Cipher seats. My airbag light is stuck on. Very little adjustment options - I even omitted the sliders due to safely concerns. Instead, they're mounted direct - metal to metal with the same bolts the stock seats used. And last but not least - they were a huge pain to install. This was likely because I didn't purchase the mounts from Cipher but instead, fabricated my own mount which is thicker and better than what I'd probably get from Cipher. Still an 80lb. weight savings altogether vs. stock. Would I do it again? Yup
Radiator Fan removal - About 5 lbs. if I remember correctly. It was a while ago when I removed it, before summer. The AC has worked great and the engine coolant has only ever peaked at 230F one time. Otherwise, it's stayed at 185-210F the entire summer, even with nineteen 100F+ days here in Salt Lake City, UT. I tried removing the other fan but that's a no go. If you're moving it's fine. If not, your AC is pretty much useless since there's no air moving through the condenser coils. I'm guessing you'd overheat rather quickly as well. But I only left it out for a day, not long enough to find out
Exhaust heat shields (all except the one above the fuel tank) - About 6 lbs. altogether. This includes the one above the jpipe, mufflers and resonator. These are pretty thin aluminum so they don't weigh much but they add up. I was hesitant to do this at first, figuring Honda engineers must have put them there for a reason. However, I took heat readings of the metal above where these components are positioned several times after driving on hot days with an IR thermometer and never observed temps above 140F. Considering on some of those days, the heat coming off the road is probably 120-140F anyway, this doesn't seem too hot. They've been off the entire summer with no noticeable ill effects.
Cipher Seats - Wow, those factory seats are heavy!
The good is obvious - 80lb. weight reduction. Also, new seats.
My old seats had a few tears so this was both an aesthetic and performance upgrade. I really like the feel of the new seats. They hold you in much better than the stock seats. They're plenty comfortable too. They can be a slight pain to get out of since the edges on the seat are reinforced and not just padded like the stock seats. The bad - No more seat heaters. No air bags in the aftermarket Cipher seats. My airbag light is stuck on. Very little adjustment options - I even omitted the sliders due to safely concerns. Instead, they're mounted direct - metal to metal with the same bolts the stock seats used. And last but not least - they were a huge pain to install. This was likely because I didn't purchase the mounts from Cipher but instead, fabricated my own mount which is thicker and better than what I'd probably get from Cipher. Still an 80lb. weight savings altogether vs. stock. Would I do it again? Yup
Radiator Fan removal - About 5 lbs. if I remember correctly. It was a while ago when I removed it, before summer. The AC has worked great and the engine coolant has only ever peaked at 230F one time. Otherwise, it's stayed at 185-210F the entire summer, even with nineteen 100F+ days here in Salt Lake City, UT. I tried removing the other fan but that's a no go. If you're moving it's fine. If not, your AC is pretty much useless since there's no air moving through the condenser coils. I'm guessing you'd overheat rather quickly as well. But I only left it out for a day, not long enough to find out
Exhaust heat shields (all except the one above the fuel tank) - About 6 lbs. altogether. This includes the one above the jpipe, mufflers and resonator. These are pretty thin aluminum so they don't weigh much but they add up. I was hesitant to do this at first, figuring Honda engineers must have put them there for a reason. However, I took heat readings of the metal above where these components are positioned several times after driving on hot days with an IR thermometer and never observed temps above 140F. Considering on some of those days, the heat coming off the road is probably 120-140F anyway, this doesn't seem too hot. They've been off the entire summer with no noticeable ill effects.
11-18-2013, 06:29 PM
#1416
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Another stupid question: Does the 6MT have the "engine cradle damper" (3.5 lb weight)? Like with the front bumper damper, I couldn't find it on my 2004 6MT. (And losiglow, thanks for your earlier answer!)
11-18-2013, 08:15 PM
#1417
11-20-2013, 12:58 PM
#1421
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^^^ this
definitely couple inches lower on racing seats...I reused the factory rails and am still couple inches lower....my shoulder is barely visible from the window
definitely couple inches lower on racing seats...I reused the factory rails and am still couple inches lower....my shoulder is barely visible from the window
11-20-2013, 04:45 PM
#1422
11-20-2013, 05:06 PM
#1423
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07-08-2014, 06:57 PM
#1426
Kinda sad that we seem to have lost innacurate to something with a few spinny wing things.
I've got the diet in full swing on my 2nd gen, corner weighted it a few weeks ago. With a topped off tank I sit at 3108LB with no driver. About 340 lb of weight loss. I have since removed the stock sound deadening and another 80 or so lbs of aftermarket deadening I had previously installed. I also got new lighter weight summer tires that are a size down from stock. Made a HUGE difference. The corner weight also revealed that my weight distribution is 65%F 35%R so I relocated my battery to the rear passenger side, which was previously 25LB lighter than the driver side... I must say it was a decent improvement to my turn in, and added another 1 or 2 mph to my max corner speed entering my street. I would say its worth the 5lb in wire it took to get it in the trunk. I'll get back next time I weigh my car and see where I sit at 1\2 tank, which is the most I ever fill to, along with my other mods.
I've got the diet in full swing on my 2nd gen, corner weighted it a few weeks ago. With a topped off tank I sit at 3108LB with no driver. About 340 lb of weight loss. I have since removed the stock sound deadening and another 80 or so lbs of aftermarket deadening I had previously installed. I also got new lighter weight summer tires that are a size down from stock. Made a HUGE difference. The corner weight also revealed that my weight distribution is 65%F 35%R so I relocated my battery to the rear passenger side, which was previously 25LB lighter than the driver side... I must say it was a decent improvement to my turn in, and added another 1 or 2 mph to my max corner speed entering my street. I would say its worth the 5lb in wire it took to get it in the trunk. I'll get back next time I weigh my car and see where I sit at 1\2 tank, which is the most I ever fill to, along with my other mods.
07-09-2014, 10:35 AM
#1428
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07-09-2014, 10:54 AM
#1431
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he still does have the car....so am pretty sure you see him Justin....
07-09-2014, 12:48 PM
#1432
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Yeah, he sort of dropped interest in his TL like a bag of dirt. 
Congrats on your weight loss laid67. Have you noticed a difference in handling or acceleration? I've dropped about 500lbs total (static) and the difference is night and day, especially when paired with aftermarket coilovers.
Congrats on your weight loss laid67. Have you noticed a difference in handling or acceleration? I've dropped about 500lbs total (static) and the difference is night and day, especially when paired with aftermarket coilovers.
07-09-2014, 12:57 PM
#1433
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^^^ hahaha yup...
at one point I was about 650lbs lost....
then I had to put the rear seats back in....but I got lighter wheels and a CF hood...I am hoping they offset each other....since Tim is gone, I havent updated my weight loss sheet
at one point I was about 650lbs lost....
then I had to put the rear seats back in....but I got lighter wheels and a CF hood...I am hoping they offset each other....since Tim is gone, I havent updated my weight loss sheet
07-09-2014, 02:55 PM
#1435
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he didnt touch/modify the manifold/heads/bottom end...commendable imo....
once he was maxxed out, i think other hobbies were peaking his interest...
07-09-2014, 03:07 PM
#1436
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Yeah, I've never kept track of mine the way Tim did. I just weighed myself at a scale at a local truck stop. Came in at just over 3000lbs last time. I've dropped about 80bs since then so I'm pushing 2900lbs now. I've kept most items in the interior intact but I've removed the sunroof guts, glovebox and side airbags.
07-09-2014, 03:51 PM
#1437
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Yeah, I've never kept track of mine the way Tim did. I just weighed myself at a scale at a local truck stop. Came in at just over 3000lbs last time. I've dropped about 80bs since then so I'm pushing 2900lbs now. I've kept most items in the interior intact but I've removed the sunroof guts, glovebox and side airbags.
if I had to guess I would be around 3050 now (was pushing 2980 back then)....
I need to visit the truck stop as well....last time I was there a cop was nice enough to start the scale for me
07-10-2014, 07:23 AM
#1439
And, I recall him starting to look at forced induction or other power adders. Something doesn't add up for me.
07-10-2014, 08:30 AM
#1440
I know what he did...I'm confused about him just losing interest in something he's so passionate about. And all this mention of things with wings etc...I was wondering if I was missing something. Also, is what you're saying speculation, or he actually told you he parked the car because he's taken it as far as it can go? Plus, even if he just wanted bragging rights, he tracked the car and I doubt his passion for going to the track would just disappear without a real reason.
And, I recall him starting to look at forced induction or other power adders. Something doesn't add up for me.
And, I recall him starting to look at forced induction or other power adders. Something doesn't add up for me.
Last edited by KN_TL; 07-10-2014 at 08:32 AM.