VicTL's Build Progress Thread

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Old May 20, 2012 | 02:01 PM
  #1  
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OK, so I guess it's my turn for a build thread!

I bought my TL just a little over a year ago and I love it - warts and all. Here's what it looked like when I bought it:



So far, all of my mods have been aesthetic or electronic. Here's what's left in that department:
  • Black chrome emblems, including black chrome A-Spec emblem
  • Accord Fogs
  • LED DRL conversion
  • Type-S Rear Lights
  • Cleared out Headlights
  • Switchbacks
And here's what I've got in store for performance and suspension:
  • ISC N1 Coilovers
  • Progress RSB
  • Type-S FSB
  • Moog Endlinks (RSB & FSB)
  • ATLP V2 Base Exhaust w/jpipe and race pipe
  • AEM v2 Cold Air Intake
  • Fastline Short Shifter Package
I hope to have all of this done by the end of the summer: pre- and post- dynos and all.













































Here's a link to my iSimple & Sirius nightmare: https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-audio-bluetooth-electronics-navigation-94/sirius-install-canadian-spec-tl-w-navi-857194/

Last edited by Steven Bell; May 20, 2012 at 03:48 PM. Reason: Merged Posts.
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Old May 20, 2012 | 03:01 PM
  #2  
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Clean
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Old May 20, 2012 | 03:48 PM
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Nice work Vic. Keep it up. I like the Amp'd Emblems logos. I love both of mine.
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Old May 21, 2012 | 12:19 AM
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Love the WDP! I gotta get those amp'd emblems!
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Old May 21, 2012 | 01:58 AM
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clean car
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Old May 22, 2012 | 01:24 AM
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Looking nice
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Old May 22, 2012 | 02:09 AM
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Nice car btw
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Old May 24, 2012 | 12:41 PM
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Originally Posted by MrHeeltoe
Looking nice
Can't wait to throw the 'Acura' 'TL' and 'A-Spec' emblems you black chromed for me. REALLY can't wait for my dope exhaust and (potentially but probably yes) short shift kit!

HeelToe ftw!
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Old May 24, 2012 | 01:15 PM
  #9  
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looks really nice can't wait to see it dropped!
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Old May 24, 2012 | 01:19 PM
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love the amp'd front and back. did you get extreme white up front? how much did everything cost you if you don't mind me asking
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Old May 24, 2012 | 04:12 PM
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Originally Posted by SharksBreath
love the amp'd front and back. did you get extreme white up front? how much did everything cost you if you don't mind me asking
I did go with Extreme White up front and Extreme Red in the back. You can see the rear light up nicely at any time of day, but the White is a little tougher to see until it is pitch dark. Nothing to do with the quality of the product, more to do with how a white LED looks against the light spectrum. That said, the way the front lights up around dusk is really cool - it totally draws your eye, but you're not entirely sure why. You really have to look to see that it is backlit. Very, very cool. And in the dark, it matches the headlights perfectly.

As for price, it wasn't cheap, but it is my new favourite aesthetic mod.

Steve @ Amp'd was good to me because I was buying both front and back, I was the first one in British Columbia and I provided my own emblems - and so discounts applied all around. So it was about $250 for both.

Rather than pull my emblems and send them down to HeelToe to get black chromed (anything to do with shipping is a PITA re: Canada), I just bought a whole new set, so that added another $100 or so, with the black chroming. Marcus was nice enough to black chrome the A-Spec emblem I sent him on the house, as part of the deal.

So now they will be lit up and match my gunmetal A-Spec wheels. The only thing I wish I had done and may still do, is swap out the grill for a Type-S black chrome one. I was ready to order one from AckTL, but he told me that the grills are not interchangeable. By the time I was ready to install the emblems, it was too late to figure out a solution.
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Old May 24, 2012 | 04:22 PM
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Nice mods man, keep em comin'
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Old May 24, 2012 | 05:22 PM
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looks good love the rear emblem and door sills
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Old May 24, 2012 | 05:23 PM
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Gotta love the footwell LEDs

What LEDs did you end up going with?
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Old May 24, 2012 | 05:24 PM
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Very nice TL, hope to get my aspec kit any day now!
I was wondering, is there a DYI on the ACURA LED at the foot step like you have in this picture:
http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/...L/IMG_0375.jpg

Keep up the great work! Hopfully one day my WDP Tl looks as good as yours

e/ Realized supercomputers sell the illuminated door sills! Gonna see if I can get my hands on a set

Last edited by Coins; May 24, 2012 at 05:32 PM.
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Old May 24, 2012 | 11:50 PM
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Originally Posted by Coins
Very nice TL, hope to get my aspec kit any day now!
I was wondering, is there a DYI on the ACURA LED at the foot step like you have in this picture:
http://i1227.photobucket.com/albums/...L/IMG_0375.jpg

Keep up the great work! Hopfully one day my WDP Tl looks as good as yours

e/ Realized supercomputers sell the illuminated door sills! Gonna see if I can get my hands on a set
Hey, thanks! Keep your eyes on the Black Market, they come up from time to time. Also, I thought I read somewhere that Supercomputers transferred his stock to AckTL - not sure if it was the pedals, door sills or both? Maybe drop him a line. Also, the door sills feel almost naked without the footwell lighting complementing them, so I would do both at the same time.
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Old May 25, 2012 | 04:08 PM
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thats clean. love the lights
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Old May 25, 2012 | 05:28 PM
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Originally Posted by guitarplayer16
Gotta love the footwell LEDs

What LEDs did you end up going with?
Ebay seller: http://myworld.ebay.ca/fyreflys/&_tr...84.m1439.l2754

They're inexpensive and flexible. However, I am finding out that the adhesive is a bit to be desired. Nothing a little 3M double-side can't fix!
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Old Jun 27, 2012 | 12:52 AM
  #19  
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Do you like the Intake? what do you think about short ram? Im really on the fence will both now. Due to the loss inn power with the short ram, and the possiblity of water with the cold air cai. and honestly all i want in a greater sound.
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Old Jun 27, 2012 | 01:09 AM
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nice footwell lighting.
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Old Jun 27, 2012 | 01:31 AM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by TimothyChooo
Do you like the Intake? what do you think about short ram? Im really on the fence will both now. Due to the loss inn power with the short ram, and the possiblity of water with the cold air cai. and honestly all i want in a greater sound.
I've not got an intake in there, yet - just in the planning stage. To be honest, it's starting to fall down on the list - I'd rather put in a short shit kit and knob, first, which will be just a bit cheaper than the intake. I'm sure it will sound great, but I just don't see myself spending a lot of time that high in the power band.
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Old Jul 29, 2012 | 11:22 PM
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So here's an update on the build: I've managed to finally get my audio/video sorted out. I'm running a US-spec OEM head unit (complete with XM button), Sirius satellite radio and a backup cam, tied into the navi with a TVNav2Go. Minor stuff that ended up costing me a small fortune, but it's done, thank God.

I've got my ATLP exhaust, race pipe and j-pipe ready to be installed and have it scheduled to be installed on August 14th, after I get back from LA. Also having an AEM V2, HT-Spec short shift kit and Maven countersunk gunmetal shift knob installed at the same time. I have the coilovers, FSB, RSB and associated endlinks, but I think that's going to have to wait: mucho dinero for that install, sadly.

In the meantime, the local tuner shop had a charity car show and dyno contest today. Results posted below. It was funny, I didn't know anyone there and just kinda milled about alone - that is, until the TL dyno'd. 229 whp on the best pull. People were blown away at how even the power band is and how flat the torque was...until the VTEC kicked in and started to choke the airflow (CAI ought to fix that). Everyone wanted to know me and the TL, after that!

Photos and dyno video to follow.

Last edited by VicTL06; Jul 29, 2012 at 11:24 PM.
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Old Jul 29, 2012 | 11:38 PM
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Here I am, up next to dyno @ 5252 Motorsports in sunny Victoria, BC. It was a charity event for Tour de Rock, a cycling event with a bunch of cops and others riding around Vancouver Island for cancer research. $50 got 2 pulls on the dyno.



Lame, I can't seem to properly embed the video from Photobucket. Oh well, here's the link: http://s1227.photobucket.com/albums/...t=IMG_0045.mp4

Here are the results, whp followed by fuel:air ratio...





Now, if the contest would have had an Import Division, I would have won it. But as it turns out, I won an award, anyway: Mystery Horsepower (one of the mechanics chose a number at the beginning of the day and whoever was closest, won). Maybe I'll just consider it the Import Division Trophy.


Last edited by VicTL06; Jul 29, 2012 at 11:40 PM. Reason: VicTL06 Goes to Dyno
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Old Jul 29, 2012 | 11:53 PM
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Looks like you got your hands full with some upgrades. Can't wait to see the drop with the coils!
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Old Jul 30, 2012 | 05:21 PM
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Congrats Vic!
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Old Aug 4, 2012 | 04:52 AM
  #26  
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Another nice and clean TL in B.C.!!!
btw, where did you get ur pedals? I found one from
http://www.strutking.com/products/TL...Pedal-Set.html
but i think ur's looks better with "Acura" on it..Also the one i found requires power drill. WHat about your's?
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Old Aug 4, 2012 | 06:42 PM
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Nice ride Vic! Clean and tasteful mods.
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Old Aug 16, 2012 | 09:59 PM
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Originally Posted by TL_Pang
Another nice and clean TL in B.C.!!!
btw, where did you get ur pedals? I found one from
http://www.strutking.com/products/TL...Pedal-Set.html
but i think ur's looks better with "Acura" on it..Also the one i found requires power drill. WHat about your's?
Hey, sorry for the delay in responding - been in SoCal for the last little bit and my notifications must have gone into the Junk. The pedals and the LED overlay doorsills are both from supercomputers, an Azine member vendor. I don't think that he is selling them anymore and I believe that any leftover stock is with AckTL05 - drop him a PM and see if he has any sets left. Of course, there's also the Black Market.
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Old Aug 16, 2012 | 10:00 PM
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Originally Posted by M.I.N.O.
Nice ride Vic! Clean and tasteful mods.
Thanks, man - stay tuned for the upcoming pics of the ATLP exhaust I had installed this past Tuesday!
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Old Aug 16, 2012 | 10:15 PM
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Nice ride Vic!
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Old Aug 19, 2012 | 03:36 PM
  #31  
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Originally Posted by VicTL06
Thanks, man - stay tuned for the upcoming pics of the ATLP exhaust I had installed this past Tuesday!
Nice ride! Love the illuminated sills and amp'd emblems!

Can't wait to see pics of your ATLP. I <3 mine.
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Old Aug 19, 2012 | 04:54 PM
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What performance mods did you have done to your TL at the time of the dyno (229HP) ? Bone stock?
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Old Aug 19, 2012 | 05:09 PM
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Originally Posted by eh? spec
Nice ride! Love the illuminated sills and amp'd emblems!

Can't wait to see pics of your ATLP. I <3 mine.
Just finishing the last paper for my last Master's course requirement and then my life will be my own again - gonna put on the rest of my black chromed emblems and then give it a total wax and detail. Photos to follow fo' sho'!
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Old Aug 19, 2012 | 05:11 PM
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Originally Posted by vietxquangstah
What performance mods did you have done to your TL at the time of the dyno (229HP) ? Bone stock?
Bone stock when I dynoed it. I'm excited to get it back on the dyno at my local tuner shop's next charity event in October!
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Old Oct 16, 2012 | 11:37 AM
  #35  
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Exhaust & RSB Photos

I have been a bit remiss about keeping up this build thread - however, with the new ATLP exhaust on the car (which is AWESOME, btw), I thought I'd belatedly throw up some new pics. Enjoy!







While it was up there, we also threw a Progress 27mm RSB. And now my car handles like a BMW, without any of the agro. Here's the Pepsi challenge with the OEM one.



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Old Oct 16, 2012 | 11:48 AM
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Black Chrome Emblems & LED DRLs

In order to complete the black chrome exterior look, I finally got around to swapping out my OEM "Acura" and "TL" emblems to black chrome emblems that I got from HellToe Automotive. Marcus was also kind enough to add in the A-Spec emblem that I sent down to him into the order.

This finishes off the black chrome emblem conversion - earlier in this thread you will see the front & back A's - also part of the black chrome set of emblems I bought - which went on earlier, after I had them lit up by Amp'd Emblems.





Also got around to throwing on my LED DRLs. As a Canadian-spec car, I didn't need a module. However, despite purchasing the harness and resistors to go along with the LEDs, I am still getting a DRL code on my dash. *sigh* Still, it looks pretty damn hot.





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Old Oct 16, 2012 | 12:33 PM
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What LEDs are you running? Link?
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Old Oct 16, 2012 | 01:45 PM
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Nice progress!
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Old Oct 16, 2012 | 03:45 PM
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Originally Posted by sapanpatel123
What LEDs are you running? Link?
VLEDs. Here is everything that I bought for them.

LEDs: http://www.v-leds.com/5K-WHITE-28-LE...22474-1-2.html
Harness: They no longer appear to sell a harness. Might explain why mine doesn't work.
Resistors: http://www.v-leds.com/Load-Resistors...-p9085827.html

As I mentioned, because DRLs have been mandatory in Canada for years, I did not need a DRL module. You might, though. Also in retrospect, I kinda wish that I'd gone for the 6Ks instead of the 5Ks. Don't get me wrong, I love the pure white and it matches my emblem light up, but the tinge of blue off the WDP is oh so nice!
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Old Oct 16, 2012 | 08:01 PM
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Nice work, Vic.
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