[CL7] Honda Accord Euro - Performance Upgrades

[Stelz87]

Hey all,

Recently purchased a 2005 Honda Accord Euro {Manual} & was hoping you friendly members could give me an insight on what the best bang-for-buck performance part upgrades are for these?

I'm not looking to go too extreme on it as it will be a daily driver. Thanks all in advance!

[Fredoops]

Hello.

It's a CL9 not CL7 if your car is Australian delivered.

As to bang for buck performance upgrades:

1. cold air intake (more for noise)
2. Exhaust manifold
3. High flow cat

Then some sort of ECU adjustment/tune (to wake the car up) there are a few options ranging from few hundred to a few thousand.

[Stelz87]

Sorry about that. Must have gotten mixed up with the two.

Which CAI, Exhaust Manifold & Cat are best suited as I'm sure there is different variations?..

Also, who in Sydney is a recommended Honda re-tuner? Cheers

[Fredoops]

For CAI give this a read:
http://www.tsxclub.com/forums/heelto...t-results.html

Exhaust manifold/headers, there are race style headers like PLM (which is a Hytech replica), weapon r (J's racing replica), and street headers like comptech and DC sports and some eBay headers that look like DC sports.

As to cat, just get a high flow metal cat and get an exhaust place to weld it to a pipe for you.


As to ECU, nobody in Sydney does "retune/reflashes" of the ecu that comes with your own car, two mobs in Australia can reflash your own Ecu's: myself or Jtune, both in melb.

Other places do sell ecu solutions tho (usuall means you buy a new/different ecu, few places sell flashpro ($1500 + tune) or this new Ktuner thingy ($600 odd plus tune).

[Stelz87]

I've skimmed through it & it looks like the link for the shootout on the CAI's doesn't work anymore but it seems to be that the Comptech Icebox is the best bang for buck system available..

I'm interested in the DC Sports headers due to the performance to dollar ratio that it gives also. Would you recommend any of the catalytic converters that Heeltoe sells or do you think better to go to an exhaust shop & get one welded up?

How would I go about getting you guys to tune it? Can the ECU be sent or is it a custom Dyno tune?

BTW what are the best websites to purchase these items anyway? List others that you think may be helpful.

[Fredoops]

I've skimmed through it & it looks like the link for the shootout on the CAI's doesn't work anymore but it seems to be that the Comptech Icebox is the best bang for buck system available.

as far as power goes

K&N Typhoon > Icebox > Injen

I'm interested in the DC Sports headers due to the performance to dollar ratio that it gives also. Would you recommend any of the catalytic converters that Heeltoe sells or do you think better to go to an exhaust shop & get one welded up?

All I can say is.... Shipping can be expansive and blow the value proposition completely out of the water.
Maybe a cheaper Stainless steel version of the DC sports header on eBay if you are budget conscious and dont want a race type header.

As to cat, same story, shipping could make a dent on the cost.

How would I go about getting you guys to tune it? Can the ECU be sent or is it a custom Dyno tune?

Reflash is not a custom dyno tune, if you need/want custom dyno tune, Hondata FlashPro or Ktuner is the go (otherwise you're looking at haltech/AEM systems)

BTW what are the best websites to purchase these items anyway? List others that you think may be helpful.

Amazon surprisingly has a lot of stuff for our Euros (Acura TSX in the US), then theres HeeltoeAuto and a few vendor's on this site.

[Stelz87]

I had a chat with a workshop just then in regards to achieving 145+FWKW from my Euro & this is what was recommended..

* RBC Manifold + J35 Throttle Body
* Injen Cold Air Intake
* PLM Headers + Cat, Resonator & B Pipe
* Honda Adjustable Cam Gear
* K-Tune + Custom Dyno Tune
* Necessary Gaskets

As a package deal for $5,000 fitted & tuned. Does that sound right to you or can I achieve the power I'm after cheaper?

I'm mechanically minded & can do most of this work myself. Here is what I came up with as an alternative..

* RBC Manifold + J35 Throttle Body
* Comptech Ice Box Intake
* DC Sports Headers + Random Tech Cat
* Honda Adjustable Cam Gear
* K-Tune + Custom Dyno Tune
* Necessary Gaskets

All these items are from HeelToe Automotive (besides the tune ofcourse) & will set me back $3061.84 landed, fitted & tuned.

What are your thoughts on this? Cheers

[Fredoops]

As a package deal for $5,000 fitted & tuned. Does that sound right to you or can I achieve the power I'm after cheaper?

that shop used to be a trader here, but they were removed.

you can source a lot of the parts from "AutoFair Honda" in the states (plus shipping of course), they are a trader on the premier forum for all things K-series engine related:
http://www.k20a.org/forum/forumdispl...153&order=desc

* RBC Manifold + J35 Throttle Body

RBC is more geared towards high rpm breathing rather than low-mid range torque

if you do get RBC intake manifold, consider getting it ported and polished (inside), ie; gutted.

* Comptech Ice Box Intake

You'll need a Samco (or samco style) silicon intake arm to match the intake to the intake manifold (because the RBC intake manifold is much shorter than the RBB intake manifold that comes with the car, positioning of the throttlebody is different), people pick injen because it's easier to match the intake tube with the manifold/throttle body

* DC Sports Headers + Random Tech Cat

Not a race header so it'll be limited on power gains sadly, you need some sort of race header, cheaper race headers dont usually come with any flexpipes, so consider adding one (or a few) for sake of reducing metal fatigue.

* Honda Adjustable Cam Gear

"Adjustable" - it's a VTC gear, they use one from the 2 litre Kseries engine, allows up to 50 degree of cam movement instead of 25.

...if you are opening the engine you may want to considering doing some maintenance on the timing chain and tensioner and guide, just in case the previous owner neglected the car.

..and if you are opening the engine... consider putting in a Camshaft from an Acura Tsx (2007 onwards), it's got a more aggressive profile.

* K-Tune + Custom Dyno Tune

MUCH cheaper than FlashPro, but you'll need to go to honda dealer (or somewhere with the tools) to recode your keys (another $100 or so @ Honda), and Ktuner don't have cruise control at present.
info here: http://ktuner.com/0406tsx/

* Necessary Gaskets

a hundred dollar worth of gaskets, usually the thermal resistant type

I'm mechanically minded & can do most of this work myself. Here is what I came up with as an alternative..

Since you are mechanically minded, give this a read for starters :-)
http://www.hondata.com/tuning_k24a2_tsx_engine.html

The K-series are like the LS, fascinating stuff! K20a.org is a very good source to learn about the Honda K-series engine!

[Stelz87]

Any reason BYP Racing was removed? I really appreciate your help there mate. Looks like I will be sticking to the basics for now like what you mentioned earlier (CAI, Headers & Cat) until I've got a bit more coin to play with for the other stuff.

What do you think she'll produce at the wheels giving the parts mentioned with & without a tune? I know they produce about 110FWKW standard as is.

[noobies]

Intake, headers and cat are a great start.

Performance isn't just in the engine.
Have you considered brakes and handling upgrades?
Rear sway, struts and braces are also good bang for buck.
Some coilovers or springs/shocks combo to follow suit?

[Fredoops]

Looks like I will be sticking to the basics for now like what you mentioned earlier (CAI, Headers & Cat) until I've got a bit more coin to play with for the other stuff.

What do you think she'll produce at the wheels giving the parts mentioned with & without a tune? I know they produce about 110FWKW standard as is.

110kw atw new, you'll lose a but over the years.

as per noobies, you'll also have to look at suspension and braking mods. thats more $$$$

[Sean628]

wonder how much is a supercharger + install and tune, around 5k I guess?