rjkoneill's Cosmic Grey EP3 Civic Type R - Plenty of Pics and Vids

[rjkoneill]

INDEX & LINKS:
THRLL PAGE
SPEC LIST
EVO Triangle & North Wales Trip - Tyres and FRSU
Gruppe M fitted & Headlight Restoration
Bulbs and Exhaust Fitting
Dyno Results with Intake & Cat Back
Track Day and Brake Upgrades
Premier Recaros


Hi Guys

Decided it was about time to post up some info about my car.
my goal has been to keep the car looking as OEM as possible after a run in with an ebay mugen spoiler and a common sense malfunction.

The car is an early 2004 facelift example with full honda service history. I purchased the car in Feb 2012
previous car was a Fiesta ST

The Car came with a K&N Typhoon intake fitted which I didnt like really but luckily it had the stock airbox included in the sale.

removed the OEM headunit and fitted an Alpine iDA-X301RR Stereo. iPod & USB connection in the glove box.

First day I got the car, a colleague at work took some pictures of it for me

 

[rjkoneill]

Spec List

Engine & Transmission

• Gruppe M Carbon Intake + SFS Hose
• R8BYB Silenced B-Pipe
• Spoon N1 Race Silencer
• Powerflex Exhaust Hangers
• Honda Integra DC5 Gearbox with LSD

Suspension

• ABP - Fast Road Set Up
• JDM Rear Anti Roll Bar

Interior

• FD2 Gear Knob
• Alpine iDA-X301RR Stereo
• Spare Wheel Removed
• Type R Kick Plates
• Premier Edition Recaro Trendline Seats

Exterior

• Password: JDM - Wiper Delete
• Bosch Aero Twin Wipers
• Team Heko Wind Deflectors
• 6000K HID Kit
• Osram LED Sidelights
• Silvatec Indicators
• Tinted Rear Windows
• Jazz Spray Washers

Stats & Figures

• 222BHP [24.11.12]

Wheels & Brakes

• Ferodo DS2500
• Hel Braided Lines
• Motul RBF600 Fluid
• Bridgestone RE050A 215/40/17 [Winter Use]
• Yokohama Advan Neova AD08 215/40/17 [Summer Use]

Planned future mods

• Hondata ECU
• Race Manifold
• RBC Inlet Manifold

 

[rjkoneill]

First thing on the agenda was new tyres. The car had OEM fit RE040 all round which I assume was a result of its service history at honda.
These tyres suck and I was not under any illusion that putting a set of toyos or falkens on my car would be a good idea.

The car went on a set of 215/40/17 Bridgestone Potenza RE050A
These tyres really transformed the initial impression I had with the car.

Booking the car in for a FRSU with ABP was first on the agenda. I had a JDM Rear ARB fitted at the same time and the results, paired with the new tyres were astounding.
A few days later and myself and my friend took a trip to the EVO triangle in North Wales

 

[rjkoneill]

After spending a while getting used to the car, I removed the K&N Typhoon filter and got it sold. I performed the 'Hondata Airbox Mod' to the stock airbox for the time being. Not a huge improvement but decent enough until I found a Gruppe M for sale.

I also had the rear windows tinted. This wasn't something I was going to do but decided after seeing some premier editions around that it looked good.
I also removed the rear wiper and fitted a Password:JDM wiper bung.

I found a Gruppe M after a few weeks of searching.
It was in very good condition and had the M's branding. I was assured by everyone here it was genuine as I had never seen one of these later models with the new branding on it. Gruppe M confirmed it was legit via email so I went and picked it up.

nice and easy to fit and the noise is brilliant and addictive.

[video=youtube;tIpkwwlvXts]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIpkwwlvXts[/video]





The cars Headlights were a real mess. They were scratched and it looked like the protection had come away from the plastic.
I decided to refurb them myself

I used the 3M kit to refurb my headlights, here is the results.


heres a quick picture of the headlights. both of them were pretty much in this state. not brilliant tbh, loads of small scuffs and scrapes that the rubbing compound simply wouldn't get out.

Started on the offside by taping it up properly. used loads of masking tape. I would suggest if anyone else uses this kit to mask off a large area and put a layer of gaffer tape over the top of it as I caught the masking tape with the edge of the buffer and it whipped it straight off, lucky it wasn't an abrasive pad.

first sanding pad which is the course one of the two.

Then move onto the second sanding pad which is much finer.

Then after wetting the light and removing all of the dust, you use the abrasive sponge for around 5-10 passes, it removes pretty much all of the scratches and swirls from the abrasive pads, because its wet, it creates a slurry when you use it which is why I didnt grab a picture.

moving onto the buffing sponge, you dry any excess slurry from the light and put the supplied rubbing compound onto the sponge. using the sponge to smear it all over the front of the headlight to avoid it splatting everywhere
I didn't read the instructions like a moron and it went everywhere...
After a few passes of working the compound into the light, it looked like this...

and the nearside unit

to protect the light and my hard work, I used Auto Glym resin polish on the lights followed by two coats of Collonite wax.

In all, the job took about 45 minutes to complete. I have enough spare parts in the kit to potentially do the lights another few times if required but I will be keeping a close eye on them to see if the scuffs and brown/yellowness come back.


for the cost of £20 and a bit of polish and wax, I cant really fault this kit from 3M. easy to use and didnt take that long to get a near new result which I am really happy with.

 

[rjkoneill]

A drunken spending spree on eBay resulted in the arrival of Silvatec indicator bulbs to remove the fried egg look on the front and rear lights. makes a huge difference to the look in my opinion. Also, a 6000K HID kit and bulb adapters arrived. Easy to fit with the ballasts put out of the way next to the bonnet shut line.

I removed the spare wheel, replaced the battered gear knob with an FD2 gearknob and put some carbon effect Type R kickplates on the door sills.

After much messing around, I managed to find a silenced R8BYB b-pipe. This made a huge improvement to the car when paired with the Spoon N1 back box.

The whole catback system was fitted to the car using powerflex exhaust hangers to reduce the risk of rattles.

 

[rjkoneill]

I work for Overclockers UK and our forums has regular rolling road events, I had the car rolling roaded in August with the only power mod being the Gruppe M Intake.

The car produced a surprising 211BHP and 143.9 lbf.ft

[video=youtube;CnIIQzKg05E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnIIQzKg05E[/video]


After the cat back system was fitted, I wanted to get the car on the dyno again at the next rolling road meet.

This time the car made 222BHP and 158.0 lbf.ft
The dyno graph below shows the previous run overlayed. This highlights that the less restrictive 2.5 cat back system gives gains throughout the rev range.
A lot of people on the OcUK forums said this figure was very high given the mods but every time I have seen a stock car on this dyno, it has made book figures.
either way, the comparison shows a gain so that was very pleasing.

[video=youtube;NEBE10GxkME]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEBE10GxkME[/video]

 

[rjkoneill]

I had a track day booked with some mates from work and decided that my brakes needed sorting for peace of mind.

I went for the standard set up of Motul RBF600, Hel braided brake lines and Ferodo DS2500 pads all round. This made a huge difference to pedal feel and they were immense on track with no fade at all

I also managed to grab a honda JDM LSD second hand, but have still not got round to having it fitted.

Despite the LSD being sat on my desk and not in my gearbox, I got on very well at the trackday and the CTR was brilliant.

I even managed to get along just fine under the 98db sound limit with my Spoon exhaust which was my main concern.

[video=youtube;x_K-0tb9GC8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_K-0tb9GC8[/video]

[video=youtube;reRq4SNCS_0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reRq4SNCS_0[/video]

I have another track day booked for next month but this time the car is on a set of Yokohama AD08 tyres which are proving to be the best thing I have done to the car so far.

 

[rjkoneill]

One of my main gripes on the track was that the standard Type R seats are rubbish. They dont hold you in place at all so I started looking at potential seats for the car.

Initially I was looking at a pair of Brides which were for sale second hand. The downsides to this was that they were fixed bucket seats, 100+ miles away, expensive and didnt include rails. There were too many compromises here.

I briefly looked at DC5 Recaros but again, the price was prohibitive and the chances of finding a pair of 8+ year old seats in any form of good condition for sub £800 was proving impossible. they would have also required rails to fit.

Eventually I settled on grabbing some Premier Edition Recaros which I found for sale at a breakers yard.
The seats were perfect and came out of a very low mileage car. They were a direct fit and came with rails.

four bolts on each seat and a plug on the drivers side. 20 minutes later...

The Recaros hold you in place much better than the bog standard seats and the fitting is minimal hassle.

The best thing is that I avoided losing the ability to carry passengers easily by fixing fixed buckets and the seats match the interior perfectly.
The main advantage is that the Recaros tilt forward and reset to their original place and not bolt upright. This was one of my main gripes with the car when i first got it.

 

[Typerfusion]

Hi mate that was a very interesting thread and enjoyed it very much. Lovely ride you got there I think you did an ace job refurbing your lights. They look awesome. I also agree the seats don't exactly hold you in and the Recaro's look sweet. Will you befitting your lsd soon?

 

[NathWraith]

nice 350z there mate

 

[antisanta]

Made for a nice read. You seem to be enjoying the car!
Is there much of a difference between the RE050s and the AD08's? How are they in the wet?

 

[rjkoneill]

Hi mate that was a very interesting thread and enjoyed it very much. Lovely ride you got there I think you did an ace job refurbing your lights. They look awesome. I also agree the seats don't exactly hold you in and the Recaro's look sweet. Will you befitting your lsd soon?

thanks Typerfusion

the LSD keeps getting put off sadly. i need a big service first so that is priority after putting it off for a month [because of the recaros]

the 3M kit is really great. well worth the £20 and a bit of patience.

nice 350z there mate

you should never have sold that car.

Made for a nice read. You seem to be enjoying the car!
Is there much of a difference between the RE050s and the AD08's? How are they in the wet?

Thanks antisanta

The difference in the tyres is stark.

the RE050A is very much a summer tyre. stiff side walls and great performance in the dry. wet performance is OK but tends to lean the car to understeer.
AD08s are a game changer. they have upped the cornering speed and capability of the car significantly. Sidewalls arent noticably stiffer but the overall grip seems limitless. cornering capabilities of the AD08s are far superior to the RE050A. the car will not understeer and instead the car is more prone to oversteer with my stiffer rear ARB and GEO settings.

In the wet i have been honestly taking it easy but every time i have pushed the AD08 in poor conditions they have surprised me with a nice controllable progressive loss of traction towards the limit of grip. this is quite confidence inspiring and not something i expected given most feedback i have read on the internet shuns any form of wet capability for the AD08

I will personally not be taking them off until around novemeber time and using my set of RE050A as a 'winter tyre'

 

[Chris.]

AD08s are phenomenal.

 

[antisanta]

Nice write up and one that will be of use in the future, for now though, I can't justify spending £170 per corner! So I'm replacing my Federal SS595's (pro tyre idd) with Goodyear F1 Asym 2's - about to order them now actually ;D. Had budgets on since I bought the car around 2 months ago and even though the current tyres have loads of tread on them, I feel I can't push it as much as I want to because of a lack of confidence in the tyres so needs to be done! Appreciate the comments though, its been a tyre I have been looking at getting, both the RE050 and the AD08, until I saw the price that is! .

Any ideas when you will be getting a kpro? It will complement your mods nicely

 

[Chris.]

I paid £130 per corner for 235/45/17.

 

[rjkoneill]

I am using 215/40 17 tyres instead of the OEM 205/45 17
This means wider and lower profile.
In honesty the prices between the two aren't that dissimilar. Whats more shocking is the larger size Chris uses on his Evo are cheaper!

I paid £149 per corner from black circles delivered with triple clubcard points.
Fitting from a mobile fitter at £12 a corner on my works yard.

I will be honest, AD08s are only worth it if you have a set of tyres to use in the winter months.

The RE050A are a great price on black circles at the moment too and in my opinion, one of the best options for the car as an all year round tyre.
I used my car on track running the potenzas and they performed as admirably as a road tyre was realistically going to.
Make sure you get the RE050A and not the standard RE050

In regards to hondata, still considering my options. If I bother then I will try and bag an RBC and race Mani to accompany it and get the best out of it. If I do that though then the n1 will have to go.

I will either swap back to the standard back box or swap my whole cat back out for a Toda system.

Not quite sure yet as I want the car to stay track day friendly.

 

[NathWraith]

I can confirm that being a passenger, the AD08's certainly are an investment in handling finesse!

 

[rjkoneill]

Recently invested in a DC5 gearbox. despite teething issues, essentially me not doing enough research and fitting my EP3 speed sensor, the gearbox has transformed the car

i can see why people rave about the DC5 now. the car feels like it is driving in easy mode even on the limit.

i cant wait to get it back on track.

the only downside to the LSD is that it takes some of the involvement out of it as you can afford mistakes and correct mid corner.

I would suggest a DC5 box over any other performance mod.
mixed with a frsu and AD08 with a brake upgrade, my EP3 is really where i want it to be at the moment.