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Tuning - does it make a real difference?

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56
Hello all,

I have a standard performance EP3 other than an air box.

I am about to commit to buying the following:
K100 & remap
Intake manifold
Exhaust manifold
Full exhaust system

The above will cost me almost 3K (half the total value of the car) so for those of you that have done similar mods with a remap was it worth it - does the car actually accelerate quicker or does it just feel quicker and sound louder?


Thank you
 
It’ll be marginally quicker in a straight line however you’ll gain increased fuel economy and massive gains mid range.
 
Thanks Chris,

Im not fussed about overall speed but would like like it to accelerate a bit faster and have more mid range so I think I will go for it.
 
It reduces the slightly sluggish feeling leading up to vtec. I did induction, RRC intake manifold, exhaust and it made 231bhp. You can feel the difference and I didn't even decat it. Fast road set up is a good idea, and some decent brakes.
 
Thanks Flashy,

I have already done the handling and braking so next is the power upgrade, I just wanted to make sure that it was worth doing.
I originally thought that I would keep the car standard but I have had it for 5 years now and don't think that I could ever sell it so I may as well make it my own a bit more.
 
If it’s a difference in power and acceleration you want to feel, then I highly recommend going for a Mfactory helical lsd and 5.33 final drive in the future. I recently did this on my ep3 and the difference is unreal. That said I have also had it remapped on a k100 before this and it’s a great modification.
 
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I've got similar set-up but with a decat running 240 ish, you might need an MFactory diff and the "difference" :D is night and day
 
Thank you for the reply, I have now paid for a tuning package at TDI North. I have also got an MFactory LSD Stage 1 race pack and a Spoon 5.1 Final Drive to be fitted.

I cannot wait for the work to be done and will post up a review for you guys once completed
 
Thank you for the reply, I have now paid for a tuning package at TDI North. I have also got an MFactory LSD Stage 1 race pack and a Spoon 5.1 Final Drive to be fitted.

I cannot wait for the work to be done and will post up a review for you guys once completed ��

Good choice, you will be so pleased with the difference those mods will make :)
 
subbing to this thread to hear the results.

i have an 02 JDM EP3 and i am so torn over tuning it or leaving it totally standard.
 
Hello,
For those of you that are interested here is my write up regarding the mods to my CIVIC Type R EP3
The car already had decent tyres, upgraded brakes, upgraded suspension and a Tegiwa intake. It was filled with Shell V Power
I had a lot of work done during the two days that I was at TDI North so I will break it into two packages:

Power Works (Day 1)
K100 & Map
Exhaust Manifold - Japspeed
Inlet Manifold - M2
Full Exhaust – Fujitsubo
Radiator and Rad Hose - Tegiwa
Approximate Cost parts and labour £2,700.00

Gearbox work (Day 2)
LSD - M Factory Stage 2 Race Pack
5.1 Final Drive – Spoon
Longer 6th Gear - HONDA
Approximate Cost parts and labour £1,900.00

Results
Well I was very surprised by the results; I was hoping to get somewhere between 235 and 245 ………………….
Now it was a very very cold day so maybe this helped a little but the car achieved:
248.8 BHP and 172.4 LBFT

So – was it worth it? Well here is the funny thing, I drove the car at the end of day 1 after the power works. If the car was still running the standard 197 BHP before the work then I was driving it with an impressive 51 extra horsepower after the work. To be honest I thought it would feel vastly different, but it did not. The pickup was a bit faster, it revved a bit more freely and you could tell that the engine was less restricted with the new breathing mods.

Anyway, moving onto day 2, the LSD and the 5.1 were ridiculous, if I planted my foot the car just took off due to the additional traction from the LSD and the additional acceleration from the 5.1 gearing. Roundabouts are almost comical now; I can barely believe how much I can put my foot down and the car just tracks around them.

Recommendations
If I was in this position again knowing what I know now I would have had the gearbox work done but not the power works. The LSD gives the car far more traction and the 5.1 makes it accelerate faster – that is all I was ever really hoping for.

Oh, and some other benefits of gearbox only – nobody would ever know that you have had it done so it would not affect your insurance, you don’t need a map for this work and the car will still pass an MOT.

Big shout out to Jamie and the mechanics at TDI, every one of them was friendly and took the time to talk to me about my car and their own projects. They are passionate about what they do and it really shows.
 
Great work you had done there. I fully agree with the massive difference an lsd and final drive change make. It literally pulls you around corners :cool: i recently had fitted all new vibratecnics engine mounts and this made another difference to acceleration too. What mods are on your wish list next?
 
Good question!

I will not turbo or supercharge the car so if I do take it further it will be the following then I am done:

TDI North Cams
Throttle body and fuel rail
Possibly a big brake kit
Polybushes
 
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