Fatherpain’s 2018 Type R

[fatherpain]

Ok here is the J's Racing Front Wing Spoiler Lip install. First step is to remove the bumper which has been previously covered here. However will briefly recap for the purpose of this install. Recycling a couple pix until I remember to take updated ones. Remove all of the plastic fasteners and bolts, then disengage the airbox rubber seal from the cooling plates. Remove the plates and set aside.

Remove the rubber hood seal. Be care not to lose the plastic pins, which easily fall out.

Raise the car using some sort of jack or lift. Block if needed to ensure there is no way for the car to drop while you are underneath. From under the car, remove all of the plastic push clips that secure the lip, by popping the head with a flat screwdriver then lifting out.

Remove any bolts using a 10mm socket. Some may use Allen head screws. This isn't the lip, but these will need to come out also, to remove the plastic under tray. More on that later.

Remove these (2) Phillips screws on each end.

Then remove these (3) screws and repeat for the other side.

Reach behind and gently pry this corner of the bumper out. Once it separates, stop.

There are (2) plastic tabs under the headlights that need to be depressed to release the bumper. Lightly pull the corner that was released in the previous step to provide some extra room to insert a small flat screwdriver or pick tool.

With the tabs released, the bumper will pull away a little.

There are (2) tabs on the eyebrows to release as well... Then the bumper should be completely free.

Now carefully pull the bumper off. I like to have something ready to set it on. Stools can come in handy. The EZ car lift is ideal for this job, as the lift is adjustable to any height using the drill input. I like to have the car set just above the stools before removal. My bumper is pulled back this far, because I have fog light extender cables… So be careful how far you pull yours back so not to snap the OEM fog wiring.

Disconnect the fogs then the bumper is ready to fully remove. Be careful not to let the bumper fall forward while doing this.

Bumper and OEM lip removed. Advise setting on something soft to avoid scratching the paint.

 

[fatherpain]

Gently lay the bumper onto it’s face.

Use a 10mm socket to remove these (2) bolts securing the OEM lip on each side. Save to reuse later.

Then gently separate the lip from the bumper.

There are a bunch of black plastic tabs that secure the OEM lip to the bumper. Press to release and push through. Start at one side…

Work your way across the middle intercooler section.

And do the same for the other side.

With all tabs free, pull the lip from the bumper.

J’s Racing Front lip spoiler and under tray side by side with OEM lip.

Slide these (2) reinforcement clips from each end of the OEM lip.

Use a pliers or channel locks to squeeze them once they are off. This will prevent them from being loose and sloppy on the J’s lip.

Then slide them onto the J’s lip in the same orientation they were on the OEM. The threaded end should be towards rhe outside.

 

[CJizzle_FK8]

Quick question. I noticed you kept your inlet pipe stock. I'm seeing this in a lot of heavily modded type r's. Any reason for that?

 

[fatherpain]

Hi CJizzle,
Apologies for the confusion. Was recycling a couple older photos of the engine bay to expedite the J’s lip write-up.

Originally was not going to cover bumper removal, as the J’s instructions starts with the bumper off + I’ve previously covered that… however after thinking about it, decided to include it, so some of the engine bay pix are just place holders until I get time to replace with new ones.

The above picture is the current state of the engine bay. Inlet turbo tube is actually the updated Eventuri V2.1 CF.

Quick question. I noticed you kept your inlet pipe stock. I'm seeing this in a lot of heavily modded type r's. Any reason for that?

 

[fatherpain]

Here are the provided instructions for the J’s Racing front lip spoiler install… followed initially but led to abit of re-work. Please see my suggestions for a smoother install highlighted in yellow.

Will demonstrate these steps in the subsequent posts.

 

[fatherpain]

The first step of the installing the lip is to perform a test fit and locate (4) 7mm and (2) 20mm holes to drill in the bumper. Align the lip to the bumper. Was able to do this solo, but a 2nd person would have made things a little easier.

Before pressing the lip into the bumper, make sure all of the tabs are lined up.

There also are a bunch of tabs along the intercooler opening.

Remove both plastic vents from the bumper by reaching your fingers through the finger openings then pulling the vent away from the bumper. (2017-2019 vents shown).

Then pop this push clip with a flat screwdriver to release.

Vents removed, allows you to grab hold for leverage to squeeze the lip and bumper together. Smarter not harder! ?

Another thing that worked well was to angle the bumper like so…

From this vantage point, can check to see whether the tabs were properly inserted before fully seating.

This is the correct amount of engagement.

Make sure the tabs are secure.

This is the correct depth across the intercooler tabs.

Finesse both sides of the lip around the edge of the bumper.

J’s Racing front lip temporarily installed. Make sure everything looks symmetrical, then the next step is to mark and drill bolt holes.

 

[Sam3]

Today I met with @fatherpain and @boosted180sx, and they are two of the kindest, coolest, and most knowledge people I've met. They helped me deal with a boost leak problem that ruined my track day yesterday at Buttonwillow.

I got a new Sequence Manufacturing exhaust to help me hear the engine RPM at the rack, while at the same time avoid an obnoxious morning growl that would upset my neighbors and dealing with drone while cruising at the freeway. It's a valved exhaust that opens with boost. I had a Honda dealer service center install it for me.

Within the second lap of my second session, the car went into limp mode. It lost most of its power and I had to complete a lap I just started at slow speed. Scary situation knowing that cars are coming very fast behind me. The dash was showing all kinds of error messages. I had just topped the gas tank right before the session and the car temperature was normal. So it cannot be related to fuel starvation or overheating.

After reading the code through an OBD reader at the track, it turned out to be P00299. The car wasn't getting enough boost.

I knew it must have something to do with the new exhaust because that's the only thing that changed in the power train. Everything else in it is stock. So I had to cut my track day short and head home. While driving back from Buttonwillow, the car went into limp mode again, and I started to get a rattle the next morning.

Then I met with fatherpain and boosted180sx. They let me drive their beautiful FK8 thoroughbreds to compare with mine since they also have the Sequence exhaust. I could immediately tell their cars are louder than mine. They drove my car and concluded that there's something wrong with the exhaust because it doesn't seem that the valve is opening. Boosted180sx also noticed that the exhaust tips shifted all the way to the left.

Fatherpain put my car on his lift to see what's going.

Upon further examination, they discovered that two of the muffler cylinder holders were installed backward, one of the slip joints wasn't complete fitted, and some of the holding screws and clamps were loose.

See how the tips are shifted to the left.

They tightened the screws and shifted the tips to the middle. That took a lot of effort because some of the exhaust pipes had to be loosed and rotated and the fasteners loosed and pushed to the right.

Here's Fatherpain and Boosted180EX discussing how to best center the exhaust and fit everything as it should be.

After they centered the tips, installed the muffler holders correctly, and fastened everything, they went about diagnosing the boost leak.

Tips centered.

Fatherpain used his boost detection tools to find out where the leak is coming from. He pumped compressed air through the inlet pipe and he and Boosted180SX checked all points where a leak could happen by placing a liquid at those joints and checking for bubbles. No boost leak could be seen in the engine bay.

Then they went about diagnosing the valve problem. They discovered that even while putting 20 psi of compressed air through the system, the valve is only half opening.

After adjusting valve screw, fatherpain was able to get it to fully open at around 5 psi and then close when there's no pressure.

Either the screws came maladjusted from the factory, or the dealer could have adjusted them incorrectly.

Then Fatherpain cleared the code using his Autel OBD tool.

Afterwards Fatherpain and Boosted180SX drove the car and they noticed that it sounded like the valve is functioning,. Of course it still doesn't sound as loud as theirs because they're tuned and have some bolt-ons.

After I left, I drove the car for about 120 miles, including a spirited run on a lightly trafficked highway for the time. The valve seems to be functioning, the car feels like it has slightly more power, there's no more rattling, and I haven't gotten any more underboost errors. It seems that they fixed the problem! I hope it stays that way, especially at the track.

After driving their cars, hearing the sounds, and feeling the extra power, I'm very tempted to accelerate my slide down the slippery slope of modding and tuning the car

 

[Doc_Mello]

After driving their cars, hearing the sounds, and feeling the extra power, I'm very tempted to accelerate my slide down the slippery slope of modding and tuning the car

Awesome tuner community! ?????? Man, I wish the world worked this way!

As for the slide down the slope, it’s a fun ride. ? Enjoy every minute of it!

 

[fatherpain]

Glad we are able to get it straightened out. Pretty cool that my master @boosted180sx was able to make it out to help. Happy to hear it sounds like it’s fixed..

Felt like

When it comes to the FK8, me and @boosted180sx be like…… ?

Afterwards, Fatherpain…..drove the car and noticed the valve is functioning,. Of course it still doesn't sound as loud as theirs because they're tuned and have some bolt-ons.

 

[fatherpain]

With the lip test fit complete, the next step was to mark bumper holes for drilling and enlarge the lip and under tray rivet holes as they arrived too small.

Found it best to keep the bumper flipped upside down.

Then holes to be marked and easily seen. There are (2) 7mm holes under each vent.

A fine tip sharpie works good for marking the center of the holes. This is a close up of the outer one under the a vent.

Here is the innermost 7mm hole. Notice the bumper mold is directly above.

This bumper area above these inner 7mm holes are where to mark the (2) 20mm ones.

Eye balled as best I could to line the 20mm holes directly above the inner 7mm holes. The outer ones do not need this.

After all holes were marked, used an awl to create a starting point for the drill bits. Here is one of the 7mm holes.

Here’s one of the 20mm holes.

With all holes marked and pricked, flipped the bumper over and pulled the lip back off, in preparation for drilling.

 

[fatherpain]

These are (3) drill bit sizes needed:

• 1/8” - to enlarge the provided river holes on the J’s lip and under tray…also can use to make pilot holes for the larger sizes and to drill out rivets if needed.
• 1/4” - for the (4) 7mm bumper holes.
• 29/64” - for the (2) 20mm bumper holes. As this is big, will need several sizes in between, to incrementally drill larger holes until reach 29/64”.

To avoid tearing the bumper, lip and FRP under tray… recommend lowering the drill motor setting to 1 (lowest) and drilling slowly.

Flipped the bumper back upside down. The bumper prevents drilling the 1/4” holes under the vent straight on…No worries

The bumper is pliable and easily pulled out of the way.

For the 20mm, I used a variety of drill bits to gradually enlarge the hole until achieving 29/64”. If don’t have access to this assortment of large bits, can cut the holes using the heater blade trick. They are just access holes, so don’t need to be perfect.

Gradually drilling the 20mm access holes with a smaller bit.

Using the 29/64” bit. Remember: drill slowly on setting #1. When the bit stalled, backed off then hit it again.

Boo yow! 20mm hole drilled, perfectly centered to access the innermost 7mm bumper hole.

All of the provided rivet holes on J’s lip need to be enlarged using a 1/8” bit.

And all of the river holes on the FRP under tray as well.

 

[fatherpain]

Here are the mounting fasteners included in the J’s Racing lip. Highly recommend adding (4) lock washers to prevent anything from vibrating loose.

This is what a complete fastener set looks like. Bolt, 2 washers, lock washer and nut.

It's also a good idea to have plenty of these plastic push clips on hand. They are fairly cheap on websites like Honda Parts Now.

These are also good to have on hand.

With all holes drilled, it's time to reinstall the lip.

Always good practice to apply anti-seize to bolt threads before installing.

With the lip reattached and tabs fully engaged, the (4) M6 fasteners install to the 1/4" holes to secure the lip to the bumper.

The (2) outer fasteners are easy to reach, provided the FRP undertray is not installed. This nut still needs to be tightened. Should be snug but not overtightened to prevent cracking of the bumper or carbon fiber lip.

The innermost fasteners are a little hard to reach, so needle nose pliers make things much easier.

This is the reason for the 20mm holes. Without them, it would be much harder to thread a nut onto the M6 bolt, however it wouldn't be impossible.

Innermost M6 fasteners installed.

 

[fatherpain]

Make sure the ends of the J’s lip fit like this.

Verified the hole in the lip lined up with the threads on the bumper. This side was perfect.

However the otherwas a little off so required adjustment.

A round file worked like a champ to elongate the hole in the J’s lip.

Lip and bumper hole ready for OEM bolt removed from the stock lip to be reinstalled.

make sure these holes and the threaded clips on the lip are also lined up.

And reinstall the OEM bolts.

 

[fatherpain]

With all bolts installed, the FRP under tray was ready to go on.

The edge of the under tray tucks inside the CF lip and sits flush.

Used several plastic push pins to temporarily hold the under tray to the bumper for the rivet installation. These push pins need to be removed to connect the OEM plastic under tray before the bumper goes on. (more on that later.)

Inserted all (11) rivets into the lip and under tray to protect against misalignment while compressing each one.

This is a nice rivet gun available on Amazon for about $20. But any will do..

Correct orientation of a rivet that joins the under tray to lip. The diagram that come with the lip, show opposite, which was confusing

The gun tip goes onto the needle while the rivet end passes through. These pics were from my first attempt, before realizing the under tray needs to go on after the bolts go on. Original instructions said to put it first. ?

Didn’t take new photos, so please visualize doing this with these pieces on the bumper instead.

Fully press the gun down so the tip is flush to the work. Make sure the FRP and CF are snug against each other.

Squeeze the handle, to draw the needle up and expand the rivet. Be sure to wear eye protection because the wire snaps off when it’s done.

Rivet installed. Repeat for the rest.

FRP under tray installed in the proper sequence. After the bolts are installed, otherwise it’s super hard to reach them.

Could have done it that way, but it was stupid hard and required a lot of patience and finesse to get to the bolts. Not good for the average DIYer. Wanted these instructions to be painless as possible, so removed the rivets to do it right. If curious or need a redo, this is done by drilling the aluminum rivet using a 1/8” drill bit.

Nice and slow, until the rivet breaks free.

Drill through until the other end of rivet comes loose.

 

[fatherpain]

The J’s Racing lip instructions say to “sandwich” the OEM plastic under tray that’s still on the car between the bumper and J's FRP under tray at this section when reinstalling the bumper. Found this was also incorrect.

This is the intended “sandwich meat” if you will. There was no way the bumper would go on that way. So went about removing it. I normally disconnect at this section when pulling the bumper anyways, so when placed on the ground, it will remain upright and not fall over.

To pull it, there are a bunch of these push pins that need to be removed. The pins towards the bottom of the photo, do not need to be removed as they just hold the rubber skirt that runs along the bottom.

There are several bolts to remove. Some reside in deep recesses (not pictured). 10mm is the socket size.

Finally, there are (4) of these smaller push pins.

OEM plastic under tray removed. Just be careful when underneath as it collects pebbles and dirt so wear eye protection.

Again, smarter not harder. Its much easier to install the bumper to the plastic under tray off the car.

Positioned the bumper this way to install the under tray. Placed on a soft blanket to avoid scratches.

Again, this is a close up of the area the instructions say to sandwich the OEM under tray in between. Notice how the OEM undertray has a recess for the white bumper to sit against.

OEM plastic under tray aligned to the bumper.

Ensure all of the holes line up.

Then install OEM push pins to lock it together.

OEM plastic under tray installed to the J's lip and bumper! Darn this is finally ready to go on. Woohoo!! Hopefully it's worth it ?