Failures from the tuning reliability thread

[gtman]

After studying the failures so far from the reliability thread, a couple things are clear. The majority of failures have happened on cars pushing higher power on flex fuel blends with multiple/full bolt-ons. 13 of the 17 major failures basically fit that category.

The most telling stat from the failures is that the other 4 failures were on cars with mild (non-flex fuel), minimal bolt-on setups. That means that lightly modified, moderate output tuned cars only have a 0.55% failure rate (4 failures out of 725 cars).

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[Smellycat]

Hey @gtman what do you think about using a flex fuel kit with ktuner base maps running 30-40% ethanol in our L15 motors? I know their basemaps limit tq which is totally fine as I’m not looking to push too much power, just whatever i can squeeze out of a 35-40% ethanol blend on a stock turbo.
I do have intentions to replace the turbo and fmic

I’m on a fk7 with a cvt, please chime in on this man as far as longevity and year round “cooling” from the ethanol

 

[gtman]

Hey @gtman what do you think about using a flex fuel kit with ktuner base maps running 30-40% ethanol in our L15 motors?

I’m on a fk7 with a cvt, please chime in on this man as far as longevity and year round “cooling” from the ethanol

A lot of it boils down to driving style. And remember, most non-Si failures have occured in the hatchbacks.

 

[Smellycat]

A lot of it boils down to driving style. And remember, most non-Si failures have occured in the hatchbacks.

Yeah, that’s why i am saying, would running flex fuel increase the longevity? I wouldn’t be pushing the pedal any harder

Let’s say these guys with the failures settled with basemaps, there cars should still be here today amirite

 

[Chaucer]

Yeah, that’s why i am saying, would running flex fuel increase the longevity? I wouldn’t be pushing the pedal any harder

Let’s say these guys with the failures settled with basemaps, there cars should still be here today amirite

As someone who’s a fan of ethanol, during street driving the cooling effect just makes it so you have a denser air charge and can make power with less boost. Engine health cooling really only comes into play when this car is being pushed hard. Like auto cross/track day hard. And even then, this car doesn’t really have an overheating problem like the Type R does.

 

[charleswrivers]

…and here I am with this thing still sitting in the box from where I won it a year ago.

There seemed to be a few incidents of injector failure, not necessarily resulting in an engine failure as folks have used flex fuel. It may well have been random and unrelated. I just never thought the car needed much more power than the reflashes. I think I’m the realm of 250 approaching 300 whp for around-the-town driving, I wouldn’t be able to “drive the slow car fast” as it became less slow and make more power than could effective be put down in 1st and 2nd. I’m already using BBG in 1st and AVSA to keep it from losing traction with summer tires.

I’ve just kind of held on to it thinking one of these days I might get a wild hair and install it for the hell of it.

 

[Tonycivicboi]

Hi Gtman,
What do you think about the reliability of Ktuner with TSP stage 1(staying on Map 1 only) on stock 2021 civic hatchback manual?

Based on what i have been reading from different threads, the hatchback has weaker rods which makes it unreliable with tuner?

 

[gtman]

You'll be fine.

Yes the hatches have slightly weaker rods. But most failures were on much higher output tunes or abused.

 

[SilverArrow]

I am using Tsp stage 1 (map 2 and 3) on my civic hb 1.5 manual.
Map 1 is the same the stock: it is very safe.

 

[NewCivicRs]

…and here I am with this thing still sitting in the box from where I won it a year ago.

There seemed to be a few incidents of injector failure, not necessarily resulting in an engine failure as folks have used flex fuel. It may well have been random and unrelated. I just never thought the car needed much more power than the reflashes. I think I’m the realm of 250 approaching 300 whp for around-the-town driving, I wouldn’t be able to “drive the slow car fast” as it became less slow and make more power than could effective be put down in 1st and 2nd. I’m already using BBG in 1st and AVSA to keep it from losing traction with summer tires.

I’ve just kind of held on to it thinking one of these days I might get a wild hair and install it for the hell of it.

Maximum boost 1.4 bar or below, you will be fine. You lucky have manual trans, not cvt. Cvt will fail before the rods fail, mostly.
Indeed hatch got weaker rods, it is still strong enough to handle tsp 1.

 

[gtman]

Added failure #18 (IonEX-T) to the first post.

 

[gtman]

Update: As of 11/11/22 there have been 33 documented major failures out of the 1,066 cars submitted to our tune experience & reliability thread. That's a 3.1% failure rate.

 

[Augenauf]

Really wish I could tune, but voiding a 100k mile Honda CPO warranty would hurt too much. especially on a hatch with shitty rods.

 

[gtman]

How would you be voiding it? My warranty was intact the entire time I've been tuned. Had warranty work done. I mean it's not like I take my car into the dealer with my KTuner hooked up and 15 KTuner stickers plastered about.

As far as the hatches, base/ots tuned versions have done well overall. Most issues are due to driver error/abuse and high power. Using your car as a DD with some extra zip won't give you problems.

 

[Doc_Mello]

it's not like I take my car into the dealer with my KTuner hooked up and 15 KTuner stickers plastered about.

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