1.5T Guide to DIY Flex Fuel Kit for Hondata or KTuner

[CivicXander]

Work in progress.. I'm tapping into the passenger hi beam for power, I figure since I rarely use high beams it'd be ok. This requires a little bit of trimming of the inside of the fuse box lid but in the end you'll notice nothing once you put the cover back on. Next, I have to find where to mount the ktuner converter and hook up all the wires.

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[dc2turbo]

Work in progress.. I'm tapping into the passenger hi beam for power, I figure since I rarely use high beams it'd be ok. This requires a little bit of trimming of the inside of the fuse box lid but in the end you'll notice nothing once you put the cover back on. Next, I have to find where to mount the ktuner converter and hook up all the wires.

It barely draws any power. So you would be fine tapping it there or somewhere else

 

[maddmatt02]

It barely draws any power. So you would be fine tapping it there or somewhere else

I don't know the exact draw or the effects of the converter/sensor being always on but isn't that fuse constant 12V? Pretty sure in the converter instructions it specifies switched 12V.

 

[VitViper]

I just bought this one https://www.ebay.com/itm/192099093454
it looks just like the one sold from Vittuned

That's a Chinese copy sold on eBay. I've had customers buy that, plug it in, and it reads 40% on pump gas. If that happens you're going to have a very bad day. The OEM GM one is a lot more than $25, even my wholesale cost.

 

[CivicXander]

That's a Chinese copy sold on eBay. I've had customers buy that, plug it in, and it reads 40% on pump gas. If that happens you're going to have a very bad day. The OEM GM one is a lot more than $25, even my wholesale cost.

Wow ok, I will shop for another, thanks for that.

 

[maddmatt02]

The one I got was 4o bucks on amazon, is continental branded and as long as these numbers are close to actual (I am going to test them eventually) my sensor is accurate.

arco premium - 11%
shell e85 - 83%
USA gasoline premium 6%

Not to say a continental sensor is bad or good or even if the name on it would make it genuine though...

 

[VitViper]

The one I got was 4o bucks on amazon, is continental branded and as long as these numbers are close to actual (I am going to test them eventually) my sensor is accurate.

arco premium - 11%
shell e85 - 83%
USA gasoline premium 6%

Not to say a continental sensor is bad or good or even if the name on it would make it genuine though...

China copy. They are very good at cloning all the visual elements on everything (fake Tial wastegates come with "Tial" and "Made in USA" on them...) Not saying they don't work completely, just rate of failure and DOA is very high. The way they also fail is wrong -- they'll give an incorrect reading instead of dropping out of the 50hz-150hz range. When an OEM one fails it drops out of that Hz range and the KTuner converter/programming detects a fault and goes to 0% ethanol content to protect the engine. I've only had one OEM one out of something like 100 sensors be bad. hz went to 200 to note an error but the fuel temp (pulsewidth) reading was still accurate (as the sensors do fuel temp AND ethanol content).

I couldn't get an OEM GM one for 40 bucks at wholesale from the dealer if I tried. And I also buy them in bulk as we use them on a bunch of cars. IE, if you want the OEM GM one I buy, I have to sell it to you for $90 plus shipping. If someone is DIY I highly recommend just going to a local dealer and getting one in person. It's worth the peace of mind.

 

[maddmatt02]

Ill just fill up with full e85 every 5th tank or so, test the fuel to make sure its close (Ill run as low as possible), then after I run the tank down dilute it with some e10. Ill probably always target the same blend also (3-7) so if the display starts showing way too much or too little I should know something's up. If/when it fails though I'll probably step up to the OEM at that point.

 

[dc2turbo]

I don't know the exact draw or the effects of the converter/sensor being always on but isn't that fuse constant 12V? Pretty sure in the converter instructions it specifies switched 12V.

Ahh yes. I forgot about that. It does need to be on an accessory power fuse as stated on the write up. Some of the fuses in that section are but I don't remember which.

 

[360glitch]

I completed this yesterday. Learn from my mistakes:

• In an effort to save time waiting on parts, I opted to not use a plug for the ECT2 engine harness connection, instead just tapping into the wire. The problem is that it is very difficult to work in that space. It would have been much easier (and cleaner) to have used the plug recommended by dc2turbo.
• I tapped my switched ignition source in the fuse box under the hood. It was a pain because the box is really not designed to have anything else in there. It may be best to avoid that.

 

[maddmatt02]

I completed this yesterday. Learn from my mistakes:

• In an effort to save time waiting on parts, I opted to not use a plug for the ECT2 engine harness connection, instead just tapping into the wire. The problem is that it is very difficult to work in that space. It would have been much easier (and cleaner) to have used the plug recommended by dc2turbo.
• I tapped my switched ignition source in the fuse box under the hood. It was a pain because the box is really not designed to have anything else in there. It may be best to avoid that.

I think if the car was on a lift and you could get both arms straight over your head you might be able to work in that area but lying in your back under the car I could barely position myself to get both my hands in there at the same time let alone in a position to have any strength to press tabs on plugs our push plugs together if they were a right fit.

Do you remember what fuse? I'd read about people tapping the 12v to the reverse switch on other Honda's so that's what I did. My fuse box plan was to add-a-fuse and then run the wire to the void in the box at the firewall side, make up the connection and drop it in there and then feed the wire back to where the main power cable from the battery feeds the fuse box and run it through a tiny hole I was going to drill at the base and then run it down right next to the big power cable and hide it that way.

 

[CivicXander]

I completed this yesterday. Learn from my mistakes:

• In an effort to save time waiting on parts, I opted to not use a plug for the ECT2 engine harness connection, instead just tapping into the wire. The problem is that it is very difficult to work in that space. It would have been much easier (and cleaner) to have used the plug recommended by dc2turbo.
• I tapped my switched ignition source in the fuse box under the hood. It was a pain because the box is really not designed to have anything else in there. It may be best to avoid that.

Can you show a pic of the wire you spliced into? The e54 pin right? I'm still not sure what's the best way to hook it up

 

[360glitch]

I think if the car was on a lift and you could get both arms straight over your head you might be able to work in that area but lying in your back under the car I could barely position myself to get both my hands in there at the same time let alone in a position to have any strength to press tabs on plugs our push plugs together if they were a right fit.

Do you remember what fuse? I'd read about people tapping the 12v to the reverse switch on other Honda's so that's what I did. My fuse box plan was to add-a-fuse and then run the wire to the void in the box at the firewall side, make up the connection and drop it in there and then feed the wire back to where the main power cable from the battery feeds the fuse box and run it through a tiny hole I was going to drill at the base and then run it down right next to the big power cable and hide it that way.

I do not recall exactly which fuse. It was near the center of the box. There were only a couple of ignition switched options in there.

Can you show a pic of the wire you spliced into? The e54 pin right? I'm still not sure what's the best way to hook it up

I spliced in right at the connector that plugs into the ECT2 sensor. Passenger side of the radiator at the bottom.

 

[maddmatt02]

Can you show a pic of the wire you spliced into? The e54 pin right? I'm still not sure what's the best way to hook it up

the plug is cheap and it actually arrived pretty quickly, I would just buy the plug and save yourself the headache of trying to work in that cramped area.

 

[dc2turbo]

For those that wants to splice into the wire directly. It's the right wire (red) if you are looking at the open end of the plug.


It's really tight in there. I could only get one hand up there. If you can manage to unclip the wire from the bracket, You would have a good bit of slack to pull the plug down.

I will try to make a write up on making the AN line next week.

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