Labor Day Install Madness (build thread)

[2020MSMcivicSI]

Type-R Shifter information:

Video to show results:


Pic of the install

Really one of the best upgrades I've done. The Type-R shifter gives short enough throws and then the Acuity parts just tighten everything up. There is more shifting effort but gears really "fall into place" once you pass a certain point. I've never had the 2nd gear crunch that many do, so can't really speak to this fixing that problem. There is some extra noise when shifting into even gears but that is fixable too with some zip ties. I just didnt know about that when I had everything apart or I would have done the zip tie fix... too much work to tear everything back down so I will just live with the added noise now. Added bonus of this combination is that it is cheaper than the acuity stage 2 updates for SI shifter.

Install took me longer than it should have but I was trying really hard not to break any plastic stuff... I failed. I had to glue one wire mounting tab back into place so I turned this into a 2 day job (had to wait for the glue to harden), probably 4 hours total.

The transmission bushings were a much easier and straightforward install. Sorry I didn't take any pics of that but there are several youtube videos that are really good. Just be careful when removing those C clamps... I cut the hell out of my hand removing them.

Sponsored

 

[2020MSMcivicSI]

Wheel information:
Enkei PF01 18x8.5 +48... only 18.3 lbs!

Other good options for lightweight wheels:

Anything from this page will be lightweight, strong, and "reasonably" priced.
https://enkei.com/product-category/wheels/racing/

Konig is good as well if you want to spend less money, but make sure they are the flow formed:
https://konigwheels.com/wheels/flow-formed-wheels/

Even Motegi has a couple decent options that are not too heavy and really well priced... check out the MR145, MR146, and MR140. Great bang for the buck here.

 

[2020MSMcivicSI]

Just really good info here... Full SI stock exhaust measurements and Type-R as well:

https://www.civicx.com/forum/threads/si-sedan-stock-exhaust-measurements.52945/

 

[2020MSMcivicSI]

Pic of my custom exhaust from rear.

HDMI tip is a little lower than stock but unless you have another SI next to mine, you would never know. Big thing for me is that it was level. Had to bend out the tip inlet tubes so much that we didn't want to bend them anymore up. (The reason for the bending was that the 2 outlets of the Vibrant muffler are wider than the inlet tubes to the HDMI tip)

Another bonus of this setup is that I lost a good bit of weight on the rear end with the stock 2 mufflers and tubing gone.

 

[2020MSMcivicSI]

Thought I would do a quick write-up of my KTuner mount as well. I'm not a big fan of the suction cup type mounts so I went a different way. This mount uses RAM Mount parts and the driver's side dash vent.

This mounting location keeps the KTuner lower and IMO more stock looking than the suction cup mounts.

Here is how it goes into the vent with just a couple washers and bolts

The airflow is blocked a little but it still gets the job done for when defrosting is needed.

You do need to make an adapter to the KTuner T style tabs but the parts are easy to find on amazon.

There is a tiny bit of rattling of the T tabs but it would be fixed if I used better foam tape than the tape that comes with the KTuner v2. Other stock parts of the Honda buzz or rattle more than this mod.

 

[Fit2Hatch]

Thought I would do a quick write-up of my KTuner mount as well. I'm not a big fan of the suction cup type mounts so I went a different way. This mount uses RAM Mount parts and the driver's side dash vent.

This mounting location keeps the KTuner lower and IMO more stock looking than the suction cup mounts.

Here is how it goes into the vent with just a couple washers and bolts

The airflow is blocked a little but it still gets the job done for when defrosting is needed.

You do need to make an adapter to the KTuner T style tabs but the parts are easy to find on amazon.

There is a tiny bit of rattling of the T tabs but it would be fixed if I used better foam tape than the tape that comes with the KTuner v2. Other stock parts of the Honda buzz or rattle more than this mod.

Appreciate your last post and I really like your V2 mount. I do have a couple of questions.

How did you pop the vent to mount the bracket? Could you list the RAM Mount parts and parts needed from Amazon for those of us want to duplicate your great idea?

TIA

 

[2020MSMcivicSI]

How did you pop the vent to mount the bracket? Could you list the RAM Mount parts and parts needed from Amazon for those of us want to duplicate your great idea?

AMPS Ball mount: RAM-B-347U
Cell Phone bundle: RAM-B-102-UN7U
AMPS to T adaptor: ARKON AP032-VSM Vehicle Specific Mount Adapter

The vent comes out really easy with some plastic pry tools... really nothing to it and nothing to damage, just try it and you will see.

I used some spare washers I had around the house and all the rest of the hardware needed came with the stuff above. So its a sandwich of RAM diamond base plate -> vent -> washer -> nut and a bolt running through all of that. If I ever need to take my car in for service, I switch the AMPS/T mount for KTuner back to the cell phone mount part and looks like it supposed to be there.

You also dont need to purchase that cell phone bundle... just get a RAM "medium b size arm" and a "diamond b size base" instead if you don't want the cell phone holding part.

 

[Fit2Hatch]

AMPS Ball mount: RAM-B-347U
Cell Phone bundle: RAM-B-102-UN7U
AMPS to T adaptor: ARKON AP032-VSM Vehicle Specific Mount Adapter

The vent comes out really easy with some plastic pry tools... really nothing to it and nothing to damage, just try it and you will see.

I used some spare washers I had around the house and all the rest of the hardware needed came with the stuff above. So its a sandwich of RAM diamond base plate -> vent -> washer -> nut and a bolt running through all of that. If I ever need to take my car in for service, I switch the AMPS/T mount for KTuner back to the cell phone mount part and looks like it supposed to be there.

You also dont need to purchase that cell phone bundle... just get a RAM "medium b size arm" and a "diamond b size base" instead if you don't want the cell phone holding part.

Really appreciate you taking time for the detail response.

 

[2020MSMcivicSI]

Another part, another post: the 27won Front Strut Tower Bar

Packaging was pretty minimal compared to other 27won products but it is just a bar, so it was plenty protected.

This was by far the easiest thing I've installed on the vehicle, but those bolts were on there tighter than I thought... I almost broke a sweat getting them off.

There are some options with how you can route the new battery cable. I think there is more clearance closer to the driver's side than anywhere else due to the battery box top clamp. Also gotta love the little 27won engraving.

You can really see how much room there is between everything on the right of the engine bay and the bar here:

Same thing for the left of the engine bay, plenty of clearance.

Not enough driving yet to really have any good feedback, but I want to add a lower front power brace to complete the tie-down of left and right sides in the front of the car. Currently debating between the Cusco and Ultra Racing braces.

 

[2020MSMcivicSI]

About 2 weeks driving with the bar now so I have pretty good idea on the improvements.

The biggest change is on slalom type maneuver (quickly going left than right or other way around). Right now, central OH is obsessed with installing traffic circles everywhere. When they are empty, it can be fun to take them at higher than intended speeds. The traffic circle requires a quick right, left, right combo to go straight through and bar really shows itself when I start to go back left and then right again. The transfer of weight seems much more under control back and forth.

The other place I really noticed a difference was when hitting a bump mid turn. The front end is more planted and absorbs the bump better.

Just a "normal" turn really doesn't seem any different from before or at least not different enough for me to notice... I still think the bar was worth the money.

 

[DmK]

About 2 weeks driving with the bar now so I have pretty good idea on the improvements.

The biggest change is on slalom type maneuver (quickly going left than right or other way around). Right now, central OH is obsessed with installing traffic circles everywhere. When they are empty, it can be fun to take them at higher than intended speeds. The traffic circle requires a quick right, left, right combo to go straight through and bar really shows itself when I start to go back left and then right again. The transfer of weight seems much more under control back and forth.

The other place I really noticed a difference was when hitting a bump mid turn. The front end is more planted and absorbs the bump better.

Just a "normal" turn really doesn't seem any different from before or at least not different enough for me to notice... I still think the bar was worth the money.

Take it to Hocking hills to check it fully through the corners ?

 

[2020MSMcivicSI]

Take it to Hocking hills to check it fully through the corners ?

Was my favorite place to go during lockdown... Most of my first 3k miles on the car where out there

OH-664 south of Rushville all the way to old man's cave is my preferred route. Once there, the loop of OH-56, OH-374, and OH-664 is awesome. I need to do it again before snow starts.

 

[DmK]

Was my favorite place to go during lockdown... Most of my first 3k miles on the car where out there

OH-664 south of Rushville all the way to old man's cave is my preferred route. Once there, the loop of OH-56, OH-374, and OH-664 is awesome. I need to do it again before snow starts.

You definitely should! I went there yesterday and it was a blast, even counting that mines is only Ktuner and short shifter installed ?

 

[2020MSMcivicSI]

Next mod completed: putting some more junk in the trunk - Ultra Racing Trunk Brace and a Kicker 44CWCD84 sub-woofer.

Taking everything off/out to remove the rear deck is one of the worst things you have to do in this car... it just sucks. Also pretty much every video on youtube is for the coupe and the sedan is slightly different. I recommend watching one of the many coupe videos on youtube and then using these tips:

1) Remove the lower rear seat (Optional but it helps)
2) Remove the lower splash guards right inside the door near the floor
3) Drop the rear seats forward
4) Remove the weather stripping around the rear of the back doors, just pull out some to help, don't fully remove.
5) Remove bolts that hold next plastic piece. This piece is higher up from the piece you removed in step two.
6) Remove the bolts that hold the rear deck in place.
7) The tricky c pillar that is different on a sedan: Remove the highest piece of trim that runs along the rear window. Start at highest point at the rear window and pull toward the inside of the car. Work your way toward the rear going along the window. Once everything is loose near the rear of the car, the front part of the plastic must be slid out of a special clip that is supposed to stay in the car body. This is the only clip that does not come off with the pieces that are being removed. You need to pull the piece toward the front of the car to get it off this clip.
8) Last piece of plastic trim on the side of the car can now be removed.
9) Un-clip the 2 rear tweeters, they are glued into the rear deck.
10) Finally you can remove the rear deck.
11) Install is the reverse.

Other than the 4 10mm bolts (and one 10mm that holds the rear seat if you do the optional step 1) there is nothing but plastic clips that hold everything together... All this work just to replace the crappy stock sub-woofer.

I originally made a 3/4 inch mdf ring to mount the sub but that made it too tall to put the rear deck back on, so I said screw it and just literally pounded the sub into the stock hole. I spent over 2 hours making this ring that would use the stock bolts and after it was too tall (probably would have worked with 1/2 inch thick ring), I was angry and just made it work. The size of the Kicker was very close to the stock one and the metal in the rear deck is so flimsy that I was able to "massage" it in with a rubber mallet. Hopefully the vibrations of the sub dont make it rattle, but it is currently VERY solid. I tested it before putting everything back together.

The Ultra racing trunk brace was very straight forward, the only real issue is you do need to drill out one hole to make it bigger for the bolts that come with the bar. I also recommend using dental floss or fishing line to tie to the bots so you dont drop them down into hard to get places. The hardest bolt to get into the hole is this one that you drill:

The hole that needs to be enlarged is the one with the shavings around it... the original size was just like the hole next to it (below in the pic)

Here you can see the stock sub-woofer gone and the bar installed.

And finally all done with the carpet back and sub in... i didn't bother to trim the carpet cause its really not in the way of anything and doesn't look that bad.

The sub is no where near the bar even though it looks like it in this pic. The front of the sub magnet is more towards the rear than the bar. There is about 1 inch of space.

 

[2020MSMcivicSI]

Well it's been a whole year and I had another labor day weekend, so I had to change something with the car...

27won does such a good job packing their products, I had to get a couple pics

Underneath the top boxes (just gotta laugh at the fast and furious quote)

Not a scratch to be seen anywhere (yet)

It so pretty... I don't even want to install it... maybe I should just hang it up in my garage as wall art?

Nice little details everywhere

The install is pretty straight forward and 27won gives really good install instructions. The only "hard" part was this bolt... I could not fit my torque wrench anywhere on this bolt and even had to use the exhaust as leverage to tighten down. (3/8 ratchet only fit on the other side that wrench is on)

All done

Gonna drive it around for a week to get full impression of sound but it is completely different from my previous custom setup.