Must Do Upgrades / Hardening for Civic Si (Xmas list)

[YoItsBp]

I'll be FBO next month or so and planning on getting the Phearable 1.5R tune. I also have an upgraded clutch already. So those numbers are promising. I know your custom and dyno tuned. I feel I should be close to those or same with the R tune.

Phearable is about 2 hours away. I should drive there and have them custom dyno tune my car after the parts are installed. J/K. Maybe if I go upgraded turbo one day I might. I don't even know if they do dyno tunes.

There’s a YouTuber that has more modes than me and has the r tune and is making 245 to the wheels. I highly suggest not spending money on ots tunes if you want the most power.

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[YoItsBp]

Impressive numbers with just a few mods. Perhaps it was tuned for higher rpm vs lower end tq. I can't see the dyno graph. It's partially cutoff.

It’s a zoomed in crop, I don’t have my tq numbers on the picture I took I’d have to contact my tuner and have him email me it. Lol I almost drove off without any graph I ram back inside and he pulled a graph up and I snapped a pic. The picture does run to peak rpm’s though you can see it if you click on the image. The power is extremely linear and keeps pulling all the way through.

 

[borcth]

There’s a YouTuber that has more modes than me and has the r tune and is making 245 to the wheels. I highly suggest not spending money on ots tunes if you want the most power.

I have seen Tony Castillo on youtube. FBO w/Phearable 1.5R tune only making about 249whp and about 300wtq. It was at Eman's shop. The Phearable 1.5R tune is suppose to make a bone stock Si. Granted there are variables, but not that extreme. He has upgraded clutch too. I honestly thought that was very bizarre. I wonder if it was the dyno reading weird numbers.

 

[atrain1385]

Thanks everyone for their input and ideas, any more thoughts on suspension or cosmetic upgrades?

 

[Berserk_FC3]

Good afternoon everyone,

Long time lurker now is the Christmas season so gift list to be had for my SI!

What upgrades / hardening (addressing a design weakness / known problem area) are a must do / most bang for the buck for this platform?

I have the 27won rear engine mount and subframe brace along with Acuity shift knob, Acuity boot collar, and pedal relocate bracket. I want to get the Acuity shifter cable bushings and I know this is cosmetic carbon fiber mirror caps but what other items would be a solid upgrade?

Exhaust is always a good one, I have a Borla but my buddy has a MAPerformance Race and loves it. As others have mentioned, a KTuner is the one of the best if not the best mods for the car, and following that up with a PRL Cobra CAI would be awesome, really opens the turbo up for a lot of that whoosh noise. A Whiteline sway bar or even a strut bar makes a huge difference.

 

[gtman]

Performance upgrade basics

1. Tune
2. Better tires
3. Upgraded rear sway bar
4. CAI
5. Upgraded intercooler
6. Front strut bar (one piece)

As far as cosmetics, smoked side markers make a nice difference. But it's all personal preference.

 

[86salmon]

Often overlooked, but a total game changer for me...

Wide angle anti glare side mirrors

I have a set from SUMA performance

Also, a new shift knob feels nice. I like the Mishimoto CF, PRL delrin, Acuity ESCO (just ordered a v2 insulated )

 

[wuaname]

Basic question: once the tune is loaded with the Ktuner do you have to “turn on the ktuner eaaaaaachhhh time you get in the car” anddddd “turn if offffff when you turn off the car”? It’s connected to the obd ll port and that has constant power.

I’m used to my tuner on my former S197 5.0 - upload the tune and your done. I don’t really care about all the pretty numbers and data the ktuner gives me if i have to turn it on / off each time bc one day I’ll forget to turn it off.

 

[86salmon]

Basic question: once the tune is loaded with the Ktuner do you have to “turn on the ktuner eaaaaaachhhh time you get in the car” anddddd “turn if offffff when you turn off the car”? It’s connected to the obd ll port and that has constant power.

I’m used to my tuner on my former S197 5.0 - upload the tune and your done. I don’t really care about all the pretty numbers and data the ktuner gives me if i have to turn it on / off each time bc one day I’ll forget to turn it off.

Flash the ECU and the tune is onboard

You only need your ktuner plugged into your obd for flashing and data logging

 

[bbeem]

Basic question: once the tune is loaded with the Ktuner do you have to “turn on the ktuner eaaaaaachhhh time you get in the car” anddddd “turn if offffff when you turn off the car”? It’s connected to the obd ll port and that has constant power.

I’m used to my tuner on my former S197 5.0 - upload the tune and your done. I don’t really care about all the pretty numbers and data the ktuner gives me if i have to turn it on / off each time bc one day I’ll forget to turn it off.

Flash the ECU and the tune is onboard

You only need your ktuner plugged into your obd for flashing and data logging

And also if you have 3 different maps on your tune like the ots tunes have, it will remain in the last map. If you want to change to a different map you'll need to be plugged in. I leave it plugged in because I have tunerview automatically start on the head unit when car starts.

 

[Doc_Mello]

I leave it plugged in because I have tunerview automatically start on the head unit when car starts.

Myself as well.

 

[Slinkee]

I swear by the Acuity shifter upgrades. The shifter base bushings, centering spring, and cable bushings are a truly pleasant combo. They also make a full adjustable short shifter assembly if you’re into that, as well as a throttle pedal relocation bracket (pedal spacer) to help fix the *nigh impossibility* of heel-toe in this car for those of us with smaller/skinnier feet.

Otherwise, comes down to application. Engine cooling is a great way to go, upgrading from the stock clutch+fw is a good choice if you’re chasing power (or honestly even just for a “basic” change in driving feel). Maybe a “duh” thing but a new shift knob is always nice, and with consideration for the holidays they make a really damn nice stocking stuffer (my mom got me one for Christmas a couple years ago it was so sweet). Springs or coilovers are a good way to go.

Or just go hotboi and ask for a few rolls of 3M for Christmas.

 

[atrain1385]

Post Christmas update:

I have the acuity shift bushing, carbon fiber mirror cap replacements, and a 1 piece struct tower bar. Waiting for decent weather to put any of those in (no access to a garage) Thank you everyone for the ideas. Goal this year is to pay off the car completely, then more suspension upgrades then add power last.

 

[atrain1385]

Finally all the upgrades from Xmas are on! Here are my thoughts:

Acuity Shift Bushing: Pretty impactful to shifting more "notchy" less slop a solid upgrade! Install was easy EXCEPT for pulling those darn clips off that lock in the shift cable. Easiest way I found was to pull up on one side of the clip with a wrench then use a wrench to slide under the edge and then push the the wrench down causing the mouth of the wrench to pry up against the transmission case. Then lever down across the clip to get it to pop off. When reinstalling be careful NOT to have the clips slide over one side of the metal shift cable bushing and not the other.

DC 1 piece strut tower bar: Noticeable change in cornering flatness, easy install, bolts off, bar on , bolts on. Use provided plastic wrap to wrap the battery wire.

Carbon fiber mirror caps: Look good nice subtle change to the car. Install tricky but do able: Prying the mirror off easy, used a interior plastic trim tool and a wash cloth to not mar the bottom of the mirror housings. There are 3 clips described like in every install video, the 2 tops ones get pried up and hard to see 3rd one in the middle ish pries down. There are 2 others that no one mentions well. The secret 4th clip is barely a clip more like a thicker part of the plastic BUT it still slides and pops in a very small very thin plastic "ring" clip. Use a pry tool and run in along the top of the mirror cap towards the "tip of the shark fin / mirror furthest away from the car" and pry, this will pop the clip and make the last clip much easier. The 5th and last clip runs in a track closest to the car once all the clips are popped the whole side mirror cap can be slid forward. Aftermarket cover fits 9 outta 10 not OEM but good enough just gotta jiggle all of the clips to pop back into place. Putting the mirror back on is easy but be careful, the white pegs to the remote mirror adjustments motors will most likely come off and stay on the mirror side LEAVE them on the mirror side, when reinstalling line up the mirror careful and press firm all 3 connections (the middle ball, and the 2 pegs to motors) will pop back in. It is very possible to miss one of the pegs and smash it against the peg seat and deform. You will know because mirror sits weird and motors for adjustment will not work properly. Remove mirror again check motor peg seats CAREFULLY bend back into place and make sure small metal "keychain ring" is circling all 5 teeth. Reinstall carefully and boom good to go. Not hard just a bunch of small things that can ruin your day if you rush.

 

[madchiller]

vargas gc+ upgraded turbo with tune and just fill in the bottlenecks later.

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