The Tuned CivicX Experience & Reliability Thread (for all models)

[gtman]

Trust me on this. Derek and TSP wouldn't open up anything they deemed unsafe. I'm sure these will be user available tweaks that simply help customize driveability.

I think if this survey has shown anything so far, it's that the tunes available from KTuner, TSP, Hondata etc. are remarkably safe when driven non-abusively.

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[CStew81]

Vehicle: 2019 CTR

Total tuned time: 4 months

Total tuned mileage: 6,000+ miles

Tuning device(s) used: Burger Motorsports JB4 Tune

Tunes used: Map 2 91/93 octane and Map 3 93+ octane

Fuel used: Sunoco 93 Ultra, Exxon 93 Supreme, or cheap Wawa 93

Additional engine mods: PRL HVI, Apex'i N1-X Catback with GReddy front pipe

Problems/issues: Absolutely nothing

Driving style: Speedy with decent pulls from time to time, but mostly go with the flow of traffic.

 

[TastyGarage]

Vehicle: 2020 SI Sedan

Total tuned time: 2 months

Total tuned mileage: 1,500 miles

Tuning device(s) used: KTuner V1.2

Tunes used: Phearable.net Stage 1.5

Fuel used: 91-93 Octane

Additional engine mods: PRL cobra

Problems/issues: None

Driving style: Daily driver and speedy when needed.

Tuning experience notes: Tune is spot on. Day to day driving is perfect. Fuel trims are almost always zero. WOT is smooth. Fuel mileage better than stock

 

[BoxsterSteve]

So your statements are based exclusively on your own extensive testing ?

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[charleswrivers]

Trust me on this. Derek and TSP wouldn't open up anything they deemed unsafe. I'm sure these will be user available tweaks that simply help customize driveability.

I think if this survey has shown anything so far, it's that the tunes available from KTuner, TSP, Hondata etc. are remarkably safe when driven non-abusively.

I know the Phearable tune has a bit bigger claimed power delta from their stock vs tuned car (68hp/86t vs 55hp/76t). It may well make a little more horsepower. I do think that if TSP have the partial throttle boost setting open (whatever it’s called) you could make it be just as smooth as how the Phearable is claimed to be. TSP can be twitchy on the throttle if you drive it like a stock tune (an endearing quality to me TBH). If they open that up and what I assume is quick spool, you’d gain smoothness but also the quicker spool that the basemaps give.

I don’t see the .5# difference making the claimed higher ~10 whp delta. Got to be an extra unit of timing or allowing it to lean out a smidge more (folks have said their TSP tunes go richer). I’m sort of in a “don’t believe” camp that one can make drastically more power than the other. It’d be interesting if on a “TSP Stage 1 and 3/4s”... they actually tweak the actual tune a bit more to close any gap that might exists from *tiny* boost, timing or fueling tweaks.

I’ll have had my car not tuned for the longest since I did my break in... going on 2 weeks. I’d unlocked while I was car shopping and then sold the V2 for a 1.2 to do a wireless install while using Tunerview. The stock tune is miserable to drive and I just got my 1.2 yesterday and got it locked to the car and HondaHack running. I’m waiting for another TSP Stage 1 to be sent. One thing I’ll say for TSP Stage 1, is that when I did do data logging... the thing would lock in at .49 k.con and it took a lot to get it to budge. It, to me, had to be pretty conservative to hold there while I did 1st to the top of 3rd pulls back to back over the course of minutes on a warm day (upper 80s).

They may have given up on a little bit of 1 run peak power for consistent power and I haven’t heard of how Phearable tunes k.con holds on repeated pulls... though car-to-car it can vary. Slap an intercooler on any car to hold IATs low and you’re probably more detonation resistant to where there’s more room for more power on an otherwise stock car. These tunes have to stay detonation resistant on stock intercooler cars in 100F+ ambients while being thrashed.

We know from old threads folks would modify basemaps to run well over 25# and were adding timing on top of that. They well have made even more power than either basemap, but all of them commented that k.con would start moving quickly so their power was not consistent. A few had their engines come apart too... so... well... there’s that.

 

[gtman]

Charles hopefully you can chime in here on this.

Back when the TSP tune first was released for the Si, one of the big takeaways I saw posted from Si owners was "how much smoother it felt down low" and how much more linear throttle was compared to an aggressive KTuner Starter. And that it "screamed" on the top end. I can vouch that my non-Si TSP tune has that similar softer feel down low with a nice potent top end and linear throttle.

I've always guessed that was due to not having early spool enabled and a conservative part throttle turbo response setting. But, only a guess because I have no idea what adjustments Derek used. Honestly though, I actually preferred the more twitchy feel the KTuner Starter tune had around town (with all settings maxed out aggressive and early spool enabled). But of course mine's a CVT, not a stick.

Anyway, along comes the Phearable tune and everyone loves it. And that's terrific. What confuses me is that the same people who mentioned how smooth the TSP tune was before are now saying TSP felt too twitchy. So, I kind of wonder just how reduced response/power is at low rpm on that Phearable tune.

Basically I love almost everything about my TSP tune. I'm hoping the upcoming, open user settings allow me to tweak in a bit more response down low. Then, it would be perfect for me.

 

[charleswrivers]

Charles hopefully you can chime in here on this.

Back when the TSP tune first was released for the Si, one of the big takeaways I saw posted from Si owners was "how much smoother it felt down low" and how much more linear throttle was compared to an aggressive KTuner Starter. And that it "screamed" on the top end. I can vouch that my non-Si TSP tune has that similar softer feel down low with a nice potent top end and linear throttle.

I've always guessed that was due to not having early spool enabled and a conservative part throttle turbo response setting. But, only a guess because I have no idea what adjustments Derek used. Honestly though, I actually preferred the more twitchy feel the KTuner Starter tune had around town (with all settings maxed out aggressive and early spool enabled). But of course mine's a CVT, not a stick.

Anyway, along comes the Phearable tune and everyone loves it. And that's terrific. What confuses me is that the same people who mentioned how smooth the TSP tune was before are now saying TSP felt too twitchy. So, I kind of wonder just how reduced response/power is at low rpm on that Phearable tune.

Basically I love almost everything about my TSP tune. But, I'm hoping the new, open user settings allow me to tweak in a bit more aggression down low. Then, it would be perfect for me.

You’re absolutely right. We all (myself included) loved the added top end where the basemaps just sort of tapered off. For us manual guys, there wasn’t a lot of incentive to push past 6000 RPMs at all and you’d generally short shift the car. With TSP... pushing the car to or even past 6000 RPM became reasonable as there was power up there and keeping the revs up in lower gears was worth it.

It’s responsiveness was softer through. I keep hearing “more linear” being used to describe Phearable... and if that’s so, then “slower response” is what I get out of it. I can see the benefit of having some of the partial throttle turbo responsiveness and throttle response open for user customization... as it’s let you determine how twitchy the car is to partial throttle input. I want the most rapid spool and possible power delivery possible. I don’t want a turbo car to pretend to be an NA. Honda did a good job of nerfing this powertrain to do just that. When I put my foot down, I don’t want the car to hold back power to say, “Hey... look at this NA trick I can do” before I finally get the power.

When I was playing with basemaps... eventually, I was running all the most aggressive settings so the car would make power as rapidly as possible. Any dial backs for a more... “well mannered” car to me is going the wrong direction. Having it open again for us all to decide is the best... as it’s obvious there are a lot of people who’d like lazier response (or smooth as it’s sometimes called) but are happy for the extra power up top.

 

[kimtyson]

I think I only understood like 50% of the last 3 posts. But, it's all good. I'm learning.

I feel the TSP is lacking a little down low but I assume that is by design to protect our engines, which are really hi-rev.

 

[DmK]

I’m really curious when TSP will release an update for stage 1 and what it will included ?!

 

[gtman]

I feel the TSP is lacking a little down low but I assume that is by design to protect our engines, which are really hi-rev.

Definitely there to protect things but at the same time, a base KTuner tune with early spool, and aggressive throttle / part throttle turbo response quick settings (all said to be safe by JR) felt "snappier". For me anyway, that's the one thing the TSP tune is missing. City driving, at least with the non-Si TSP tune, feels a bit sluggish by comparison. Up top though, TSP pulls away... literally.

Just to illustrate. With the aggressive KTuner tune, I'd be driving on a city street at say, 30mph. With a light blip of the throttle I'd be at 55 in a flash. With TSP, it seems like you need a deeper jab of the throttle which is just a bit less satisfying. Down low the KTuner tune felt more "on edge" if that makes sense.

 

[gtman]

I’m really curious when TSP will release an update for stage 1 and what it will included ?!

I hear ya. Hard to be patient. Sort of like waiting for Santa to deliver your gifts.

 

[charleswrivers]

I hear ya. Hard to be patient. Sort of like waiting for Santa to deliver your gifts.

Yeah. If I could get a little quicker spool on the TSP and the top still doesn’t make k.cont move at all for me... it’d be pretty ok.

Heck, now that I have this Tunerview, I can watch my IATs and k.cont all the time.... as well as seeing peak boost reached to see what’s its doing in real time. Just got to get my new file. Heck... maybe I’ll throw a 23# basemap on for old times sake while I wait. I’ve got to do some errands here shortly and driving the car on it’s stock tune is depressing.

 

[gtman]

Upload the basemap while waiting and then do a fresh KTuner vs. TSP back to back comparison review.

 

[CivicPR0]

Vehicle: 2018 Sport Touring CVT

Total tuned time: 2 Years

Total tuned mileage: 15,000+ miles

Tuning device(s) used: KTuner V2

Tunes used: KTuner Starter Dual 21

Fuel used: 93

Additional engine mods: 27Won Turbo Inlet Pipe, 27Won Air Intake, GReddy Supreme Catback Exhaust, RV6 Front & Down Pipe, Mishimoto Intercooler, Mishimoto Oil Catch Can, PRL Charge Pipe Hose Upgrade Kit, Sirimoto Oil Cooler

Problems/issues: A/C Condenser replaced under Warranty

Driving style: Normal Driving

Tuning Experience Notes: This was was my first time tuning. It immediately turned the car into something else. It was way more responsive and noticeably faster. In the entire time I’ve had it tuned, I only had to go back to stock once and that was before taking it in to the Dealer for the A/C Condenser replacement a few weeks ago. I am looking forward to getting a custom Tune from DRob in the near future.

 

[gtman]

Thanks for the survey. No doubt with your bolt ons, D-Rob can work some real magic. For sure, consider doing it sooner rather than later if you can swing it.

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