gtman
Senior Member
- First Name
- Mitch
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2015
- Messages
- 8,965
- Reaction score
- 11,215
- Location
- USA
- Website
- www.civicx.com
- Car(s)
- 2017 Cosmic Blue EX-L Sedan
- Vehicle Showcase
- 2
- Thread starter
- #1
Everyone knows that tuning improves performance. But what about reliability and safety? I created this ongoing tuning thread to try to document just that and to get an overview of owner's overall tuning experiences.
If you currently have a tuned 10th gen (or were tuned in the past), help everyone in the community and add your car. It only takes a few minutes. Includes Type R, Si, 1.5T and 2.0 NA. Every tuned car added helps build our tuning knowledge base and helps others decide if tuning is right for them.
Please use the format below when adding your car to the thread:
Vehicle: 2017 Civic EX-L sedan
Total tuned time: 32 months
Tuned miles driven: 15,000+
Tuning device(s) used: Hondata CARB Flashpro, currently using KTuner V2
Tunes used: Hondata +6 and my own +7.5, KTuner Dual Starter 21, currently using a customized version of TSP Stage 1
Fuel used: Sunoco 93 Ultra (exclusively)
Additional engine mods: PRL silicone hose / aFe Pro Dry S filter combo
Problems/issues: None
Driving style: Slightly speedy with aggressive bursts from time to time.
Tuning experience notes: This is my first time tuning and I've gone from total tuning novice to now feeling comfortable enough to help others with tuning. I've never had a mod transform a car like tuning has. The main reason I tuned was to reduce the feeling of turbo and CVT lag when quickly going from light to heavy throttle. Tuning has definitely reduced the lag by maybe 90% and gives me a completely different driving experience. My car went from a peppy commuter to a bit of a sleeper beast. My mpgs are only slightly lower since tuning. Mostly due to a heavier foot.
-----------------
At the end of your post, attach pics, timeslips, videos, dyno results, etc...
-----------------------------------
Current thread stats (as of 12/1/20):
Total tuned vehicles: 433
Total tuned miles driven: 6,153,150 (reported)
Car with most tuned miles: choo (101,000)
Cars with major failures: 12 (2.8%) *
Failures by model: Si: 4; non-Si: 8; CTR: 0; 2.0 NA: 0
Percentage of cars running reliably: 97.2% **
Transmission type: CVT (132); Manual (301)
Hondata used as tuning device: 98
KTuner used as tuning device: 352
JB4 used as tuning device: 3
RaceChip used as tuning device: 2
Motec used as tuning device: 2
Bluespark Pro Petrol used as tuning device: 1
Pro custom tune file used: 77
Most popular OTS tune: TSP Stage 1 (195)
Other popular OTS tune: Phearable Stage 1.5 (49)
Submissions by model: Si (199); 1.5T Non-Si (188); Type R (32); 2.0 NA (14)
Most popular fuel: 93 octane (237) (55%)
Flex fuel: 47 (11%)
Most added bolt-ons: PRL Cobra intake, PRL intercooler
* Major Failures: 2 of the cars had failed CVT's (both replaced under warranty). 1 car had faulty injectors and a blown head gasket. 1 car blew an engine running an E35/meth setup. 1 car blew an engine on the racetrack. 1 car blew an engine when the owner mistakenly used non-race gas with a tune designed specifically for race gas. 1 owner had a major failure on a used car he purchased. 1 owner admitted he abused his car and destroyed his engine. 1 CVT turbo owner used a high power stage 2 Powermetric flex fuel tune w/full bolt ons and blew his motor. 1 owner had his CVT replaced under warranty (damaged by high power ethanol tune); the new CVT has been trouble free for 70,000+ tuned miles. 1 car threw a rod under "iffy" circumstances according to it's owner (possible abuse/user error). 1 owner destroyed his CVT after some track time in 100° weather.
** Lesser Issues: There were issues reported here and there with the stock clutch, a couple injector replacements and some fuel trim and knock control funkiness depending on intake and gas used. None of these issues were catastrophic.
-----------------------------
Observations: From the cars added so far, base tunes (on a more or less stock 10th gen) appear to be safe. Properly tuned, adding bolt-ons can be reliable, too. The issues seem to happen mostly when power output is pushed too high, owners attempt to self-tune too aggressively, the car is continuously driven to the limit (like on a racetrack) or there is some abuse or neglect involved.
Summary: There is no doubt that a tune is the single best power-based performance mod. Having said that, tuning does add additional stress. Long term reliability can be compromised if you tune for ultimate power (on stock internals) and push your car to the limit often. Use common sense and your tuning experience should go well.
Important Note: Since this is an ongoing thread, please add an updated new post from time to time to reflect changes to your original post. Things like additional tuned miles driven, changes to your tune setup or issues that occur. That way, we can keep the thread as accurate as possible. - gtman
If you currently have a tuned 10th gen (or were tuned in the past), help everyone in the community and add your car. It only takes a few minutes. Includes Type R, Si, 1.5T and 2.0 NA. Every tuned car added helps build our tuning knowledge base and helps others decide if tuning is right for them.
Please use the format below when adding your car to the thread:
Vehicle: 2017 Civic EX-L sedan
Total tuned time: 32 months
Tuned miles driven: 15,000+
Tuning device(s) used: Hondata CARB Flashpro, currently using KTuner V2
Tunes used: Hondata +6 and my own +7.5, KTuner Dual Starter 21, currently using a customized version of TSP Stage 1
Fuel used: Sunoco 93 Ultra (exclusively)
Additional engine mods: PRL silicone hose / aFe Pro Dry S filter combo
Problems/issues: None
Driving style: Slightly speedy with aggressive bursts from time to time.
Tuning experience notes: This is my first time tuning and I've gone from total tuning novice to now feeling comfortable enough to help others with tuning. I've never had a mod transform a car like tuning has. The main reason I tuned was to reduce the feeling of turbo and CVT lag when quickly going from light to heavy throttle. Tuning has definitely reduced the lag by maybe 90% and gives me a completely different driving experience. My car went from a peppy commuter to a bit of a sleeper beast. My mpgs are only slightly lower since tuning. Mostly due to a heavier foot.
-----------------
At the end of your post, attach pics, timeslips, videos, dyno results, etc...
-----------------------------------
Current thread stats (as of 12/1/20):
Total tuned vehicles: 433
Total tuned miles driven: 6,153,150 (reported)
Car with most tuned miles: choo (101,000)
Cars with major failures: 12 (2.8%) *
Failures by model: Si: 4; non-Si: 8; CTR: 0; 2.0 NA: 0
Percentage of cars running reliably: 97.2% **
Transmission type: CVT (132); Manual (301)
Hondata used as tuning device: 98
KTuner used as tuning device: 352
JB4 used as tuning device: 3
RaceChip used as tuning device: 2
Motec used as tuning device: 2
Bluespark Pro Petrol used as tuning device: 1
Pro custom tune file used: 77
Most popular OTS tune: TSP Stage 1 (195)
Other popular OTS tune: Phearable Stage 1.5 (49)
Submissions by model: Si (199); 1.5T Non-Si (188); Type R (32); 2.0 NA (14)
Most popular fuel: 93 octane (237) (55%)
Flex fuel: 47 (11%)
Most added bolt-ons: PRL Cobra intake, PRL intercooler
* Major Failures: 2 of the cars had failed CVT's (both replaced under warranty). 1 car had faulty injectors and a blown head gasket. 1 car blew an engine running an E35/meth setup. 1 car blew an engine on the racetrack. 1 car blew an engine when the owner mistakenly used non-race gas with a tune designed specifically for race gas. 1 owner had a major failure on a used car he purchased. 1 owner admitted he abused his car and destroyed his engine. 1 CVT turbo owner used a high power stage 2 Powermetric flex fuel tune w/full bolt ons and blew his motor. 1 owner had his CVT replaced under warranty (damaged by high power ethanol tune); the new CVT has been trouble free for 70,000+ tuned miles. 1 car threw a rod under "iffy" circumstances according to it's owner (possible abuse/user error). 1 owner destroyed his CVT after some track time in 100° weather.
** Lesser Issues: There were issues reported here and there with the stock clutch, a couple injector replacements and some fuel trim and knock control funkiness depending on intake and gas used. None of these issues were catastrophic.
-----------------------------
Observations: From the cars added so far, base tunes (on a more or less stock 10th gen) appear to be safe. Properly tuned, adding bolt-ons can be reliable, too. The issues seem to happen mostly when power output is pushed too high, owners attempt to self-tune too aggressively, the car is continuously driven to the limit (like on a racetrack) or there is some abuse or neglect involved.
Summary: There is no doubt that a tune is the single best power-based performance mod. Having said that, tuning does add additional stress. Long term reliability can be compromised if you tune for ultimate power (on stock internals) and push your car to the limit often. Use common sense and your tuning experience should go well.
Important Note: Since this is an ongoing thread, please add an updated new post from time to time to reflect changes to your original post. Things like additional tuned miles driven, changes to your tune setup or issues that occur. That way, we can keep the thread as accurate as possible. - gtman
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