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

[gtman]

I'm seeing a lot of people saying "I'll add my car at some point to your reliability thread". At some point meaning in the distant future.

Back in 2019, I created this thread as a survey to try to show tuning reliability. That's true. But, it's also always been about the overall tuning experience too. So yes, it's about how your tune is effecting (or not effecting) reliability but also about adding your tuning experience and notes to the mix.

In other words, you don't need to wait long term to add your car. Even if you just recently tuned your car, add it to the thread. As you put on more miles, add updates here and there. Every car added helps the CivicX community.

Mitch

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[ocbooger]

Update:


Vehicle: 2018 Civic Hatchback Sport Touring (CVT)


Total tuned time: 4 years


Total tuned mileage: 42,000


Tuning device(s) used: KTuner V2


Tunes used: KTuner dual tune, TSP Stage 1, Phearable 1.5 (current)


Fuel used: BP 93


Additional engine mods: PRL Race CAI, PRL FMIC, Greddy exhaust, RV6 Catted DP/FP, PTP Turbo blanket, 27won RMM


Problems/issues: None


Driving style: aggressive city driving and lead foot whenever I can.

Recently switched to Phearable 1.5 tune after running TSP stage 1 for almost 2 years. I liked the TSP tune but it always felt kind of jerky in certain situations. Phearable tune has been much smoother in power delivery IMO.

 

[ReaperCivic]

Vehicle: 2019 Civic Sedan Touring (CVT)


Total tuned time: 1 Month


Total tuned mileage: 3500km


Tuning device(s) used: KTuner V2


Tunes used: Phearable 1.5


Fuel used: Petro 94


Additional engine mods: PRL SRI, custom 2.5 inch exhaust


Problems/issues: None


Driving style: 75% of the time it’s calm, but definitely a lot of aggressive bursts

Wanted to trade this car in, now I don’t. That’s how good the tune is.

 

[gtman]

Vehicle: 2018 Civic Hatchback Sport Touring (CVT)

Recently switched to Phearable 1.5 tune after running TSP stage 1 for almost 2 years. I liked the TSP tune but it always felt kind of jerky in certain situations. Phearable tune has been much smoother in power delivery IMO.

100% the case. I
ran the TSP from almost the first day it was released and loved it. The Phearable tune is noticeably smoother and refined. it adds a bit more up top, too. It's fantastic.

It will be interesting to see if TSP or Phearable release updated non-Si tunes that include the new artificial knock removal feature at some point. I'm pretty sure they would sell well.

 

[gtman]

Current thread stats and info:

Tuned cars submitted: 623

Tuned miles driven: 8,773,570 (reported)
Car with most tuned miles: choo (101,000+)

Cars with major failures: 15 (2.4%)
Failures by tune type: Base: 7; OTS: 2; Custom: 6
Failures by model: Si: 3; Non-Si: 12; CTR: 0; 2.0 NA: 0
Percentage of cars running reliably: 97.6%

Transmission type: CVT (202); Manual (421)

Hondata used for tuning: 129; Race (111) Carb (18)
KTuner used for tuning: 523; V1.2 (290) V2 (233)

JB4 used as tuning device: 3
RaceChip used as tuning device: 4
Motec used as tuning device: 3

Pro custom tuned cars: 117
Base tuned only cars: 183

Most popular OTS tune: TSP Stage 1 (270)
Other popular OTS tune: Phearable Stage 1.5 (114)
Newest OTS tunes: TSP 1+ (21); Phearable 1.5R (9)

Top rated pro tuners: Derek Robinson, John Vega

Submissions by model: Si (282); 1.5T Non-Si (278); Type R (44); 2.0 NA (19)

Most popular fuel used: 93 octane (321)
Users adding 1-2 gallons E85: 80
Flex fuel kits installed: 66

Cars with no added bolt ons: 195
Cars with at least one bolt on: 298
Cars running full bolt on setups: 130

Upgraded turbos installed: 43

 

[Ep3-FK7]

Update 10/3/2021
Vehicle: 2017 Civic Ex Hatchback

Total tuned time: 2 Years

Total Miles on Car: 50,300

Tuned miles driven: 20,000

Tuning device(s) used: KTuner V2

Tunes used: KTuner Dual Starter 21 w/aggressive quick adjustments for 10,000, Phearable Stage 1.5; currently using the Phearable Stage 1.5R.

Fuel used: 93 from BP recently started adding 1 gallon of E85 per tank.

Additional related mods: PRL catted downpipe, Prl front pipe, Prl intercooler and charge pipes, PRL cobra intake with street maf. ProDrager Exhaust. D2 lowering springs.


Problems/issues: None after 20,000 miles.

Driving style: Slightly speedy with aggressive bursts from time to time.

Maintenance: Change oil every 5,000 miles with amsoil signature series 0w-20. Changed Cvt fluid every 15,000. The last change I drained and filled with amsoil cvt fluid 3 times to switch from the honda cvt fluid.

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." Experience and driving style stolen from @gtman as it sums up mine to a T. *Updated pictures after lowering and installing exhaust.* Ran Phearable 1.5 tune with great results for 15,xxx miles and just recently switched to the race version of the tune. So far really enjoying it seems a bit more aggressive. Plan on upgrading turbo over winter to RV6 as well as upgrading to arp head studs and getting a custom tune. Update will be made following these upgrades.

 

[gtman]

Experience stolen from @gtman as it sums up mine to a T.

Actually experience and driving style.

Thanks for adding your car. Great choice going with the Phearable 1.5 tune.

 

[Ep3-FK7]

Actually experience and driving style.

Thanks for adding your car. Great choice going with the Phearable 1.5 tune.

Thinking of going flex fuel in future but worried about longevity of engine not so much cvt as they can be had for fairly cheap.

 

[gtman]

Thinking of going flex fuel in future but worried about longevity of engine not so much cvt as they can be had for fairly cheap.

Hopefully, as this thread evolves we can see how the reliability is affected by higher levels of ethanol. I know we see some issues with injectors here and there and have had some failures. I just kind of wonder if the failures were more from the much higher output tunes than the use of ethanol.

 

[2020MSMcivicSI]

UPDATE: I finally hit 10k miles on the car this weekend so I thought this is a good mile-stone to update my tuning profile here.

Vehicle: 2020 Civic Si Sedan

Total tuned time: 1.25 Years

Total tuned mileage: 9,000+ miles

Tuning device(s) used: KTuner v2

Tunes used: TSP Stage 1 and TSP Stage 1 Custom for Race MAF

Fuel used: Shell/Marathon/BP 93 (top-tier gas)

Additional engine mods: 27won Intake, Race MAF, TIP, and Intercooler. RV6 Downpipe and custom exhaust

Problems/issues: None

Driving style: 2 drive modes - fuel efficient or WOT

Tuning experience notes: Still loving the tune on this car, so far it has been completely trouble free. I was able to grab one of the first productions batch RV6 turbos so that will be going on this summer, along with a full dyno tune. (This is assuming I can get a clutch) Will update again once turbo is in.

 

[mesa_az_honda]

Vehicle: 2018 Civic Sport HB, 1.5T, 6MT

Total tuned time: 1 Year-ish

Tuned miles driven: 15,000-ish

Tuning device(s) used: KTuner V1.2

Tunes used: KTuner 21 psi, TSP Stage 1

Fuel used: 91

Additional related mods: None

Problems/issues: None

Driving style: I plead the 5th

Tuning experience notes: Not sure how to answer this. It's Plug n Play. KTuner 21 psi with most aggressive settings was more fun than the TSP Stage 1 tune - to each their own. Clutch was fine. Changed oil per factory recommendation. No issues mechanically or legally.

 

[gtman]

Driving style: I plead the 5th

Tuning experience notes: Not sure how to answer this. It's Plug n Play. KTuner 21 psi with most aggressive settings was more fun than the TSP Stage 1 tune - to each their own. Clutch was fine. Changed oil per factory recommendation. No issues mechanically or legally.

Thanks for adding you car. Love driving style answer.

And for the record, I don't disagree that an aggressive KTuner base tune is super fun. It definitely is more punchy off the line than the OTS tunes.

 

[vctwhitepearl]

UPDATE: @ 83K changed on the fly 3 tune setup from aggressive Ktuner 21 -24 custom to Phearable 1.5 - 15, 20, 24

Vehicle: 2017 Civic Hatch EX

Total tuned time: 3+ Years

Total tuned mileage: 70K+

Tuning device(s) used: PC Ktuner software, KTuner v1.2

Tunes used: Ktuner Starter 21 customized, currently Phearable 1.5

Fuel used: 93 Shell, 93 ROFO

Additional engine mods: stock

Problems/issues: None so far

Driving style: mostly respectful @ 10-12 above however there are occasional let it fly bursts when needed

Tuning experience notes: Fun times keep rolling on in my Honda, enjoy using Ktuner 21 great to experiment with, Phearable is great as is. Loaded 5 Hi to Lo tunes in 1.2 slots and flash from Tunerview mobile app.

 

[HILNDAR]

Vehicle: 2020 Honda Civic Hatch Sport CVT

Total Tuned Time: 6 months

Total Tuned Mileage: ~5k miles

Tuning Device: ktuner v1.2

Tunes used: Phearable 1.5 only Map 1,2 and 3

Fuel used: California 91

Additional Mods: Michelin Ps4 all round

Comments: Car had 9.5k miles on her before I tuned. Fresh Oil change, and did the CVT Oil too before install. Living in the high desert, temps are great in Fall through Spring. Summer is 95-110 degrees. Need a solid internet signal to communicate to their server for download. Transfers to ECU easily after locking and registering. Hard to get 93 Octane so stuck with 91. Happy how you switch Maps, but felt Map 3 was unusable without some mods. All I can say is MAP 1 is excellent and MAP 2 is really quite surprising. Both very smooth but I also like to mess with the transmission modes, S and D. Also the paddle shifters were fun. I never beat on the tune. I recommended it.

 

[Robot3RK]

Vehicle: 2019 Honda Civic Hatchback Sport CVT 1.5T

Total tuned time: 3 Days

Tuned miles driven: 72

Tuning device(s) used: KTuner v1.2

Tunes used: Phearable Stage 1.5 Non-Si

Fuel used: (California) Costco 91, Shell 91

Additional related mods: 27WON CAI with 27WON Street MAF, MISHIMOTO Intercooler, 27WON FSTB, ULTRA RACING Lower RSTB.

Problems/issues: None

Driving style: Usually normal when going to work. Other times slightly speedy with aggressive bursts from time to time.

Tuning experience notes: This is my first time tuning. Tuning transformed my civic into a little monster. The main reason I tuned was to reduce the feeling of turbo and CVT lag. I've only tried Phearable Stage 1.5 Non-Si on Map 1 and I am quite satisfied. I don't really feel the need to jump to Map 2 or Map 3 yet. I want to preserve the longevity of the car as it is my daily by solely staying on Map 1. I just wanted a little extra kick but not put too much stress to the car and this seems to be just right.

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