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

[Civics4Ever]

@gtman is there any shortcut to finding your last tune update post?

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[gtman]

Just use search. Put your member name in and use the "this thread" option.

Just remember, if you want to do an update, I find your previous update and note the differences in your new post for the stats.

 

[Civics4Ever]

Update: #2 (for this car)

Vehicle: 2017 Civic Touring Coupe

Total Tune time: 2 year 3 months

Total tuned miles driven: 49,000

Tuning device used: Ktuner V2

Tunes used: Ktuner 19/21 base map. Aggressive settings on what I can adjust.

Fuel used: 93 octane, mostly Shell, but always top tier gas.

Additional related mods: PRL Cobra cold air intake

Problems/issues: None

Driving style: It's my daily, so mostly relaxed, WOT at least once a week, whenever anyone wants to go, I'm up for it. Co-workers M37x from a 40 roll, I gapped him by 1.5 car lengths earlier this year.

Tuning experience notes: Tuning with @KTuner is worth every dam bit of the money you spend on it. Highly recommended!
This is my 2nd 1.5t. I totalled my 2016 EXT with 128,000 miles on it of which 65,000 miles were tuned and trouble free.

Add you tuned Civic here: Tuned CivicX Experience & Reliability Thread
Been a Civic owner since 1985. That's pretty damn long!
Currently, an 04 LX Sedan and a 17 Touring Coupe - Ktuner V2, PRL Cobra Cold Intake, Megan Racing strut bar


Really, nothing has changed. Reliable as ever, Recently made a round trip to Ardmore, OK. with only 1 stop for gas on the way back, 837 miles! Mostly running 80-85mph with a burst up to 137mph, though to be fair, there was a strong tail wind which helped, i'm sure. Car has just over 95,000 miles on it.

 

[JonnySi]

Vehicle: 2018 Civic Si Sedan

Total tuned time: 5 years, 3 months

Tuned miles driven: 70,XXX

Tuning device(s) used: KTuner V2

Tunes used: KTuner 21/23 Base Map for ~ 55,XXX miles.... Currently running TSP Stage 1+ (Rarely running tune 3, mostly tune 2 @22psi) for ~15,XXX miles

Fuel used: 93 Octane exclusively, (Preferably top tier if available).

Additional related mods: PRL Cobra CAI for ~ 55,XXX miles.... Currently Full Bolt on for~ 15,XXX miles. this includes ... PRL Cobra CAI, PRL Intercooler and Charge Piping, PRL Titanium Turbo Inlet Pipe, RV6 Catted Downpipe and Frontpipe Combo. Non "power" related mods are as follows... PRL Rear Motor Mount, 27Won Strut Bar, Cusco Front Power Brace, Whiteline RSB, PRL Shifter Cable and Shifter Base Bushings, Acuity Centering Spring, CTR Subframe Brace.

Problems/issues: None

Driving style: Mostly high speed highway commuting to and from work, some spirited driving, i.e. hard cornering and braking and acceleration on twisty backroads. Rarely WOT pulls but never from below 4k RPM because stock clutch and don't want to throw a rod.

Tune experience notes:
Overall my experience with tuning this car has been fantastic. For about 4 + 1/2 years I had just the Cobra CAI and the Ktuner base maps which were already night and day over the stock setup of the car. However, as you all know, the itch to modify came back with a vengeance and I proceeded to add all of my remaining mods within a few months of each other in early 2023. I much prefer the TSP Stage 1+ over the previous base maps. The car is much less snappy and jerky at low speed and the tune is overall much smoother. I will say that the single biggest difference in smoothness came when I replaced the Stock RMM with the one from PRL. The difference is truly night and day and I would highly recommend this upgrade for anyone who wants their car to feel more planted and less jerky when applying/releasing the throttle and shifting. As far as the rest of the mods go I couldn't be happier with the car and the way its feels on the road. As of now I have had no issues with any of the mods and love them all! Next up is Vargas GC Turbo, Retrofit CTR Clutch, Flywheel and E-tune. Looking forward to updating this post with more mods soon!

 

[gtman]

Jonny... just a fantastic addition to the thread. Super nice setup.

Side note: As you add and change things, make a new post, don't edit your original. The way I keep the stats up to date is seeing new update posts and comparing them to your prior post. If you edit your original post, important data gets overwritten and the thread stats can't be updated.

 

[BoxsterSteve]

Another uneventful year since my last update.
Nothing to report since first tuning my car in December 2019 except an enjoyable, trouble-free tuned driving experience.

Vehicle:
2018 Civic Touring sedan

Total tuned time:
5 years

Tuned miles driven:
94,000km; ~ 59,000 miles

Tuning device used:
KTuner V1.2

Tune used:
CVT stage 2 base map at first
Phearable 1.5 non Si tune for the last 2 years

Fuel used:
Costco 91 or Shell 91

Additional related mods:
None

Problems/issues:
None

Driving style:
Generally non-aggressive.
I have a 40 mile highway round trip commute to work and just set the cruise slightly over the limit to maximize mileage to the tune of 42-45mpg.
Tuning has transformed the driving experience completely.
There is no waiting for boost to build in pass or merge situations because the power is there immediately.
Under full throttle launches, the car still leaves pretty softly but then starts to pull like a freight train and really wants to break traction after 10 feet or so.

Tune experience notes:
The car was great with the KTuner stage 2 CVT base map, and I waffled for a year or so before taking the plunge and getting the Phearable 1.5 non-Si tune.
Definitely an evolution in the tuning experience, the Phearable tune is a fair bit softer off the line but pulls much harder as speed builds.
It shoves you into the seat and keeps you there.
The KTuner base map was more beastly from a stop but really fell off dramatically at highway speeds.
As already mentioned in previous updates, tuning has completely transformed the car, reducing turbo and CVT lag dramatically.
Casual driving feels much smoother and aggressive driving feels way more satisfying.
All in all, the tuning experience has been drama free, and totally satisfying.

 

[gtman]

The car was great with the KTuner stage 2 CVT base map, and I waffled for a year or so before taking the plunge and getting the Phearable 1.5 non-Si tune. Definitely an evolution in the tuning experience, the Phearable tune is a fair bit softer off the line but pulls much harder as speed builds. It shoves you into the seat and keeps you there. The KTuner base map was more beastly from a stop but really fell off dramatically at highway speeds.

Spot on. I know the Phearable 1.5 is kind of a shock to the system off the line when someone is used to an aggressively set up KTuner Starter 21. But once you realize how much better it is for the CVT, and once your realize you need to poke the throttle a bit more, it's a fantastic tune top to bottom.

The KTuner Starter tunes kind of fool you into thinking you have a potent tune. The reality is all the fun is in the low and midrange and it's a bit of a dud up top.

 

[absolude]

Just uploaded a tune and did a datalog on the first drive of about 30 minutes. The knock control stayed at .49 all the way through but knock count was 47.
Is this normal?
I'm afraid I forgot to take it easy or first drive and just drove it normally...

 

[gtman]

47 on a 30 minute drive is nothing to be concerned with.

 

[absolude]

47 on a 30 minute drive is nothing to be concerned with.

Thank you.
Is this to small an amount for the k. control to intervene or just short of a drive?

 

[gtman]

I'm not sure you exactly understand how this works. The "knocks" you see in the log aren't actual misfires. Aren't actual engine knocks. It can just be random noise events. Knock count (unless you see 100+ in a matter of a minute) is basically meaningless.

 

[absolude]

I'm not sure you exactly understand how this works. The "knocks" you see in the log aren't actual misfires. Aren't actual engine knocks. It can just be random noise events. Knock count (unless you see 100+ in a matter of a minute) is basically meaningless.

I knew knock count is not as relevant as in previous(non turbo) generations but didn't remember to what extent.
I was trying to monitor how is the engine doing with different octanes and brands of fuel .

 

[BoxsterSteve]

…but knock count was 47.
Is this normal?

Nothing to worry about.
Knock count also increases from extraneous driveline vibrations, rough roads and the AC compressor cycling.
On a good day on a hot humid summer day my KCon is 0.72 on 91 octane fuel.
I’m too German to feed the car 93 octane.
It runs great on 91 like Phearable said it would and I’m good with how the 10 datalogs I did looked.
I did run two tanks of PetrolCan Ultra 94 during my hot summer datalogging and I got 0.49 - 0.52 KCon, so it’s all fuel and intake temperature related and the car is doing what it’s supposed to do.

 

[Montana Miner]

Vehicle: 2020 Civic Si Coupe (replacement for 2007 non Si below which tragically was killed)

Total tuned time: 5 months

Tuned miles driven: 7,000 (car was purchased used, had 24k)

Tuning device(s) used: Hondata Non-CARB Flashpro

Tunes used: Custom tuning by Dan at E-Tunez. Currently on revision #5, will send datalog for him to do final tweaks in revision #6. They offer unlimited revisions for ~$300.

Fuel used: Exxon 91, ”May contain up to 10% Ethanol” likely does. Highest available although 91 octane “contains no ethanol” is commonly available, car is tuned for 10% ethanol.

Additional related mods: Skunk 2 catless DP/FP, stock catback. Injen SRI.

Problems/issues: CLUTCH ISSUE: Now experiencing clutch slip. Occasionally it’s wheel spin, but know when that happens as traction control flashes and cruise kicks off. But now in 6th gear, 65 mph, WOT spins the clutch, unless the road is wet/ice glazed, or sanded, then wheel slip. But mostly clutch slip in 6th gear, sometimes in 5th.

Driving style: Occasional bursts in town, cruise control highway, WOT throttle passing on 2 lanes, overall just trying to avoid jail. Rally style on winding canyons. Just be ready when you lose the rear. The first time you don't save it is photos below. Fortunately I landed trunk first. Walked away with minor abrasions and sore shoulder from seatbelt.

Tune experience notes: Totally different car. Scary fast, WOT on steep interstate mountain pass in 6th gear is 65 MPH to 95 in a blink of the eye. If you don’t use the new torque and power fuel economy has gone from previous record of 44 MPG to new record of 58 MPG. That’s on the identical 120 mile round trip (albeit in different seasons). Run today was 237 miles, mixed interstate with cruise at 83 mph (below police problem which is +85) and hilly 2-lane with cruise at 73 mph, average pump gallons based was 37.9 MPG. That’s winter cold temps and 4-5k elevation.

Next upgrade: Clutch. RV6 FK8 retro lightweight flywheel with Exedy FK8 stage 0. Unless anyone has better suggestion

in case you missed it above, this was the former civic tragically murdered by loss of rear grip. Girlfriend at funeral thought boulder imprints were funny.

My tuners notes on revision #6, which I’m excited to load and datalog tomorrow! What I like about custom tuning, everything is dialed in for your vehicle and operating environment. Off the shelve tunes aren’t this level of refinement.

Rev6: Calibration looks great, WOT AFR's spot on with S.trim hovering around -1% -3%, which is spot on. Typically aim to have it between -1% to -5% as its better to have ECU pulling minor amounts of fuel than needing to add fuel. Couple knocks recorded around 2200-3500RPM on tip in in higher gears, nothing concerning and most likely ghost knocks from DP but did some minor ign smoothing in that RPM range. Added a bit of boost here to help compensate with elevation, mostly by smoothing boost curve, and interpolating between boost columns. Tune is nearly perfect, wanted to see if you prefer a minor increase in throttle sensitivity and response by adjusting throttle parameters before finishing everything off. Overall looking great here, more of the same logs please

 

[gtman]

1,261 tuned cars in the thread. 48 major failures. Here's all the links to the failure posts.

1 car had a failed CVT (replaced under warranty).
1 car had a blown head gasket.
1 car blew a CVT pushing the car hard with an existing emissions problem.
1 car blew an engine running an E35/meth setup.
1 car blew an engine when the owner mistakenly used non-race gas with a tune designed specifically for race gas.
1 owner had major failures on a used car he purchased.
1 owner admitted he abused his car and destroyed his engine.
1 non-Si owner blew his engine on a Stage 2 Powermetric flex fuel tune w/full bolt ons.
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.
1 car had a bent connecting rod but there were many factors (neglect) beyond the tune.
1 Si blew two OEM head gaskets (finally replaced with a better aftermarket gasket).
1 car bent a rod while doing WOT datalogging for a custom remote tune (had run meth for a short time as well).
1 car blew a CVT after serious neglect/abuse with numerous brake launches and burnouts.
1 Si blew a transmission running a high power flex fuel tune (full bolt ons).
1 car bent rods, had bearing material in the oil and CVT issues.
1 Si blew the head gasket and lifted the head after 14,000 aggressively driven tuned miles.
1 Type R had overheating issues; blew the head gasket and the top piston ring scored the cylinder wall; engine replaced.
1 car had a failed CVT running a base tune on a stock setup (likely factory defective; replaced under warranty).
1 car bent a rod after filling up with low octane gas (sold as high octane) in Egypt.
1 car bent a rod on a high output custom tune during a WOT pull.
1 car had a catastrophic engine failure when a tuner bumped up low end torque too far.
1 car (a 1.5T hatch) had an engine failure where octane booster possibly contributed.
1 hatch blew an engine after adding too much octane booster to the tank.
1 Si blew a head gasket running a high power flex fuel tune.
1 custom tuned 2.0NA had a CVT failure.
1 Si failed when the engine seized up due to a likely oil pump failure.
1 Non-Si engine was destroyed when the intake camshaft snapped possibly due to a defective oil pump.
1 hatchback bent a rod running a base tune with no bolt ons.
1 Si needed a transmission replacement due to a bearing failure (replaced under warranty).
1 Si had damaged engine bearings likely due to a failed oil pump.
1 car's engine had a spun rod bearing.
1 Si owner blew his transmission after admittedly beating on his car long term.
1 Si blew a head gasket on an OTS flex fuel tune.
1 Si blew it's transmission after many hard driven miles on a high power tune.
1 Non-Si owner had a failed CVT on a car he purchased used.
1 hatchback owner blew his engine on a +6 Hondata base tune.
1 CTR track car suffered a blown head gasket and scored cylinder walls.
1 OTS tuned Si had a head gasket failure.
1 aggressively driven Si (on an OTS ethanol tune) had a transmission failure.
1 W2 powered Si had a failed head gasket.
1 Non-Si in Australia blew a rod when the owner neglected a long term engine knocking issue.
1 Non-Si on a high power custom flex tune had a head gasket failure.
1 Si on a TSP1 had head gasket and rod bearing failures.
1 hatchback blew a rod and shattered a piston.
1 Si had a transmission failure (lost 4th gear) caused by user error.
1 aggressively driven flex fuel tuned Si blew a transmission.

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