Top End Bolt ons for the L15B7 VTEC Turbo

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ThorSellsCars

ThorSellsCars

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Haven't seen many reviews for AFE exhaust bolt ons, because not many have bought them, likely due to the high price tag compared to the competition (PRL & RV6), which make proven quality parts, with honest performance data.

Running a BOV on this platform is a waste of money, and detrimental to your car.

I also live in Houston and understand completely about running a CAI. If you don't wanna run a CAI, anything other than a Silicone Hose and high flow air filter, is pretty much a waste of money.

PRL has consistently proven to have the parts that make the most gains. With that said, fuel, and a tune are the best power makers for this platform.

Using Hondata over Ktuner is not recommended on this platform by anyone who is truly informed.

CVT cooler is a waste of money unless you plan to run the car hard around a race track (not drag racing), or plan to push the car to it's absolute limits, which would involve turbo upgrades, built internals, etc . Intercooler would be a more worthwhile investment if you want to make more consistent power, especially for back to back runs and pulls.
So PRL, Injen, Misimoto, aFe all make intercoolers and they all seem to have stats that I cant compare against each other is there a way to decipher which one is the best. Money is not an issue as i seem to have to keep explaining to people when i post, this is not in reference to you :) is in reference to someone whos only argument as to why one part i was looking at was not worth the buy cause it was overpriced, im not looking for a budget build im looking for tried and true quality, Fitment and of course a little eye candy never hurt either. Also my aFe parts arrived today will be updating with results.
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Just looking at pictures of AFE's intercooler the ends seem to be restrictive compared to PRL or mishimoto. they made a flat spot right where the tube goes into the cooler, whereas both the others have a more rounded approach to it, which would help with keeping the flow going. There is a lot more info on PRL, for a good reason. I'm not bashing other manufacturers, 27won def makes a good product. Injen products have a very bad rep here and from reading reviews on other platforms too it's about the same. Stick with the company that makes a lot of R&D and posts it in forums. If I were you I'd run the PRL ram air with race maf, their upgraded turbo and turbo back exhaust kit, grab a ktuner and go to a shop to have it all installed and CUSTOM tuned so you don't destroy your CVT. A good tune on a CVT with be very quick because it never stops pulling vs having to shift a manual. Seen tests on other platform where a car with a CVT was running 4-6 lbs less boost to be as fast as the manual cars. Hope this helps.
 

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I have learned about the platform I work for a honda dealer and was a ford and peterbilt heavy duty mechanic for 4 years thanks :)
You claim you've learned about the platform, yet you mention a BOV, which our vehicles were not designed for. They use a MAF sensor and recirculating bypass valve. Your thread title also says "L15B7 VTEC Turbo". If you learned about this platform, you'd also no there is NO VTEC on these motors. It would appear that doing "work for a Honda dealer" hasn't taught you a thing about their modern turbo line-up.

So if I were you, I'd start listening to the people in this thread who are very likely to know a lot more about this platform than you do. Here's some things you should know right off the bat;
  • BOVs are bad for the L15B7 and K20C3. The systems are not designed for them and using them will result in rich fuel trims as the MAF sensor will not get accurate readings because of VTA.

  • 91/93/E85 all have good results. If going E85, the max power to be made is at 40% ethanol content level (E40). Our fuel systems max out and cannot deliver the fuel fast enough to gain more power. You would need to upgrade the Injectors and Fuel Pump at a minimum. Anyone who says you can run full E85 and tune it in Hondata is wrong. You'll throw a rod like the half dozen other guys who did it.
  • Hondata or KTuner is up to you. Hondata is well known, but their customer support for the FlashPros is garbage. They cost more with no real benefit over KTuner. KTuner has better support, better results and better ways to monitor your data. You can use TunerLite on your head-unit to get real time readings.

  • AFE has little to no reviews in the 10th Gen Community. This isn't the early 2000's. Their name doesn't carry the same weight as it used to. If you want quality parts with actual performance results, go with PRL and/or 27Won. They're killing it in the 10th Gen performance area.
 
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You claim you've learned about the platform, yet you mention a BOV, which our vehicles were not designed for. They use a MAF sensor and recirculating bypass valve. Your thread title also says "L15B7 VTEC Turbo". If you learned about this platform, you'd also no there is NO VTEC on these motors. It would appear that doing "work for a Honda dealer" hasn't taught you a thing about their modern turbo line-up.

So if I were you, I'd start listening to the people in this thread who are very likely to know a lot more about this platform than you do. Here's some things you should know right off the bat;
  • BOVs are bad for the L15B7 and K20C3. The systems are not designed for them and using them will result in rich fuel trims as the MAF sensor will not get accurate readings because of VTA.

  • 91/93/E85 all have good results. If going E85, the max power to be made is at 40% ethanol content level (E40). Our fuel systems max out and cannot deliver the fuel fast enough to gain more power. You would need to upgrade the Injectors and Fuel Pump at a minimum. Anyone who says you can run full E85 and tune it in Hondata is wrong. You'll throw a rod like the half dozen other guys who did it.
  • Hondata or KTuner is up to you. Hondata is well known, but their customer support for the FlashPros is garbage. They cost more with no real benefit over KTuner. KTuner has better support, better results and better ways to monitor your data. You can use TunerLite on your head-unit to get real time readings.

  • AFE has little to no reviews in the 10th Gen Community. This isn't the early 2000's. Their name doesn't carry the same weight as it used to. If you want quality parts with actual performance results, go with PRL and/or 27Won. They're killing it in the 10th Gen performance area.
Hey man chillax and ride the wave, no reason to get all uppity, I have learned about the platform granted I dont know everything and there are conflicting articles in different areas. Its okay to be misinformed as long as you keep looking for the right answers also ive read a massive amount in the last 2 weeks, so you are about 2 weeks too late in the bash me for asking about BOV.

Now moving forward, thank you for explaining why running rich is a bad thing. thank you for the E40 advice that is some golden info that I have not read anywhere yet.

I already have my Dyno and KTuner appointment scheduled at my local race den.

I went with aFe becuase I've used them before and have had good support through them, the only reason I didnt go 27won is because I wanted to order all my stuff from the same place because I dont plan on doing a full build on the CVT Ill be trading it in for a 2020 Si next year March.

Thank you for your info youve definitly answered some lingreing questions for me.
 
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Just looking at pictures of AFE's intercooler the ends seem to be restrictive compared to PRL or mishimoto. they made a flat spot right where the tube goes into the cooler, whereas both the others have a more rounded approach to it, which would help with keeping the flow going. There is a lot more info on PRL, for a good reason. I'm not bashing other manufacturers, 27won def makes a good product. Injen products have a very bad rep here and from reading reviews on other platforms too it's about the same. Stick with the company that makes a lot of R&D and posts it in forums. If I were you I'd run the PRL ram air with race maf, their upgraded turbo and turbo back exhaust kit, grab a ktuner and go to a shop to have it all installed and CUSTOM tuned so you don't destroy your CVT. A good tune on a CVT with be very quick because it never stops pulling vs having to shift a manual. Seen tests on other platform where a car with a CVT was running 4-6 lbs less boost to be as fast as the manual cars. Hope this helps.
Thank you for the intercooler review I will be purchasing the PRL then.
 


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If you're trading for an SI, you should be able to swap most of the mods onto it. Do your research, a lot of parts fit on both cars.
 
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If you're trading for an SI, you should be able to swap most of the mods onto it. Do your research, a lot of parts fit on both cars.
Everything I bought will except the exhaust, however I will probably leave them on when i trade, and go full 27won on the Si, because fitment and aesthetics.
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