ZACWEL's Build: 2020 Hatch Sport CVT

[zacwel]

Hey all!

I'm creating this thread to share what I have done/am doing to my 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback Sport, and will update as time goes on and my build progresses. Unfortunately, I didn't take a whole lot of progress pics or mid-project pics, but I wanted to put my build out there for documentation for others.

The day I got it:

I got the car in June of 2020, as the lease on my 2017 Civic sedan LX was up soon. I was really looking for the 6sp Hatch Sport but none were on lots around me and I was impatient, so I settled for the CVT and so far I have absolutely zero complaints about it. It is much more torquey than my 6sp LX sedan was, which is no surprise as the LX was NA, but was still surprised by the power it was able to put down.

In the first few months, I was telling myself that I was going to leave it stock. The Yakima roof rack added enough of an appearance change for me at the time.

Eight months and a boring quarantine later, I was bit by the mod-bug.

I don't have pics of every mod, so I'm going to list the current mods and add some random photos below.

Appearance:

• PRO Design Window Visors
• Rally Armor Mud Flaps
• VLand Touring-Style Sequential LED Headlights
• Morimoto Fog Ligts
• PRO Design Smoked LED Side Markers
• FkxRacing High Flow Grille
• Perrin Licence Plate Relocator
• Aeroflowdynamic Front Spltter (v3) w/ Rods

Engine:

• KTuner v2
  • Was originally running the Stage 2 'off-the-shelf' tune; am now running a pro-tune from drob
  • Dyno at 238 whp/250 lbft
• PRL Cobra CAI (Race MAF)
• PRL Downpipe (Street)
• PRL Frontpipe
• GReddy DD-R Exhaust
  • With the PRL downpipe, frontpipe, and the DD-R, it is a 3" exhaust from the turbo back, essentially strait-piped aside from the high-flow cat and the super-high-flow mufflers in the tips of the DD-R. The sound was a good note, however extremely loud on start and tin-canny over 5k rpm. So I purchased a silencer from carchemistry.com and it sounds great. Very little drone, while still providing a breathable exhaust. Loud enough to be 'that guy' but not too loud to be 'that guy.'
• PRL Intercooler w/ Charge Pipes (powder coated)
• Koyorad Radiator
  • Really an unneccessary purchase as the heat soak issue isn't as bad in the hatches as it is in the CTR, but I just wanted to stay safe
• Hasport Rear Motor Mount (72a, if I remember correctly)

In the not-so-near future, I dream of the TwoStep built L15b7 block with the Saenz Performance Rods and JE Piston Heads, and then the PRL big turbo kit. If money was no object.

Feel free to ask any questions, and I will update as the car does. Also I'm going try and post random pics on my insta @ zacwel

 

[IonEX-T]

How big of a difference did you feel between stage 2 off the shelf (+9psi I assume) and FBO custom tune?

 

[zacwel]

How big of a difference did you feel between stage 2 off the shelf (+9psi I assume) and FBO custom tune?

The difference was pretty significant. Aside from just the increased power (Derek upped my boost pressure a bit), it runs noticeably cleaner with reliable fuel trims (STFT almost ways 0% at idle), AFR, and KCon(t?) steady at .49 unless I'm pedal to the metal.
10/10 would recommend

Also, I totally could've gotten away with an e-tune from drob, but I was curious what my actual numbers were so I made the 5 hour drive from Buffalo, NY to Carlisle, PA to see him.

 

[zacwel]

In all honesty was it worth it to mod the CVT? I have one and I’m on the fence about it just because I plan on getting a manual in the distant future

If you plan on getting a manual, wait for that. You’ll have much less anxiety.

With that, I thoroughly enjoy my car even though my last car was a 6sp sedan. I’ve heard from multiple reliable sources that as long as you keep the torque south of 300 lbft, the CVT will be just fine, given you don’t brake boost, anti-lag, or anything crazy and keep up on fluid changes.

@gtman may be able to agree with or correct me

 

[SpenAfon]

If you plan on getting a manual, wait for that. You’ll have much less anxiety.

With that, I thoroughly enjoy my car even though my last car was a 6sp sedan. I’ve heard from multiple reliable sources that as long as you keep the torque south of 300 lbft, the CVT will be just fine, given you don’t brake boost, anti-lag, or anything crazy and keep up on fluid changes.

@gtman may be able to agree with or correct me

okay that’s good info cuz I’ve been feeling awkward about wanting to mod something that isn’t a manual ig. I might look into some things that I’d be able to transfer over easily, but buying the manual isn’t even guaranteed

 

[gtman]

Spen, here's some good reading for you:

https://www.civicx.com/forum/threads/tired-of-the-rants-about-our-weak-ass-cvts.59088/

https://www.civicx.com/forum/threads/have-a-turbo-and-a-cvt-considering-a-tune-read-this.31242/

 

[zacwel]

Just a photo dump

 

[zacwel]

04 / 06 / 2022 update:

Installed Whiteline front & rear swaybars w/ end links and D2 lowering springs.
Install went smoother than expected; rear swaybar and springs were ezpz, front was intensive but if your even slightly mechanically inclined, you got it! To avoid pulling the front strut out of the knuckle, while on the lift, I left the top of the strut bolted the the body and had a buddy undo the the center tophat nut to disconnect the strut while I was down below to catch it and prevent the caliper/brake cables and lines from ripping off, remove the stock spring and slip on the D2. Sketchy? yes, but it worked well.

The night of, there was clunking coming from all ends of the car. I had an alignment the next morning and that seemed to rid the rear of the clunking. The front still had clunks, and I thought maybe it was the springs settling or something so I left it for a bit. Install was a month ago - last week, I decided to take a look and the adjustment lock nuts were completely loose. (Was it me or the shop that did the alignment? Idk, I'm going to say it was me, it doesn't really matter.) I readjusted, making sure to preload, and the clunking is totally gone, and handles even better than it did immediately after install. Stupid mistake, should've double-triple checked everything.

Otherwise, I just had the Goodridge stainless steel brakelines delivered and plan on swapping those out, as well as flushing the brake fluid, and brake rotor with EBC RedStuff in the front, Carquest platinum in the back, and Carquest painted rotors.