Engine tune w/o KTuner/Phearable etc

[Cruce]

Hey all,

if this subject has already been covered please let me know where to go. I have a ‘24 A-spec Tec 6 spd that I blacked out. I’d like to add some HP without messing with the computer while keeping the sound of the engine the same. I’m thinking about adding a Stage 1 intake, silicone intake hose, high volume intake, and a cold air intake duct. I know very little about engines so how much hp would that add and is there anything else I could do without changing the exhaust system, I like the look of it.

Thank you!

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[snapple37]

You can spend thousands on all the bolt-ons and it still won’t add up to half the power gains of a $450 Ktune.

If you’re worried about flashing and warranty, consider RaceChip which is undetectable when you remove it. Not as much gain and not as proven, but still better than adding expensive bolt ons if you’re looking for power.

 

[Fred 930]

I don't think it's a matter of "knowing about engines" as much as knowing common sense.
Factory engineers spend tens-of-thousands of hours designing a new car - and one important parameter is certainly the development of reliable engine torque / horsepower. If performance could be enhanced with some goofy plastic air intake, hose, pipe, or other such nonsense, rest assured they would have done it.

Now if you think that $1200 titanium intake pipe and $300 set of clamps looks cool - then by all means go for it!! It might even generate a few nice comments at your next car show.
But don't expect it to produce any more horsepower or reliability (it might even detract from overall performance and lower the car's value).

So before laying out your hard earned cash - ask the manufacturer of that after-market stuff to send before & after dyno sheets, or some other proof of performance gain. Chances are you will never hear from them.

 

[snapple37]

I don't think it's a matter of "knowing about engines" as much as knowing common sense.
Factory engineers spend tens-of-thousands of hours designing a new car - and one important parameter is certainly the development of reliable engine torque / horsepower. If performance could be enhanced with some goofy plastic air intake, hose, pipe, or other such nonsense, rest assured they would have done it.

Now if you think that $1200 titanium intake pipe and $300 set of clamps looks cool - then by all means go for it!! It might even generate a few nice comments at your next car show.
But don't expect it to produce any more horsepower or reliability (it might even detract from overall performance and lower the car's value).

So before laying out your hard earned cash - ask the manufacturer of that after-market stuff to send before & after dyno sheets, or some other proof of performance gain. Chances are you will never hear from them.

Many reputable companies do have dynos to provide, but whether they’re remotely accurate is debatable.

real world dyno from owners is much harder to find but there are plenty of reports of tunes providing a lot more power, at the expense of reliability of course. It can be minimized by running conservative maps, adding an IC, and making sure to use high quality fuel, but the risk is not zero.

im running phearable 1.5R and difference between stock and even Map 1 (stock boost) is noticeable, and would recommend for $450. And Map 2 provides a lot more torque where you want it, which makes the car feel faster than it actually is. That feeling is enough for me to daily map 2, even though I’m not chasing 0-60 or track times.

 

[Fred 930]

Tunes are a different discussion (versus bolt on plastic pieces).
Turning up the boost and adding a bit of fuel is a time honored way of increasing power, often with a proportional decrease in reliability. Probably effective if the stock turbo can deal with it and you run higher octane fuel (and are OK using more of it).

But Grassroots Motorsports had an interesting article about a year ago on their BMW project car - where so called Stage 1 & Stage 2 tunes actually resulted in slower test lap times due to nasty increases in intake air temperature (and the ECU dialing back timing to minimize detonation). In their case, to see any benefit from a Tune also required a significantly larger intercooler. So re-engineering a perfectly good car with a bunch of random quality after-market stuff is a slippery slope. Certainly can be a fun project, as long as you have another vehicle to get to work on Monday!

 

[ModJPB]

"Stage 1 intake, silicone intake hose, high volume intake, and a cold air intake duct." !?!
These are not bought separate, they come together as a kit. Just get a PRL HVI kit, +5hp. Those cold air ducts/snorkels that go into the bumper grill are small and restrict flow, skip it.

The only thing that will yield a descent amount of HP, without tuning, is a high efficiency catted downpipe, +12hp. This install is not for novices though, so just do the intake.

 

[Cruce]

"Stage 1 intake, silicone intake hose, high volume intake, and a cold air intake duct." !?!
These are not bought separate, they come together as a kit. Just get a PRL HVI kit, +5hp. Those cold air ducts/snorkels that go into the bumper grill are small and restrict flow, skip it.

The only thing that will yield a descent amount of HP, without tuning, is a high efficiency catted downpipe, +12hp. This install is not for novices though, so just do the intake.

Thanks for the input! That’s the kind of information I was hoping for!

 

[creaturemachine]

The nice thing about ktuner is that you can choose to run on map 1 by default and switch to a higher map with the cruise control buttons at any time. Most of my time is spent on map 1.

I haven't heard of these cars having IAT problems quite like that. I only did an intercooler because I can't leave things alone.

 

[Cruce]

The nice thing about ktuner is that you can choose to run on map 1 by default and switch to a higher map with the cruise control buttons at any time. Most of my time is spent on map 1.

I haven't heard of these cars having IAT problems quite like that. I only did an intercooler because I can't leave things alone.

KTuner was my first preference but my wife was not on board. I even waited a while to bring it back up to see if that helped but still nada so I’m looking at this angle instead.

 

[snapple37]

KTuner was my first preference but my wife was not on board. I even waited a while to bring it back up to see if that helped but still nada so I’m looking at this angle instead.

I bought a 2024 CPO 6MT with 27k miles from a dealership, which was likely tuned by the first owner. The spark plug was already changed to Phearable recommended gap, which is significantly different than stock gap. I flagged this with Acura HQ and they didn’t seem to care that it was certified. The dealership didn’t check the gap or the ECU history.

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