MY EP3

[Ray Gin]

Exhaust is a tad big for me, but it's not my car :rasp:

What sort of power are you aiming for when done?

 

[kpowell911]

Not aiming for a particular power output, 220bhp seems to be the expected with the mods I have, but the real improvement is in the midrange, it wil hopefully incerease arouns 35bhp there. The other benefit is Vtec will engage 800rpm earlier, and it will rev higher. So Ill be "on cam" earlier and for longer, so in the real world it should be faster than the initial power output suggests, if that make sense?

Jap cars can kinda get away with a big can IMO,

 

[Ray Gin]

Yeah I know what you mean, should go pretty well then.

 

[DB.]

You sure are getting carried away spending stacks on this pal!

 

[kpowell911]

Around £1.5k itll cost all in when its done. As I said won a fair amount in the G Casino other day, and got paid yesterday, so thats paid for the remap. Only spent about £500 out of my "own" money in real terms! I get paid 13x a year so once a year I have a set of wages with no out goings as all my direct debits go out the same day. In May ill hopefully get my end of year bonus, so thatll pay for the respray and gonna get the front wheel refurbed. Should be mint and fast then

 

[kpowell911]

Got everything needed now for the S2000 Starter Button. Slight confession, the Button isn't "Genuine", its part of a complete kit you can buy. Its all nicely hardwired and comes with instructions. At one point I will possibly upgrade to a genuine S2000 item, they are around £50 from the dealer, seem to go for £30ish second hand so Ill see.

Also popped to Honda to get some Exhaust Bolts and a Gasket, you just know the ones on it after 50k are gonna be a nightmare!

Here's the before and after from the FRSU

And the paper work necessary for sending off my ECU

Not long to go now

 

[kpowell911]

Right well been as the ECU is going off tomorrow, I wont be able to use the car, so I decided to at least start my S2000 Button install:

Started by stripping the steering column cowling and the centre console:

In this picture you can see the Triangular "sensor" panel. Now, the JDM Civic has a sensor behind here to monitor the Climate control, I dont have this luxury so its not needed:

I marked up the Shape needed and had a go at cutting the carbon with Scissors, went well IMO

Here's how it will look:

Little rough round the edges, but a quick sand and a polish and its not too bad for my first ever attempt. I've got plenty spare if I want to neaten it up but it looks fine IMO

I've wired the positive and negative in so it has power, lights up and clicks, just one more wire to the starter motor and I can start putting it back together, also need my mate with a hole cutter to cut the circle out in the carbon. Will look something like this when done, but with a carbon surround!

Gotta go food shopping now so cant finish Boo!

 

[kpowell911]

Did a bit more, got power to the switch, and put the centre console back together

Just need to link the red wire into this black and white wire now and put the cowling back on.

I then started taken my ECU out for the reflash tomorrow. Simple job, disconnect the battery, undo 3x 10mm Bolts behind the Glove box, undo 3x Plugs, all done

 

[Poopensharten]

So do you need to put the key in the ignition, turn it, then press the button?

 

[JackJack]

Good job looks good. Considering fitting a push button start to my Fiesta ST.

So do you need to put the key in the ignition, turn it, then press the button?

Yep i think so, turn to position 2 then press the button.

 

[kpowell911]

o

So do you need to put the key in the ignition, turn it, then press the button?

Its the most pointless mod Ive ever done, yes you do need to turn to stage 2 ignition then start. TBH the way Ive wired it I dont have to use the button, its a novelty I know.

 

[Slammed172]

You have to do the above on the FN2 Civic anyway.

 

[JackJack]

You have to do the above on the FN2 Civic anyway.

Same in the focus i drove.

 

[kpowell911]

and the S2000.

In the Focus I've drove you have the key card on you like in your pocket and just press the button with your foot on the brake I think. Thats pretty trick IMO

 

[kpowell911]

ECU's gone off today, that should be back Wednesday, I've paid my mechanic to do my exhaust and Brakes this week, so the whole project "Should be finished" by the weekend.

Added it all up today, including all labour and postage, I've spent just shy of £1400 this month. In all fairness, I should have a car that handles better, stops better and is faster, so money well spent IMO.

Then IF I get my end of year Bonus in April (looking good so far) Ill get the front end resprayed and the 1 wheel refurbed and it will be done

 

[DB.]

Ill get the front end resprayed and the 1 wheel refurbed and it will be done

Bet you end up doing more than just that

 

[DanielJames]

Cool mod, I had an S2k style engine starter in my first car lol. Was always a crowd pleaser

 

[kpowell911]

Bet you end up doing more than just that

Lol well I did want a manifold/inlet but now its off to be mapped its not worth doing any more.

Im going to Book a holiday to New York hopefully for October, so spending any more on cars will be out the window once thats booked.

I do want some Red LCA's though lol.

 

[kpowell911]

Right as you know I sent my ECU to CPL on Monday at 11am.

I got an e-mail off Lynn yesterday evening with the Tracking Number for my reflashed ECU. I kept tracking it, and it was going to arrive before 1pm today. Now I started work @ 1pm, and wanted to take the car, and it needed fuel, so time was against me.

I decided to take the forum stickers off, they were a bit big and will be replaced with smaller ones:

I put the R on the daily, as a joke, its off now

I then needed to finish wiring the starter button, or at least connect the stock ignition wire back. I took a trip to a local electronics place to pick up some connecters and put the cowling back on.

Then at 12:05 this little beauty turned up

I cant open it to show you as it will Void the warranty, the only difference on the outside is my name is on written on in Pen lol. Out of curiosity (and to stop some bitchin' on some forums), I emailed Lynn to ask what ahs been done. She confirmed that inside the ECU there is a K100 Board, just with a generic map on. IF I went all out with further modifications, they could remap this, without the need to buy a K100 or Kpro. Just pay for the tuning, amazing deal IMO, I've basically paid £40 for a generic map, with the option to get a full map and expand in the future!

I quickly fitted it, took all of 10 minutes and then wired up the negative. I turned to stage 2 ignition and pressed the button and it started first time Was more surprised the button I wired up worked TBH I let it idle for a bit whilst I reprogrammed the radio stations, then drove to the local Shell Garage to fill it up with V Power. It immediately felt "punchier" even before V-Tec. I let it warm up and went the long way to work to give it a test.

I must admit I wasn't sure what to expect. All I have right now is an air filter, the exhaust isnt fitted, so this is pretty much a standard Type R, running a generic "budget" map, really its nothing special. Once warmed up, I took it down the dual carriageway to see how it went. It is certainly MUCH faster than before. I have no dyno figures or anything to back this up, but there is a definate increase in Power THROUGHOUT the rev range. It even picks up @ low RPM in 6th gear. The one thing I will say is the Stock Type R to me was a very jekyl and hyde car. Pre 5800rpm, it wasn't very fast at all, even for a 2.0. When you went into V-tec you felt a kick and away it went. The V-tec engagement point is now 5200rpm. However, I believe in the standard Type R, the ECU cuts the power slightly before changing cam and you "feel" a quite abrupt kick. This "kick" has gone, it just goes. You have to be checking the Speedo/Rev limiter to see where it changes, and when you concerntrate you can feel it, but its not as abrupt as before. The speedo however confirms that you're going much faster than before. The change from Low - High cam is absolutely seemless in comparison to stock.

Another benefit is the increased rev limiter, same as the JDM's, the limit is now 8600, as opposed 8200? on a stock UKDM car? This has 2 advantages, you're in the "window of opportunity" for longer. Also, when you change up, if you change up too early, you can sometimes "drop off" V-Tec, but because of the lower engagement point, you kinda always drop into V-Tec.

As I say, I cannot back this up with a graph, but honestly, it is easily the best mod you can do, regardless of your state of tune. Im running basic mods, with a budget reflash and its TRANSFORMED my car. TDI North said a mapped car is a night and day difference to a reflashed one, if thats the case, they just be amazing!

Pleased as punch, best £380 I've ever spent. And my starter button works

 

[JackJack]

Making me doubt whether i should of bought a type R instead of the ST.

 

[kpowell911]

Making me doubt whether i should of bought a type R instead of the ST.

Completely different cars mate, the ST is a warm hatch, great car, nice scope for mods, but its not really up there with the 182/Type R's in terms of performance, and never will be, just enjoy it for what it is, a well built, reliable fun car.

 

[Lawro]

Glad you are happy with it mate. Having a K-Pro was like night and day compared to standard when I had my CTR, worth every penny.

 

[DanielJames]

Making me doubt whether i should of bought a type R instead of the ST.

No contest, the ST is a boys car

Saw this last night and at first I didn't get the reg plate, it's just clicked upstairs as I read this lol

 

[Soulless]

I've had three CTR's pal, the last one was K100'd by CPL (& Supporting mods such as AEM CAI, bigger intake manifold, full exhaust system with sports cat)
The difference in real world performance was amazing, was so, so much quicker than my previous two stock ones.
If I bought another EP3 or a Teg, it'd have to be K100/KPro'd!

 

[Philip.]

This is not helping me trying to save money!

 

[imprezaworks]

Will definatly be going down the kpro route at some stage

 

[kpowell911]

Im getting slated for having a reflash on here!

http://type-r-owners.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?87730-K100-vs-CPL-Reflash

Anyone else think they are just not getting my point? Ive got the same name on there as here

 

[imprezaworks]

Allways mixed opinions mate same with the rs tuner vs live map debate. Thing is and it's only a guess that people who arnt getting your point have probably had their cars kpro's etc and defending their money well spent point?

 

[Lawro]

Type-R Owners.. Enough said! That forum is god awful.. I got burnt a fair few years back for having a EP3 at 19.

 

[DB.]

This guy seems like the biggest car forum bellend ever, looking at a few of his other posts as well.

There is a reason most older members won't recommend CPL, we've been around a long time.

Either benefit from our experience and knowledge or don't.

This thread is going no where.

 

[imprezaworks]

Nah there's worse. I want k100 tbh as I won't want to mess around with the map hence not really wanting kpro. There is only a couple of places that do k100 mapping and tdi is one of them, the other is miles away. I'd travel tbh I'm not a fan of tdi at all

 

[Soulless]

KPro / K100 is the same thing apart from the K100 doesn't have a USB out for an end user like yourself to tweek the map iirc.
Either that or K100's are locked and cant be tweeked by the end user, you have to go to a tuner to have your map tweeked.

Thats something I never understood, why anyone bothers with the KPro? Save a few quid and go K100 as you aren't likely to tweek yourself!

Mine was mapped and had all the work done by CPL, and I have to say the work was second to none, CPL did a fine job, the car felt show-room tight to drive.

I dont know if you've done this or not but the Energy suspension engine mount inserts are an amazing, effective bang for buck mod!

 

[imprezaworks]

K100 is a fair bit cheaper too, which also appeals. And energy inserts will be getting fired also

 

[kpowell911]

Ive got the suspension mounts fitted too

 

[imprezaworks]

Easy enough to fit? Isn't there one which is a pain in the ass

 

[SharkyUK]

This guy seems like the biggest car forum bellend ever, looking at a few of his other posts as well.

Andy (the guy you speak of) is actually a very decent bloke and been a friend of mine for some 10 years or so now. Everyone's welcome to an opinion of course but it still is annoying when he's been a very good and decent friend, as has his family.

I used to be the site admin and webmaster over at Type R Owners when they formed new (after the 'split' from Civic Type R Owners). I had a massive falling out with them over a completely different issue many years ago and only recently started going back on the site (just to lurk mainly). I still have some good friends on there. Others I couldn't care less about tbh.

As for the CPL thing... a lot of the longer term members still don't like CPL (and for good reason). Many years ago he had a few issues and many folks ended up with blown up engines, badly mapped cars and so forth. It was more than just a bit of rivalry between tuners. Nowadays I believe CPL is much better and indeed gets a fair bit of business their way. It's not different to other 'tuner-wars' on other car forums - where you have the supporters and the haters. Talking of which, I also know the owner of TDi North well as Paul has also been a friend of mine for many years. He's a good mapper if I'm being honest and knows his stuff. I do think that his rollers are quite favourable in terms of results but he does know how to get the most out of the V-TEC units.

All in mate - at the end of the day - if you're happy with the reflash and what you've spent then that is all that matters.

 

[kpowell911]

I always held TDI in high regard, but the way they post has really put me off them TBH, they just seem a bit pushy and "we're the best", CPL were quite the opposite, guided me through both options and explained them. I can only base my opinion on services Ive personally received , I've received great service and advice IMO, and I am very happy with everything, and will continue to use CPL. Ive not dealt with TDI so cannot comment.

I've heard their rollers are a little optimistic too lol

Tuners get a bad rep, you always have people who hate and love certain companies. All of my friends have modified cars/track cars, and their forums are the same. If you read some of the posts you would never use the company who built his, but his is perfect, and he is estatic with the services and products he has received!

Shame there isn't a UK Type R forum like this one, neither of the 2 seem anywhere near as good as this one

Anyway, back on topic Yes the lower energy suspension mount was a ball ache to fit!

 

[imprezaworks]

Ha ha yeah thought they were. What did you notice once fitted?

 

[kpowell911]

That everything on the interior shook on idle

The car does feel more "positive" with them, worth the £25

 

[imprezaworks]

Lol, annoyingly shook? Or race car feel?