Anyone have any experience with a modded Acura TSX
 

Hi RS,

So to make a long story short, I'm honda fanboy and have been looking into buying a TSX/TL.

After considerable thought, it sems the TSX will suit our needs as good, if not better than the TL and the TSX is of coure quite a bit cheaper.

I have been all over the net, k20a.org, HT, TSXclub, etc. Looking for soild info on the TSX and k24a2... trying to find out what is really out there to make the TSX a little more... well a little less slow lol.

Basically, I am wondering if anyone has any real life or dyno experience with modifying a k24a2 in a TSX.

I have no interest in FI as I would like the car to remain fairly stock, the path I have considered is...

Hondata reflash-Seems to have really good feedback from users.

Intake- Though there seems to be no solid dyno tested intakes for this motor

Header- Same story, there is a severe lack of headers available for this car, DC sports or ebay is basically all I could find. A Hytech is not out of the question as I dont mind spending money on parts that work. Please remember RSX header does not work in TSX chassis. There may be some headers out there but I cant seem to find any dyno evidence.

Exhaust- Probably apexi WS2, wont gain much if any power but it's quiet.

Test pipe/High flow cat- Will probably dyno with andn without to see if the power gained even warrants installing them.

I did read the import tuner powerpages for 06+ TSX, but I would prefer not to rely on one source of information.

http://www.importtuner.com/powerpage...tsx/index.html

I have also considered a mild build of the internals, but moving to a true ems in the TSX has not been perfected yet so I would prefer to stay within the realm of the hondata reflash.

If anyone here has modded a tsx and can give some before and after info that would be great. If all it takes to wake the car up is the reflash/intake and a header that would be fine with me, im not loking to build a monster.

Thanks
Jason

LOL, Turbo in your username and you dont want FI.

I dont know whats up with Honda fanboys, but if you want to get performance out of Honda engines, without replacing half the motor with aftermarket parts costing 10k, you need to go turbo, or go home.
You can do as you please, but the rest is a waste of money.
The only 4cyl Honda/Acura i'd spend money on tuning with a NA setup is a s2000.
Just my personal opinion.

^

Werd. Unless you go engine swapping (entirely/partial) it's tough to squeeze more horses out of Honda's engine without FI.

Almost all the tuned TSX I have seen (tuned up to a level worth looking) are either engine swap or Turbo'd

If you go as far as changing the internals, why not go FI? FI will provide awesome bang for buck in terms of making efficient power.

BTW, Hondata reflashes are great, and do unlock a lot of power out of Si's and such, but with new header, complete exhaust, intake and reflash, you are looking at roughly $2500. That's not including labour, just parts.
For an extra 20-30 WHP on a DD Acura? Not worth it bro.

Well, you are correct with what you're saying. In my younger years I was a turbophile and would boost anything that I owned, then I got hooked on all motor goodness... I still drive a stage 2 wrx and im really worried moving to a TSX will be too hard. I've driven a stock one and did not find it horrible, but it could sure ue a kick in the ass. I am just of the mindset that bolt ons are for the most part garbage and you need to tear down to build real power.

Having said that, there are exceptions and I've seen some internally stock b series hondas really shine with the right parts.

Swapping- there isnt really any options, I looked at swapping in K20a but it doesnt sound like the extra 15hp and loss of 10tq would be worth the 6k. Thought the tranny woul be great! You could make 6k go a lot further starting ith the tsx drivetrain imo.

I assumed this is a DD? Or do you (for some odd reason) want to make a TSX a project car?
I respect NA tune's a lot. The usually cost more than turbos, but they are obviously more reliable, and in some cars, more fun. However most people that do all out NA tunes on their cars usually have a lot of money to spend, and ENJOY modding, so its a hobby and a challenge to make as much HP and TQ out of a smaller engine.
I've seen some pretty sick NA tuned 8th gen Si's, but damn, the owner must have had at least 6k invested in the motor itself. No thanks.
Generally speaking, in most cases, 4cyl = turbo time.

The car is just a DD, wrx is being replaced! I find as I am getting older I get very annoyed with tyhings like wind noise and road noise in a car... unless of course it's a car that is solely meant to be driven for amusement.

I dont want to raise the k series bar to new heights, I just want to massage the tsx to it's full piotential without going overboard. The biggest thing is trying to determine if bolt ons or internals would be the more intelligent route. I would prefer to stay away from FI but it's certainly an option.

I always figured there was a lot of modded tsx's around but there is honestl a brutal shortage of info on these cars in modded form. It would be great to be able to just test drive one that was reflashed and I/H/E but thats not really in the cars.

I was thinking that sending the head off for a re-working/ extrude honed intake mani/ type s TB/ Hondata reflash/ ITR cams/ Intake/ Hytech header/ high flow cat and exhaust would probably do some wonders for the car.. but then it's not even like b series where I know who does great k series head work. The worst part is that I like to use other peoples proven setups to determine my own path.. and with the k24a2 this seems to be a little difficult.

The only k24a2 dyno charts I can find are usually crazy 300whp all motor builds which no longer retain reasonable compression.

the k24's a pretty good motor

I/H/E and a hondata flash has netted some crazy gains on the k20a, but like you've said, i've yet to see anything on the k24.

i drove a tsx too, imo not sporty enough.

is there a difference between JDM tuning and NA(North American) tuning?

Not sure what you mean by that, the euro/jdm tsx gets a k20a type r motor.

We get a new age b20vtec... type s head from rsx on top of a crv bottom end.

correct me if im wrong please

If you get a TSX, get a manual one if possible, the auto's is slow as hell.

Don't waste your money on an exhaust, there is very little gains. Hondata is good and intake is ok but you will lose low end power, an icebox is better if you want low end power. You forgot about pulleys, there is gains from that.

If you have the money to spend, think about FI, there's a turbo TSX on TSXclub with close to 400whp but then he blew his engine, lol.

LOL.. manual is an absolute.

Pulleys... mehhhhhh gains are so minimal on pullies usually i feel that money is better invested in cylinder head work!

yes the euro version gets a k20a

but, b20 vtec? where the hell did you hear this?

was actually interested in getting a TSX for my next DD, but after reading this, not so much lol. I was planning on just throwing in the I/H/E and calling it a day but if it makes no real gain then might as well just do aesthetic mods no?

Im not sure how that doesnt make sense, crv bottom end with vtec head... so the k24a2 is like a b20vtec... make sense lol.

I thought it made sense...

TL, nuff said.

Otherwise,

Acurazine.com

+1

auto tsx 2nd gen or 1st gen both feels...umm NOT quick at all

putting on intake and exhaust, u call that a modded car?

Really??? Mine showing me some pics? I haven't seen a TSX with a engine swap yet, and turbo just became available for the TSX, and so far only a hand full has done turbo to their car. I want to see some hot pics!!


To OP, no point of really doing up a TSX, its not that fast no matter what you do. It's a slow car... good DD stock. Once you modded it, its not that great either. Just do simple bolt ons like I/H/C/E and Hondata and call it a day

Well... yes.. cause it's been "modified"

You will be looking at 06 - 07 year model TSX
it has a better cam degree angle adjusted from factory
it will yield the best gain from modify.

2004 manual TSX with aftermarket I/H/E/testpipe, lightweight crank pulley and Hondata Reflash... and other suspension crap. Stock engine (internal)

Racing Greed Mustang Dyno drew 169WHP at last summer dyno day.

It is not a fast car period
but the Honda 6MT Shifter is great fun for spirit driving ;)
extreme reliable DD, too.

Thanks!

Yeah those are some low numbers.. though from my experience at RG, the dyno reads quite low.

The 06+ is certainly the better platform, the motor had quite a few revisions and tweaks as you stated. Theintake mani/tb/cam change etc.

Dont be a pussy just buy this:

http://www.revscene.net/forums/fs-06...d-t602411.html

lolz