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request help reviewing/tuning k20a2

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2014 4:40 pm
by phoenix5
I have a 03 type s k20a2 in my 2002 honda civic and I need help learning how to review and tune my motor. Ive watched most of the basic videos on the hondata main site but im still having some trouble reading my datalog and how to adjust the maps acccordingly.


I am also having this wierd knock issue that I am most especially concerned with between 2000 and 4000rpm.
For reference, I have my kpro set to flash mil when knock is detected, under low part throttle and acceleration in the rev range above I hear literally while driving this metal on metal noise and the mil flashes along with the noise. Gear selection does not matter and the noise does not change. Noise is not present under higher rpm and ive not heard it lower than 2000rpm.

I have attached several datalog files and I think also my calibration. Three of the data logs are 1/8th mile drag races, they are obviously labeled.
The others I hope have enough data for seeing the knock issue im having. I am having alot of trouble deciphering the datalogs.

On my second run in 1/8th mile I changed a few high speed fuel values and on my last run I lowered high point vtec and ran open loop.

Re: request help reviewing/tuning k20a2

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2014 4:48 pm
by Spunkster
I highly recommend you get this professionally dyno tuned.

Re: request help reviewing/tuning k20a2

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2014 5:25 pm
by phoenix5
Having trouble uploading stuff

Re: request help reviewing/tuning k20a2

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2014 5:43 pm
by phoenix5
I have two other extended datalogs but something refuses to let me upload them, one is over 8mb.

Re: request help reviewing/tuning k20a2

Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2014 5:45 pm
by phoenix5
Spunkster wrote:I highly recommend you get this professionally dyno tuned.
I believe there is a dyno nearby but I feel like its geared towards domestics, but I guess I could give them a call. I would really like to learn to tune it myself...

Re: request help reviewing/tuning k20a2

Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 7:50 am
by phoenix5
I have a theory that it could be related to my tps by chance, on most of the datalogs I saw knock when there was sudden variation in the tps, where I remember seeing it in the log was at higher rpm between gear shifts but my tps seems to cause the worst problems at low part throttle, it will buck a bit unless I hold the throttle less or more, lately seems like its gotten worse. Hopefully when my hall effect comes in thursday it will help solve a lot of problems.

Re: request help reviewing/tuning k20a2

Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2014 8:23 am
by phoenix5
List of mods:
Magnaflow bolt on catback exhaust for 03 type s
Injen sri
hybrid racing 74mm throttle body, intake manifold port matched
Ktuned ep3 pulley (power steering deleted) have ep3 steering rack but unplugged
Hasport billet kswap mounts with 70a bushings
Otherwise afaik it is a stock 2003 rsx type s motor k20a2, it came from a donor car from canada
Motor sits in 2002 honda civic dx (em2) with tein super street coilovers from donor car, brakes, knuckles, spindles, wheel hubs and factory type s wheels
Going on somewhere near 150000miles, but thats mainly a guess because the person I bought from claimed 91k but the guage cluster from what I assume was the matching donor (came with motor) read almost 140k and I had driven it quite a bit before actually getting to the wiring for the rsx cluster. Since the cluster measured speed in kmh I am not sure if mileage was measured in km or miles.

The calibration is the k20a2 dyno tuned with cai from the hondata calibrations folder that I have made small alterations here and there to and renamed it to match my mods. Most of the changes were done in parameters, I did very very little high speed fuel table adjustment and only chose cells based on a datalog from the 3 runs I did at desert thunder, with the datalog loaded, I was able to select an area I thought I was running lean in and it highlights the appropriate cells and graph points for that spot in the log. I did not increase fuel by more than 2 or 3 at most values by using ctrl+I.
My car runs great with high and full throttle, pulls well, quite fast. The problems I feel are very much mainly the very low end of the rev range, including idle which has started fluctuating after I changed the value in kpro to 800 I believe. But my tps is a very cheap ebay unit.

She is my daily, I drive about 90 miles or so a day, stop and go. She is also my only means of transportation.

in case I forgot to mention it, I ran open cat at desert thunder for those three runs.

Would really appreciate the help. Im not trying to ask you hold my hand but I hope you teach me how to fish.

YouTube videos of second and 3rd run at desert thunder raceway. My first run was pretty terrible but not horrible I suppose for first time on a real track. My reaction time massively improved on my second and third runs. In the first run I raced the same mustang that is in the 3rd run video but lost, with time of 10.56 or .65, I have the slips in my glove box. The second run was 10.38, and the 3rd run against the mustang I ran 10.02 or 10 flat some say, at about 73mph. If my transmission would have shifted into 2nd like its supposed to I probably would have broke into 9s.

There are some expletives in the second run video against a chevy pickup from my friend videoing in the back seat. Sorry for the stupid aspect ratio, its youtubes fault.

Race: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL ... 7yFIhqdnuz

I have the two other datalogs that i couldnt upload here on my google drive you can download them.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3OuCE ... sp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3OuCE ... sp=sharing

Re: request help reviewing/tuning k20a2

Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2014 5:26 pm
by phoenix5
The new hall effect tps is great. I still have that noise though, perhaps a valve lash adjustment will solve that.

I plan to drop the intake cam of a k20z3 in my head when I adjust the valve lash. Is there a recommendation for a different calibration?


Idle fluctuations were due to vacumn leak.

Re: request help reviewing/tuning k20a2

Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2014 3:09 am
by tkane4389
I agree with spunkster.

You shouldnt be messing with the in depth parameters unless you are absolutely positive you know what you're doing.

You will end up damaging the motor. Although the training videos are very useful for basic tuning knowledge, they are not enough for you to completely tackle the performance tuning of a motor with little to no real time exposure. If you want to learn how to tune i suggest downloading files other users post on the site and using trial and error to adjust the maps until you feel comfortable doing so with your own.

Re: request help reviewing/tuning k20a2

Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2014 12:22 am
by phoenix5
I appreciate the feedback. I understand.

Could someone send me a calibration based on my mods?

I would be interested in a separate map geared solely towards fuel efficency in a daily driven, stop and go scenario. I throw newspapers every night for a living. I drive about 90 to 100 miles per day.

If there is another place or business I could get an e-tune I would appreciate the reference. I dont know who to trust or where to go.

I have started reading about modern electronic engine controls in some ebooks I got.

Re: request help reviewing/tuning k20a2

Posted: Sat Sep 06, 2014 9:54 pm
by tkane4389
I have the calibration i can let you try out. As far as a separate economy based tune vs performance, the part throttle parameters are just as easily tuned for economy as the WOT for power all within the same map. The closest map i have is from a prior customer, but im not certain what transmission you have compared to what i have set in the map. The board is very touchy about business transactions on the forum or i would refer you to my site.

Re: request help reviewing/tuning k20a2

Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2014 6:58 am
by phoenix5
Im hopefully not breaking any rules by saying im also on k20a.org and clubrsx under the same username I have on this board. I've switched back to the stock tune for the time being.