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4K views 48 replies 15 participants last post by  Tegi88 
#1 ·
Hey guys! :)

thought I would take the time to introduce myself here and get some feed back even tho I'm sure I already know most of it will be negative I'm hoping I get some good positive advice as well so here goes.

I've had my 2000 Prelude for about 2 years now and its my second prelude because I love these cars its been so much fun to drive and I love the color and the body kit and the stereo and the loud exhaust, got lucky enough to have all these mods done by the previous owner before I bought the car. unfortunately the prelude was rear ended the other day and with having 2 small children I just decided now's the time to get something else.

I'm fairly picky when it comes to shopping for a new car I like my car to be unique and stand out I like to drive one of those cars u just don't see around very often but also a car with a lot of power and one that's mod-able and fun to drive. With these factors in mind i landed on the RSX, however I don't like to drive stick...I know how to I just don't like to, its too much work and hassle and I just prefer auto so that means no Type-S which means so BOM :(

So after doing a little digging about the RSX I decided I wanted a 05-06 Base Auto RSX preferably in blue. After joining RSX Facebook groups looking for one I got tons of hate for wanting to go from the Auto 200hp H22 Lude to a BASE AUTO 165hp RSX, I got a lot of "just keep the lude man" and "dude get a Type-S" but I did the research I know what I want and I wont be persuaded so even tho I began to doubt myself I kept looking for what I had my mind set on because I-VTEC! and K-series! and 5 years newer!

So since i had heard these cars were very easy to modified I kept digging thru the fb marketplace and did tons of googling with the plans of modding a base auto RSX up to the 200hp prelude numbers im used to and I finally found me a good one in black only about 3 hours away in OKC so made the trip and brought her home.

but now again I find myself questioning my decision, as I'm looking for what mods to buy and install on this 100% completely stock base auto RSX all I see is hate on the K20a3 :( every once in a while I see a couple people here and there giving praise to the base auto and explaining what to buy and how to mod it to get the most power out of it but some of the info seems conflicting.

so in closing yes I'm here posting to introduce myself to the boards here but also to ask for your input and advice on how to mod the base auto to at least 200hp without swapping the whole engine.

so far I love my RSX but tbh the prelude is so much more fun to drive, first reactions: the RSX is too high and too quite for starters.
so heres what I've gathered so far tell me if I'm on the right track...

Cool air intake, possibly thru the headlight?
RBC Intake
2.5 inch cat-back exhaust
ktuner or kpro ECU re-flash
K20a2 or custom cam shaft
Skunk 2 alpha header
K20a2 exhaust rockers to run 3 rocker setup on the intake side
and LAM pins to engage the rockers

or should i just do a K24 head?...K20a2 head?...Z1?

Thanks in advance guys :)







 
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#2 ·
Welcome. It looks like you found a clean RSX, which is getting harder to come by these days. I would head over to the bolt on basics for the base section. Those guys might be able to point you in the right direction. I don't think I/H/E w/ kpro will get you to 200hp, but it will definitely make the car more fun to drive.

Get you some coilovers and wheels and enjoy the good gas mileage that the base will give you (while looking just as good as a type s)
 
#3 ·
Coilovers are most def on my list but categorized under cosmetic upgrade rather then performance, originally the plan was to focus on cosmetics first, fender flares and body kit and smoke out the lights but after driving the car 3 hours from OKC its so slow and quiet and I've decided to swap my focus to potentially increasing the performance first.

as far as wheels go tho, my plan at first was to make the car look like a type-S so i was gonna put 17s on it but cant find any that look good so i think before i sell the lude im gonna steel the wheels off her and hope shell still sell for what i want out of her.
 
#5 ·
Unless you're trying to spend thousands of dollars, don't bother with your goal. Our cars are pigs, even with bolt ons. Our trans is a parasite, and will make that 200 hp closer to 145 at the wheels.

We can't run true, 3 lobe Vtec in our heads due to no LMA's, and I don't believe a head swap would be worth the cost or hassle. You can however, run Vtec cams in a "Vtec Killer" setup where it constantly rides on the big lobe, or you can swap the pins around so that it operates like our normal half Vtec, but on a more aggressive cam.

The RBC will provide you with top end power at the expense of torque, so I wouldn't do it. The stock intake manifold is great for a daily driver.

Get an Injen CAI, not a velocity stack through your headlight. It'll say manual only, but it fits and you can squeeze a velocity stack on there. You're on the right track with the header and exhaust. A race header will require stiffer motor mounts, inserts, or a torque damper at the least to prevent damage. You may also need a different front sway bar. As for engine management, get Ktuner. It's more simple and cheaper for the second generation. Don't settle for the reflash, get the End User system so you can get dyno tuned or e-tuned (I'd get this first). All of this will make the car more enjoyable, but not fast.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Cool air intake, possibly thru the headlight? Absolutely not, you'd be just as fine with a short ram in your case, cheaper and easier to fit as well
RBC Intake as per mentioned, not really worth it on that engine and the kind of driving you intend on doing
2.5 inch cat-back exhaust The Invidia Q300 is my favorite exhaust for this car but without a race header it might not be loud enough for you
ktuner or kpro ECU re-flashKpro
K20a2 or custom cam shaft dont bother
Skunk 2 alpha header Skunk is a worhtless company. Buy the invidia header or literally anything else
K20a2 exhaust rockers to run 3 rocker setup on the intake side dont bother
and LAM pins to engage the rockers dont bother

Also, coilovers are going to make it lower and look a world better but if you're just going to be daily driving it, look into a lower spring/strut combo. Idk whats out there for these that come in an comfortable ride but Im sure there's things out there.

If you wind up getting Kpro, it'll feel peppier without any modifications. If you do a race header and exhaust you almost need the kpro to run them. A short header, stock midpipe and cat back you'd be fine without the Kpro.

All this said its going to be a daily driver automatic and your goals seem really ricey too be honest.

If Im reading you clearly you just want it to look and sound like a neat street car. In that case;
-short ram intake, whichever(ebay, honestly, they're all the same from $50-$200)
-short header, whichever, I had a DC one at one point, ebay might be fine if you're prepared for improving a less-than-perfect fitment.
-cat back, again I love the Q300
-spring/strut combo, whichever looks like enough drop that isnt crazy stiff/uncomfortable to drive daily
-half decent wheels and rubber
-Kpro, if you finish all that and still want it to be a little peppier driving.

Not sure if kpro makes any adjustments to shifting points or anything else neat on the A3 but... Idk...

In any case, grats on the clean DC5 and good luck in whatever you do.
 
#9 ·
If Im reading you clearly you just want it to look and sound like a neat street car. In that case;
-short ram intake, whichever(ebay, honestly, they're all the same from $50-$200)
-short header, whichever, I had a DC one at one point, ebay might be fine if you're prepared for improving a less-than-perfect fitment.
-cat back, again I love the Q300
-spring/strut combo, whichever looks like enough drop that isnt crazy stiff/uncomfortable to drive daily
-half decent wheels and rubber
-Kpro, if you finish all that and still want it to be a little peppier driving.
ight heres what i found...excuse my ignorance and tell me what u think please :p

Short Ram CAI - https://www.ebay.com/itm/BCP-BLACK-...-Air-Intake-Racing-System-Filter/131649507763

Short Header - https://www.ebay.com/itm/SRS-ACURA-...S-STEEL-HEADER-HEADERS-SR-S-BASE/261347770222

2.5" Cat-Back Exhaust - https://www.carid.com/2002-acura-rsx-exhaust-systems/torxe-exhaust-system-1119846430.html

Coilovers - https://www.amazon.com/Adjustable-H...rsx+coilovers&qid=1566930329&s=gateway&sr=8-5

what can i say...im a cheap date :p
 
#11 · (Edited)
Short ram, perfect.

Short header, I looked and I actually had the one that was like $46 bucks. I did have to open up one of the holes a bit to use it though. It worked fine after I drilled the mounting hole a little bit.

That exhaust looks like it'd be LOUD and raspy but whatever you're into. (those little round mufflers are the essential make-up of what is the "fart cannon")

Definitely dont buy those coilovers. I cant say which spring/strut combo, but Im sure there's a set out there that'll feel fairly decent and give you a lower look.
My old roomate actually had racelands and I could never tell what all the hate was for. He didn't track the car and never intended to and it felt reasonably compliant for street driving. I wouldnt hesitate to use them on a DD car.
 
#12 ·
This short header was the least expensive one i can find that wasnt just an OEM one id be interested in a cheaper one if uv got a link as long as it wont hurt performance i dont mind having to make some slight modifications to make it fit.

im totally fine with LOUD and raspy :) thats what gets the heads to turn and break the necks HAHA used to run a 6inch glass pack on my old 91 tegi

yea i noticed those coilovers may not fit my car after i posted but theyre all i could find for cheap...iv heard good things about racelands or rokkors and comparing the 2 rokkors seems to be the better choice 300-400 just seems a little high just to squat the car a little bit but i have heard alot of complaints about the suspension on these cars so maybe its worth it.

anyway thanks again for ur speedy feedback :)
 
#19 ·
Forum member Sage has an 05/06 with a rear 02-04 swap. Big approve. It being my bumper that supplied the swap, may have something to do with it.

It should be noted the swap was done out of necessity but it still looks cool.
 
#24 ·
very cool man, yea i most def see another prelude in my future but while ive got the rsx imma hop er up and have some fun with it :p,

just ordered my CAI, tail light gaskets, sunroof and window deflectors, fender flares and header :) :fistbump:
 
#26 ·
Nice one of my friends had a Turbo BB6 many years ago that was in a magazine.

I was always curious as to why the Prelude isn't considered such a classic like the Dc5/Dc2.

Was it too heavy? Was the H22 just not a good tuner motor?

I was always thought it was nice and comfortable, it just needed a 6th gear.
 
#28 ·
Well, not a bad start. Unfortunate that it's an auto because that makes it incredibly unfavourable to any kind of performance upgrades due to the transmission and block, but nobody said you can't try. I know a few members here have modded their autos so it's up to you.

Ideally you'd want a 5 speed with any engine because you can swap a k24 in for better performance, but even base models can get some performance gain from a few small mods.


Like some people expressed, tinted tail lights is a pretty ghetto mod because it makes your car less safe, but again, take it with a grain of salt. Most of these people wouldn't pass a safety inspection in their local state or province and you can pick any number of stupid mods to fill in the reason why:
-stretched tires
-little to no ground clearance
-airbag removal
-illegal aero (canards, diffusers, etc)
-turbo with no LSD, and
-various safety item deletes


A lot of people mod their cars in ways that compromise safety on the road, it is what it is.


Good luck.
 
#29 ·
Well, looks like you found a pretty clean RSX. Congrats on that!

My observations (and I'm not trying to be an ass, just genuinely curious) are...

1.) It's crazy to me that people would prioritize fender flares and body kits over lowering. I hate seeing cars that have that stuff and yet still have a big gap between the wheel and the fender. I'm not much for body kits myself, but for me, I would have to make sure I was lowered and that my wheels were either spaced or replaced with wider wheels before I added fender flares or any kind of aero kit, but that's just my opinion.

And here's the other thing about this...how much are you willing to spend on fender flares, body kit, etc., but $300-$400 for a VERY basic set of coilovers is too much? That's crazy to me! But again...that's just my mindset.

Oh, but while we're on the lowering subject, if your factory shocks are in decent shape, you can always just go with springs for now, which you could get for $150 - $250 depending on brand. The shocks will wear faster but it will at least get the job done for now and you can upgrade to Koni shocks or coilovers later.

And 2.) Do you just really like small Japanese cars for some reason? From everything you've said here, I feel like a Charger, Challenger, Camaro, Mustang, etc. would really be a great fit for you. Flashy, loud and with automatic transmissions that aren't so limiting. Even the V6 versions would get you a faster quarter mile and 0-60 than a Type-S.

Like I said, just curious as to why you prefer 4 cylinder Hondas.
 
#30 ·
1.) Oh, coilovers are def priority over the other cosmetic upgrades i have planned, the car sits way too high and looks night and day better when lowered, however when the least expensive coilovers i can find are $300 and fender flares are $25 which one u think imma snatch up and slap on first? lol

I've always told myself id never lower a car AND put a body kit on it id always just do one or the other but this car has got to be lowered and ive found some amazing looking body kits. the more i plan and look into doing different mods for this car its looking like this is a car thats gonna let me do things ive always wanted to but never have, spoiler for instance, iv always thought big ass picnic table wings look stupid but on this car, looks amazing. always thought fender flares looked dumb on most cars, but on this car again...looks badass! lol

2.) I LOVE small cars, not sure why just do for the most part i care more about looks then power and performance, im picky when it comes to cars my parents were big Corvette people they owned their own shop and i helped out fixing up and modding muscle cars with my dad growing up so i was always raised to stay away from Fords. idk i just love the looks of the little hondas always have if i ever got a true muscle car itd have to be like a late 60s early 70s Corvette or a Grand National, my first car was a 79 El Camino and that was a fun little project, had a glass pack on it that set off alarms in parking lots. lol everyone in high school called it my Hell Camino. the mullet of cars...business in the front party in the back. :hb:
 
#31 ·
I don't know why anyone would buy cheap coilovers or lowering springs. Both compromise the safety of your car and make it ride like shit. If you're going to lower your vehicle, get a reliable set of coilovers. You don't need race-spec coils, just something that isn't put together from recycled pop cans.
 
#34 ·
Huh? I was responding to the OP who stated that $300-$400 was "a lot of money to spend to make a car squat down a little" and then posted a link to some $180 eBay coilovers asking for feedback.

In my opinion $300-$400 for a set of Racelands is bare minimum and I would recommend spending more. Also, when I suggested springs, most of the name brand ones fall within the price range I quoted...like Eibach Pro-Kit for example.

Not sure why you're talking shit. I'm with you on this. My post was more of a "if you HAVE to be cheap about it, at least do this" type of thing.
I wasn't talking shit. Just adding to what you said.
 
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#36 ·
Ight y'all time for an update...this is starting to become more of a theoretical build thread then an introduction and I hope that's ok lol

As I stated before I ordered wind deflectors for both sides and the sunroof and installed those...that adds like a good 10hp atleast right?! Lmao

Also got the new 2.5 inch catback in and installed on the car with the $46 header linked above and it sounds great...not as loud as id hoped but better then stock.

Also recieved and installed the SRI linked above.

Dissapointed with the fender flares they are cheap ebay crap and don't seem to line up right so not putting those on, but hey they were only like $20-$30 u get what u pay for. fug it.

The more I dig about on the web swapping to a k24a2 from a tsx rly seems to be the way to go so I think that's my endgame goal for the car and I'll be shifting focus back to cosmetics until I have the means of doing the swap.

So back to the lowering subject since I won't be tracking and don't care about being adjustable I'm leaning towards the cheap option of just putting in some lower springs but as stated above it seems this would ruin my shocks and struts faster so when u factor in the cost of those with the springs then I'm back to that $300 ish price range that id be spending on coilovers, just to lower the car and make it look better -_- seems like alot of cash for a small change...hard to justify but please continue to discuss and provide ur feedback on this, links to parts prefered...coilovers or lowering springs struts and shocks?

Also since I only paid $46 for the header and not noticing real substantial gains I'm considering getting a better one...should I look for a type s oem header or can someone link/recommend a decent low cost race header and explain in detail what type of other modifications I would have to make for it to fit and work right? Sounds like as stated above with a race header I would need different motor mounts and/or strut bar?

And last but not least, back to the engine swap I found a thread on this and apparently to put a k24a2 in I would need kpro which requires a second ecu, an 02-04 o2 sensor and a dual ecu harness...sounds like ktuner wouldn't require all that and would be cheaper and easier are they interchangeable or do I absolutely NEED kpro for the swap?

Sorry for the long post, thanks for reading it all and thanks again for all the feedback. ?
 
#38 ·
If you get a race header you will need stiffer motor mounts, or motor mount inserts, or a torque damper, and a tune to take advantage of the increased flow. You may or may not need a new front sway bar to accommodate the header.

Ktuner is most certainly your cheaper option.
 
#37 ·
I mean, if you're just not in to lowering, then don't lower it. It's your car. I personally can't imagine prioritizing body kits and fender flares over lowering, but that's just my opinion.
 
#41 ·
I am into lowering the car it does look so much better lowered just trying to find the best way of doing it for the least amount of money just wanna make sure i do it right with out spending an arm and a leg.


If you get a race header you will need stiffer motor mounts, or motor mount inserts, or a torque damper, and a tune to take advantage of the increased flow. You may or may not need a new front sway bar to accommodate the header.

Ktuner is most certainly your cheaper option.
Awesome, good to know thank you. I'll look at potentially doing either one of those 3 things when I swap engines or finding a header with flex pipe then and just do header and k24 swap at the same time.

Yeah when people say "You need Kpro!" they really just mean you need a programmable tuner, of which Kpro is the most prominent is all. Go with Ktuner for your 2nd gen RSX.

If you want performance from a header, then make sure you get a tri-Y/long-tube/4-2-1 race header (not 4-1). If you get one with a flex pipe I guess you could avoid upgrading your motor mounts but idk

Lowering springs aren't terrible idea if you're only talking an inch or so. Once you drop like 2" I think you're just asking for trouble (shortening the life of the shocks). Idk if it's worth it to run $200 coilovers... I didn't know they could possibly be that cheap! That's like the price of one corner of some reliable ones, not a whole set of 4! Hence what I'm saying is, Acura shocks are likely higher quality than those, and can handle being lowered some. This is just my speculation
Very cool good info. I'll move forward then with researching how to get ktuner purchased and intalled.
since I just replaced my header and exhaust I prolly won't worry about getting a new header just yet until I do the swap but now I know what to look for when im ready much appreciated.
I found some Megan lowering springs that will drop me about an inch and a half for $130 on carid.com I think thats the route I'll take based off what ur speculating it sounds like I can do that and not need to worry about replacing shocks as well then.

Don’t cut corners don’t buy dog shit don’t go lowering springs don’t put eBay kits on don’t go k24. I don’t have any body kits and my car has simple 900$ Megan coil overs and looks great. Do what you want but honestly this post sounds horrible so far. Do your research , maybe get a second job or a hustle and save for stuff that is going to be the right stuff to buy. Be patient

Going k24 is fine... if you know what your doing. But why all the junk parts man?
I can't say I know what I'm doing but I can say I know how to ask questions and learn and research and that's exactly what I'm trying to do here, aside from hopping up my DD rsx here I'm also restoring and converting a 1973 Opel GT to an all electric car so Google and forums are my friend im learning as I go. Trying not to cut corners and buy junk I wanna do it right without spending more then I need to or buying something wrong that I dont need.
Thanks for ur input much appreciated
 
#39 ·
Yeah when people say "You need Kpro!" they really just mean you need a programmable tuner, of which Kpro is the most prominent is all. Go with Ktuner for your 2nd gen RSX.

If you want performance from a header, then make sure you get a tri-Y/long-tube/4-2-1 race header (not 4-1). If you get one with a flex pipe I guess you could avoid upgrading your motor mounts but idk

Lowering springs aren't terrible idea if you're only talking an inch or so. Once you drop like 2" I think you're just asking for trouble (shortening the life of the shocks). Idk if it's worth it to run $200 coilovers... I didn't know they could possibly be that cheap! That's like the price of one corner of some reliable ones, not a whole set of 4! Hence what I'm saying is, Acura shocks are likely higher quality than those, and can handle being lowered some. This is just my speculation
 
#40 · (Edited)
Don’t cut corners don’t buy dog shit don’t go lowering springs don’t put eBay kits on don’t go k24. I don’t have any body kits and my car has simple 900$ Megan coil overs and looks great. Do what you want but honestly this post sounds horrible so far. Do your research , maybe get a second job or a hustle and save for stuff that is going to be the right stuff to buy. Be patient

Going k24 is fine... if you know what your doing. But why all the junk parts man?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#44 ·
Think I'll just go with these, I've read good things about Rokkor and this is about as inexpensive as I can find for coilovers thanks for all your help guys ?

Looking at junk yards for a k24a2 and got a couple friends lined up to help me pull it when I find it so I'll update this thread more later on ?
 

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#45 ·
Quick question about the swap...im looking at a couple different threads kinda using them as I guide but still trying to understand...do I flash a k20 ktuner to my ecu before the swap or k24 to it after the swap or both?...

https://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread.php?t=668765#/topics/668765?page=10

This seems like a good guide to follow but I'm curious what differences there are being that I'm doing an auto

https://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread.php?t=841106&amp=1

Also looking at this auto thread too but it's more of a 'hey I did this' rather then a guide on 'how to'.
 
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