[crv383]

My $0.02.......looks like hot air intake to me, being directly behind the radiator. Can’t see any “ram” effects/ benefits either. I’m pretty sure that engine compartment pic is that of a Civic....not a CRV.?‍♂

 

[srlnclt]

Aem looks better than this.

 

[Anger61]

Hello everyone, I am happy to say that I have the PRL SRI installed back in May. That was way before PRL officially released a CRV version. It is pretty easy, the kit is identical to the Civic Si SRI and all I needed to do is make myself a custom bracket. I uploaded and tagged PRL on my instagram and posted fotos on civicx.com. Maybe they saw the mounting points I used or maybe they have a different mounting point for the bracket! So far the SRI works ok, sounds definitely amazing! I did see the AEM intake however and the housing is interesting, both for heatsoak and dust protection. I do not know how well the fuel trims will go, since with PRL the fuel trims are spot-on. Maybe I ll buy the AEM intake as well and test it out!

By the way, I have a 2019 EUDM 1.5T with a MANUAL transmission....! I am still waiting on Ktuner for an initial release on their software and then I ll be installing a RV6 catted downpipe and the 27WON turbo. Only issue is the clutch, all aftermarket solutions for the civic (the transmission is identical to the Non-Si) are proven to be unreliable.

 

[DavesXX01]

Interesting! I wonder how this compares to the offering from BMS? The both offer a street (0 fuel trim) and race (+12% fuel trims) version.
Time to test both back to back!

 

[Anger61]

From the pics I've see of the burger motorsports intake, the filter has more open surface since its open in the center. That creates slight difficulty in cleaning it. If I remember correctly, someone on civicx mentioned that he is satisfied with it. Given its a SRI, I am sure it will also sound great! Worst part after doing my PRL retrofit, is that I wanted to here the blowoff valve all the time and my MPG decreased a lot! Havent turned the ECON on since May and I am always shifting after 3500rpm! Sounds awesome!
Here are a few pics of mine: https://www.civicx.com/threads/honda-cr-v-awd-1-5t-rw2-eudm.34416/

Still I will probably test the AEM at some point, I dont like the dust sitting on the filter. Its completely exposed. Plus, the absence of a heatshield is an issue during summer.

 

[DavesXX01]

Anger, very nice write up and pics on your link! Were you ever able to log air temps? Did they go higher while driving? Guessing intake temps shoot up while stopped.
The Burger intake uses the stock lower air box as a type of engine heat deflector per their site.

 

[Anger61]

Anger, very nice write up and pics on your link! Were you ever able to log air temps? Did they go higher while driving? Guessing intake temps shoot up while stopped.
The Burger intake uses the stock lower air box as a type of engine heat deflector per their site.

Thank you!
I forgot to mention the lower oem part of the airbox for BMS. That probably helps a bit with heatsoak. I do believe though that the AEM is the best solution for heat. I have no idea about fuel teims though.

The SRI heatsoaks when the car is stopped, especially when the fans begin to blow. While mobile and given that the CRV has much more space under the hood than the civic, the air circulates easier so it is not as bad. Also drove on the highway under extreme rain the other day, very conservatively obviously, didnt go over 40mph and didnt have an issue with water spray.

As I am yet to receive initial support for Ktuner (I am in queue), all logging I did was via the torque pro Application. I even connected it to the HU without doing the hondahack or anything but it doesnt work properly on the car screen. I used a simple ELM bluetooth OBDII module.

I have big plans for the car but I have 3 major setbacks:
1. Ktuner hasnt supported my ECU (I guess that will get sorted out eventually, still waiting after 3 months).
2. There is no bigger intercooler available for our cars that is a direct fit. Civic Intercoolers need the active grill shutters removed and I am not willing to do that. My car has shutters only behind the radar, on the upper grill. I ve seen 2017s that have grills in front of the intercooler as well but I still think a civic intercooler will not fit.
3. There is no reliable solution for an aftermarket clutch. Mine is a manual with identical clutch and flywheel to the non-Si Civic. There is one guy that does retrofit work from the FK8 Type-R but did not manage to get a hold of him.

I can tell you, the car has an amazing chassis, the suspension is sporty and the AWD system while not as sofisticated as the SH-AWD the Acuras have, gets the job done on tarmac quick cornering!

 

[DavesXX01]

Anger, I’m CVT and checked the ECU code. Hondata actually has a tune for my car now Ktune does not and also looking at the JB4 unit also as they are willing to help me with a tune. I’m already lighting up the front inner tire on turns bone stock so not really a fan of the supposed “predictive” AWD this car has. Agreed, we seriously need a intercooler solution.

 

[crv383]

Your exhaust looks great. Do you know if that OE factory single muffler (ahead of the split) is straight thru?......or chambered?

 

[Anger61]

Anger, I’m CVT and checked the ECU code. Hondata actually has a tune for my car now Ktune does not and also looking at the JB4 unit also as they are willing to help me with a tune. I’m already lighting up the front inner tire on turns bone stock so not really a fan of the supposed “predictive” AWD this car has. Agreed, we seriously need a intercooler solution.

Ktuner have not updated their compatibility table for a while now. Check the list here http://www.ktuner.com/KTunerHelp/version_history.htm?ms=AAAA&st=MA==&sct=MA==&mw=MjQw in case yours is mentioned. If not, there is a whole process that you must do to send them your data and then hope that they will get back to you soon enough. Given that the majority of 5th gens are CVT, maybe the unlocking process for your ECU will take less time. Otherwise, you are in for a "unknown ETA". I would suggested with sticking either with Hondata or Ktuner. Ktuner is a great solution but I am beginning to get really frustrated with them, having to wait all these months. I totally get that its difficult to unlock the ECU and that they have a ton of work to do but without having the ECU, I am pretty much stuck. Its the key to the whole tuning process.

I have wondered myself about the way the AWD system operates. It is marketed as "predictive" as you say, it is supposed to be a front wheel drive car until the ECU "predicts" wheel spin and engages the rear wheels BUT the dashboard AWD screen has the blue arrow indicators always on for the rear wheels. If Honda were 100% accurate, that would mean that there is a 95%-5% engagement, not 100-0. In any case, I have detected minimal delay in the rear wheels, only in certain occasions. Given that the car is heavy, tall and obviously not designed for extreme cornering, I am not sure that its an engagement delay or a delay in increase of the torque sent to the rear wheels. I have learned however how the system behaves more or less so I "prepare" it for sending more torque to the back. When cornering following the proper "racing" line, apex and all, the AWD should not engage in general. Wheel spin should be avoided no matter if its a FWH, RWD or AWD. If you want to play with the car, drift it or break the balance in general, you either have to do it by using raw power mid-corner (which does not apply to us, at least not in stock form), or use the weight to break the balance. This means letting off the gas pedal, even stepping slightly on the brakes while entering a corner or right after entering it. With the CRV, right after doing that, full throttle with RPMs over 2500-3000 should slide the car a bit AWD style.

Main limiting factor is the VSA. In my previous Civic Type-Rs (EP3 and FN2), as well as the 1st, 2nd, 3rd gen CRVs and the 8th gen Civic I have previously owned (I ve owned 12 Hondas in total!), the VSA was completely disabled when pressing the respective button. Now VSA OFF disables TCS only. I absolutely despise that. I was driving on snow, had VSA off so I wouldnt get stuck and when the rear broke loose and oversteered, I immediately had the ESP engage. Also on quick cornering, looking to fool around a bit by drifting, again the ESP kicks in and kills all the fun. Its a pity because the chassis is so rigid, the suspension is so progressive and the brakes are so strong that the car is so mechanically stable that no ESP is needed if you know what you are doing. If you dont, well, do not disengage the VSA! I loved that about Hondas, that they gave the option to the driver, they didnt enforce anything..... Especially with 50 or 45 profile tires (on 19"s), you can have a sedan like experience while cornering. I was track racing back in the day with the Rs, so I kind of miss that! In Greece a FK8 costs 62000USD and I got the V for 43000USD so a weekend Civic is out of the question....!

Your exhaust looks great. Do you know if that OE factory single muffler (ahead of the split) is straight thru?......or chambered?

Thank you! Sound isnt really affected for the passengers, but with the new mufflers I definitely get a sporty tone after 4500rpm. No difference in noise up until there. These are pretty much the biggest mufflers I could get, since the 90 degrees turn the pipe has to make doesnt leave much space for fitting. Plus my friends tell me that the car sounds much better! Given my past Honda experience, the resonator is straight through. Reflecting on the mufflers swap, if I had to do it all over again, I would keep the resonator and delete the mufflers completely. It would make more noise than now, but I think it would still be bearable for highway driving. After I get the engine sorted, I ll swap the otherwise good OEM exhaust for a 2.5" with no mufflers.

 

[DavesXX01]

Anger, Love your descriptions on drifting! We think alike! This is my first Honda. My other fun cars were a Mazda 323 GTX, a Mazdaspeed6, VW GTI w/turbo upgrade, VW Golf R, Audi S4 with many supercharger and tune upgrades. My mundane cars have been a Mazda6, 2 Mazda CX-5's, and a '19 Subaru Forester Sport. My CX-5 nor my Forester would ever break a tire loose in a corner, Mazda uses many sensors for a truly "predictive" AWD system and it worked awesome! This CR-V, while I like the power and want even more, kinda scares me a bit and it's becoming clear why I see so many of them in the ditch during winter driving. An AWD system that can only "react" to tire slippage after it's happened is why so many people end up in a ditch. (plus they are most likely lousy drivers and didn't have proper tires installed anyway) Thanks for your excellent input and my apologies to the OP of this thread, it's kinda gone way off track!

 

[UMRdyldo]

Anger, Love your descriptions on drifting! We think alike! This is my first Honda. My other fun cars were a Mazda 323 GTX, a Mazdaspeed6, VW GTI w/turbo upgrade, VW Golf R, Audi S4 with many supercharger and tune upgrades. My mundane cars have been a Mazda6, 2 Mazda CX-5's, and a '19 Subaru Forester Sport. My CX-5 nor my Forester would ever break a tire loose in a corner, Mazda uses many sensors for a truly "predictive" AWD system and it worked awesome! This CR-V, while I like the power and want even more, kinda scares me a bit and it's becoming clear why I see so many of them in the ditch during winter driving. An AWD system that can only "react" to tire slippage after it's happened is why so many people end up in a ditch. (plus they are most likely lousy drivers and didn't have proper tires installed anyway) Thanks for your excellent input and my apologies to the OP of this thread, it's kinda gone way off track!

Yeah we had a couple discussions about how bad the CRV AWD system is. The first snow we got in 2017 was the closest I had come to a wreck in a decade. The CRV does a terrible job of power distribution.

 

[Anger61]

Anger, Love your descriptions on drifting! We think alike! This is my first Honda. My other fun cars were a Mazda 323 GTX, a Mazdaspeed6, VW GTI w/turbo upgrade, VW Golf R, Audi S4 with many supercharger and tune upgrades. My mundane cars have been a Mazda6, 2 Mazda CX-5's, and a '19 Subaru Forester Sport. My CX-5 nor my Forester would ever break a tire loose in a corner, Mazda uses many sensors for a truly "predictive" AWD system and it worked awesome! This CR-V, while I like the power and want even more, kinda scares me a bit and it's becoming clear why I see so many of them in the ditch during winter driving. An AWD system that can only "react" to tire slippage after it's happened is why so many people end up in a ditch. (plus they are most likely lousy drivers and didn't have proper tires installed anyway) Thanks for your excellent input and my apologies to the OP of this thread, it's kinda gone way off track!

Thanks again! Well we are slightly off topic indeed, let me just say that I 'll make sure to keep you guys about my intake and the rest of tuning mods up to date!

Yeah we had a couple discussions about how bad the CRV AWD system is. The first snow we got in 2017 was the closest I had come to a wreck in a decade. The CRV does a terrible job of power distribution.

The V tends to understeer. That happens to all FWD cars. Since understeer is easier to control by the average driver, even RWD cars are hard to oversteer nowadays.
Now, if the rear engages late, understeer becomes worse instead of being corrected! So yeah, someone might end up in a ditch if its way too slippery! The best way to avoid that, is if the torque transferred to the rear wheels is significantly higher than the front. Then, especially if the traction is low, the rear will turn to oversteer. With a slight correction by the driver, the ditch will be avoided! An immediate transfer of more torque to the rear is practically impossible. The V is capable of transferring up to 60% to the rear. But the system needs to be engaged already for that to happen quickly.

This is why I always disengage the VSA when I drive fast or on slippery roads. I drive slightly more aggressively by keeping the revs up so the front wheels slip because of the power sent, so power is also sent to the back more often and the system is almost always engaged and the torque distribution occurs quicker. That of course is easy to do because I have a manual gearbox and can keep the revs up by choosing a lower gear. But I think the CVT can simulate that. If the ESP was also disabled completely, I would be able to have more fun on dry tarmac. On gravel or snow however, the ESP staying always on is much safer. In my old 3rd gen V, on which the AWD was a major upgrade to the 2nd gen, I was constantly correcting on snow or gravel making it a lot of fun but also I needed to be at constant alert. Now I fell that the car can get out of a difficult situation traction wise, but I definitely cant drift it at 50 or 60 mph on gravel or 30-40mph on snow. I wish we got the Sh-AWD in Europe as well, the RDX must be a dream to drive with the SH-AWD and the 2 litre turbo engine!

Best solution is for the AWD to be always engaged, even at 5% to the rear. Does anyone know why the blue arrows for the rear axle are always on? Is it 100-0 or 95-5 after all?????