I just bought a rsx base model. I wanted the type s, but i had to settle for the base. anyway what i need to do is get this thing goin i want to get it up to about 200 horse power with out any forced induction. so tell me whats the best way to basicly get it up their with the type s. Thank you

 

ECU to start with, I have no idea what the compression ratio is in the base but the type s is 11 to 1, so look at pistons and valve train. And the 200 hp is to the fly wheel not actual wheel hp. The type s only has about 160-170 to the wheels depending on the dyno.

 

I would also like to know about this also. I went with the base because I would be taking the other cars in the family depending on the even I needed it for, and no one esle knows how to drive stick. Much input would be great. From my understanding the base and s engine are pretty much the same, just honda tuned it to pump out 50 more hp at the high revs and what not.

 

to my knowledge the base engine on the RSX is the same as the civic Si engine and its more like a e-vtec in the sense that vtec is only on the intake side basically u use 4 intake valves in low RPMS and the switchover into vtec you utilize all 4 valves theres this mod i heard of that u put a k20a2(type-s motor) cam and lifter assembly in the k20a3(base rsx civic si motor) and you get more power but basically one of your valves will always be in vtec. therefore i think getting the type-s 6speed tranny and the type-s head would be a big start to getting to that type-s performance BTW hows your experience with the base rsx so far?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dixie Normas7 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I just bought a rsx base model. I wanted the type s, but i had to settle for the base. anyway what i need to do is get this thing goin i want to get it up to about 200 horse power with out any forced induction. so tell me whats the best way to basicly get it up their with the type s. Thank you</TD></TR></TABLE>

are you 5spd or auto? if ur 5spd its easy just get I/E/H and hondata and u'll beat a type s. if u got an auto (like me) you will proly have to go the F/I route. the fastest base auto n/a right now is running a 15.5 and the type s is about a 15.2-14.8 stock. check out the base model section at clubrsx

 

Well the simple way is a K20Z1 and ECU swap. Then there is the trany differnce. As far as the engine goes. The heads are a little different. The cams are from the Type-R (PRC's in the '06 model). Pistons, exhaust, and IM is different in the Type-S. Might as well go with an Ingen CAI. You have to mod the TB to work with the Type-R (PRC) IM, if you wnat to go that way.

It's doable but not easy or cheap.

 

Whats the ECU?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mrnewguy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Whats the ECU?</TD></TR></TABLE>

engine control unit? basically what runs your car. you can tune it with hondata for more performance gains.

 

take a swing over to ephatch.com

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mrnewguy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Whats the ECU?</TD></TR></TABLE>

the computer that controls everything

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by johnnfx13 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I would also like to know about this also. I went with the base because I would be taking the other cars in the family depending on the even I needed it for, and no one esle knows how to drive stick. Much input would be great. From my understanding the base and s engine are pretty much the same, just honda tuned it to pump out 50 more hp at the high revs and what not.</TD></TR></TABLE>

The engines are completely different actually.

 

K20A2 swap FTW!

 

Without doing a swap, you can get pretty close to Type-S performance if you put on some good i/h/e, a 6-speed (preferably from the 05-06 Type-S or 06+ Si because their FD ratios are the same as the EP3 Si and CTR), Hondata (to raise the redline and take full advantage of both the i/h/e and the 6-speed), and at least upgraded valvesprings to safely rev higher.

I'm suggesting this route as a possibility because my own EP, without Hondata, dynoed at 158 whp on a Dynojet. Extending the rev limiter could, on paper at least, register more horsepower and end up very close to a stock Type-S.

 

If I'm reading your avatar correctly, you have an Si. Your suggestion will hold true for an Si engine because the VTEC is designed for power. So all you need is a tune (more or less). Now bumping up the power on a base RSX (with its fuel economy version of VTEC) is not such a simple thing to do. There is the compression ratio difference 9.8 (Base) vs 11 (Type-S and Si) to 1. The only thing the base has going for it is that it weighs 40 (Auto) - 100 (Manual) pounds less than the Type-S.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Nexus Flux &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">There is the compression ratio difference 9.8 (Base) vs 11 (Type-S and Si) to 1.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Hate to say it like this, but that's wrong. My EP3's engine has the same compression ratio as the base RSX. The only difference in the motor itself is the intake manifold -- mine is the same as the Type-S, while the base RSX has a dual-length manifold.

 

someone on club rsx got about 200ish with header, and a2 cams, might also have some other things but its a hassle. search over there and youll find his instructions for cam swap

 

by the time you put all that time and money into the a3 you could have did a swap and gave yourself more reliable power. I would say dont waste your money unless you are going to do a swap. Thats just my opinion.

 

even a swap on an auto tranny wouldn't make the same power. And Barracks is right about the engine difference, they are the same except for the head. The base is meant to be more eco friendly.

If you really want the power of the type-s trade it in or grab a super charger

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by gm3w12 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">by the time you put all that time and money into the a3 you could have did a swap and gave yourself more reliable power. I would say dont waste your money unless you are going to do a swap. Thats just my opinion.</TD></TR></TABLE>
That's actually a plan I've got, and why I went with nice I/H/E. Why just do a simple swap when I could also have the supporting parts in place to make it even better?

 

well you've got a few choices..

1) type S complete head swap
2) Type S cams swap
3) Skunk 2 Stage 1 cams

average whp outcome for either one is around 170 ... but you will definitely need K-Pro...

Imo... I'd slap a greddy kit on there and call it a day... you will leave stock s2ks and Zs behind all day long...

 

i/h/e is just going to waste your money and make your car extremely loud