2020 Civic EX Tune adjustments?

[Tasaddar12]

I have a 2020 Civic EX with a K&N CAI. I used the base map of +3 PSI and tuned AFM for the CAI. My first time tuning so any suggestions will be much appriciated. I am getting a dyno tune in April or late March. Along with some new parts to bolt on.

[Tasaddar12]

I am thinking about switching to +6 PSI and 93 octane. If I decide to do so I will re tune and re post new data. Any opinions?

Edit:
If I decide not to do so which I can't justify spending $0.70 more per gallon for a daily driver just to get some more kick. I can justify $0.20 for 89 octane. Should I swap to 89 octane based on my current tune and stay away from the +6 psi? Or can the +6 psi support 89? Only reason it would need to be 93 is the gas stations in my area have 93 not 91.

[EFICU]

I would yield to the Hondata boys for hands on data to your response..

In the meantime while you wait for their response, are you running 87 octane then in your original datalog you post? If so, you're already showing knock in that datalog for whatever fuel you're running there. I believe Hondata recommends the highest available octane you can get in your area for the boosted generations like yours. But if you only want to jump up to 89 octane and refuse to go 93, then I would recommend sticking with the +3 PSI and see how it looks with 89 in the tank. +6 PSI and 89 would be riding on the edge and would not be recommended since the extra boost and ignition is designed for 93 octane.

Are you planning on keeping the car for a long time? If so, think of running 93 octane as an investment in the vehicle as opposed to $0.70 a gallon as a burden if you can. The 93 octane will give you more knock protection over time and could avoid long term wear and tear from knock. I don't know what your climate is like where you are, but that knock protection will be nice when the summer months come and the ambient temperatures go up. Granted the intercooler does a good job, but the temps still go up with ambient going up. Just something to think about.

[Tasaddar12]

The datalog is running on 87 octane.

I will plan to switch to 89 for extra knock protection and I do plan on keeping this car long term. Just 93 octane is a bit costly especially as a daily driver to and from work.

In the long run I plan to change the setup to a sequential twin turbo. Gonna change the CVT to Manual since only way to handle the twin turbo. Also gotta increase size of pistons to handle the extra power. Probably won't happen for a few years though.

In late March to early April I'm gonna be installing a new injen exhaust and injen intercooler. As well as plan to install a performance radiator. After all that gonna get it dyno tuned.

These are my plans with my car.

[EFICU]

Yeah I would stick to the +3 calibration then based on your octane level and polish the tune for that setup. That would be your best bet moving forward based on your statement. It sounds weird, but you could even try doing a 50/50 mix of 89/93 to raise the octane more. If you're not seeing any knock when you switch to 89 then you should be good. But be sure to datalog in different temperatures so you can check for knock for difference ambient temps.

Swapping out to a manual trans will be a good idea if you follow through with your plans on a TT setup. Technically they aren't strong enough for what you have now which is why Hondata controls the peak torque to protect the trans. Yeah I don't know how much power the internals are good for, I haven't done too much on the boosted generations to know that, but I would imagine as you mention pistons would be a good start to meeting your future goals.

Good luck with it all. Be sure to do your due diligence on a tuner, you want to be sure you can have fun with it and not worry too much about something going wrong.

[Tasaddar12]

I swapped to 89 octane. Runs better for reduced knocks but also placed some retard on my ignition since the 2nd and 3rd cylinder were still bad. Gonna run this way till I get rest my parts and then it will be dyno tuned.

[Tasaddar12]

Did a datalog after I got home and tuned it a little better. I got 12 knocks in 25 minutes. But the knocks all really happen when I am going up and down a hill, hitting road bumps, and that is really it. I dont hear any engine knocking sound. When it logs these knocks everything sounds fine to me. (I would post the datalog but I took it on laptop and application crashed when I brought the laptop inside from closing and opening the lid. I didnt save it...). A lot of the knock seems to occur with low throttle (10% is the average when it "occurs") Also normally around 30 MPH speeds. RPM around 1500-2000 usually I think. I took a look at the datalog before bringing laptop in the house.

I was googling and found some other posts about it being something hitting the engine or just from the overall "noise" produced by the engine. Think this is the case?

[EFICU]

Yeah with sticking to 89 octane, you will need to make some adjustments to get the knock to go away. A few knock on a drive is no big deal, but if you see a consistent pattern of knock happening in one area you want to remove it. Then any randoms over time are no big deal...

When you're going up hill, the load on the engine is great which causes low rpm / high load scenarios where the engine is most prone to knock. That low rpm / high load area needs to be adjusted to try to remove the knock, especially running 89. Best thing to do is keep datalogging, then post up the datalogs so we can see what you're working with. You should be able to get it knock free, if after a lot of effort, then you can address false knock interests. But don't look for false knock to be your initial feeling. Work with the ignition to try to remove it. The odds of you having false knock are extremely low with a setup like yours.

Another thing to try, for one tank, fill it up with 93 and see how it goes. If the knock is gone while running on 93, that will tell you most likely octane is the culprit and that the knock is real due to using 89. Boost loves octane and cooler intake charge, so anything you do on both fronts help. That's why E85 is perfect for boost, you get the best of everything.

[Tasaddar12]

Thank you a lot for all your information and help so far!!!! Most the reported knock happens on cylinder 2. I have an hour long drive to work will data log that tomorrow and post it. Along with my new calibration I been working on.

[EFICU]

Sounds good, you're welcome. Yeah I think running a tank of 93 would really help you determine the knock issue and whether or not there is some validity to it. But yeah, keep us in the loop.

[Tasaddar12]

Got home and finished doing the datalogs. Got 2 datalogs. 1 to work and 1 from work. From work had some snow coming down.

I 7-zip the first file since they too large. Hope that is ok. I also added the .fpdl extension to the end of the .7z file since that was only way to allow submission of file. Remove the .fpdl from filename and unzip with 7-zip. Only need to if you wanna look at the data since it is an hour long.

Also added my current calibration.

[Tasaddar12]

Here is my from work for today. Same thing I have to 7-zip file to make it small enough to paste. This one has more knocks while I wasnt pushing the engine as hard so I wouldnt slip on the snow.

[Tasaddar12]

Im looking at logs now and I feel like I done calibrated the AFM so many times now and it keeps going back down to the average of -5%. I have been changing it to be closer to 0 for past few days but it just keeps sinking back down to average -5%. (I have been changing about -3% or -2% many times past few days on all the same areas)

Am I doing something wrong?

[Tasaddar12]

I think I made an oopsie with the datalogs I posted... I just realized I removed the first few datalogs from the device memory and I sent the last 2 datalogs not the ones I actually was on. This probably explains why I am seeing all these numbers being different lmao. For AFM tuning I datalog on a laptop.... Just ignore the past datalogs..... My mistake. I will do the same as before and such. I was just super use to going to the bottom of the datalog list and selecting the last one I took.

[EFICU]

Unfortunately I can't get that 7-zip app to download. I've tried a few different time and it keeps failing. I'll see if I can find another program to use.