Hondata tuning questions

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random_hero

New Member
OK, so I have some questions. I have a '92 Civic DX w/ '95 SiR II B16A. This car is my DD/Autocross/Drag (Drag Racing less than the other two). Basically a weekend warrior. I am not looking to maker big numbers in horsepower. I am actually looking to make between 200-250 hp. I also plan to add the following parts to my engine: PCT Pistons, ITR cams and valvesprings, Spoon 70mm TB, Toda or Spoon ADJ Cam gears. Now to my actual questions.

1. Exactly how does Hondata S200 work? I have not ever gotten this far into tuning, only bolt-ons.

2. Could I run a unit like this now? Or should I wait to add the above mentioned parts?

3. Has anyone here actually used any of the Hondata products?
 
well if you plan on tuning hondata you better get ready to spend some money. and take some classes on how to tune.

hondata is a great company i use their s200 system but i have it professionaly tuned. all of their stuff is great i highly reccomend it. you can put hondata on the motor now if you wanted.

just those parts are not going to get you 200hp let alone 250.

so do some more research
 
I know those parts alone aren't going to make 200-250. I plan on doing some other things, such as P/P and some fuel system upgrades. Then I will have it tuned professionaly.
 
i have a 00 civic ex w/ a jdm b16a sirII swap, and just bought the hondata s200 system, a chip programmer, the rom editing software, and a neat little thing that holds a chip w/ extra memory, holding 2 air/fuel profiles. one for fuel econ, and one for race (atleast that's how i'm programming it). called the 2Timer. i recommend moates.net and inlinefour.com!!

the total for the whole deally was 625 bucks. rather expensive, but w/o the chip burner and the rom editor software it would be 340~ish. not bad...

i ordered it on the 4th and they said it should be around 4 days to get here. if you want i'll update you on how well it worked for me. i already have my ecu chipped w/ an ebay chip (but i had the guy set the rev lim to 8200; why is 9000rpm the normal ebay chip lim! omg that's crazy). the ebay chip did wonders, but i think this is gonna be way more fun.

and i plan to sell preprogrammed chips..so gimme a week or so and i can make u a chip too.. i'm thinkin 25 bucks... we'll c.

edit: ya i'm not a pro, it wont be as good as a dyno tune, but it'll be something.. and u'll have no top speed lim, big +
 
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the s200 system is outdated and really, its a waste of money to buy it at this point in time.

the s300 is a whole other ball game.

but if you're looking to tune with chips, look no further than http://wwww.tunewithcrome.com

12:1 pistons and itr cams might put you near 175 whp if you're lucky.

also, YBLEGAL, be careful with making maps and selling them to people. a bad chip or poorly mapped chip can cost someone 1000's of dollars in engine damage.

tune a couple local cars first, then think about getting into that.
 
yeah i guess i should have stated. i'm having a local mechanic set me up with some standard maps first. i'll deviate from those and test them on my own car first. i understand it's a delicate process. kind of like overclocking a pc, you can ruin the whole thing of you set something wrong.

i guess i should ask. anybody know of any dyno shops local to portage, indiana; that's by gary, indiana, and if you still dont know where that is, how about local to chicago, illinois? it would be super to tune it there instead.

and btw i have stock cams and such. all i have is throttle body, intake mani, headers, catback. it'll b just a lil more agressive than stock.
 
YBLEGAL said:
edit: ya i'm not a pro, it wont be as good as a dyno tune, but it'll be something.. and u'll have no top speed lim, big +
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Several things about this post piss me off. 'It'll be something'...what the hell do you mean by that? If you're doing serious mods to your car, you either A. get it dyno tuned and it runs great, or B. don't get it dyno tuned and it blows up. It's not a matter of IF it blows up, it's a matter of WHEN. And granted, you might be fine for a little while, but not all engine problems are immediately noticeable. You CANNOT have an ecu program that will be fine-tuned to your car without doing hands-on tuning. You will NEVER, EVER, EVER be able to safely make the most power that you can make with an ecu program that someone across the country burned for you. It can't be done, period. And you'll have no top speed? Who the hell cares? When was the last time ANYTHING you burned a chip for hit over 120 in the quarter mile, or on an autocross track? There is absolutely NO reason why you would, could, or should be going that fast. That, and having 'unlimited top speedz y0!' is not ANY excuse for having a poorly-tuned ecu map.
 
alright alright alright fine! lol geeze. just sayin... i did ask where i could find a dyno around here anyway. from research, the closest were michigan and ohio. well the basic point is. if you get a hondata, you have to put a chip in. i havnt got mine yet but i'm assuming it's gonna have to be burned. and when i take it to a dyno anyway, that's how i'm gonna have to adjust it since i didnt get an S300. so even if i didnt change the air/fuel ratios i could make him a chip which lowers the vtec engagment if he has vtec, and take off the top speed limiter. and, i've been over 120 many times, and so have all my friend and it's not a big deal, sometimes it comes in handy. indiana's a boring cornfield state. sorry i pissed ya'll off!

it'll be something meaning you can squeeze a few extra ponies out of a stock engine w/ bearly any parts. and pistons and those things he's talking about cost more, and sometimes people say they are going to get them, like I, but it's gonna be quite some time till i get that kinda of extra money. soo this would be a temporary improvement, even if a minimal one.
 
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pissedoffsol said:
the s200 system is outdated
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im going to have to disagree. there isnt anything wrong with it. yes i agree that now the s300 would be the system to buy....but if you dont have the money for the s300 then there is absolutly nothing wrong with the s200.
 
....except crome owns the s200 in every way, and its cheaper.

there's not 1 good reason to buy the s200 system right now.
 
YBLEGAL said:
it'll be something meaning you can squeeze a few extra ponies out of a stock engine w/ bearly any parts... soo this would be a temporary improvement, even if a minimal one.
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Show me dyno sheets where lowering the VTEC engagement point and removing the speed limiter gains you ANY ponies, much less 'a few extra'.










...





What's that, you can't?


Oh yeah, that's because lowering the VTEC engagement and removing the speed limiter gives you ZERO horsepower increase. And you go 120 regularly? Congrats, you're the reason why import cars have a bad name. I hope you smash into a telephone pole while going 120 and remove yourself from the gene pool.
 
YBLEGAL said:
alright alright alright fine! lol geeze. just sayin... i did ask where i could find a dyno around here anyway. from research, the closest were michigan and ohio. well the basic point is. if you get a hondata, you have to put a chip in. i havnt got mine yet but i'm assuming it's gonna have to be burned. and when i take it to a dyno anyway, that's how i'm gonna have to adjust it since i didnt get an S300. so even if i didnt change the air/fuel ratios i could make him a chip which lowers the vtec engagment if he has vtec, and take off the top speed limiter. and, i've been over 120 many times, and so have all my friend and it's not a big deal, sometimes it comes in handy. indiana's a boring cornfield state. sorry i pissed ya'll off!

it'll be something meaning you can squeeze a few extra ponies out of a stock engine w/ bearly any parts. and pistons and those things he's talking about cost more, and sometimes people say they are going to get them, like I, but it's gonna be quite some time till i get that kinda of extra money. soo this would be a temporary improvement, even if a minimal one.
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Where is portage and exactly what kind of car do you drive? I'll be sure to stay the fuck away from you on the road.
 
pissedoffsol said:
....except crome owns the s200 in every way, and its cheaper.

there's not 1 good reason to buy the s200 system right now.
Click to expand...


sure i can think of a great reason....tuning your car...sounds like a pretty good reason. Im not arguing crome. i dont know much about it. yes it is cheaper. but please tell me how it is better in EVERY way....id just flat out like to know
 
i went and checked out their web site...and nothing on there appears to make it SUPERIOR. i think it is a great alternative...but it is not cheaper than the s200. it is 100 dollars more. but is much cheaper than the s300. what kind of customer service to you get with crome? on the website they say themselves that it only matches but doesnt go beyond hondata....and they say that it is faster to tune...i have no idea i dont know anyone who uses it. it took us about 45 min to 1 hr to completly tune my h22 on a dyno...id say that is pretty quick.
 
keep in mind, if you do S300 you must have a USDM ecu. the JDM ecu case's are too small to mount the unit. and you'll have to cut a hole for the usb if you do the S300 in a USDM.
 
just for you civicious, i'm taking my car to a dyno next week, and i'll run both unchipped, and with lowered vtec engagment. i'm curious to see. my understanding is lowering the vtec engagement wont give you overall more horsepower, but it will produce it earlier in the powerband, helping acceleration. i'll make sure to take lots of vids and pics!

for the record..
120 isnt a regular, but it's a limit i've been beyond. there is a time and a place...
i'm deff not talking everyday on the way to work, casual drive i'm bookin ass 120 down the freeway... lol but it does sound fun! :D
 
civicious said:
Show me dyno sheets where lowering the VTEC engagement point and removing the speed limiter gains you ANY ponies, much less 'a few extra'.










...





What's that, you can't?


Oh yeah, that's because lowering the VTEC engagement and removing the speed limiter gives you ZERO horsepower increase. And you go 120 regularly? Congrats, you're the reason why import cars have a bad name. I hope you smash into a telephone pole while going 120 and remove yourself from the gene pool.
Click to expand...

wil, i gained a few ponies in midrange by lowering my vtec.
dyno.jpg
 
powerdriverh22 said:
i went and checked out their web site...and nothing on there appears to make it SUPERIOR. i think it is a great alternative...but it is not cheaper than the s200. it is 100 dollars more. but is much cheaper than the s300. what kind of customer service to you get with crome? on the website they say themselves that it only matches but doesnt go beyond hondata....and they say that it is faster to tune...i have no idea i dont know anyone who uses it. it took us about 45 min to 1 hr to completly tune my h22 on a dyno...id say that is pretty quick.
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crome is free.
crome pro is 150 bucks, and that adds datalogging features and so forth.

hondata s200 hasn't been updated in like 4 years now.
the latest crome build is only a few months old.

I had hondata s200. i've tuned with it. hell, i ran it on my turbo del sol.
i've tuned 5 other cars with it that aren't mine.
i sold it all, and now tune obd1 honda's exclusively with crome.

ask anyone on here who i've helped tune... be it a basemap for vtecin5th or tuning megasquirt on neonmike's turbo neon, i would like to think i know what i'm doing. :p
and in my professional opinion after tuning 10-20 cars, I find crome to be the better solution, not only for the money, but for the tune.
 
GSRCRXsi said:
wil, i gained a few ponies in midrange by lowering my vtec.
dyno.jpg
Click to expand...

Ian, is that your dyno from when your motor was stock, where you gained some midrange hp from lowering the VTEC point? Doesn't look like a dyno graph from a stock motor to me...

it'll be something meaning you can squeeze a few extra ponies out of a stock engine w/ bearly any parts
Click to expand...
 
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