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Hpd cr-z 002

77K views 253 replies 46 participants last post by  Hallstar 
#1 ·
Well, I'm officially the first HPD Supercharged CR-Z out in the wild. Ironically, that gets me serial number 002, since the 001 kit was the one used on the development car at HPD. Looks like I'll be alone for a while longer too, since my experience has uncovered confusion within Honda as to when this kit was supposed to be ready. Short answer: not yet. In fact, I was told I'm not even supposed to have mine! :mellow:

EDIT: for those of you reading this who are doing your own installations, I've posted some installation tips that might help. Here's a direct link:
http://www.crzforum.com/forum/744833-post88.html

Got my kit (along with the HPD exhaust) from Paul at CHH. Received the big boxes in only a few days, no hint of trouble. I took inventory of the boxes (not closely enough, in hindsight), then began the install to be spread out over a week of evenings.

First problem was that the kit did not have a pre-paid shipping box for the ECU to go to HPD for reflash. No problem I thought, I'll just call HPD and get their address. That began a 2 day back and forth with them on the one hand saying they can't take it from me (dealerships only), then when I tried to have Paul send it in for me he couldn't get the address or shipping label either, then magically someone at HPD just said ok I could send it. So off it went.

As my install progressed I got to the point where I was to install a custom bracket for the SC traction fluid reservoir. Not in any of my boxes, so mild panic set in. I kept thinking: Could I have thrown it out by accident? .... I could have sworn I saw it a few days ago! ... This kept me up most of the night before I called Paul and also inquired with HPD directly about getting one out to me.

About then my ECU arrived for reflash at HPD headquarters and suddenly I was on the radar with the CR-Z development team. None other than Philip LaPointe (Chief Engineer on the HPD CR-Z dev team) contacted me to (1) congratulated me for being their first CR-Z SC customer and (2) to say he'd look into why I was missing parts. A day later I had my answer - The bracket doesn't exist yet, the kit should not have been released and I never should have received one.

Here's where Philip is my hero - he said I could wait a couple weeks for them to finish manufacturing of the brackets or he could send me one of the prototypes that they had left over from development testing. Guess which one I picked? :thumbsup:

Ok, I finish the install and everything looks good. Nothing left to do but start 'er up and feel the power! So I do the priming procedure on the SC and turn the key... and my stomach sinks. The car barely runs, check engine light flashes, message center flashing every warning imaginable - it's automotive doomsday. I read the codes in Dash Command a see a cylinder 3 misfire. Another 2 hours of tearing down what I had just built and I find the culprit: one of the high flow injectors I installed with the kit is stuck closed. A couple of hard whacks on my work bench frees it up, so back on goes the fuel rail and I'm 100% once again. And this time... it runs just fine.

I've only been around the block in it a couple times, and Rotrex says to give it about 60 miles to break in before really getting on it, so I'll follow up later with some driving impressions on boost. I will say that under normal driving my MPG is unchanged, which is great. The only minor issue I now have is that I seem to have developed a resonance buzz around 3200 rpm that I have to track down and fix. Oh, and anyone who tries to combine the HPD exhaust with a cat delete - don't! It is waaaay loud (and not in a good way), they definitely designed that exhaust with the contribution of the 2nd cat in mind.

Now some pics...

My dash placard:


My handiwork:


Custom die cut decal I had made just for the occasion:



Build summary:

  • HPD Supercharger
  • HPD Center Exit Exhaust with HPD Rear Diffuser
  • HPD Sport Suspension
  • T1R Blue Wide Angle Mirrors
  • Android Tablet Display running DashCommand
  • aFe High Flow Dry Air Intake Filter
  • Shorai LFX21L6 LiFePo4 12v battery
  • Replica Mugen Alloy Pedal Set
  • White LED Interior Lights
  • Center Brake Light Modulator
  • Kosei K4R 17x7 Wheels
  • Michelin Pilot Super Sport 215/45ZR-17 Tires
  • FIC 5mm Hubcentric Wheel Spacers
  • BLOX Racing Magnetic Oil and Transmission Drain Plugs
 
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#8 ·
On the kit price, I have to say that after seeing the quality of the parts, the engineering and attention to detail, and frankly what you get in the package, I came away (almost) convinced the kit was a bargain. Not disparaging the Jackson kit (which the HPD kit is based on and so owes a debt of gratitude), but for not too much more $ you get a whole lot more in my opinion. The whole drive pulley side of the engine is replaced, the parts are all custom molded to fit perfectly, the ECU has a Honda produced tune, there is still an air box and the stock snorkel remains, it's just perfectly integrated. Anyone who didn't know otherwise would think the car came this way. You get a lot for the money.
 
#10 ·
First drive under boost

Finished the SC break-in period on my way to work today. The one highway merge I have on my route that has always been a bit of a challenge is now a completely different experience.:thumbsup:

I put the car in sport mode and accelerated at what I thought would be a moderate pace. Well, I was laughing and saying "Wow!" by 4th gear! I didn't even go half way through the gas pedal travel and the thing felt like riding a sling shot. The car always felt pretty peppy through 1st and 2nd, but once into 3rd the stock car just fell on it's face. Now it pulls like a locomotive relentlessly to redline, forcing a pace of upshifts that I haven't experienced since my old Eclipse turbo. The car is transformed!

And I still got 40 mpg on my commute! :grin:
 
#15 · (Edited)
More impressions

One thing I think I'm noticing is that Normal mode still feels, well, pretty normal. Meaning that I think HPD kept the throttle mapping for Normal (and probably Econ) still feeling pretty stock-ish, which I guess translates into actually opening the throttle plate less than stock for a given pedal position, so power delivery feels pretty much the same as stock through the first half of pedal travel. Obviously mashing the pedal finds more power up top than stock, but I find the car feeling not too much different when I'm just driving it normally. In Sport mode all hell breaks loose, which is really cool. I think this makes the modes feel more distinct, since all sport mode seemed to do stock was make the gas pedal more sensitive, but the total power didn't really 'feel' much different. Now it's like a whole personality change in the car.

Just thought it was interesting. I'm discovering new things on every drive. Last night was what belt slip feels like (now tightened). :eek:

Edit: A little update on this - Normal mode does have more power too, but really just feels like a 'fattening up' of the power in higher gears, if I'm explaining that right. Stock the car feels just plain anemic in 3rd and above, now it has acceleration power whenever you ask for it. But overall the throttle map has the car feeling pretty familiar in that mode, just with more oomph available.

What's different about sport mode really comes down to the car now actually being able to deliver on what your right foot is asking of the engine. That's why it feels like such a huge difference. In stock form the powertrain always felt like it was constantly straining to give you what you were asking for, now it's like the engine is shouting "Want some? I'll give you that, and MORE!!" whenever I press the pedal. Sport mode is the place the HPD SC really gives you a smack and says "I'm here!". It makes the multi drive mode system make so much more sense, a true multi personality selector rather than a gas pedal sensitivity switch. I love the change.
 
#17 ·
I'm glad to hear the kit turned out well for you. Sounds like it totally transforms the car, very exciting. Paul from College Hills contacted me to say Honda has pulled back the kit until packaging is resolved, so he had to cancel my order until further notice. I just pulled my summer wheel and tires for the winter, so I patiently wait...keep us updated with some reviews.
 
#18 ·
fixed the rattle

I finally tracked down the buzz/rattle that came along with my SC install. It was driving me crazy. Turns out it was the relocated bracket for the horn where the intercooler outlet pipe picks up a mounting point. It was clearing a body panel by a fraction of a mm, so at 3500 rpm it would make contact and resonate through the driver side fender like a megaphone. So, to anyone else planning on the kit, do yourself a favor and bend the horn away from the body on that bracket.

Boy i'm glad it's gone, was really bumming me out.:eek:hyeah:
 
#22 ·
I finally tracked down the buzz/rattle that came along with my SC install. It was driving me crazy. Turns out it was the relocated bracket for the horn where the intercooler outlet pipe picks up a mounting point. It was clearing a body panel by a fraction of a mm, so at 3500 rpm it would make contact and resonate through the driver side fender like a megaphone. So, to anyone else planning on the kit, do yourself a favor and bend the horn away from the body on that bracket.

Boy i'm glad it's gone, was really bumming me out.:eek:hyeah:
Excellent find. Thanks for the PM. Wondering if you also purchased any other HPD accessories, such as the 18" Wheels? Interested in any add-ons you performed to complement the Supercharger! :thumbsup:TIA, Ty-K
 
#21 ·
More on MPG with SC

Today on my commute I exceeded 40 mpg without any heroics or even paying attention really (this included a couple 'bursts of speed' during my daily dust up on Route 130). I think this confirms I've achieved my goal of building a daily driver capable of high performance when I want it while retaining the high mpg I've always enjoyed.

Kudos to HPD!
 
#34 ·
Looks like I need a stronger clutch

I tried to make a video for you guys today and in the process discovered that I think I need to upgrade the clutch. Half the problem is probably my crappy shifting, but going into second I was slipping the pedal under power (more than I should), but even when I let off all the way the clutch still wouldn't hook up. Only after I backed off the gas a bit did it lock and I could get back on the accel. Looks like under boost the stock clutch just can't overcome a sloppy shift.

I also have noticed my fuel trims are running low. LT is around -10% and ST averages around -4%, so the ECU thinks the mixture is rich. There are 2 likely candidates that I can think of (1) that injector that was stuck during the install is still faulty and leaking a bit or (2) the PCV valve hose is kinked. I'm going to start with the PCV valve since I remember not being real happy with the way the kit had me install it. You basically splice it into the existing PCV hose but you don't extend it at all, so the hose winds up making a really tight bend into the engine fitting that I remember thinking was going to cause a restriction. I'll mod that this weekend and see if it makes a diff, if not then it looks like I'll be pulling the fuel rail and testing injectors, again.

But hey, even with all this, still loving the drive!
 
#38 ·
I tried to make a video for you guys today and in the process discovered that I definitely need to upgrade the clutch. Half the problem is probably my crappy shifting, but going into second I was slipping the pedal under power (more than I should), but even when I let off all the way the clutch still wouldn't hook up. Only after I backed off the gas a bit did it lock and I could get back on the accel. Looks like under boost the stock clutch just can't overcome a sloppy shift.
Yep. Once supercharged your stock clutch isn't long for this world... A CDV delete might have helped it last a little longer, but once the slipping starts it's all downhill from there. You'll love having an upgraded clutch though and if you spring for an LSD, you'll love it even more.

I'm very curious to see how the HPD ECU handles a clutch upgrade. I had "false misfires" resulting from my lightweight clutch and it wasn't until Hondata added a disable switch in FlashPro that it was fixed. Hopefully, HPD knows about this issue and has something already implemented in their ECU flash...
 
#35 ·
Fuel trims

The ECU calibration guy at HPD let me know that the fuel trim numbers I'm seeing are normal. Apparently with the SC tune they will swing around a lot more than I'm used to. Also, I extended the hose from the new check valve that's installed in line with the PCV valve. Using only the stock hose length forced a tight bend that I think was causing a slight restriction and affecting the mixture at idle.

Hopefully someone else will be able to get one soon and can use this info...

Was cruising around a bit today. This thing is an absolute rocket above 4000 rpm.
 
#36 ·
tacitblue, you are a true trailblazer.
With new kit such as this, there are often teething problems. And even the JRSC instructions left something to be dspesired (what I mean is that I found what I felt were better ways for a few things, including assembly order and hose routing). Thank you for the great write-ups, which I hope will be a real help to others who follow in your footsteps. Much like ITEM9 was to me with Jackson.

This kit looks really nice in the bay. Keep an eye on the hose connections after about 6 months. And if the spring belt tensioner was deleted in the install, be sure that the manual belt tension is checked a couple of times a year. That was my worst screw-up with my install.

What does the HPD setup use for a waste gate?

Now go out and enjoy the boost. Addictive, isn't it? :thumbsup: :vtec:
 
#37 ·
Thanks for the kind comments and maintenance tips. I've gotten so much out of this forum I'm glad to be able to contribute something back.

The gate is the same as JR's, a crossover vacuum valve tapped into the brake boost line.

And yes, addictive it is. My mpg average is doomed.
 
#40 ·
You are making me very jealous hearing about the supercharger. It's very frustrating knowing that I ordered the kit only to have it cancelled on me. I had a nice conversation with Oscar with Jackson Racing and there is not a damn thing I can do right now until Hondata has a tune available for the 2013. And hearing that College Hills Honda may not sell any more kits only adds to the frustration. Since the car is parked for the winter anyway, I must be patient and pray something happens before the summer. I really want to autocross the supercharged CRZ next summer...
 
#41 ·
Yeah, it sucks how the SC release has been such a pain fest. I got it straight from HPD that the last missing part (reservoir bracket) will be ready before December, so I really think you'll see it available by then. Not sure why college hills would drop it, but they are definitely not the only way to buy it, so don't give up based on that. It's definitely worth the wait.
 
#44 ·
Video

I'm no drag racer (as you'll see), but I made a vid of a couple acceleration runs this morning. I forget to turn off traction control on the first run, plus I'm short shifting a bit to *try* and spare my clutch as much as possible. I'll also get copious wheel spin in first as boost hits if I stay on the throttle, so to avoid angering the local townspeople I kept things down to an occasional chirp.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76624658/SC_accel2.wmv

This is by no means foot to the floor, max acceleration or anything like that. I'd say it's maybe 75-80% or so, just to give you an idea.
 
#46 ·
I'm no drag racer (as you'll see), but I made a vid of a couple acceleration runs this morning. I forget to turn off traction control on the first run, plus I'm short shifting a bit to *try* and spare my clutch as much as possible. I'll also get copious wheel spin in first as boost hits if I stay on the throttle, so to avoid angering the local townspeople I kept things down to an occasional chirp.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/76624658/SC_accel2.wmv

This is by no means foot to the floor, max acceleration or anything like that. I'd say it's maybe 75-80% or so, just to give you an idea.
GREAT videos--all 3--thanks for sharing!!:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
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