[J1000]

My thread to document my newly aquired Z. Many Hondas in my past and this is the newest. With my Hondas I like to envision what Honda would do OEM if they had a little bit more flexibility, like they do in the JDM market. So I want to keep it stockish in appearance but do key mods in key places to make a big impact. I like to enhance the strengths of the car and address any weaknesses or problems. Hondas are my Everyday Drivers that I take year round to do my normal day to day stuff and run errands. I also have a turbo Miata and a LX470 that I like to do autocross and offroading/camping with. I had an EP3 that was awesome and built but was totaled earlier this year. I bought my CR-Z for $5 less than the insurance check for my EP3 which tells you how the market is going. So my CR-Z has to be reliable and run every day in all weather.

I picked up this car and really have started to love it. I wasn't sure what I would think. Honestly, for the last 3 or 4 cars I've owned I bought them before even test driving the same model. The CR-Z I bought without ever driving one and then on the way home knew I made the right choice. I really like the IMA system and the steering and handling of the car and the design philosophy.

My EP3 had 200whp and a bunch of mods and my goal for the CR-Z is to match that performance. Right now, the CR-Z handles as well already as my EP3 did after doing a whole list of suspension mods to "fix" the front geometry. So I'm already at a really good starting off point. I also am a huge EV enthusiast and have owned a LEAF and am in the middle of converting a gas vehicle to EV and restoring a 1982 UM Electrek which is a 40 year old electric car. So I want to mod the IMA system in this Z and truly bring out the hidden potential like @PeterPerkins has been doing. His posts really are what pushed me over the edge to buy my own CR-Z.

My focus for this car will be in these areas:

1. N/A bolt ons, Flashpro, and E85 conversion
2. IMA battery mods for more assist and longer
3. Plug-in charging for the IMA battery

 

[J1000]

Ok so first things first my car has a Megan muffler and Typhoon intake. I'm not really a huge fan of either so I have ordered a cat-back exhaust and header. I also got myself a stock airbox off ebay. I also resurfaced the headlights and changed the oil. Standard new car buy stuff.

I used this headlight restore kit: https://amzn.to/3BtkcjE

I gotta say I actually do like the way the muffler sounds but I just want to do a full exhaust.

I did the "Spoon" airbox mod and removed all the plastic baffles which I guess is a thing. Just score each side with a knife and then they snap off with pliers really easy and clean.

The other intake tube piece is still in the mail.

I also swapped on my quick fill gas cap from my EP3 (https://amzn.to/2ZxbEeL). I love this thing:

And of course DROP STOP! https://amzn.to/3jOixzc

 

[Fediej]

I'm not in the market for either but if you so desire you should be able to sell the intake and back box without much trouble.

 

[ryanthegreat1]

Huh, that quick fill cap is nifty.

 

[J1000]

My Z already has nice BFG Advantage T/A tires so I'm set for this winter. I will probably buy a set of summer wheels and tires next year and try to get the lightest I can find. I also want to autocross this car.

Right now my biggest gripe with this car is the front bumper overhang, it bangs and scrapes on everything it's kind of ridiculous. My front bumper is pretty beat up anyway compared to the rest of the car so I'm looking at the facelift bumpers and bodykits. Does anyone know what bodykit might have a shorter front overhang? Does the 13+ CRZ bumper have a shorter overhang?

 

[Koala Yummies]

Just have to take steep driveways and inclines at an angle. It's basically like a lowered car from the factory; in fact it rolled off the assembly line at practically minimum legal height based on headlight to ground measurements.

 

[J1000]

Just have to take steep driveways and inclines at an angle. It's basically like a lowered car from the factory; in fact it rolled off the assembly line at practically minimum legal height based on headlight to ground measurements.

Not good enough I have driven lowered cars all my life this one is still the worst when it comes to scraping the front. Lowered Civics, Miatas, etc with hardly any travel didn't scrape this bad. This one is stock! It's just got too long of a front overhang. I will remedy, there is always a way!

 

[J1000]

I'm not in the market for either but if you so desire you should be able to sell the intake and back box without much trouble.

Yes they'll likely end up on ebay. If anyone wants either one PM me I'll sell them to you for super cheap. The Megan muffler actually sounds pretty good and not too loud.

Huh, that quick fill cap is nifty.

A necessity for E85 life Seriously though I like it a lot have it on all 3 of my vehicles.

 

[MrFastFox666]

Huh, that quick fill cap is nifty.

agreed. Didn't even know it was a thing. I may get one for myself.

I did the "Spoon" airbox mod and removed all the plastic baffles which I guess is a thing. Just score each side with a knife and then they snap off with pliers really easy and clean.

Did you notice any difference? What is this supposed to acomplish? I've heard of this but never understood what it actually does.

 

[J1000]

Did you notice any difference? What is this supposed to acomplish? I've heard of this but never understood what it actually does.

Not sure, I never drove it stock. Already the stock airbox feels stronger than the little shorty intake and I like the quieter sound.

 

[Triop]

Did you notice any difference? What is this supposed to acomplish? I've heard of this but never understood what it actually does.

The YouTuber UbeyMade did it to make the engine louder and anecdotally says [he didn't have instruments to test] it increases airflow.

 

[J1000]

Yep that's where I saw it. The ribs are there for sound reduction not necessarily for guiding the air in to the intake so it's plausible that it makes a difference. Either way it's much quieter which I like and I swear it feels faster than that cheapy intake. I also cleaned my MAF which may have helped.

 

[J1000]

These came faster than I expected! I got a Zeitronix ethanol content analyzer which is a requirement to send the 0-5v signal to the ECU for flex fuel. This way the ECU knows the ethanol percentage and can compensate appropriately and it also displays it on a gauge so I know what % I'm running at the moment. https://amzn.to/3bppYIw

 

[Koala Yummies]

Not good enough I have driven lowered cars all my life this one is still the worst when it comes to scraping the front. Lowered Civics, Miatas, etc with hardly any travel didn't scrape this bad. This one is stock! It's just got too long of a front overhang. I will remedy, there is always a way!

More angle. 😉 I've also driven plenty of lowered vehicles. Don't know that there are any bumper replacements that are shorter. Take incline transitions at more of an angle, or adjustable coilovers set higher, or slightly larger overall diameter tires saw or off the lower part of your bumper 😄

 

[J1000]

More angle. 😉 I've also driven plenty of lowered vehicles. Don't know that there are any bumper replacements that are shorter. Take incline transitions at more of an angle, or adjustable coilovers set higher, or slightly larger overall diameter tires saw or off the lower part of your bumper 😄

I have thought about sawing off the front lip of the bumper actually. It's too long and too low. Can't even drive the speed limit down the back roads around here. Taking a huge angle and slowing etc = rear end crash.

 

[Koala Yummies]

I have thought about sawing off the front lip of the bumper actually. It's too long and too low. Can't even drive the speed limit down the back roads around here. Taking a huge angle and slowing etc = rear end crash.

It's the responsibility of the following driver to maintain a safe distance.

And not angle like the 'invisible trailer' turn when you see bad drivers swinging wide left before making a right like there's some non-existent towing going on, it's a very acute angle approach making sure you get one tire up the incline well before the other as opposed to both tires hitting the incline at the same time; that's when bumper crunch.

 

[Spdbump]

Whenever possible I back in this cuts down the chance of rubbing the bottom of the bumper or I use an angle like everyone else has said. Even I being as careful as I can have scrapes on the bottom of the bumper. It was worse with the Pontiac Grand Prix that I had even though it was higher the bumper length front of car to where wheels were was longer. My solution on that car when I was having some paint work done was my body shop added a strip of black what they called "Rock Guard" paint that went from the lower horizontal surface all the way to the back of that flat part of the bumper but it could not be seen unless you were under the car. It was a semi rubberized material and it held up well to the few times I scraped after it was done. I am considering similar for The Speed Bump. Something more resistant to scraping or at least easier to touch up.

I have found and not sure why but there are too many that follow too close lately or drive at a speed that is much much higher than everyone else on the road. I have had a few close calls recently that concerned me.

 

[J1000]

Sounds like you guys have settled on living with this crappy design. That's fine. This is my car and I want to modify it to suit me and my preferences.

 

[Spdbump]

Sounds like you guys have settled on living with this crappy design. That's fine. This is my car and I want to modify it to suit me and my preferences.

Your vehicle your choice. All vehicles are a compromise. I do not think it is a crappy design if I did I would not have bought it. That is what test drives are for but I don't buy to modify. I buy to drive. Have fun re-engineering it. I hope it becomes whatever you wanted.

 

[J1000]

Your vehicle your choice. All vehicles are a compromise. I do not think it is a crappy design if I did I would not have bought it. That is what test drives are for but I don't buy to modify. I buy to drive. Have fun re-engineering it. I hope it becomes whatever you wanted.

Except the brakes, right? You could fix the brakes and make them to your liking but I guess you just like to type. I like to take action.