For many Honda / Acura enthusiasts looking for the next big thing in Hondata tuning, the Flash Pro has arrived! This new tuner is very user friendly and installation is a snap, giving the end user a multitude of options and choices when it comes to tuning their performance Honda.
Today we’ll be looking at a 2008 Honda Fit Sport, equipped with a set of DC Ceramic headers part number HHC5023, a Apexi N1 catback part number 162-AH032 and an AEM Cold Air Intake part number 21-518C. On our Dynojet 448X, we’ll be looking to squeeze as much horsepower from the bolt on Honda Fit as well as maximize gas mileage before also testing our Buddy Club E-Throttle Booster part number bc04-etb-f106.
Installation of the Flashpro does not require any tools or fiddling with your wiring, instead it connects to your ECU and is controlled by a Windows laptop via USB cable. The program we’ll be taking a look at is called Hondata Flash Pro Manager.
Newest changes to the FlashPro as it pertains to our Honda Fit are :
- Added support for the 2012 Civic Si, 2013 ILX, 2007-2008 Fit.
- [Traction Control] Firmware 6
- FlashPro firmware updated to version 47
- [Civic Si / Type R] Added learned fuel trim under closed loop parameters
After flashing the unit, we are ready for install and setup of the most basic parameters. As this Fit is still a daily driver, we’ll be aiming to retain it’s factory emissions and gas mileage without disrupting how the car drives or feels on the road.
To do this, we’ll be looking at tuning the Fit in closed loop mode while referencing the “closed loop target lambda” table in the FlashPro.
TIP : In order to determine the correct ECU and Flash Pro, you will need the serial number from your Honda / Acura ECU.
This part number is found alongside the ECU. Now before we begin, we’ll strap the Honda Fit onto our Dynojet to get a baseline reading. With nothing more than the basic intake/header/exhaust combination ( with catalytic converter ) the Fit puts down 86 whp on a factory tune. Our sniffer gives us a air/fuel reading of 11.6:1 at the tailpipe, while a AEM UEGO wideband gauge tells us the mixture is a 11.2:1 while the vehicle approaches redline.
With a mixture that rich we know the vehicle is in need of adjustments to both the fuel tables for more efficient engine operation as well as fuel table changes for maximum gas mileage. After the basic changes to the Fit’s speed limiter and rev limiter, we advance the VTEC engagement point 500 rpm, and make adjustments to the lo and hi fuel tables.
Leaning out the midrange and top end of the Fit’s RPM band helps out quite a bit, gaining 14 hp and gains 10 ft lbs of torque while maintaining a very safe 12.8:1 air fuel ratio at the collector of the DC Headers as read by the AEM wideband.
This Honda Fit is not meant as a straight line racer, but rather an autocross and road racing weekend warrior so maximum horsepower is not as important as reliability and efficiency.
With these changes we can now extract the performance gains that the headers and intake were supposed to provide, but instead caused an overly rich condition that instead got us worse gas mileage and bad overall engine efficiency.
This is a vital step for any enthusiast, serious or not. Many times modifying your car with bolt on headers, intake or exhaust as this Honda Fit was without the proper tuning can actually harm vehicle performance instead of increasing it.
The gains in performance are not great however the increase in response is phenomenal with the small changes to our fuel tables, especially in the midrange and mid-throttle. Further gas mileage improved by over 10% according to our customer and he’s never been happier with his Fit. The Hondata FlashPro is an excellent choice for anyone looking to maximize their modifications or even take the next step by going forced induction.
Next up, testing the Buddy Club EBooster on our Honda Fit!
Happy tuning!
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