L15 Si & Integra Owners: Leave Your Car Stock!

[@adim00lah]

Small motor, terrible rod/stroke ratio, high boost is not gonna be reliable. I had a 22' si and I got rid of it for an fl5. If you don't have the money for a type r, I suggest getting a 9th gen or older si, 6/6 or 2.0t accord. The si is at it's limit, even the hpd si race car is STILL pushing the stock 200 hp, honda knows not to push the engine.

[@DB-sd3cw]

Confused as to how you came to this conclusion when there are thousands of Si owners with Ktuner tunes getting along just fine with the exception of the stock clutch.

[@SarcasticComments23]

People have been able to get 700,000 miles at the stock engine on the 1.5l. I’d suggest researching and looking that up before spreading propaganda. Thank you! 👍🏼

[@adim00lah]

@@SarcasticComments23 700k miles on a tuned l15 motor? Where?

[@SarcasticComments23]

@@adim00lah KZbin channel ImLeoCalm and I never said tuned. I said 200,000 miles for tuned cars under 250hp 👍🏼

[@adim00lah]

@@SarcasticComments23 The entire video is about not tuning the motor, and leaving it stock, so if you're not talking about tuning the motor, your comment is not relevant to this video nor my comment. 250 hp also isn't stock, that's tuned, so what you said doesn't make sense. Anything over the factory horsepower is above stock. I think bolt-ons are okay, like an upgraded intake, downpipe, exhaust, intercooler etc... but not increasing of boost or anything. And I'm pretty sure who ever had that 700k on it, it wasn't an si or someone who drives the car hard. So the car probably rarely ever saw full boost. When I had my 99 si as a kid, I took that bitch to redline every single day. You think some soccer mom picking her kids up from school is redlining her honda cr-v? Shit probably never sees full boost.

[@anthonysengchanthavong5833]

I bought my 10th gen strictly due to how sporty it looked i can genuinely say im happy with 200 hp

[@mikeorion5150]

I think Honda should start producing B series motor again.

[@DanielTapiceria]

And make the smog exception 2000 and under

[@adim00lah]

I mean, even a d-series engine would be a lot better tbh. Honda doing everything they can now to cut corners on these cars. They just worried about fuel economy not longevity / durability.

[@jacktheaviator4938]

The B series won't even come close to meeting current emissions standards. The eco-nazis have taken things way too far. It is impossible to build a decent motor these days. They are using undersized motors that have already turned up too much. 2020 was the breaking point, don't buy anything newer unless you are just using a chassis for an engine swap.

[@bwmcdonald96]

Not so much Honda but the nature of today's laws. Bring back the B💪

[@gibememoni]

Massive downgrade from those K series engines

[@martinlawrence1923]

Truth, coming from a b16a back in the day this is why my si mods are ceramic tint and the 8 year extended warranty since it’s my daily commuter

[@dailycivicsi9295]

When I was looking to replace my ep3 I was looking into the 9th gen si and when I went for the test drive they were trying to push a new 2016 si on me,and when 10th gen first came out the 1.5 just didn't sit right with me,small block with high boost🤔 seemed unreliable to me almost like there's an internal clock in there just waiting to go 💥 so I went with the 9th gen for its potential and k24 dependability,still happy with my choice,great video chris

[@Superdimensional]

Just do a simple stage 1 tune and intake, maybe a dp…. Don’t push these past 230whp and keep the torque in check

[@jeepdad1954]

plenty of owners out there blowing head gasket with only those upgrades. Leave it stock imo

[@mhk67091]

100 percent correct!!! This engine should have never been turbocharged with those weak internals. Head studs the crank, rod bolts are terribly weak.

[@yosammy1746]

As a former 10th Gen Si owner, he's right 🤷 but eh the 10th Gen community is full of idiots that believe the L15 is a beast engine

[@Candybuiltsi]

I mean 38 mpg, 345 whp for literally like almost two years now and it’s not driven lightly. It’s not a beast but it’s not the worst.

[@yosammy1746]

@@Candybuiltsi if you actually compare the B series vs the L15, the B series were built with far more durable components. It makes the L15 look like a turd. Hell, even the K20a3 is a better built quality and it's one of the worst engines out of the k series. Good for you for accomplishing 345whp. Not many people can't even pass 290whp according to forums and even Facebook 10th Gen groups without the rod taking a dump on them. In short, I'll just stick with my K24 swapped DC2 pushing well over 500whp w/ AWD conversion and that's not even close to be worried about blowing a hole in the block.

[@Candybuiltsi]

@@yosammy1746 that’s why I tell everyone to get off stock turbo. 347wtq at 2k rpm using that tiny oem turbo it’s gonna sling the rod. More torque than hp to me = diesel tune bye bye engine don’t even think some k series would handle that. There’s a reason some people have made 460whp-to 500whp on a completely stock engine mind you that’s a ticking time bomb with oem headstuds but it’s because they slapped on a giant turbo that moved the power band up to like 5-5500rpm. To me that’s just completely undriveable but with a moderate sized turbo (what’s considered big turbo for the 10th gen platform) you can make 330-350whp no problem with headstuds and an good maintenance schedule.

[@rschilling78]

I bought a 2020 si just to have as a fun daily, planned on keeping it stock because of all this and the head gasket blew about 200 miles into owning the car. The dealer sold me the car with a tune on it that they missed in their inspection. They are fixing it for free but have had it 11 weeks. So many are tuned out there so be careful when buying.

[@VHBEngines]

Thankfully they're helping you out. Getting dealers to cover warranty can be like pulling teeth sometimes

[@ricardoguerrerojr80]

Honda went backwards with these two car when it came to the motor

[@VHBEngines]

💯

[@vinces8595]

Exactly why I left my 2020 SI stock. Love the car for what it is but bottom line these engines aren’t like what they were back in the day

[@just.jack1011]

All I want is to get around 220hp with my 21 sport. Cold air intake, charge pipes, intercooler, inlet pipe, and a small tune maybe 18lbs of boost at max. Didn’t get the car to build the engine I got the hatch for the space, you can comfortably fit 4 15 inch subwoofers in there 🤷🏼‍♂️ but it is kinda slow so while I save for a type r the lil L series is gonna have to hang in there

[@gotdammit]

You're going to need more boost, for sure. Hondata has dyno sheet at 225hp for their +9psi tune on 91 gas. That's at least 21lbs.

[@Curtis1900]

Glad someone spoke on the flaw in the system. I’ve seen it with a si guys dude built fully built multiple times and it wouldn’t start or blow up. Same for fk 8 guys

[@leont4062]

I seen a guy push 300hp on a 1.5 motor and its a cvt and still going.

[@josez3326]

Usually they blow when you running off the shelf tunes and not actually a pro tune/street tune. And you gotta watch the torque as well

[@VHBEngines]

I know multiple very reputable tuners that have done more of these than they can count agree with what I've said

[@kekistani2373]

Lol automatically hated by the xgen SI community. Lame15 owners are butt hurt they think it’s the greatest engine Honda ever made

[@Candybuiltsi]

Been running mine with a big turbo e30 for awhile now. Did headstuds off rip 0 problems

[@Candybuiltsi]

Still running it 0 issues other then had to replace my injectors bout 10k miles ago. Listen to people who’ve actually done it right not people who know people who have done it wrong

[@Candybuiltsi]

@ 100k miles now! Cars a fkn beast I actually just added meth injection now shooting for 360-370whp vs the 340-345whp I’m currently at. Get off your stock turbo!

[@trentonwheler7592]

@@Candybuiltsivery good point you made about the turbo. People push the car super hard on aggressive e30 tunes with the stock turbo that makes so much power and torque down low that the car can’t handle it. Big turbo actually helps a lot in terms of fixing this and gives a lot of wiggle room for tuning. Thanks for pointing this out! The guy in the video is just another k series glazer that can’t accept new Honda motors can still be good, he calls the k20c1 garbage too.

[@Josh-zf1ev]

k series only :)

[@BryttianDepue]

My 17 si has been tuned for idk how long it's on ktuner only mods are prl intake and greddy exhaust so far its been fine😅 just waiting on the day I have to replace the clutch

[@VHBEngines]

Trust me when I say leave it like that 🙌

[@mhk67091]

He’s right I’ve seen 10+ blown engine with rods blown out the block.. The shop I know WILL NOT MODS any L-15. They don’t want to be blamed.

[@WhatThaFlip]

The fit 1.5l is actually completely different, aside from being NA, it breathes completely different with the intake being on the front side..don't count on using those blocks for replacement...also the accord L15 is different in its own respect. The accord L15 and the K20C1s are the only models that actually have Hi/Lo cam VTEC anymore. The Si doesn't even have a spool valve. Only thing that makes them VTEC is the cam phaser gears(VTC) which they have IN and EX side VTC now. You mentioned previously not feeling VTEC on your car, that's because VTEC engages differently on these cars. They engage Hi cam at cruise speeds to keep the turbo spooled and decrease response time when accelerating. I've monitored this during diagnosis for a VTEC oil pressure related DTC on a 2018 accord. And I've replaced a Civic Si head that did not have Hi/Lo cam or a spool valve. FYI. Otherwise, you've hit the nail on the head about these motors being built near their max out of the box.

[@VHBEngines]

The 10th gen civic si absolutely does not have vtec and the fk8 k20c1 only has vtec on one cam which is why it doesn't crack hard. The L15 in the 10th si gen does come in other chasis. I may have not been building L15's but another builder friend of mine has built plenty and the cores all came from the junkyard and not out of si's. When I had my si and was considering building I dug into it to find the proper donor, but that was over a year ago and I don't feel like going back to see exactly which one it is.

[@d0mochi]

I modded my 2017 sport hatch which comes with the weaker rods L15BA and made 330 whp. I have put it back to stock and sold the car and now own a 2009 Si sedan. I’m ready to mode this k series

[@prixinc1]

I was considering the new si but now will probably get a VB Wrx instead.

[@AMGGOON63]

Buy a 8th gen civic si turbo it 500hp stock easy if u know u know 😉

[@Jam617_]

400 easy past that you taking chances

[@ElKing001]

Thank you . Saved me from getting into a newer car .. even thought the 10th gen si coupe is such a beautiful car

[@penguin2223]

Honest Question, so to say that it's an unreliable engine. Would you recommend just replacing the OEM parts that are plastic with something like billet aluminum like the entire forced induction system and then going for a "clean up tune" meaning a tune that will support the new aftermarket parts? I am looking to just replace the intake manifold, intercooler and the inlet pipe, not looking for more power but looking to make the engine breathe better and just having a better part than the plastic parts they have for it? Thank you as well and hoping for your honest answer!

[@VHBEngines]

My honest answer is exactly what I've said every time I speak about this engine. At the end of the day this is not a tuner car.

[@penguin2223]

Thank your very much, I guess I am heading to the cosmetics division and keeping it as is and finding a different Honda Platform@@VHBEngines. With all honesty, you saved me from dropping tons of money on my 10th gen Si, I really appreciate your quickest response and this informational video!!

[@galant3443]

new si is a great daily beat down. put an intercooler for heat soak and intake if you want the noise. these head gaskets go bad stock so all depends on what you want and how much you wanna play and pay the consequences. for me it is a daily beat down as i have a car w/ power. like i said at some point i will put an intercooler for reduced heat soak. and fancy air filter when stocker is bad. seems for the gains vs price of parts it is just not worth it to tune them.

[@lexisnep525]

It's a new engine, even though it's derivative it's not completely the same as the 10th. It's gonna be some time before tuners get everything 100% right with it, so tuning a car with a brand new engine generation so early on is probably not the move. I think it's reasonably safe to go for a moderate tune though

[@VHBEngines]

That could be said about the k20c. A lot of longevity improvements have been made, but still has common issues pretty close to stock. However that's not the issue with the L15. Tuning will absolutely not fix tiny rods, rod bolts, and bad oiling

[@robertblack6630]

LMAO 🤣 this isn't a new engine it came out in 2016 that's 8 years in turbo form and it been around over adecade with NA version in fits. You have no idea what your talking about....

[@__flako]

i daily my 20 si thru ach every day and push it fbo e30 daily commuter 75k miles

[@nismospek]

200 hp on a 3100 lb car just sucks for a modern car. might as well get a GT86 with that kind of power ratio.

[@Gmoney411zz]

How do you feel about cooling modes for the tenth gen. I was thinking of doing an intercooler upgrade they claim 25 degrees off intake temps while on the same boost. Im already running an aftermarket air box rapped with blanket. And do you think a muffler would kill it? Really dont wanna blow a head gasket.

[@gotdammit]

You're not blowing a head gasket with FBO and an OTS tune.

[@jrkustomz5538]

My bone stock 22 si blew its engine at 10k miles driving normal in the freeway. Spark plug 1 and 4 left the chat.

[@telmocalero1061]

100k full bolt ons on a tune, everything seems fine since I use only 91 octane (93 when I find it) keep up with maintenance, don't do anything stupid like antilag and you'll be fine. No car will last forever but if you take care of it you reduce the chances of it breaking down.

[@LynnDisclose]

3" bolt ONS? and what you mean anti -lag

[@Yahmuddacapiche]

I wish they would’ve just put a twin scroll turbo on the good ole k series revamped and sold em like that. Even if it got 25 mpg

[@VHBEngines]

Agreed. Green new world

[@nicholasrodriguez7825]

What about a simple flex fuel conversion kit on these motors?

[@XeroFailGames]

NO flex fuel is gonna destroy it

[@BrockVids1]

ARP head studs first then flex fuel

[@dTheHammerb]

The amount if IG Warriors barking at me for simply telling them the L15 is horrible doesn't seem to end. Idk, I've just been referring them here at this point lol. I'll stick with my K24A2 that only has 70k kilometers on it. Boost soon too.

[@vermontvermont9292]

What about those of us with the L15b7 in the ex-t coupe? Only 170hp. I'd love to have 230 HP in that.

[@SarcasticComments23]

I know this is an old video but there’s 1.5’s with 700,000 miles and original turbos and clutch on them. Look it up on KZbin. It’s the owners who ruin these engines, that’s all.

[@VHBEngines]

If you mean by adding power mods then yes. You see the world through a smaller lens than the ppl who are regularly building and tuning these on a daily basis.

[@SarcasticComments23]

@@VHBEnginesas long as people don’t go past 250HP then you’re fine. They are proven to atleast 200,000 miles at that rating. Glad time has went by to have the proof. To be honest, people should have known better than to build a 1.5 past 300hp. Should’ve just bought a K24 since that’s built to push power.

[@GTOutdoors]

Can’t speak for Honda but I’d guess it’s close to the same way we do at Subaru. If there is any signs of engine tuning we pull the numbers off the ecm and with Subarus if it’s been tuned with an access port it shows a 2012 wrx ID and it gets the boot for warranty. And “ discretion” might of been that word you were searching for. 👍

[@VHBEngines]

👊😎

[@purvis162]

You can't run a tuned engine on 87 octane you must run 91 or above if your running 87 it will cause detonation and blow your motor, the motors are fine.

[@VHBEngines]

What the hell are you even talking about? When did 87 octane come up? Tuned engine? From factory? As in Honda set the parameters for the engine they put in the car lol. Like you watched a completely different video and left a comment for that on this one Every turbo vehicle recommends premium octane and will retard settings if you run shitty fuel. Common sense

[@nygiants4life93]

Looking to get an 11th gen Si and I’m not gonna do any mods. It will stay bone stock outside maybe some cosmetic stuff. Can this engine be reliable and last in that way?

[@VHBEngines]

Yes. Had one for a year before I got my fk8. I was on its limits nearly on the daily without issue

[@nygiants4life93]

@@VHBEngines that’s what I thought. Just not a good engine for those looking to mod and push it to its limit, as it already is at its limits. Figured I’d ask anyway. I’ve seen 10th gens get up to 180k which makes it seem when they stay stock they can go 200k+ as long as maintenance is kept up with.

[@XeroFailGames]

I bought my 2020 si SPECIFICALLY for looks...do i have a little tune on it? Yes but i dont need 300+ If i actually want to go FAST ill hop on my zx6r...

[@1981_Reacts]

exactly keep your car stock even with 500 whp its still slow compared to a 600cc or 1000cc rocket. Ive had back in day 600cc its 11.4 quarter mile machine. Much better value and can be abused every day. Cars be cars by end of day... a commuters.

[@deplorable113]

I agree! I have a 22 civic si I use as a daily. It’s totally stock except stage 1/2 catch can. Stock all day. Glad I stuck with the si vs Integra. It’s a blast as a daily driver!

[@UltimateTuner10]

I’ve been saying this for months. Dudes are taking their FBO 11th gens to the track popping engines. I’ve got some experience modifying other somewhat inferior platforms and would never do anything to the 1.5t. I have a K&N drop in and catchcan to help with keeping intake valves clean.

[@LynnDisclose]

Will changing exhaust hurt the motor

[@mohdibrahim1350]

Thanks for the info. As much as I love musstle cars, I ended up buying 2020 Honda civic sport NA engine 2.0 no turbo 😂 I also have es350 if I need more power in a day😅

[@shinanigans_]

So would an aftermarket exhaust without the downpipe give the l15 any problems or would the power increase be low or even negligible enough so that there would be no issues? I have a 2022 civic si and it seems I'm probably not gonna do anything to the engine except for making the car handle better and get an exhaust.

[@ValkenDnB]

You’ll be fine with a front pipe and exhaust. The gains from a front pipe are very small.

[@mhk67091]

I love my G16E-GTS in my Corolla GR built very well..

[@IsaiahSchmitmeyer]

The dealers send it back to Honda for review

[@LynnDisclose]

So a 10thgen fk7 just changing exhaust can mess up the car?

[@BrockVids1]

No you will not mess up your car. FBO is fine.

[@davidsteckley8846]

What do you know about the 2 L turbo motor that’s in the Acura RDX? In comparison to the 2 L that’s in the type R

[@corybureau4124]

same motor de-tuned.

[@brandonlamkin3821]

I own a 2018 honda fit with a L15b motor. I m not looking to go crazy with HP upgrade (maybe 30-60 tops). What upgrades would you recommend to get close to my HP upgrade range? NA would be great but im not apposed to turboing it

[@VHBEngines]

Get the turbo off an si and dont go over 200whp

[@yoandry007]

@@VHBEngineswhat about 2011 fit? Do you see any small power gain potential or should I leave the engine alone? It has a short ram intake and no catalytic converter. Help!!

[@VHBEngines]

@@yoandry007 to be 100% honest guys, unless you have money time and alternative transportation, I'd leave the fits as they are or maybe do aesthetic stuff. They're other platforms readily available and in the same price range that have waaaay more potential and far higher power ceilings. Not sayin get rid of your Fits though. I personally have been a fan of the car since it hit us shores. Just a headache of an engine bay to deal with

[@tlor8922]

I installed the PRL intercooler, PRL charge pipe, and K&N intake. I plan on just throwing an PRL exhaust. You think I'll be safe? I don't plan on tuning the car. Just want a fun daily driven vehicle.

[@Candybuiltsi]

I literally run mine & 350 whp daily. Obviously I have headstuds and do insane maintenance. Have yet to have a problem big turbo for about 15k miles

[@tlor8922]

@@Candybuiltsi nice!

[@Candybuiltsi]

@@tlor8922 👍look at my page

[@pelacootus5070]

@@Candybuiltsi I think the power limit isn't a HP number. It's a torque limit. The rod bolts just can't hold the boost a lot of people want to throw at them. I think it's about 300-350 ft lb before the rods just give. When It goes tho, kswap 😎

[@Candybuiltsi]

@@pelacootus5070 rod bolts are definitely a failure point for some, but then again I’ve seen some l15 motors let go and looking at failure it wasn’t related to rod bolts at all. Just straight up rod snapping.

[@yardman0001]

Hey Chris, I recently swapped a k24a2 into my RSX. My z1 was making a knocking noise, rod knock possibly. I have the complete z1 motor but I want to keep the head. Is the block something you'd be interested in? If not how much $$ could I get for the block? Thanks.

[@VHBEngines]

Only buying blocks from my supplier as needed. Look in your local Honda fb groups to see what you can get. Wouldn't expect much with it being damaged

[@dangusprime]

K24a2 is insane compared to the K20, huh? l swapped my 8th gen, its a completely different car now lmao.

[@andrewkoontz8206]

I think that you're a little on the conservative side of the argument but I do agree to some extent. A light - medium tune driven responsibly shouldn't give you any issues. These are not motors that can make big power figures, and if you treat it as such, you're gonna have a bad time. Some small adjustments should be okay though.

[@VHBEngines]

Have another guy that just popped up on a friend's page. Exhaust only. 2 rods put the block and oil issues after swap

[@andrewkoontz8206]

@@VHBEngines I'm sorry but I have a very hard time believing *only* an exhaust is doing that. These engines definitely aren't tanks but a singular bolt-on is not causing that kind of failure unless there were preexisting issues.

[@SarcasticComments23]

@@andrewkoontz8206exactly, I agree. Watch the videos with people with 700,000 miles on it.

[@monsterdong7520]

Looking like the Honda street garage guy lol

[@ytyndale3643]

These exxellent 1.5 turbos were never designed to be modded. Heck its a dohc direct injected vtc (honda call new vtec) turbo. What more do you need? 1.5 turbos shouldnt be chasing more than 200hp. Thats what they are designed for, honda have maxxed them out. You want to mod buy something shitter older and naturally aspirated to get more out of it. Otherwise play gran turismo or jack off to get your fix. The l15 series is amazing and class leading for what it is.

[@danielkennedy9152]

Havent heard from ya in awhile did you end up in n.c.?

[@VHBEngines]

Still in ft Lauderdale presently. Trying my best to make it work, but rent is on an indefinite increase and has been that way for the past three years. Hard to keep up with. Still looking at central Florida with the possibility of moving out of Florida all together

[@danielkennedy9152]

@@VHBEngines florida sounds nice from a tourist perspective, my gpa use to visit the keys.. i can understand about rent, makes me wana grab a camper and head to the mountains lol

[@2141mario]

I will die on the k20c1 holding power hill

[@civichatchback]

Full bolt ons is fine... but as soon as you add flex fuel you are asking for problems.(increased cylinder pressure) i have 190000 on mine with full bolt ons and hondata off the shelf...no problems. Just dont be a jack ass. The rod bolts are tiny. Dont expect 400 hp

[@nismospek]

So this just came up on my feed. Another tuned L15 making 250 hp blows on the track. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mH7Plp2KgbOlptU

[@erickcastro8783]

This is a lie I have a 2019 Honda civic si pushing 280 with flex fuel stock motor no issues yet been having for 5 years now just got a new turbo to push 350 this foo don’t know what his talking about the ppl that his talking about it’s ppl that don’t know how to maintain a car that’s all

[@VHBEngines]

You're a fucking idiot. I've seen more than just YOUR fucking story. Not only have a personally seen a dozen of these blown up I've also spoken with several other builders and more than a couple of record setting tuners. It's the consensus. Your talking out of your ass knowing nothing of what the internals look like as you just slap shit on. You sound just like the dumbasses that throw 700whp at a stock k20 then tell everyone to do it when the majority fail 🤣 but sure. Keep sharing your wisdom

[@erickcastro8783]

@@VHBEngines bro what u don’t get it’s that any car u modified it’s going to blow up no matter what u could ask any real builders and they would tell u the same and cars that it’s getting push for racing it’s going to happen trust me learn before u speak

[@erickcastro8783]

@@VHBEngines and I’m not talking out of my ass I’m telling u cuz I own one full bolts on with e85 pushing 280 and still running strong with 90000 mils had it for 5 years so don’t u think it would of blow up by now come on bro don’t make me laugh I seen ppl push 340 on stock block your funny hahaha go learn more

[@UltimateTuner10]

Your tuner is probably as bad as your spelling, Jfc