EliteCM.net

Welcome to the new TSX intake manifold installation guide!

Preface:  This guide has some history that needs to be addressed first and foremost.  Outersquare posted an introduction to swapping over to a TSX intake manifold on an 03-05 Accord.  His instructions involved buying a Haynes manual and performing the swap.  I decided to write a DIY with pictures and a complete list of all materials and tools needed to get the information out to you for free.  Later on, BlackDrgnAccord approached me and stated that he’d successfully swapped an 06 TSX manifold on his 06+ Accord.  He asked me to include his swap in my DIY.  A bunch of time passed where I couldn’t complete it, and here is the final product.  Credit for this DIY goes to Outersquare, Skippy, and BlackDrgnAccord.  Skippy is the author of the 03-05 DIY, and gratefully accepts and integrates information from BlackDrgnAccord regarding the 06+ manifold swap.  Also, thanks to everybody who noted problems, tips, and tricks to make swapping easier.  Your information, questions, problems, and concerns have been taken care of in version 2 of this DIY.

Disclaimer:  This is a DIY guide.  By using this guide you agree that you have obtained ALL necessary parts and have ON HAND all tools necessary to complete the swap.  You agree to hold harmless myself, Outersquare, and BlackDrgnAccord of any damage caused by this modification or your installation.  If you do not follow the directions, you don’t have the right to complain.  If you have a question, feel free to ask, but PLEASE READ OVER THE GUIDE SO YOU DON’T ASK A REDUNDANT QUESTION.  

Intellectual property notice:  I consider this guide to be the intellectual property of Myself (Skippy), and BlackDrgnAccord, with credit for the idea and introduction being to Outersquare.  We worked hard to bring you this information, and I worked hard compiling all of it and making it user friendly.  If you want to copy this DIY to your forum, please GIVE US CREDIT.

Have a problem?: If you encounter a problem with your installation, I (Skippy) am more than happy to help you out.  I have performed several TSX manifold swaps including 06+ applications.  You may contact me on G7A by PM, or by AIM: Shad0wk24.  The O is a zero.  Please re-read the guide before contacting me directly though…

So here’s what you’ve been waiting for…The TSX Intake manifold swap Version 2.0.  This guide contains information to swapping your 7th generation Accord’s intake manifold over to a TSX primary intake manifold.  Why do this?? Here’s the difference between manifolds.  The accord manifold is on the left, and the TSX is on the right:

(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d93/thedeke/TSX%20Intake%20manifold/P8060165.jpg)

Here’s another picture comparing the two manifolds.  The TSX manifold is on the left, and the accord manifold is on the right:
(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d93/thedeke/TSX%20Intake%20manifold/P8060166.jpg)

The runners on the TSX manifold are wider, and the plenum is much larger.  This equates to better throttle response and increased power.  How much power? I don’t know, I didn’t get dyno’d before and after to see.  Anybody who has swapped will tell you that the pickup and response of their vehicles has noticeably increased.

PRE-GUIDE AND PARTS LIST

This guide combines the installation instructions for both 03-05 and 06+ manifold swaps.  The designation is made where ever the instructions differ drastically from the standard 03-05 manifold swap.

Why are the swaps different? Acura made changes to the intake manifold for the 2006 model.  03-05 accords have an idle air control valve and therefore need a cutout in the intake manifold to allow airflow through the IACV.  The 2006 Accord features the introduction of the Electronic Throttle Control system which eliminates the IACV.  The 2004-2005 Acura TSX has the IACV slot present although no TSX has ever featured an IACV.  In 2006, the same year as the Accord switched to ETC, the TSX manifold changed design.  

What this means to you:  If you own a 2003-2005 Accord, you must use the 04-05 TSX intake manifold.  If you own a 2006+ Accord, you must use the 06+ TSX intake manifold.  

Parts List:

For 2003-2005 Accords:

TSX Intake Manifold - 17110-RBB-000
TSX Bracket - 17132-RAC-U00
Accord Throttle Body Gasket – 16176-RAA-A01

For 06+ Accords:

TSX Intake Manifold - 17110-RBB-A00
TSX Bracket - 17132-RAC-U00
Accord Throttle Body Gasket – 16176-RTA-004
2003 Accord rubber sealing cap – 90634-PA0-000
***ONLY MT OWNERS WILL NEED THE SEALING CAP***

Notes on parts: The Accord and TSX use a bracket to stabilize the intake manifold.  You may choose to buy the TSX bracket and use it to stabilize your new manifold.  I for one did not do this, and I’ve never had a problem.  The manifold is cast aluminum and isn’t going anywhere in my opinion.  If you wish to use the new bracket, the part number is provided.

Tools needed for installation

3/8" drive ratchet (flex head recommended, and 12" long is perfect)
3" extension for said ratchet (just in case)
Phillips screwdriver
10mm deep socket
12mm deep socket
14mm deep socket (just in case)
10mm wrench (flex head gear wrench preferred)
12mm wrench (same as above)
Gasket scraper
Brake cleaner
small hammer
needle nose pliers (90 degree bent preferred)
magnetic or plastic tray to hold bolts / nuts


ON TO THE GUIDE!

Start by removing your intake. Disconnect the IAT sensor, which is located on the intake. Remove the breather hose from the intake plenum. The MAP sensor is secured to the intake manifold with a Phillips head bolt.  Remove it and place it somewhere clean.  Remove the 10mm bolt holding on the L shaped wire harness on the front of the intake manifold.  Unplug the large connector coming up from the bottom.  Remember it’s there when you get done!!

Next, remove the two 10mm bolts holding the throttle cable bracket to the manifold.

(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d93/thedeke/TSX%20Intake%20manifold/P8060161.jpg)

Take care to remember which of these is shorter, as they will need to go back into their respective holes on reinstallation.  This does not apply to 2006+ models since they don't have throttle cables!

Disconnect all electronics from the throttle body.  This includes the Throttle position sensor and Idle Air Control Valve (03-05).  06+ people need only disconnect the large electrical input harness.  You may find while removing the throttle body later that the coolant lines attached to the throttle body are a PITA to work with.  If it comes to this, you may remove them while swapping.  Make sure that you shove a bolt into the hose to prevent excess coolant leakage.  If you don’t have a bolt handy, there will most likely be one of the correct diameter shortly as you start to take other things apart.

The next step is the most annoying part of the process.  Feel underneath the manifold for the stud that holds the intake manifold and frame bracket that secures it.  You will feel a 12mm nut.  Gingerly insert a wrench and remove this nut.  Remember, the nut is upside down in relation to you, so you’ll have to turn the wrench clockwise :).

There are two 12mm nuts and 2 12mm bolts holding the throttle body to the intake manifold.  Remove the nuts and bolts.  Using your hammer, GENTLY tap on the throttle body where it meets the manifold.  If this does not loosen the throttle body, KEEP DOING IT.  If all else fails, GENTLY tap the throttle body on the lip where the intake attaches…just be REALLY CAREFUL.

Remove the throttle body.  Be careful to make sure that the throttle body is fully moveable (no part of the gasket is still stuck), or else it will tear.  This will necessitate the need to scrape the surface clean and clean it meticulously…

(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d93/thedeke/TSX%20Intake%20manifold/P8060162.jpg)

This is what removal should look like.  Notice that the gasket is still firmly attached to the throttle body.

Next, take one of the two throttle body nuts you just removed and put it on one of the TB studs backwards about half way down.  Take the other nut and put it on right-side-up over the first nut so that they make a sandwich.  Using your wrench and ratchet (or two wrenches), tighten the two nuts together.  Then, use your ratchet on the top nut and remove the stud from the manifold while noting it’s position.  Cool trick, eh?  Do the same for the other stud and set them aside.

Remove the 12mm nuts holding the primary intake manifold to the injector base behind it.  

(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d93/thedeke/TSX%20Intake%20manifold/P8060164.jpg)

After this, remove the primary manifold.  Swap over the bracket stud if you intend to install the new TSX intake manifold bracket.  You will NOT be able to re-use the stock bracket

This is where the manifold swaps differ, so I’ll write the steps according to each application separately:

2003-2005:

After removing the manifold, you’ll find a rubber sealing cap (or a hose) attached to the back of your manifold.  You will re-use this on the new manifold.  A vacuum leak will result if you do not swap this hose or sealing cap.  Swap it over immediately after removing the stock manifold to make sure you don’t forget later.  

(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d93/thedeke/TSX%20Intake%20manifold/P8060167.jpg)

2006+ models:

Remove the intake manifold and attached resonator box.  Don’t do anything else with it…there’s nothing special about it.  

MT OWNERS: MAKE SURE YOU INSTALL THE RUBBER SEALING CAP THAT I TOLD YOU THAT YOU NEEDED.  If you don’t, you WILL have a vacuum leak and your car will idle erratically and cut out on you.  In a pinch, you can find some hose and make a cap by cutting a length, burning one end shut, and then placing the open end over the port on the back of the manifold.  

AT OWNERS: There is a vacuum hose on the front of your existing intake manifold.  This hose will be relocated to the back of the TSX manifold where a vacuum port is located.  The MT owners need a sealing cap as described above because their cars do not have that vacuum hose on the front of their manifolds.

(http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d93/thedeke/TSX%20Intake%20manifold/manifoldcompare.jpg)



Reassembly for ALL models

Reassembly is straightforward.  You do not need to replace the metal gasket that goes between the primary intake manifold and injector base.  If you’re attempting to avoid heatsoak (which means you’re probably one of the tin-foil hat people), you can opt to install a P2R (Power Rev Racing) insulating gasket in its place.  Please note that this install does not cover the use of a Hondata heatshield gasket.  Installation of that gasket requires injector base removal, which is not covered in this guide.  Install the manifold bracket (if desired), and then install the new manifold.  Tighten all bolts ¾ of a turn after they make contact.  Reinstall the throttle body and connect the coolant lines if you disconnected them.  Reinstall the throttle cable bracket (2003-2005).  Reinstall the Electrical input/output harness to the throttle body (2006+)  Reinstall the MAP sensor and L harness on the manifold.  Remember the large connector underneath the manifold from when you disconnected it!!  Check your work and start the car.  Test drive and then check your work again.


That’s it folks! Thanks for dealing with me taking so long with reproducing this guide..I was REALLY busy with school and work.  Hopefully the wait has paid off for you!

~Skippy

you wouldnt be able to post a DIY for the hondata IM gasket, woiuld ya?

It is here.

http://www.hondata.com/manuals/heatshie ... hield.html (http://www.hondata.com/manuals/heatshield/heatshield.html)

For something more vehicle specific, I'd pick up a Hayne's manual.  It's not too difficult to do, but IMHO, isn't worth the effort for the gains you get.

also found this link

http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthread.php?t= (http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthread.php?t=)

hope this will help with anybody who wants to do the hondata gasket install

I have this write up (thank you Skippy) printed out so when I do my install very soon I can have it to look back on if I run into any problems... Take a look matching TSX Intake Mani and Valve Cover.

(http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c14/crazycreashunz/kodakz002a.jpg)

im glad skip put this up on the last gen7a website. i ordered mine, but when i got it, the switch to gen7space was taking place. so i had nothing to refer to. however, it was pretty well written so having read it a couple times, i was able to wing it. i mean it was simple though.and i love gains too.

I'll be doing this one tomorow. I can't wait to feel the difference.

Thanks to Tim for getting me on here and all the advice so far!

I had a deal worked out w/ someone on G7a before the switch to buy a 05 TSX IM, but then I lost his contact info. I'm glad I didn't do it because the honda dealership said it would've voided my warranty.

Guess I gotta wait another 45,000 miles before I can do this mod  

That's pretty lame.  A Honda dealership probably wouldn't even notice the difference.  You can find them pretty cheap if you go to k20a.org.  I just posted a thread over there that I wanted one for under $100 shipped and in a matter of a day I got 2 offers.

I (with help from Tim and Dom) installed the TSX IM last weekend. It would have been smooth sailing but the pressure fit brass vacuum connection was broken off in the unit. We were going to drill it out, run some threads and screw in a new fitting. Fortunately as we were drilling, the busted piece of fitting started to slip and came out. I torqued on the old fitting for a while and managed to pop it out and fit it back in the TSX IM. Bottom line, we got it done and what a difference! Here are a couple pics of the before/after. Next comes exhaust!

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3620/3310704248_aaff446eb1.jpg?v=0)(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3618/3310704268_499b7480b0.jpg?v=0)(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3570/3310704282_c1d79a790f.jpg?v=0)(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3563/3310704302_214d6c15b4.jpg?v=0)

(Don't mind the filth, it's a New England winter!)

I'll try to get some of my pics up soon.

Looks great! How long did it take, I'm going to do mine real soon....

is there any gas mileage related con's to this mod?...more air=more gas used?

If your driving aggressively, your fuel economy will go down a bit.  If you drive exactly the same, your shouldn't notice a difference.

i finally have one coming to me. can't wait to install it since the weather is getting nicer! going to be using this write up, and i'll take some pics. what kind of gains are people seeing from this? just more response and power across the entire RPM range correct?

Like mentioned above, it feels like the entire powerband has opened up. Even though I'm still running gummed up exhaust I'm faster off the line and can feel a significant torque improvement out on the highway at higher RPM's too. My fuel economy is crappy because I'm driving it like a race car (and I have a gummed up exhaust) but I'm sure that will improve with the new header back I'm installing next weekend.

You did the honest thing and asked the dealer about it, but no honda tech would be able to tell the difference between manifolds.  The only way they would be able to tell is if they took the primary manifold off and read the RBB stamp on the back.

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/sethlilshawty/006.jpg)
theres a pic right after installation. i absouletely love having it. thanks for the DIY on both sites Skip.

damn i am so jealous! i have had my TSX IM just sitting here at home cuz im waiting on a back ordered TSX bracket.. AHHHH!

You don't need the bracket.  I've had my TSX IM on for almost 2 years with no bracket and no problems.  You should just install it and forget about using the bracket.

Everybody asks me about the bracket and I say that you don't need it..I have had my TSX manifold for longer than Tim and I also do not use the bracket.  I advised Tim that he didn't need it, and he is one of the few people that follows my advice more than 70% of the time.

Time for me to lower that number.  I will try to defy you some more Skippy.

I'd also like to mention that Keith (k.huston) also has his IM installed without the bracket.

i installed it without the bracket also, going off of skip and tim's advice from the orig gen7. its fine w/o it.

Next, take one of the two throttle body nuts you just removed and put it on one of the TB studs backwards about half way down. Take the other nut and put it on right-side-up over the first nut so that they make a sandwich. Using your wrench and ratchet (or two wrenches), tighten the two nuts together. Then, use your ratchet on the top nut and remove the stud from the manifold while noting it’s position. Cool trick, eh? Do the same for the other stud and set them aside.


Question: Do you have to use the studs from the OEM honda Manifold on the TSX? or can I just use the studs that originally are on the TSX Manifold?

You must use the original studs from the Accord manifold.  The TSX studs are longer and will not work properly.

gotcha dude, wasn't expecting an answer from you but thank you Skippy

Why wouldn't you expect an answer from me? I wrote the DIY!

I do appreciate the response but I know your a busy man lolzzz...

-Having a hard time getting the studs off, ayyeee...

to get the studs off, first put a wrench on the stud( like literally, let it hang there for a second, then take 2 nuts from the other studs, and then put them on in opposite directions... so that the flat part of the nuts will be touching each other.

the wrench that is now trapped on the stud, use it to wrench off the stud.... ( lefty loosey) the stud should come off, then just use a socket to get the other nut off, and u should be good..



if u dont understand that lol, please let me know, ill try to explain it better

(http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c14/crazycreashunz/TSXIM001.jpg)

(http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c14/crazycreashunz/TSXIM002.jpg)

(http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c14/crazycreashunz/TSXIM003.jpg)

My question is how do these studs from the Accord IM Fit back into the TSX IM without coming out...?

That is a good question. I just use the regular bolts (one that screws in from the tb to the im without the nut) to put them back in since I was wondering if they would move or not when I bolt them back on.

They won't come out because you'll tighten them when you install them in the TSX manifold.  They won't come loose.

I just use a stud remover adapter. Piece of cake!
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21MFJ3GKXZL.jpg)
http://atoolcrib.amazonwebstore.com/Assenmacher-ASS201-4-Piece-Metric-Stud/M/B000FMLZMA.htm?traffic_src=froogle&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=froogle

Has anyone used the Hondata gasket?
(https://www.k20tuned.com/xcart/images/P/HDK242-01.jpg)
http://www.clubrsx.com/cr/HD-K24-IMG.html?utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=search&utm_campaign=froogle

i have the hondata gasket. i will be installin it as well when i do the IM.

i have the P2R gasket, was a breeze to install compared to the hondata from what i hear...

GET A GOOD GASKET SCRAPER !
that step killed me....

Just so there are no redundant questions, the P2R and Hondata gaskets are two different pieces entirely and they should not be confused.  The hondata gasket goes between the injector base and the head, while the P2R gasket goes between the injector base and the primary intake manifold.

i believe i do not need a gasket scraper to replace old gasket with hondata thermal gasket... correct should be just slip out old one and slip hondata one in

that is true.... however its recommended to replace the throttle body gasket as well... which will def require some scrapping
good luck man

hopefully i get the throttle body gasket off clean and don't have to replace it. probably should grab a new one just in case..

i'll snap some pics if anyone wants some.

DEF DEF get a new one.... my car had about 65k when i did mine and it was a BITCH getting it off...
took me about an hour and 15 min to get that gasket off.... no fun at all and not an easy location to deal with

$5 tops for a new TB gasket... and if you wanted to you could bump it up a notch and go with the P2R (power rev racing) tb gasket.... not sure how big of a difference it would make but its an option for an upgrade compared to stock tb gasket

well p2r gaskets are hard and expensive to get up here... so when i do my TSX IM ill just do the hondata gasket as well... i already have the OEM TB and IM gaskets.
 
i got one question, does any know if i use the hondata gasket (which is alot thicker then the oem gasket) will the TSX bracket still line up with the IM properly

got my TSX IM bracket today cant wait to FINALLY do the install. im planning on doing this tomorrow during the day.

i got a write up from acura zine, i dont believe its there any more but, they said to tighten all the bolts including the brakcet at 16lb. can anyone confirm this?

i did the install about 2-3 months ago and from what i experienced... dont think that 16lbs is alot... you DO NOT want to strip out those bolts.... get it as tight as you can without really applying force... then go an extra 1/2 turn
dont over do it.

as far as judging 16lbs.... that number is meaningless to me as my tools... dont over do it... all i can offer, you know what tight is
i also made up my mind to use the bracket, some people do some people dont.... its not a vital piece... and for that to be tightened to a specific tightness... is a little overkill IMHO

your gonna love the TSX IM.... with a CAI its even that much better
i noticed when i am 5000rpm+ i hear a hissing sound from my instake and tsx IM just sucking air so hard.... its a great sound/feeling

g/l with the install... and g/l with the damn TB gasket haha

did the install today, and didn't need to use a new gasket which i was happy about. got the whole thing done in about an hour and a half. and that's with trying to figure out how to get that plug off the IM bracket...damn thing pissed the fuck out of me.

there's definitely a new found pull in third gear. it's weird because you don't notice any difference till mid way into 2nd gear. the intake almost sounds quieter now with the TSX IM than with the stock one. even my brother said the same thing. but i'd say its a worth while upgrade. but i'll get some more feel of it after it's been on for a few days...and im glad i have spring break because im getting my exhaust installed finally!

Word! ...and Jonathan if you don't post some kodakz of your drop we are gonna......... come out to LI and do some undercover, secret agent type sh*t!!!!!!!!! Lolzzzz

I finally had the break in the weather to install this.

First and foremost, thanks for the great DIY Skippy.  FWIW, when taking off the bracket on the stock IM, I found it a lot easier to slide a mirror to see what I was doing.  I didn't find it to be a pain at all :(  My exhaust certainly sounds deeper, but honestly, I also haven't had a chance to really rip it on the road.

OK, I take it back!  The ride is just...  nicer.  I wish I had the mechanical know how to describe it, but things just seem smoother...

yeah i have the same feeling. it's as if everything flows much better now and the engine can get up and go easier.

REAL technicians don't use mirrors...we get cut up the old fashioned way! Who needs a mirror when you can close your eyes and hope to hell you don't get burned!?!

Just FYI for you guys, that hissing/sucking noise isn't specifically from the manifold.  It's from the idle assist valve which diverts intake air to the injectors at startup.  Once the wax element inside the valve body melts, the valve closes and the sucking noise stops.

with this has anyone else noticed an increase in mpg? mine went from like 27 to 29...it's weird but i'm not complaining!

mine went down... i cant stay off the throttle

What about replacing our stock IMs with one from a RSX type S? Has anyone tried this? Would we see more/less gains than with the TSX IM?

If I can find a TSX intake mani I'm all on it. The way you guys described it, sounds like heaven :)

The RSX Type S IM has been discussed before.  The benefits from having one show up above the redline on our Accords.  You actually lose power with an RSX Type S IM.

The RSX-S manifold is not compatible with the accord due to a difference in design.  The air assist valve is a separate piece with that manifold, while ours is integrated.  The water neck in the same area is also placed in a different location.  You will probably see zero gains in the usable powerband since that manifold has short runners that are meant for high RPM induction.  The redline on the accord is simply too low to see any benefits from an RSX-S manifold.  The same goes for the RBC intake manifold.

Chalk-up another TSX IM mod thanks to Skippy and this thread.  

The install went pretty smoothly.  Took me about an hour from start to finish.  Luckily, I didn't have to replace the TB gasket.  Hitting the base of the TB on several different locations freed it up nicely.  

I was surprised just how caked-up and oily the Accord IM was.  I bought my TSX IM used but it looked brand new compared to my old one.  Is that normal?

Milan how was removing the studs did you encounter any problems with that? Did you do it like the DIY showed or did you use a stud remover?

Glad you had a positive install experience.  Yes, having oil residue in the intake manifold is normal.

It was easy as pie, did it like Skippy advised in this DIY.  I put a 12mm wrench on the stud before I put the first nut on.  Then I put on the second nut and made the nut sandwich.  With the wrench on the bottom and a 12mm ratchet on top, I just turned each one in the opposite direction to jam them together.  Then I just undid the stud with the wrench that was stuck on the stud below the nut sandwich.  Easier done then said lol.

Holy shit, I just did the same thing you did and got a seller 8 minutes later. $60 shipped. The guy's name is LKSi. I don't know if he's credible or not.

http://k20a.org/forum/member.php?u=28098 (http://k20a.org/forum/member.php?u=28098)

good deal man... do it up asap.. install isnt very hard at all
make sure you get a Throttle body gasket and look into the option of a performance intake manifold gasket (P2R)
might be an extra $50 for both together but the concept of what the IM gasket does makes sense.

the P2R gasket is literally 10 times as thick as the stock oem IM gasket.
The oem gasket is made from thin metal, where the P2R is made from high temp resistant, low heat soak teflon material.
this should in turn reduce the amount of heat soak that will take place in your engine because this gasket provides a wider and less heat attractive surface between your IM and injector plate (what the IM connects to)

its your call in the long run, at least upgrade to the TSX IM gasket if you dont decide to use the P2R

What's this I keep hearing about with the upper and lower section of the TSX IM? Do I only need the lower section to do the mod, or do I need both?

People who speak of the "upper and lower" portions of the manifold are speaking about the injector base and the primary intake manifold.  The primary intake manifold is what we're swapping, the injector base is the same between the Accord and TSX and there is no reason to swap these parts.

The P2R gasket as well as the hondata gasket are not worth it in my opinion...heat soak is not a question of "if", it's a question of "when".  No matter if you have the gasket or not, your IM will be the exact same temperature after shutdown if you drive all day.  That gasket is really only effective if the engine is used in short sprints (race activities).  For the majority of us, we're going to be driving for at least 10 minutes past warm-up, so there's really no point.  I purchased a hondata gasket for my race engine because I wanted a good template to cut my RBC manifold....I'm going to install it when the race motor gets built but I do not expect it to eliminate or even help out with heat soak.

Well, i got my TSX IM installed, and it's working pretty great! It feels like it improved the low-end a lot more. I was luckily able to re-use the TB gasket. It doesn't take much anymore toget up to speed when driving in my "economy" mode (under 3,000RPM at all times) lol.

Ive had my IM in for about a day, but noticed that the engine bay tends to get a little more hot than usual. Is this normal?

there is no reason why a manifold swap would increase engine bay heat.  How are you collecting your data and what are your before and after temps?

not using any data collector, just the senses. it might have been when i was on the throttle a lot when i first tested it out. i have'nt been on it the past few days  so the engine bay hasn't been as as hot. must've been a false alarm.

ive ran my car hard a couple times but it didnt seem as hot. thats why i thought i may have missed something when i did the install.

Yeah that was probably the case. Weather could have been in a part as well.

Did you end up using the TSX bracket? I said to hell with it, and didn't get one, lol. How are the gains? I've noticed with mine that the car pulls harder at around VTEC - 3000 RPM. Anything above that, it's hard to notice because the car is already flooring it, lol.

the weather has been pretty hot so i guess thats partly due to the heat in the engine bay.

i didnt buy the bracket either. the only thing that sucked was that one of the wires was just sitting there but it was fixed by zip tying it to another one. as far as gains, im impressed with the throttle response. i dont feel a lag when i WOT, and i do agree once the RPMs are up there, you dont notice it lol. and you gotta love the intake screaming even more.

Yeah, my dad was worried about that wire that used to clip onto the IM bracket. But it's no biggie. I also think that my gas mileage has improved by like 2-3, because when I'm driving normally, it doesn't take the car as much work to get up to speed. At first I didn't really notice any difference with the IM, but now, every time I look down at the speedometer while only at 2500 RPM, it moves so much faster, lol.

Know thy VTEC crossover point.  Economy VTEC engages at 2200 RPM, not 3000.

Well, when I put the dash in between I meant "to", lol. I guess I should've clarified.

i'd have to say this is my 2nd favorite mod thats well worth it, aside from lowering suspension.

It's all good man, dually noted :)

dizzle, have you noticed any difference in sound with the IM? It's hard for me to tell, because now that I've had it for awhile, I don't even remember what the intake sounded like alone, lol. I have noticed, however, that the intake has a deeper growl at low to mid-RPMs.

honestly i havent really paid attention besides WOT. ill have to check tomorrow and start focusing on it.

I just finished installing my tsx IM installed with all 3 p2r gaskets (the one between the injector base and head, the one between the injector base and im, and the one between the throttle body and the im).  I'm pretty impressed with the difference.  Not only does the engine feel less peaky, but it pulls harder at any rpm.  The p2r gaskets definately reduce heat soak.  While the Im will still warm up eventually when idling due to warm air from the radiator and engine, one full throttle 0-60 run and it's cool to the touch again.  Before I couldn't get anywhere near touching the im after a single 0-60 run.  The car doesn't seem to become slower as the engine warms up like before either so consider me happy with my purchases.

Do you have a SRI or a CAI? I've got a SRI and am thinking about getting the p2r gaskets because my intake dies in the heat, lol.

i have the fujita CAI and my pipe is hot to the touch also....

It's normal for the intake to warm to the touch.  You can cool it off by performing the throttle body coolant bypass and getting the p2r gaskets, but it will still get warm from being in a warm engine bay.  The gaskets make the biggest difference on the intake manifold itself though.

I didn't know that p2r made an injector base gasket.. I thought that was the hondata one? I know there's the TB and IM gasket by p2r.

I did do the TB coolant bypass, though. Can't say much about it, mayne it'll be more noticeable with those gaskets.

They have one that goes in the same place as the hondata one as well.

It's p113

http://www.powerrevracing.com/intakegaskets.html (http://www.powerrevracing.com/intakegaskets.html)

Hondata makes a gasket that goes between the injector base and the cylinder head.
(http://www.hondata.com/images/gaskets/k20Z3_k24A2_k24A4.jpg)
The P2R gasket goes between the intake manifold and the injector base.
(http://powerrevextras.com/catalog/images/p2r-103.jpg)
The P2R throttle body gasket is pretty self explanatory.
(http://www.powerrevracing.com/store/images/p2r-142.jpg)

Ok, thanks. P113's description threw me off, lol.

Where would you guys recommend getting the p2r and/or hondata gaskets?

Jeff PM me I know a guy on k20a.org that is selling all 3. he is a vendor

Here's a pic of the p2r one that's just like the hondata one.

(http://powerrevextras.com/catalog/images/p2r-113.jpg)

I've been driving around with my TSX IM in my trunk for like two weeks now.  I have to get that shit installed...

Come up early and we'll do it tomorrow!

I've got mine sitting on my desk waiting for me to clean it up, throw some paint on it, then install. Hopefully some time this week that bad boy will be in.

Good luck with the install Z. Hopefully it wont be sitting on the desk for too long like ::cough:: Piero ::cough::  

LOL. It definitely won't. I'm actually kinda sick of how our engines choke out so badly in stock form. This bad boy may be in as soon as Wednesday. I think I may forego the paint to maintain a "stock" appearance.

I love the tsx im and the gasket mod. I also got hit yesterday but then I gunned it moved out of the way soo fast. I Also love my suspension set up. Couldn't have done it with out the tl sway bar, strut bar, and coil with dampening. lol

those with the gaskets installed noticed a difference right?

Shit man i still have not installed mine...

You serious Piero? What are you waiting on? You've had that thing for 3 months now. You don know what you're missing.

I need help!!!

I got $20 that says it's still in his trunk

Grow a pair and come up here.  I'll show you how to do it.

Or come out my way. I've already pulled this thing off at least three times since I first got it.

I really should get the p2r and hondata gaskets... It'd probably help out my SRI with the heatsoak in this florida weather.

The install is easy! For me it was a bitch though because I had to remove that valve thingy on the front of the old one and put it on the TSX one because it was missing. It did not want to come off, lol. I also got lucky that the TB gasket came off clean.

Good info:

Yeah, I've been in a split decision on this for awhile. When I first got the TSX IM, I was skeptical. After awhile, I thought it'd be a relatively good solution. Plus, if you look at these (http://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread.php?t=672348) dynos, the thing actually works. However, the more I think about it, the more I ask myself: when will I ever be consistently pushing the car to the max on the street? Never. Skippy makes a good point.

Quick question , when ur looking for a tsx manifold and u have a manual, does the manifold have to come from a manual tsx? ....

I believe they're the same. When you're installing it for an MT, there's this little valve on the back of the intake manifold; ATs have a hose that attaches to it, MTs do not, so you have to plug up that hole. There's no mention of whether or not you have to get the AT or MT IM either, so I would think that it doesn't matter.

They're the same. Just plug the port on the rear like Jeff said and you'll be fine.

Thanks guys...

How do you tell apart an 04-05 IM from 06-08?

I found someone on K20a for an IM but he hasn't a clue which one it is

here are the pics:

(http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc151/02ep3si/Mobile%20Uploads/0207001414.jpg)
(http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc151/02ep3si/Mobile%20Uploads/0207001415a.jpg)

Part # should be stamped on the IM

For 2003-2005 Accords:

TSX Intake Manifold - 17110-RBB-000

For 06+ Accords:

TSX Intake Manifold - 17110-RBB-A00

That's not a TSX IM.  It has a cable TB.  All TSX TB's are DBW.

Turns out that had part number RAA

Hey guys I just installed my TSX IM yesterday and I can tell theres a power difference but did you guys do anything else...what i mean is do I need to change the injector base at all or is it the same on both cars? The only difference I can tell is that when I'm driving and take off from a rolling start it has more power other than that nothing else really changed.

You don't need to change the base. Just swap IMs and keep on rockin...

cool thanx

By the book:
The 04-05 IM throttle opening has a diameter of 60mm.
The 06-08 IM throttle opening has a diameter of 64mm.

I don't think that will make a difference in performance for the Accord, unless you've bored out your Throttle Body to match the diameter.  

A more obvious difference is that the throttle body openings are different between the two.  
The 04-05 IM throttle opening has somewhat of a rectangular shape routed out, making it key shaped.
The 06-08 IM throttle opening is a circle.  

My question is, what purpose does that key shape on the 04-05 IM serve?  I've noticed this design on the stock Accord IM's, and gaskets as well.  

PS.  More info and pics can be found here:  http://www.tsxclub.com/forums/1st-gen-engine/42435-tsx-intake-manifold-mods-4.html#post632040
(The IM with the Throttle body studs is the 04-05, and is in fact, the one that Tim sold me.  You can't tell how clean it is, but heck, that IM's getting famous, Tim!)

The reason for the "key" shaped hole is because the Accord uses an IACV on the TB.  The TSX doesn't use that, so that's why there is a mystery about it being on the TSX IM.  How is the IM famous?

http://www.customcarscentral.com/skr307 ... a-tsx.html (http://www.customcarscentral.com/skr307050310-acura-tsx.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

Might be another option that I just found.

Holy fucking expensive batman. Would it fit in our bays? That one just goes straight out instead of going down like ours. I think I remember reading somewhere that those Skunk2 intake manifolds are no good for low end torque, and the only increase you can get is past the RPM range our cars can handle. I would take a $60 TSX IM over a $500 Skunk2 IM any day, haha.

Tim, I'd also like to point out that the part number for the 06-07 Accord throttle body gasket is 16176-RTA-004, and the 03 sealing cap is 90634-PA0-000. That part of the guide hasn't been updated.

If anyone's around the Winter Haven / Lakeland area in FL, I'd be more than willing to help you out. I've still got an extra 03-05 throttle body gasket because the one on my car stayed intact.

Oh I would take the OEM one over that too, but if people are looking for the most gains possible that may be an option. Plus, I'm curious to see if it would fit :).

It would bolt on/ fit without a problem but with our stock engines, you'd lose power and not be able to use that manifold to its potential. That maniold is designed for high RPM performance where our stock k24a4/8 engines fall flat on their face. Now, others that swapped their heads/ engines out (Tim, Skip, Blinx) would benefit from this if they were sticking with an NA setup. If Tim were to ever hand his SC over to me, this would be a good NA upgrade for him.

If you think the Skunk2 is expensive, then don't look at the IPS intake manifold.
(http://www.intrinsicperformance.com/images/intakemanifold/IPS-HP-1stArticle-02.JPG)

Does anyone know where i can get a tsx intake manifold????

Post a WTB thread on k20a.org. Those guys don't care for them.

thank you, i just got a couple offers, and do i need to buy a tsx throttle body and injector base as well, or will my stock one work fine? Also, do i need to get a new gasket for the head?

http://elitecm.net/forums/index.php?topic=167.0

No, no, and no.

And.... no. Sorry. Felt like adding one more no.

alright coool. so the only thing that would need to be replaced would be the bracket, and if the TB gasket breaks. correct?

I would try browsing some Acura forums.

Read, brother!


As long as the TB gasket doesn't tear and break, you're fine. I would buy a replacement gasket just in case, however. They're like $5.

 :stupid:


I finally get to use it without copying and pasting from off site! Woot!

yeah sorry i'm asking to what appears to be obvious questions, im just a little tight on dough so i don't want to be blowing money on parts i don't even need

You'll be just fine getting the manifold and nothing else. You could do the throttle body gaskey just in case but you probably won't need it. At most you should be spending for the mani is about 70 shipped.

Hey guys I ordered the p2r intake manifold gasket for the TSX but does anyone know if it'll fit?

Yes.

Considering the TSX manifold is a straight bolt on for our engines, what would you think?

I test fitted and the gasket doesn't match up...

There's no reason why it wouldn't as long as it's the right gasket.  I re-used my Accord gasket when I had the TSX IM on my car.  Do you have pics?

As did I when I bolted up mine. Come to think of it, most everyone that has done this upgrade has. I'd like to see pics as well.

I ordered the p113 gasket which said civic si/tsx on it but I lined it up with the manifold and the holes didn't match up. I'm gonna order the k24 gasket which is the p103

Good idea.

Hey guys, I tried to install the TSX IM today and I had trouble disconnecting the sensor on the bottom. I tried pushing the sides and wiggling but nothing...and could anybody tell me how to disconnect the hose in the front left? It looks like it just needs to be pulled but I don't wanna force anything.
Thanks for the help guys.

I just read up some more and there's a black bracket at the bottom holding it in yes? So I would have to unscrew it and then I should be able to pull the IM out and disconnect the hose while doing so?

We dont know what to tell you. Just get 'er done!

I think i got it  :)

I knew you could do it!

(http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu347/rshoover84/IMG_0231.jpg)

I don't need that entire thing correct? Guy says it's an '08. I just need the primary manifold correct?

Yes, you just need the front with the 4 runners and the plenum that your TB bolts on to.  That IM will work with an 06-07 K24A8.

Does the Accord IM cover still work with the TSX IM? Or will I have to get another one?

The Accord IM cover will work with the TSX IM...there's no need to buy a new one.

Did u guys use glue for your gaskets?

Glue?  Why?

No!!!

I got an air leak. I'm running the p2r im and tb gasket. I tightened the bolts down all the way and I have an air leak. Car sounds like turbo when I drive. -.-

Figure out where the leak is?

Get a mechanics stethoscope and figure out where the leak is.  That will help you determine where the problem is.  The purpose of a gasket is to prevent leaks.

Hey guys, I think I may have a problem. Before going to a mechanic maybe u guys can determine if I have an air leak or not. I took the gasket off and decided to just use the oem tb gasket and no Im gasket. When my car is in park, and I turn the steering wheel, it starts revving up but it doesn't look normal and the car sounds like its gonna stall.

I checked the vacuum hose and it's in all the way and I tightened everything. All hoses are in. Is this idling normal with the tsx Im?

No.  You need to use an IM gasket too.  That's where your vacuum leak is coming from.

I thought the Im gasket wasn't required

Btw thanks for the quick response. I'm pretty frustrated over this. Seeing how everyone else didn't seem to have any issues.

It's not required that you replace it.  You can re-use your stock IM gasket though.  Regardless, you need to use a gasket.

Ahhh I must have gotten it confused with the bracket -.- silly me. I'll find out and hopefully it will solve this. I appreciate all your help Tim. Thanks again! :)

I put the Im gasket but no luck. When I'm in park and I turn the steering wheel, the car starts revving/idling strangely

did you transfer that nipple from your stock IM to the tsx IM?

You could have a vacuum leak. You could still have leaks around the IM itself. Also, turning the wheel side to side puts a load on the engine so the idle changes to compensate. Did you check the mating surfaces to ensure they were straight? Maybe your stock gasket is blown. There's too many variables to pinpoint but the best thing to do is get a mechanic's stethoscope like Tim said and find the leak. One thing I need to ask, in what pattern did you bolt/torque the IM down? That may also be your culprit for an uneven seal.

Isn't there a hose that goes in the back of the manifold? Maybe you forgot to plug that back in.

Quick question - are the P2R and Hondata Gaskets used in combination (if wanted) or not?

I'm debating on whether to go with the Hondata Heatshield ($55) or OEM ($3) lol...

Wondering if the P2R and Hondata are used in conjunction?! Anyone?

From what I recall, the Hondata gasket goes in between the head and the injector base and the P2R goes in between the injector base and IM.  I could have it backwards though.

So they can be used in conjunction.

Second question, I'm getting the Accord gasket for the Hondata thermal one? They offer one for the accord and one for the tsx.

Just some food for thought if you haven't already read this.

Saw that. Still debating on it though just looking into it. Probably going OEM though.

I bought an TSX IM and TB, tried to install it today but had problem getting to bolt under the manifold out.  :(

So had to put it all back together. Can somebody advice me the easiest way to get the bolt out?

This is a great thread,
finally did my TSX IM and TB install today, But I have a problem now.
its has a very rough idle and very erratic, some times it feels like the engine is dying and then it picks up high.

(http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/2431/img0435g.jpg)

This is what its doing:
original (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeI5LbIK7nI#)

Install was easy except for two things.
1. The bolt under the IM was really hard to get to, and I didn't have the right tools.(paid the local mechanic guy $5 to get it out).
2. The TSX TB was too big for my OEM intake piping, TB is 64mm and the piping was only 60mm so had to force it in,and the clamp that holds the intake tube to the TB didn't fit  :(.

Can somebody tell me what did wrong?

The first thing everyone will ask you is if you put back the small vacuum hose that was on the back of the intake manifold's plenum. If you have an AT, then there's that hose that you need to put back. If you have an MT, you car doesn't have that small hose, and you need to plug it up with the part number provided in the first post of this thread.

The man speaks the truth.

I did put the vacuum hose (from the front on the accord IM) to the back of the TSX IM.

Hmmm. Maybe the hose is cracked and you have a vacuum leak. Its possible the computer needs to relearn its parameters since you are now feeding it more air with the larger TB. There's quite a few variables with this and its hard to put a finger on it. Maybe someone else will chime in with ideas.

How to check for cracks in the hose?

I have to go through the manuals to see if I have the radio code in there, before I take out the battery terminal.

I am very iffy to open it up again, cos I had to force the 60mm air intake tube on to my 64mm TB  :(. It was a tight fit. 

Hmmm, I would go back and check to make sure that when you forced the intake tube back on, the tube didn't split open from the larger TB.

Also, when you put the IM on, did you torque the bolts to 16ftlbs, and do them in the correct pattern?

We're trying to cross out all of the simple stuff so that it'll be easier to figure out the real problem.

I checked the intake tubing and it looks good, I dint torque the bolts, I put them back as tight as I could. How do I measure the torque on them? I didn't follow the pattern either, :(. Did I mess it up?

I disconnected my battery and let it sit for some time(10 mins) and then reconnected it. But its still has the erratic idle.

I checked all the hoses and they seem fine, and the bolts are perfectly tight.

What am I missing here...?

Well, usually when you retorque things, you need to make sure that you're tightening whatever it is back on evenly. It wouldn't make sense to tighten the IM from left to right... it could cause the left side to be tighter than the right side, causing a leak. When I put my IM on, I sort of went in a criss-cross pattern on the bolts. That way the torque is even across all bolts. Then again, I used a torque wrench, so if you don't have one, you won't really know how much to tighten the bolts. 16ftlbs didn't seem like a lot at all for me.

Anyways, it doesn't really seem that the bolts are a problem for you. I'm trying to think of other possible causes... the throttle shouldn't be an issue because it's all electrical. I don't know if you clarified this but, did you make sure that the intake manifold gasket stayed on when you took the Accord IM off? It's simply a reusable metal gasket. If that's not in between the injector base and the intake manifold, there could be a vacuum leak.

Other than that, I highly doubt that the throttle body gasket is leaking, since it has never been removed. For now, keep looking around. This may not work, but if you let the car idle, then feel around the hose fittings, you may be able to feel something.

It seems like everything is set up right... just for kicks, try disconnecting the throttle plug thing for your DBW, then plug it back in and make sure it's tight.

Let us know how it goes.

Thank you for all the help and input guys. I tightened everything evenly and did follow the criss-cross pattern on the bolts when I did it the first time. The intake gasket stayed on too.
Today I tried some throttle body and intake cleaner from pepboy's, opened everything up and put it back together, followed the criss-cross pattern on the bolts tightened then evenly. Sprayed the TB cleaner as directed and it seams like the idle is smoother now. There is still a slight hesitation(when I give it gas)  though. Have to drive it around and see how it behaves.

On a completely different note, now that I have the TSX IM and TSX TB, how about some TSX throttle body spacers guys?
Here is the linkhttp://www.corsportusa.com/store/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1965 (http://www.corsportusa.com/store/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=1965)
lemme know what you guys think.

Thank you for all the help guys.

My car is also doing a similar thing. Used a new gasket and all the only thing I did not do was use the bracket which shouldnt make a difference also I oversited doing the crisscross pattern and 16ftlbs of torque. When I attempted My car (Manual with plug on plenum) would idle up and stall out, idle up stall out even with clutch in. messed with throttle cable to get it tostop stalling but car would idle at set rpm then jump another 500 RPMS to compensate for what i am assuming a Vac leak. :-[ on my ride home that night after  making the car drivable as dumb as i was  last turn to get home car stalled  while clutch was in as how it was when idle was set to normal. following day i pulled the manifold off and here i stand running stock : ( I am wondering what els it would be to cause the irradic idle but im sure it was the failure to do the pattern and Torque i currently re bought TB gasket and Manifold gasket waiting for non -15 degree weather to attempt again haha. also on the TB i had SS washers hanging around so instead of removing the studs in  used a few on each stud to take up the extra on the TSX studs. trying to get more opinions but like i said im leaning to the torquing and pattern error!

Need help....

I installed the TSX manifold today on my 2003 accord AT.  When i started the car, there was an unusual sound...a very high whining noise, like a high generator would do...  I left it on for 20sec and turned it off.  I re-tighten the bolts on the throttle body but still the same high pitch whining sounds happens.

has this every happen to anybody?  I did not completely scrape off the old gasket, nor did i used the crisscross pattern, so maybe that is why.
Im not sure whats wrong, but i am going to disassemble the whole manifold/intake and re-install it again tomorrow.   

EDIT
I found a video on youtube of exactly how the engine sound when running. 
Intake Manifold Vacuum Leak (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfXRIyGIKck#ws)

Any idea how to scrape off the old gasket?

yup its a gasket problem. I had the same thing happen to me one. sounded like a super charger. YOu need to go get the gasket remover from an auto part store.

Plus you need to tighten the bolts in a crisscross pattern starting from the inside out to get the proper torque. If not, no new gasket is going to solve your problem.

Thanks for the feedback! i keep u posted if it works.

O yea, do you guys use any lube gasket sealant?  or kept it dry and just the ends off completely.

Totally dry. I reused my OEM gaskets and had no issues.

Well took me a couple of hours to clean the old gasket off.  it was a pain in the *** :exclaim:  But it is done.   I installed the IM using the crisscross method and apply some gasket sealant, just in case.  Everything works pretty good so far.  I will take it for a test run tomorrow morning.  Thanks for your guys help

love being scammed with a 08 TSX intake manny

Did you contact the seller?  Did you try making a claim with paypal?

well i got a intake manifold  but they said it was a 05 turns out to be a 08...

this was last winter i bought it i have his name on k20a but not much i can do now :/ just a want F'in intake manifold!!!

Yeah man.  You really shouldn't have waited so long to find out.  You kinda fucked yourself on that one man.  I always ask for pics and part numbers before I buy.  I've gotten a bunch of stuff from k20a.  You can't really blame them for you not taking action to make sure you got the right part.  A lot of those guys have piles of parts lying around and it could have been a pretty simple mistake, so don't assume that it was deliberately done to defraud you.  At this point, we won't ever know.  I guess you can attribute this to being a learning experience and next time you'll be a bit more cautious.

Maybe you might find someone willing to swap mani's with you on there, it's worth a shot. Sucks to hear tho but it does sound like it was a simple mistake though and not a scam

yeah  so far 2 people tried to sell me a 08++ one again lol but now i know and  someone has a bored out intake manifold and 64 mm TB wondering if it will work if its the right year

On a stock tune? You'll lean out. No bueno.

Actually, I don't think it would really hurt anything.  I mean, the entire idea behind a CAI, TSX IM, and bored TB is to improve the flow characteristics.  The ECU should be able to compensate and add fuel to make up for the increased air flow.  With n/a motors, it's all about reducing the restriction of air flow. 

FYI, this topic should have never been part of that valve cover thread.  If you have any questions about this IM swap, you should have posted them in here.  Based on your other posts, it seems like you may not have all the facts straight and that could have been part of the problem.  I have separated those posts and merged them into this thread.  Please continue to post any questions you have in here and DO NOT create a new thread.

True but if he's talking about picking up a manifold that is not of a stock size, without the proper tune it'll cause damage no matter which way you cut it. Yes, the TSX IM is bigger than our oem manifolds but anything larger will cause a lean condition since our stock ecu's can't compensate for the added air flow.

Only one way to find out.  Get a UEGO and try some before and after runs.

@CNY240 dont worry about getting pwned. I had a similar thing. The guy sold me an accord manifold... I asked for a tsx rbb blah blah and he sent me an RAA. anyways i got half my money back and he got to keep the other half. Shipping killed it for both of us.

so what does this mean exact;y? what are the differences inIM name?
"RBB TSX manifold"
http://www.k20a.org/forum/showthread.php?t=96470 (http://www.k20a.org/forum/showthread.php?t=96470)

The most commonly used intake manifolds are referred to by the middle 3 letters in the part number.  The TSX uses the RBB.  The Accord, Element, and CR-V use the RAA.  The RRC is found in the Civic Type R.  The PRC is found in the Integra Type R.  The PRB is found on the RSX Type S and Civic Si (EP3).  The RBC is found on the 06+ Civic Si.

For the record, that intake manifold will not work for your car.  In the picture, it has 07 TSX written on the runner for cylinder 2.  IIRC, you have an 03-05, which you can only use the intake manifold from an 04-05 TSX.  The full part number for the TSX IM you need for your car is 17110-RBB-000.  The 06-08 TSX uses the 17110-RBB-A00 and it will not fit your car.

I hope this helps.

yea i saw, the guy sent it to me in a pm, i put a wtb over on k20, saying i only wanted a 04-05 im.. -.- thanks i didnt see that

Those guys really don't know the difference.  I forgot why you can't use the IM.  I'm guessing that if you got the IM and the injector base, it should fit, but I can't be certain.

I believe it's iacv notch we new and that's only found on years 04-05  :mad:

Ohh yeah.  That's it.  The IACV notch.

*edit* never mind, found the answer...

:) got my IM, took me about 35 min to take out old one, and put in new one :)
(http://i420.photobucket.com/albums/pp283/papinati305/DSCF4997.jpg)

Niiice, feels good right?

yup :) now gotta see if anyone wants the 06-07 tsx IM I'm stuck w/ lol

are there any TB that the 03-05 accords can use?

You can bore your TB, or you can pick up a K20A2 TB and get an adapter.  I think Karcepts may make one.  Another option would be the Hybrid Racing 70mm TB, but you're going to need to machine the inlet of the TB and port match them, otherwise you're wasting your time and money.

Tim, I'm just curious, but do you think an 04-05 TSX intake manifold would work on an 06-07 Accord? I know the 04-05 TSX IM has the IACV notch, but the 06-07 Accord TB doesn't have one, so it would be blocking it off anyways. The only thing I can think of is the bore of the 04-05 TSX IM being too small to match the 06-07 Accord TB. the 04-05 TSX IM is what, 60mm, while the 06-07 TSX IM is 64mm?

I was just wondering because I've still got my 05 TSX IM from my old car haha.

If the bore of the IM is smaller than the bore of the TB, then you would need to get it machined.  If you don't, you will lose power because of the turbulence created.  Only other thing I could think of is the TB bolt pattern being different.  I don't have one, so I don't know if they are the same or different.

Good write up Tim! I seen this post on DriveAccord.net Keep up the good work Tim!

I can't take credit for the DIY.  It was Skippy that originally posted this, I just copied it over here.

Ok, my bad. Thanks Skippy! =D

Since he doesn't really come on the site that much any more, I'll let him know you appreciate it the next time I talk to him.

Sorry to bring this back to life...finally getting around to tackling mine sometime in the next few days.

Quick question - is there a gasket in between the intake manifold ("plenum") and the engine. I see it says to only pick up a throttle body gasket.

There is a metal gasket between the intake manifold and the injector base that's reusable.

Thanks to whoever put this in the right spot and thank you Jeff for the quick response.

Quick question - I was going to install the intake manifold but a buddy of mine suggested I look into the RBC manifold the TSX guys swap theirs out for. Would it fit?

It will fit, but you will lose power. That manifold is for higher revving motors. Your motor doesn't rev high enough to actually see those gains. You will lose power in the lower rpm range.

That explains it.

Gracias, Tim.

De nada Eric.

So I bout a TSX intake manifold recently. After getting it I could see that it was stored somewhere for a while and there is spiderwebs and other residue inside of it. How do I clean it properly?

Here's a pic

(http://i45.tinypic.com/10p9kj7.jpg)

Degreaser, a hose, let it dry in the sun. That's what I did with mine when I got it off Tim.

You could do that and hit it with a wire wheel if you want to get it sparkling clean.

Well I installed my tsx im yesterday. The install went pretty smooth. I am feeling a little umph from it. I do have a little hesitation when you first hit the pedal. Has anybody else experienced this? My wife pretty much said if it keeps doing it I have to put the stock one back on  :(. I'm not sure if its a vacuum leak the idle is smooth and it accels smooth its just at the first 1/2 sec hit of the pedal. Any ideas? I also have SRI as well and thats it for mods.

My car does that, and I don't have a TSX im. Lol

I never had this issue when I installed mine 2 years ago. Did you make sure it was installed correctly?

I think he may have a small leak somewhere, namely the throttle body gasket. Need more info on what gaskets were reused or replaced.

I reused both gaskets. It came apart pretty easy my car only has 55k on it. I also thought a small leak just wish I knew how to find such a small leak if there is one.

The one between the IM and the lower and upper is metal so its not a big deal. The TB one is some type of paper composite and prone to tears even tiny ones. Trying to find a leak for something like that is a bitch and the easiest thing to do is just replace that gasket.

Thanks for the input.. I found out my uncle who has a shop also has a smoke machine. So when I get a chance I am going to bring it up there to look for a leak with that. He also said that I could spray around gasket areas with some throttle body cleaner and if there is a leak the idle will change. The only problem I have with that method is that I powder coated the intake and I think throttle body cleaner has acetone in it which can fuck up powder coatings..

You could always re power coat it. I'd rather have a working intake manifold. :D

^This.

I started the guide, got stuck on one of the first steps when the phillips head got stripped...  Should I dremel a slot into it and use a slot head?

Another question (I have 2007), on the left side of my plenum I have a small tube heading left. On the new TSX IM I don't have the same port on the left side, is this on the rear that needed to be relocated, as mentioned in the guide?

Bought the replacement screw, need to take a day out of this week to try again

Alright will have my IM in this week or next but still debating between p2r gasket or hondata gasket for the injector base, and i am sure will be p2r IM gasket and TB gasket.

They're all pretty much the same stuff.  I have a P2R gasket for my IM (no injector base on my car).

Thanks for your quick answer, but low on budget so might just install the IM first with new oem gasket.

There's nothing wrong with that.  If you contact AutoFair Honda, they can get you new OEM gaskets and P2R gaskets.  Call there and ask for Ryan.  Tell him Tim referred you.

so just call the part department?

Yeah.  Their number is 603-634-0639.  You'll either talk to Ryan or Colin, possibly Rich.  They know me from k20a.org under the same screen name as here.  Just let them know I referred you and you'll get taken care of.  They have good prices and great service.  Only place I buy my parts from now.

Thanks Tim just gave them a call and Colin pick up the phone. Man the price is amazing compare to throwdownperformance

AFH always takes care of their customers.  Everyone in the parts department is a Honda enthusiast.  You should see the car Colin is building.  Good luck with the IM swap.

Thanks Tim. I can't wait

Just open the tax I'm and it super dirty. What is a good way to clean it or it doesn't matter.

I'd just spray it with parts cleaner and wipe it down with a shop towel.

how about inside the IM it black like oil black are there anyway i can make it shine like new. lol

I'd just clean it with parts cleaner and call it a day.  You really shouldn't need to do more than that to get it clean.  Spray it with parts cleaner and let it soak, wipe off with a shop towel and repeat if necessary.

Ok. I just order the gasket from autofair so hope it will be here soon so i can get this thing done.

AFH is good about shipping stuff out as soon as possible.  If they have it in stock, it will be out the door within a day.  Depending on where you are in the world, it may take a few days up to a week.

Do they do acura parts also. cause i am still looking for the front and rear sway bar from a 07 tls

Yes.  They can get pretty much anything from Honda/Acura in the US.  There's a reason why I've given them thousands of dollars of my money.

Nice I will wait till my money not that tight than will give them a call again and ask about that.

Just did the install, really easy and only took 1.5 hours.

You're still alive?

It's definitely super easy to do though.

Somewhat, 1 more year of school and work. I had the damn thing sitting in my apartment for 6 months before I found time to install it. Bought it for 30 bucks off of k20.org

Thought I posted:

Anyhow, I got stuck at the part about 12mm bolt underneath the manifold that you can't see.

I could feel two, one in the middle one on the left side. I couldn't get a grip on either of them. I went out and bought flex head ratcheting wrench and no help. I can latch but then I can't turn. Any tips on this?

Which one is the one to remove? (I have 2006-2007)

Would stubby wrenches help here?

Figured out my problem. I am not looking at the right parts at all that I was trying to remove.

The bracket is on the right near the TB just below, and its easy to see

EDIT: I got the bolt out properly.

Required use of deep socket, the extension and my ratchet.

10000000000000x easier than the wrong bolts I was going for before LOL  :laugh:

I have completely installed it

Some problems: chunks of gasket needed scraping off (looked like they built grooves into the metal where the gasket was stuck)

My TSX IM didn't have two studs on it, so I'll need to buy two extra bolts, or the studs to install there. I couldn't seem to budge the original studs to move them over, probably are supposed to be permanent

Edit: Youtube'd "How to remove a stud bolt" and was able to transfer them over to the new IM.

I noticed a significant amount of carbon buildup in the old manifold, next piece (downstream of the intake manifold, that which isn't replaced). Is this a problem or normal? Should I do a seafoam?

I now have some sort of vacuum leak with this new intake manifold (or I always had one, but this is amplifying the issue).

Idle is rough, low throttle there is a pause where it feels like its afraid to go... Not sure what happened.

I tried finding the issue, to no avail. Sprayed brake cleaner to see if I could find the leak. Tightened bolts just in case...

I bought a new TB gasket, had to scrape off a little bit of the old one.

The Manifold gasket I used one that was provided to me by the seller of the Intake Manifold (it was sandwiched between the TSX injector base and the TSX IM) he sold me the full assembly.

Its possible that I didn't scrape off well enough when I took my original gasket off (there were a couple of chunks). Or maybe the one I used got damaged with all the time spent in the garage.

Any tips?

That metal IM gasket should have some kind of black coating on it that performs the sealing, were there any areas of it that had bare metal? If that's the case, it needs to be replaced. You could pick up the P2R gasket, but it's probably better to stick with OEM anyways.

When I got my TSX IM, the gasket that the guy shipped with it had parts where the bare metal was showing. I never used it because of that.

I also tried checking the seal around the top of the throttle body and IM with some carb cleaner, but saw no bubbles or anything out of the ordinary. It would suck if I had some kind of vacuum leak on the underside of the two. I want to say there's also an EGR valve or an IACV valve of some sort that's also prone to causing vacuum leaks? Maybe someone more knowledgeable can chime in on that. I have the exact same issues as you, however.

I'll unbolt it tonight and try to do the criss cross pattern hopefully to help seat the gasket. Most likely is I had some leak before which is amplified now... I mean because I did notice similar issues in rare situations.

Idle is rough too

No Vacuum leak, shop did a test and couldn't find anything to it. The problem isn't so easy to reproduce. He did an idle re-learn which has improved the idle roughness but there is still some roughness at some points. Also, that issue remains when you let go of the brake and are ready to hit the gas, that hesitation.

I am thinking whatever it was the problem lies elsewhere, and the TSX IM has simple magnified it (but isn't the cause of it)

Some websites suggest replacing the vacuum lines one by one to find it?

They do smoke test?

They said I could do one if I really wanted, but didn't think it would find anything. I can get them to do it next time I am there.

I will try cleaning MAF sensor and Throttle Body

I'm not a mechanic by any means, but I'm not complete ignorant when it comes to working on cars, however when it comes to doing this I just can't. Maybe this too much to ask seeing as how I just joined but is there anyone in the LI, NY or even NYC area who could help me do this? I have the manifold in my trunk for about 3 weeks now. If you want compensation for your time I'd be more then happy to oblige.

Wish I had time to help you while I'm in LI in a few weeks. I'm just gonna be too busy though.

It really isn't hard to do. If you can turn a wrench, you can definitely do this.

I've read the guide so many times I have it memorized lol I'm just worried about accidentally ripping the TB gasket upon removal, I'm not sure what is meant about removing the studs on our intake manifold and putting them on the tsx, for some reason I just can't comprehend that step and etc. idk I just don't feel confident in doing this lol but thanks anyways appreciate the fact that you would help if you had time!

The intake manifolds have two studs and four threaded holes for the throttle body mount. The two studs (bolts without heads) slip through matching clearance holes on the throttle body itself with a nut on top, and the remaining two are secured with regular bolts. I think that's how it is, someone correct me if I am wrong.

The TSX intake manifold studs are too long due to differing throttle body designs between the Accord and TSX. The shorter studs need to be transferred to the TSX intake manifold. This is done by "mashing" two nuts together on the stud (the bottom one is upside down so that their washer sides mash together and lock the threads), and then loosening the bottom nut. The top nut is tightened in order to put the stud back on.

When I did this mod I printed out the OP, pics and all. That helped out a lot. I also have a spare 03-05 throttle body gasket if you need one. I just need to find it.

Hey thanks for clearing that up Jeff!

You should also definitely have the spare TB gasket on hand just in case. I got lucky when I installed mine on my 05 Accord with about 60k miles. Anything older than that I would be wary of the gasket ripping.

I think the hardest part of this mod is simply trying to get your hands in tight places, and moving shit out of the way to remove/install the manifold. That's really about it. It's a simple mod that I would definitely do over again if I had more time.

here is my experience:

When i first got my car, i raised the hood and was delighted to see that the previous owner had installed an AEM SRI.
After a few months i found this website whilst looking online for ways to get a bit more power out of my k24.
I was interested in the TSX manifold swap and eventually found myself buying one for $50 on k20a.org

Eventually i also bought a P2R gasket and a new throttle body gasket.
There came a time when I had to replace my serpentine belt so i decided to do the IM swap, 8 months after buying the TSX IM.

I had read Tims DIY atleast 15 times before doing the swap. Whilst doing the job, i hardly had to look at his directions due to the simplicity of this changeover. The scariest part was removing the old studs. My neighbor eventually came through to help me. i highly recommend having another person to help you with this part.

However, I'd say the hardest part was scraping the old gasket. That took atleast an hour. I started this around 9 am and chose to replace the serpentine belt first. I even took a nap whilst waiting for my neighbor to show up in the late afternoon. So towards the end,  i actually had to rush with a LED flashlight gritted between my teeth in the dark. After everything was connected my car coughed a bit and had a rough start but she cranked up.

I have not noticed any erratic idling or laggy take off like a few other people on here. There were no vacuum leaks or any other issues.

I noticed 0 gains from this mod.

My utmost respect and appreciation for Tim for covering this mod. i guess it mostly benefits those with slush boxes..

I can't take credit for this one.  Skippy was the one that made the DIY, I just reposted it over here when the time came to update the site.

Not true. Due to the very nature of the k24a2 and how it's a higher revving engine than the k24a4/8, this manifold essentially shifts the power band to a higher rpm range than the stock accord manifold does while maintaining a bit of the low end grunt. The accord manifold chokes in the upper range. The slush box equipped accord won't make use of it because of the transmission shift points.

My old 05 AT Accord noticed a small increase in mid range torque, but I'd imagine that the 06-07 Accords probably have even less of a benefit, if any. I believe that they have some kind of resonator behind the plenum that increases low end torque, and the 07-08 TSX IM doesn't have such a thing. Otherwise I would have done it already.

well im sorry guys but i really didn't notice a difference at any point in the rpm range. I've noticed that the k24a4 engine makes more power in the low and medium rpm range.. At higher rpm, the rate of acceleration seems to decrease. Knowing that the TSX k24a2 makes more power at the high rpm due to its true vtec capapbilities, i expected my accord to maintain its rate of acceleration from the medium rpm range to redline after the swap. However my accord still feels the same. i did not feel any difference in the lower rpm band either. I expected to cover 0-40 mph alot quicker and yet no avail from this mod.


I've given up the idea of making this car any faster with NA mods and without the a2 unit. I have noticed that people are getting good numbers from turbocharging the a4 unit. If i had to stick to the a4 motor to make power, i would think about the FI route.


if i had to give another piece of advice to those attempting this: it is easier to remove the bracket from underneath the car. I also chose not to replace mine. I would still say this mod is worthwhile because of the cool factor.
thanks

About to do this, just have to secure a date. Come to find out I have a stupid aftermarket IM in my car so I'm very anxious to get the TSX one in there. I also got the Hondata heat gasket, I know it wasn't absolutely necessary but #discount

FYI, those IM heat gaskets actually lose power. Since they are thicker than your stock IM gasket, they change the position of your injectors and move them further away from the intake valve. This actually will cost you about 5-10 hp.

For clarification, this is the gasket between the injector base and the cylinder head. The other gasket between the IM and the injector base will not cause this problem.

(http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o80/dieselphle/20140808_172512_zps6niwjxr8.jpg) (http://s117.photobucket.com/user/dieselphle/media/20140808_172512_zps6niwjxr8.jpg.html)

This dude^

Yup. That's the one that will cost you power.

Well that's contradicting. :( I can install without it right? I think I read that

Here's the thread. Please read post #9.

http://m.honda-tech.com/showthread.php?p=49039268&styleid=18

Just to be clear, this is the gasket that installs between the head and the injector runners. This doesn't apply to the thermal gasket that goes between the injector runners and the intake manifold.

I used the P2R gasket between the injector base and the IM..
I have 5MT and I did not notice a difference with the swap.

here is an older video that was taken briefly...

It isnt a really good representation, especially since I came to a hill towards the end. In reality, the acceleration is smooth and consistent till 110.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8C3sgo41BA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8C3sgo41BA)

I only noticed a small improvement on my 05 5AT, so your non shitbox probably negated that.

I'm hesitant to throw a TSX IM on my 07, because it has like a secondary plenum that's supposed to help low end torque while the TSX does not have one. I think it's part of the design of the a8 to get to max torque sooner than the a4.

Jeff if you decide you want an IM let me know. I have one for 06-07.

Easiest way to tell is the accord has a black intake plenum on the back of manifold and tax does not. The intake runners are fatter and the lower intake jug is bigger also

I am pretty happy with mine on my 2006 and i put it on right after I got this car.

I remember that.

Hahaha yeah you do!!!

Well only year and half later I finally have my tsx IM and p2r gaskets I actually notice good amount of difference. Plus in all that time I have ported and polished IM. So along with my weapon r intake with extension adapter I feel huge difference in power off the line and mid range.