Given the Civic Type R’s potential both on the road and the track, big turbos and custom tunes are becoming the norm for enhancing performance. However, the joy of big boost hits a wall due to the restrictive MAF (mass airflow) sensor housing. In essence, the MAF sensor is calibrated to a specific housing size for accurate airflow readings. The ECU then uses these readings to deliver the precise amount of fuel to run at peak efficiency. Making even the slightest adjustments to the housing throws off the long-term fuel trim (LTFT), causing a check engine light. That was something we were actively trying to avoid during our Performance Intake Kit development. This time, the dreaded CEL isn’t even a passing thought since we’re striving for peak performance and designing this kit specifically for custom-tuned vehicles. 

If it wasn’t already apparent, we’re leaving the confines of the stock tune’s acceptable LTFTs, and we aim to improve flow from the front grille to the turbo. We plan to increase the internal volume of the intake system with the help of cast and mandrel-bent aluminum that will give the K20C1 more breathing room while standing up to the oven of an engine bay. Our proposed updated pipe will connect to the rest of the kit with a short silicone coupler. 

We intend to construct this half of the intake a high-density plastic rotational molded design. This construction method gives us much more leeway to fit into tight spaces and opens up the potential for more unique designs. Our planned MAF housing will still incorporate provisions for the factory vacuum lines, venturi fittings, and most importantly, the coveted MAF sensor itself. From inlet to airbox, our piping will gradually increase to an 82mm (3.2″) inner-diameter MAF housing, significantly reducing any restrictions in airflow and unlocking power potential from your CTR. 

The MAF housing will link to our airbox utilizing our patent-pending air filter grommet, making installation a breeze and removing the need for additional hardware. Our airbox is also taking a new shape, meaning you’ll also be able to ditch the factory snorkel. Our unique design will mount directly to the upper radiator support, giving the fresh air a more direct path through the system and opening the box for additional volume. 

The FK8 CTR has already proved itself to be a top performer on the street and the track, but there’s still plenty of untapped potential. With our design plans in place, we still need to prototype the kit. Hang tight while we fire up the 3D printers, and stay tuned for the first look at our prototyped design. 

In our last post,  we covered our plans for the new race intake, but no design is complete without a round of prototyping here at Mishimoto. While the 3D modeling process gives us precision designs, we still need to double-check the fitment in the vehicle.

The prototyping process starts with a scan using our Faro Design ScanArm. This scanner creates an exact digital copy of both the stock components, along with the Civic’s engine bay. Our engineer, Ye, then uses these scans as a virtual workspace to create our design.

As previously stated, the digital workspace only gets us so far, so now it’s up to our bank of 3D printers to create a physical manifestation of the new intake design. Also, creating prototypes within a few hours allows us to significantly speed up our development process since we can check for potential fitment issues and even start preliminary performance testing with this unit. It also allows us to give an exact comparison of the stock components.

The FK8 CTR is still the top dog in the FWD segment, but the drivers still want more out of their Civics. With our prototype fitted and all of the kinks worked out, we’re ready to start testing. Make sure that you check out our behind the scenes video for an even closer look into our prototyping process and a look at our upcoming production sample.

There’s no shortage of speed when it comes to the Civic Type R, but we wanted to unlock even more gumption from the K20C1 with our race intake kit. Before we dig into our performance testing results, though, let’s just take a minute to admire Ye’s hard work:

In our last post, we alluded to the look and make-up of our kit’s final form, but now since it’s here, let’s review. To start, the main component we aimed to improve was the turbo inlet pipe. Honda and the long list of racers using this platform already proved that the factory inlet delivers adequate performance, but like with any OEM component, there’s plenty of room to improve. We utilized a combination of cast and mandrel-bent aluminum for the perfect form and function. 

It’s a tight squeeze in the front of the FK8, which makes snaking a larger diameter inlet pipe through the nest of wiring and fluid lines a little tricky. Luckily, Ye was able to incorporate a section of cast aluminum to make the bend to the intake. This construction method allows us to work in unique shapes and cutouts for proper fitment with the turbo, all while bumping up the inner diameter by 4.2mm from 59.3mm to 63.5mm. 

The turbo-side of our new inlet design wasn’t the only side of this pipe to receive a make-over. TIG-welded to our cast elbow is a section of mandrel-bent aluminum that form fits the K20. We also increased the inner diameter on this side, with a 21mm increase from 62mm to 83mm. When combined, this new inlet pipe reduces flow restriction by 16.7% over the stock component, ensuring that it’s more prepared for the higher volume of air your custom tune will demand.

For the other half of our race intake kit, we elected to use rotational-molded cross-linked polyethylene. This hearty plastic is ideal for under hood duty, especially given the sheer amount of heat the K20C1 puts off. Not only will it keep its shape in the oven that is the CTR’s engine bay, but it will also ward off heat soak for lower intake air temperatures. 

The main attraction to this kit is the oversized MAF housing. On intakes designed for stock tuning, the MAF housing needs to stay close to the original size to avoid throwing off fuel trims which would trigger a check engine light. The issue is that the housing is typically a bottleneck in flow, requiring custom tuning to go larger. Well, that’s exactly the plan with this setup. Our 82mm or 3.2″ MAF housing removes this chokehold and comes to life with custom tuning. 

Performance is, I’m sure, the reason you are all here, so let’s get right into it. We handed this kit off to our friends at DASH Autosports for real-world testing on a race-prepped FK8. This particular Type R was running on the stock fueling system, complete with a catless downpipe, full exhaust, intercooler system, oil cooler, and tuning scaled for the larger MAF, with ou performance intake equipped for the base test runs. 

No matter which kit was installed, Jason at DASH recorded significant power gains across the rev range. With our race intake installed, the CTR is knocking on the door of 400 wheel-horsepower. 

The FK8 Civic Type R has no shortage of performance potential. That’s no secret. The heavy-hitting 2.0T mated to Honda’s dream team of handling and performance more than delivers for front-wheel-drive fans. Four years later, though, it’s time that we delivered more to unlock all of the FK8’s potential. Make sure that you get your Race Intake today: