This FAQ post has been made to cover some of the most common questions asked by new (and old) members!
The FAQ’s are listed here in no particular order.
If your question does not appear in the list below there are a number of things you can do to find the answer:
1) Use the SEARCH button at the top of the forum
2) Check out the specific section dedicated to your question (eg. Petrol, Tyres and Oil)
3) If all else fails and you can’t find an answer, post your question in the specific section
If there is a FAQ that you believe should be included in this list, or you believe there is a better answer to an FAQ already listed please PM the information to a Moderator who will update this list.
Thanks to all those people who have contributed.
Enjoy!
The Admin and Moderators.
Oh…..and for a bit of lighthearted fun….please watch this first!!! 
http://www.btinternet.com/~monoknot/hos … osting.swf
FAQ’s…
What does CTR stand for?
Civic Type R
What does JDM stand for?
Japanese Domestic Market
I have heard about a JDM CTR. What is this?
This is the Japanese Domestic Market Civic Type R. This is not avaliable in the UK unless you import one. The JDM is different from the UK CTR in a lot of ways. If you do a search on JDM Type R or similar you will find loads of information. See JDM specs lower down.
I keep hearing about EP3, FN2, FD2 and DC5. What are they?
FN2 = Civic Type R – 2007 to present (Euro model – hatchback)
FD2 = Civic Type R – 2007 to present (Japanese model – saloon)
EP3 = Civic Type R – 2001 to 2006
EK9 = Civic Type R – 1997 to 2000
DC2 = old model Integra Type R (available in the UK or via import)
DC5 = Integra Type R (Import Only)
Why does it say I’ve got a Honda Jazz under my username?
This in no way reflects the car you drive or any settings in your profile. It relates to how many posts you have made on the forum. The more posts, the better the car!
I posted something but it has disappeared!!!
If you posted something about an exhaust in the General Civic section then it has more than likely been moved by one of the admin staff to the correct section (in this example to the exhaust section).
What do all these acronyms mean like iirc
iirc = if i remember correctly
imo = in my opinion
wtb = want to buy
pmsl = pissed myself laughing
rofl = rolling on the floor laughing
rotflmao = rolling on the floor laughing my arse off
ffs = for feck sake
Why did my Versus/Speeding post get deleted?
This forum does not encourage street racing and speeding threads. We all know the capabilities of the car, please lets not brag about it. See http://civictype-r.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5001
Will I or my mate lose our licence as we got stopped for speeding doing over 100mph?
More than likely but get a solicitor as the forum does not condone dangerous driving
I have just bought a new Civic Type R (CTR), and was wondering about breaking in.
The manual recommends that you don’t use rapid acceleration for the first 600 miles and that you are light on the brakes for the first 200. What exactly this means is down to interpretation. People have revved the nuts of it since day one, and have reported no problems, whilst others prefer to try and stay within the handbook recommendations (e.g. not flooring the throttle and keeping below 4000 rpm for the first 600 miles). Varied driving and frequent differences in speed and braking will help your new car a lot. It is commonly noted that cars that have been run in gently may use less oil over the life of the car.
What happens when I hit the rev limiter ?
Not a lot, the limiter is there to stop the engine getting damaged. Bouncing off the limiter now and again won’t harm the engine, but with that said, it does put the engine and transmission under a lot of strain and driving down the road bouncing off the limiter should be avoided.
When first starting my CTR, my engine idles at around 2000rpm, is this normal?
Yes. The CTR has a high idle speed when the engine is cold, you must be too young to have known about manual chokes in cars. It should return to normal after the engine is warm. If it idles erratically the idle control valve could need cleaning.
My car does not engage VTEC properly or it engages it late.
The CTR is very dependent on oil, and if this is low the engine will sometimes exhibit strange characteristics. Frequent oil checks are STRONGLY advised.
What do people mean when they refer to VTEC’ing?
It refers to driving the CTR with engine revs between 5800 and 8250rpm. This is the ‘power band’ of the CTR and where the engine runs on the high profile cam.
How does i-VTEC work??
VTEC (which stands for Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) is an electronic and mechanical system in some Honda engines that allows the engine to effectively have multiple camshafts. As the engine moves into different rpm ranges, the engine’s computer can activate alternate lobes on the camshaft and change the cam’s timing. In this way, the engine gets the best features of low-speed and high-speed camshafts in the same engine
My car is hard to put in second gear when it is cold.
This is a known issue and an answer can be found in the faults and fixes section.
What are the service intervals?
12500 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first , unless the car is used for lots of stop/start short journeys in which case it’s 6 months or 6000 miles, whichever comes first
How much is my ***** mile service?
Best directed at your local dealer, then ask 2 not so local to get the average price – labour rates vary by region tremendously
Can I get an extended guarantee and what does it cover?
Yes and there is a sticky thread in the Civic Type R (EP3) forum here: http://www.civictype-r.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=47116
Can a towbar be fitted to the CTR?
NO!! The CTR has a zero towing limit – The suspension has been known to collapse when fitted with a tow bar because it cannot take the weight being loaded onto it. If you fit one your warranty is null and void on your suspension and considering thats one of the CTR’s weak points in terms of warranty claims I wouldn’t risk it.
What is the difference between a 30th Anniversary to a standard CTR?
The 30th anniversary is a more exclusive CTR in that only a 100 was built for each of the colours, Red, Silver and Black. This was only available in the preface lift CTR’s. The difference between the cars differ from:
*Red Carpets & Recaro seats
*Air Con as standard
*Rear tinted windows
*30AE sticker beneath the rear wiper
*Momo steering Wheel
*Car being more exclusive
What is the difference between a Premier/Final Edition model to a standard CTR?
The Premier and Final Edition CTR’s were produced as the run out model for the EP3. Some of the parts destined for the Japanese market such as Recaro seats were left over from a lack of sales in Japan so they were fitted to facelift cars to try and shift the last ones before the new model FN2 was released. This was only available in the facelift CTR’s. The difference between the cars are
*Red Carpets & Recaro seats
*Air Con as standard
*Rear tinted windows
*Momo steering Wheel
I have heard something to do with ‘pre facelift’ and ‘facelift’ model CTR. What are the differences?
The facelift model was introduced in 2004. There are roughly 1500 changes, however the main ones are:
Lighter flywheel.
Additional sound deadening.
Different front and rear light clusters.
Different front bumper and grille, and the red H badge is larger.
Red door inserts and red inserts on the seats.
What are the differences between the a JDM and a UK CTR.
The differences between the JDM and the Euro CTR are quite significant
though it has to be said.
I’ll confirm certain bits that the UK doesn’t get as standard with a *
SAFETY EQUIPMENT
– For driver’s seat & SRS air bag system for submarine seat
– The EBD (the electronic control braking effort distribution system)
– ABS (4 wheel anti lock brake system)
– LED high mount stop lamp
– Bumper beam & door beam
– The front 3 point type overload limiters you attach, the pre- tensioner –
the ELR seat belt
– Rear 3 point type ELR/ALR (child seat fixed mechanism) seat belt
– ISO FIX corresponding child seat fixed private bar (rear left and right
seat)
COMFORT EQUIPMENT
– EPS (electromotive power steering) + VGR (variable steering gear ratio)
– Tinted Windows (low Ultraviolet)
INTERIOR
– Recaro Corporation make bucket seat (front) *
– Leather 3 spoke steering wheel by MOMO *
– Aluminum shift knob (instrument panel shift)
– Aluminum pitch center panel
– TYPE R console emblem
– Red floor mat & door lining *
– Foot rest (driver’s seat side)
– Cup holder (front / rear)
– 6: 4 divided yes falling down type rear seats
EXTERIOR
– Aero forum bumper (front / rear)
– Large-sized tail gate spoiler
– Body same color side sill garnish
– TYPE R private HONDA emblem (front / rear)
– TYPE R emblem (front / rear) / decare (side)
– U.K. Emblem (rear) *
– Red engine head cover
– Mist mechanism attaching intermittent front wiper
– Body same color electromotive remote control door mirror
– Micro antenna
TIRE/WHEELS
– High grip tire (205/45r17 84w)
– Private aluminum wheel (17×7JJ)
OPTIONAL COMFORT PACK (sold with 99% of JDM cars)
– Air Conditioning (Manual)
– Power windows
– Power door lock (tail gate gearing)
– Radio wave type key less entry system (welcome lamp functional attaching)
– Map lamp
– Rear shelf
– HID headlight (high / low beam) *
– Privacy glass (rear quarter / tail gate) *
– Washer attaching intermittent rear wiper
OTHER:
Travelling-related mechanism
– Private hard setting suspension
– Torque response type helical LSD *
– Front large diameter ventilated disk brake
– Rear disk brake
– Strut tower bar (front / rear)
– Thicker Anti-Roll Bars.
ENGINE:
K20A Specification *
Peak Power Output (kW [ PS ] /rpm) – 158 [ 215 ] /8,000 *
Peak Torque Output (N m [ kg m ] /rpm) – 202 [ 20.6 ] /7,000 *
The JDM engine has an uprated engine containing JDM springs, valves, pistons
etc plus it does indeed have a smaller cat.
Different gear ratios and mapping in the Japanese car, along with a
different intake and exhaust manifolds as well.
Also, the JDM car has a different wiring loom , so many electrical bits,
like the HID lights, won’t just ‘plug in’ to a UK CTR.
The JDM is also group 20 insurance in the UK.
What oil should I be using in my CTR ?
If the car is brand new then you should be putting in 10-40 semi synthetic up to the first service. After the first service it depends on what your dealer puts in but ideally it should be changed to 5-40 fully synthetic. See the Oil section!
How often should I top up my oil ?
The manual says you should check your oil every time you fill up. There are two holes in the dip stick these represent the max and min levels of oil. There is roughly 1 ltr of oil between the two marks and the oil should always be kept topped up. It is worth remembering that VTEC will not engage if the oil level is too low (and also when you are low on fuel!)
What petrol should I use ?
Either Unleaded or Super Unleaded can be used in the CTR, most people use Super UL.
How many miles should I be getting from a tank?
This really does depend on your driving style. When running in you will be getting less to a tank than a CTR that has done about 5000 miles. On average a CTR doing part motorway and part town driving should expect to see between 290 – 330 miles. The personal record so far is 440 miles, worst as low as 150 miles!
Checking Tyres
Air Pressure
• Tyres can be easily damaged if the correct air pressure is not maintained they lose pressure over time which causes irregular tread wear and shortens tyre life.
• Fuel consumption and steering control can also be affected if the tyres are under-inflated or over-inflated.
• The easiest way to check tyre inflation is to inspect them regularly.
• If the tyres squeal when you go around corners at normal speeds you may have low pressure in one or more of your tyres.
• Remember to check your spare tyre regularly.
• Always check and adjust tyre pressures only when the tyres are cold.
• Tyre pressures for your vehicle can be found in the manufacturers manual or try looking for a plate around the driver or passenger door aperture.
It is advisable to rotate your tyres at least every 8000 miles as varying loads and different driving styles will in most cases wear down one tyre quicker than the others, you can check your car manual for advice on tyre rotation or take a look at our simple diagrams for guidance always consult a professional if you are still unsure.
I want to modify my car; How will this affect the warranty?
Like any mods you do to your car it all comes down to the dealer. Some dealers will kick up a fuss and others will not. However, whatever modification you do, it can only affect that specific part of the warrenty i.e. if you have an aftermarket exhaust fitted and the window does not shut they (the dealers) can’t complain!
The caveat to this is the ECU. By modifying the ECU you are affecting changes to the entire engine and the electrical system, so the dealer would be well within their rights to refuse a warranty claim on electrical work if you have an upgraded ECU fitted (although problems like this are extremely rare).
The paint finish between the bumpers and the bodywork looks different; What shall I do?
There are known paint issues on the CTR, please look in the Faults and Fixes section.
I have recently installed ICE and/or had the battery disconnected and the auto up/down power window feature does not work anymore (facelift model only).
You need to reset the system. To do this turn on the engine, press and hold the switch to the down position and wait for the window to fully open. When it is fully open wait another couple of seconds and then release. The system should be reset now.
What should be my first mod?
If you need to ask you should wait until you can make you own mind up
Just kerbed my alloys…….where can I get a good repair done?
http://www.chipsaway.co.uk or http://www.wickedwheels.co.uk
My brakes are rusty. Is this bad??? What can I do to get rid of this???
All bare metal rusts without a form of protection over it, obvious to say, brake disc’s do not have paint or lacquer etc on them because it will drastically reduce their efficiency! Just take the car out for a drive and use the brakes a lot! This should remove the rust. Until the rust is removed you will hear a strange kind of grinding noise.
What size speakers fit???
16.5″ speakers fit front and rear. Depending on the size of the speakers cage you may require spacers for the front (Vectra/Astra Spacers)
What speeds can be achieved in a standard ctr in each gear?
1st 35mph
2nd 55mph
3rd 76mph
4th 101mph
5th 126mph
