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Or a Pedal Commander which I think is the best one on the market.

Pedal Commander for Honda Ridgeline

It's never been easier to make your Honda Ridgeline faster. Pedal Commander is completely safe and backed by a two-year warranty. Try it!

pedalcommander.com

Hmm. Never heard of PC before. There was another competing product (Sprint booster, iirc) from a vendor who I don't believe is active on the ROC any longer.

I don't quite understand the difference between City, Sport and Sport+ modes on the PC. They all offer the same range, -4 to +4.

 

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FWIW, I've use 93 octane extensively in my 2008 Ridgeline and really can't tell any performance difference between 93 and 87 octane. Any fuel economy differences are easily explained by trip differences, weather, traffic, etc. I finally switched back to 87 octane the other day because of the ridiculous price of gas, especially 93 octane.

I was mainly using 93 octane because I thought it might be beneficial to the TC and also the better cleaners in premium since my Ridgeline sits in my garage a lot vs being driven a lot. But I couldn't feel anything in the seat of my pants and the mpg changes were minimal, at best. 🤷‍♂️

 

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That is exactly what the fuel manufacturers want you to believe in all their marketing hype to buy the more expensive fuel. Actually 87 and 93 have very similar detergents if you buy from a top-tier supplier like Shell, Exxon, Mobil, BP, etc. Putting anything greater into an engine specifically designed for 87 will do nothing but cost you more money for zero benefit.

I used to think that too until Gary Flint educated me (at least in regards to the J35).

Cold Air Intake Systems and Low-Restriction Air Filters...

This thread is a very interesting read. What gain in HP, torque, and mpg could I expect if I burned premium fuel in my RL? Would the benefits outway the extra .20 per gallon. I would gladly pay it if I could actually see a difference. Thanks. Extra horsepower = approx. 10HP. Since the...

www.ridgelineownersclub.com

 

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You will never get a return on your investment IMPO and experiences. My advice for anyone that has money to burn is buy 93 if it makes you feel good. Just don't expect any real results for the money spent.

Oh it's not meant to be cost effective. Gary says that in the body of the message.

But it's probably the cheapest way to get an extra 10HP at the top end, should that be a driving factor (no pun intended).

 

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Not all engines react the same way as it relates to octane, so it may not even give you that. In addition, I don't know of many folks that rev their truck near redline to get any gains anyway

True, but apparently the J35 actually does respond to premium fuel, even though designed for 87 octane. Still, I can't say I've ever sensed or measured any difference from acceleration or FE. 🤷‍♂️

OTOH, I did an extensive test using nonE gas and determined I got about 1.5 mpg improvement in FE. But that was years ago.

 

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Ethanol can be very bad for an engine based on its percentage and dramatically reduces its mpg regardless. I understand we need to help farmers, but there has to be a better way to use corn than putting it in fuel...just my 2 cents.

I couldn't agree more. And especially when pure gas costs more than Egas! 🤦‍♂️

 

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You can get a PC right now for $265 on Amazon which is directly from the manufacturer.

Amazon.com: PEDAL COMMANDER - PC72 for Honda Civic (2016 and Newer) (EX, EX-L, EX-T, LX, Sport, Si, Type R) (1.5L & 2.0L 4cyl ONLY) (Not for Honda Accords) | Throttle Response Controller : Automotive

Buy PEDAL COMMANDER - PC72 for Honda Civic (2016 and Newer) (EX, EX-L, EX-T, LX, Sport, Si, Type R) (1.5L & 2.0L 4cyl ONLY) (Not for Honda Accords) | Throttle Response Controller: Engine Management Systems - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

Whew. Saved because this does not fit the G1 Ridgeline. (else I could have been tempted)

 

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Nope...G2 only. Here is what you want for the G1:

Amazon.com: PEDAL COMMANDER - PC22 for Honda Ridgeline (2007-2014)(1st Gen) RTL, Sport, RT, SE (3.5L) | Throttle Response Controller : Automotive

Buy PEDAL COMMANDER - PC22 for Honda Ridgeline (2007-2014)(1st Gen) RTL, Sport, RT, SE (3.5L) | Throttle Response Controller: Engine Management Systems - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

Now you have NO excuse my friend!

My excuse is I don't wanna pay $300 for it! Or even $299!

 

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That's because higher octane doesn't necessarily mean increased power. Octane slows combustion (meaning the temperature has to be higher before it combusts). This prevents detonation/pre-ignition of fuel that is often caused by a "hot spot" in the cylinder (carbon buildup is often the culprit). Higher octane fuels are typically used in racing (I used to run 100 back in the day) not to increase HP, but to prevent knock from detonation as the engine ran hotter and hotter. Obviously, pre-ignition can not only cause internal damage, but it also lowers power significantly.

87 octane will actually give the most consistent power across the spectrum of engine heat, from cold to hot to really hot. It has been shown using dyno tests that the higher octane fuels actually LOWERS power (2-3 Hp).

Unless a manufacturer requires a higher octane fuel, there is no reason to pay the extra $$, from all I have learned over the years. The good news is that higher octane fuel won't hurt your engine, only your wallet.

If you read the link to the post by the lead project engineer on the G1 Ridgeline, he explains the benefits of using premium fuel in the J35... but also mentions it's not cost effective without his super duper copper bracelet... or whatever.

 

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Awesome...good thing it's only $265

I only see the $299 price for the G1. Still, it's above the limit my wife and I agreed to before having to go before the budget committee.

 

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All right already! I set up a camelcamelcamel price watch on it the next time the PC22 drops to $265!

 

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All right already! I set up a camelcamelcamel price watch on it the next time the PC22 drops to $265!

Got an alert today that the Pedal Commander PC22 (for the G1 Ridgeline) is on sale for $250 at Amazon. So yeah, I pulled the trigger!

What setting do you guys with the G1 Ridgeline prefer on the PC22?

 

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Installing the PC22 was not as plug and pray as I thought. I can't find where to plug it in.

Instructions say this:

Here's what I have in my 2008 Ridgeline. I don't see any electrical connection to the gas pedal.

From the FSM:

So where does the PC22 connect to the G1 Ridgeline? I checked the website and the installation instructions for the Ridgeline just show that generic image posted above.

 

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Yep, looking at my FSM, it appears the accelerator pedal position sensor is located here:

Therefore, the only access to it while driving will be via the app (I assume).

Not sure if I'm gonna keep it or not. I assumed I'd have direct control over it from the cabin. But not so on the G1 Ridgeline (unless via app and BT).

 

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Based on this info...I think I'd bag it and send it back.

But wait! I believe this is the the plug for the accelerator position sensor in the engine compartment. If so, it's much easier to get to than crawling under the dash, but it will only be practical if the app allows direct control over the PC22. I'll just have to ziptie it under the hood somehow.

 

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I wonder how long that device will last in a hot, wet engine compartment?

I wondered that too, but the unit appears to be sealed. 🤷‍♂️

Edit: I sent the company an email with pics explaining where the PC22 is located under the hood and asking if it was tested and rated for under the hood use. I hope they respond.

 

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Here's what it looks like after I put some electrical tape below to rest on and used a ziptie to lightly fasten it to the throttle cable in the engine compartment.

The app connected to my phone's BT without issue and works great. I took it on a test drive and while certainly not life changing by any means, it was interesting to try different modes and check throttle response. Unfortunately traffic was a bit heavy so it was hard to perform a consistent test. Currently using Sport +1.

I'd be curious to see a graph of how the 36 possible settings overlap and where they do.

 

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I wonder how long that device will last in a hot, wet engine compartment?

Here's what their customer support had to say in regards to my inquiry (and they were very quick to respond, even over the weekend).

*
Hello. I just received a PC22 Pedal Commander for my 2008 Honda Ridgeline. The accelerator position sensor on this vehicle is not located inside the vehicle, but is located in the engine compartment.

Is the PC22 tested and rated for use under the hood as well as inside the vehicle?
**
Please be informed that the Pedal Commander units are tested to use under the hood as well! You will not have any issues in terms of heat disappation.
**
is the PC22 sealed against water and dust?
**
Please be informed that the Pedal Commander is water resistant however it is not waterproof. It also has partial dust resistance that comes from the water-resistant body.
*
It concerns me that an expensive device like this is not sealed when it has to be installed under the hood.

Resistant is nice but while cell phones are sold as water resistant, any water intrusion damage is cause for dismissal of warranty claims, which does happen in spite of being resistant.

That doesn't exactly inspire confidence in product longevity.
****
Please be informed that we are happy to let you know that we never had any issue with water damage with the Pedal Commander unit.

For most of the internal damage, it is covered under warranty for repairs as well!

You don't need to have any concerns over how the device will be affected environmentally at all! We have excellent support behind our product!
****

Hope the conversation was easy to follow as to who is who. So bottom line, I have no concerns about the unit being under the hood at the present time.

 

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Amazon has the PC22 on sale for $255 right now. Not sure how long the sale will last.