Did you read the reviews on the Amazon page you linked? They're pretty damning.

 

Reading the reviews, it’s an expensive way to sell 8 resistors worth less than a dollar for $70, that have little to no effect, and connect to the air temp sensor. Appears to be completely bogus, and not what the title implies at all.

 

The ECU would need new software installed. Not sure if any tuners are doing this. Expect to pay $400-600 for this, based on what I am seeing on other vehicles.

 

"Chips" are a the best way for a vendor to make a part that costs a few dollars and sell it for a 5000% markup. The most widely-known "chip" mod is a small module on the IAT sensor. It relies on the idea that the colder the air coming into the engine, the more the ECU will adjust the fuel delivery to account for the denser air. The chip fools the sensor into giving a reading of a temperature that is much lower than what is actually entering the engine, which causes slightly more fuel to be delivered. In theory, it should work. In real practice, it doesn't.

Some companies will say that such a modification can produce up to a 10-12hp gain depending on the vehicle. They are able to make this claim due to variations in dyno pulls. They will run a certain vehicle on a dyno several times in stock form and take the lowest power numbers as a base. Then, they'll install their little wonder gadget and run the vehicle on the dyno several more times. They'll take the best run of those and compare the two to get the 10-12 hp "gain". On a modern engine with 250, 300, 350+ hp, a 10-12hp difference is a more than expected level of variance.

The only way to truly gain more power out of a modern engine without doing any other physical modification is to properly tune it. The cheap and dirty way to do it is through handheld tuners that plug into the OBD-II port and have pre-loaded "tunes" on them for specific vehicles. You'll find these for full-size trucks, diesels and performance cars, but not for your beater Toyota Camry. The best way is to have good software with a competent person doing actual tuning while either using a chassis dyno or doing real-world driving. Even the best software in the hands of a novice can cause terribly expensive and catastrophic results. For the RL, there is the added complexity of the unique AWD system and the fact that next to no one makes any sort of tuning software for them. There just simply isn't much of a market for it with the relatively low production numbers of the RL. Plus, if you alter the tuning software, you will void your warranty.

Let me be clear that there ARE very knowledgeable people out there who have been tuning on the J-series engines for a very long time like Bisimoto. However, you're talking VERY custom work that will be VERY expensive and often irreversible.

 

OK, that chip is out. Will go back and read more, didn't see the review section on that product.

Use to add performance chips to my trucks back in the 80s, they worked great but times change and things get harder.

Thanks,
Craig

 

Back in the day of simple fuel injection or even carbureted engines, very simple tricks helped with throttle response and horsepower. Things were much more mechanical. Heck, you could gain a pile of horsepower by modifying all the crazy emissions limiting crap they put on cars then. It was pretty easy to get more power of that Chevy 350 in the mid-80's C4 Corvette that came from the factory with 160hp. Fast forward 30+ years and EVERYTHING is integrated and controlled by 1's and 0's. If even one parameter is out of alignment or a simple sensor goes on the fritz, it can have an adverse affect on the whole vehicle. Engineering tolerances and build qualities are light years better and the power and efficiency levels of factory vehicles are more and more impressive. There are certainly still scraps on the table as far as power gains go, but they're just harder and more expensive to collect. Bottom line, the RL isn't really meant to be modified. It doesn't have much aftermarket support, but there are options out there if you want a little more giddyup. Personally, if the Gen2 had about 300hp and, more importantly, 280-300lb/ft of torque, it would be perfect. Its power output is certainly adequate for daily driving, but those extra few ponies would be nice when you want to step on it.

 

I'll be sticking to mods that I can handle, like adding running boards, tail gate step, roof rack and tonneau cover or shell (wife and I haven't agree yet). That should keep me busy for a while working on the truck.

 

I'm long past my days of modifying things, well maybe not LONG past... but much like a hammer, everything is a nail. I've got a truck! I can haul it! LOL!

 

I don't think I'll ever not modify things. It's just that this isn't the vehicle to modify for performance. Wheels and tires, exterior touches, audio/video, etc. SURE! If you want speed on the cheap and easy, go find an early 2000's Camaro with an LS1 and start building.

 

So you are saying I should have kept my 1967 Camaro convertible? :crying:

 

Not really looking to increase speed, more power for towing a tent trailer and better gas mileage would have been nice.
As to old cars, my kids get mad at me every time they see the old pictures of the 69 Nova, 67 Camaro, 59 Fairlane and the 68 Lincoln I use to own. Own all of them before marriage and kids.

 

Tweaks via 'Hondata' would be the most reliable for re-tuning the ECU. I doubt they have one for the RL but would be reluctant to do it anyway. The only exception might be if it provided a significant improvement in MPG.

 

Biggest change to be done to boost mileage is to get rid of gov. mandate on ethanol. Past trip to Minnesota showed me 4-5 mpg increase off ethanol.

 

Sounds good to me!

 

With such a huge push towards better fuel mileage these days, I highly doubt that an entire team of professional engineers would leave a few mpg's on the table in any vehicle if it were possible to just add a different intake or exhaust or tune the software a little differently. They will sacrifice power output before they let even a tenth of an mpg get away from them. There are so many factors that come into calculating mpg. Tire pressure, rolling resistance, throttle input, braking, wind resistance, speed, weight, drag, elevation, temperature, etc.

 

Echo other comments on "chips" and tuning possibilities. The biggest problem I have with performance in the Ridgeline is laggy throttle response, which can be addressed with a throttle response controller; something like this:

https://www.pedalcommander.com/prod...r.com/product/honda-ridgeline-3-5l-v6-280-hp-2017-throttle-response-controller/

Probably would have bought this already if not for the fact that the 2GRL requires a plug-in location in the engine bay. I'm a little meek about drilling through the firewall to get the controller into the cabin, which would require some serious custom splicing to extend the wires from the controller in any case (and I'm not sure if this would have an adverse impact on the operation of the controller).

Oh, but I've driven vehicles with upgraded throttle bodies and there's nothing like just feeling that engine surge every time you lean into the gas pedal. Added benefit for a P&P system like the Pedal Commander is it looks like you can set it back to civilian mode when you don't feel like driving like a hooligan.

Anyone try this yet?

 

$300 for a fancy-looking electronic doohickey is pretty steep. I would be interested to see if it actually works, but I've never been dissatisfied with the throttle response in my 07. Is there more lag in the G2's?

I belong to a Chevy SS forum where many have sworn by a throttle body upgrade. Basically, there is a company (forget the name) who uses OEM throttle bodies, but does machining on the throttle plate. It's made lighter, quicker to respond to throttle inputs and a few other things. It's a little over $100 after you send back your core. It doesn't add any power, but vastly increases the response of the car. Not a single members who has done the upgrade has a bad thing to say about it.

 

While I agree claims of ECU gains are inflated, those tuned specifically for our RL G2 and even a particular engine can make a significant difference in response, off the line performance and surely give that boost of power many wish we could order OEM. I found a company that I won?t name here who claims to have gotten me to 340HP ECU only. I hear you, no way. I was sent a recorder chip to drive on for 50-250 miles as I normally drive, then return it. I?d then be sent my custom ECU chip that worked to max economy driven that way but can haul but when pressed. All I can say is I got two thirds of their mpg gains and I feel a new street streaker that drives nothing like a stock RL, tempts you to just go for it and stay ahead of traffic. Fits my Type R badging and pops out for servicing to be returned without issue. 50 miles of learned performance later, objects in mirror are losing.
Miracle? No, more tech whoosh than geniuses here may believe? Let?s go for a ride and see what you think, filter, intake and 93 only may help but I?m not squealing to vanish ahead of most even modded cars and every truck in 13k but I do behave and squirt and punch, not go for top speed but I do know what they did with that.

 

In my attempt to read that properly, I got out of it that there is a company out there somewhere who does custom tuning on the G2 RL, but you aren't going to name them for some unknown reason. Why would you not want to share this information with the forum if it actually works? If people are looking for more power and can gain significant power with ECU tuning, share it. It may not be for everyone, but at least give them the opportunity to look into it. How does this company know you're at 340hp? Have they done any AWD dyno testing? Anything that could legitimize their claims? I wouldn't be very willing to completely void the warranty on a $40+k truck if it wasn't absolutely proven to work.

 

That 340HP guy is smoking something, or just blowing smoke. Without forced induction, 60 HP is not happening. Any mucking with the ECU or increasing power will void the warranty if they catch the modification and the increased power broke it. There are ways around it, but not easy.

 

^^ Agreed. That huge of a hp gain is not as simple as adjusting a few fuel and timing parameters. If an extra 60 hp along with better fuel mileage was possible while not affecting the integrity of any other drivetrain part, Honda engineers would have done it from the factory. You can likely tune this engine to produce 340hp at upper RPM, but you're going to be heavily sacrificing something else to get it. It's simple physics. You can't have your horsepower along with torque and reliability, too. I've actually always thought that Honda should have tuned these trucks to have about 260-265hp @ 4000RPM and 290lb/ft of torque @ 2000RPM. That would make for a much more driveable vehicle better suited for towing and hauling. This is what Mazda did with their new CX-9 crossover with the turbo 4. Less peak hp, but way more torque at a lower RPM.

 

I didn?t claim 340 HP, they did. Three performance levels they do and I picked highest. I agree it?s physics and you can?t get more than what?s there.
Also agree stock maps are optimized for across the board utility. Gains in performance and economy can be achieved through active learning up front. Since I don?t tow, maybe I?ve lost some functionality as to those aspects but no issues fully loaded bed.
I know you don?t care if you believe the night and day scenario. I was brainwashed too driving what feels beastly then during service with ECU in pocket, I drove a new one as invited by a silly salesperson who didn?t ask any questions.
Confirms I don?t smoke anything but other RLs?

 

3-4 years ago there was a North American Honda engineer on this board that repeatedly explained (regarding the G1) that Honda's approach to the RL was as a system. Engine, tranny, remaining drive train components. Everything was calibrated to the "system". So, say you jack the engine output successfully - now the weak point (just making a story) becomes the tranny. Beef the tranny to take the additional engine output, then the CVs become the limitation. So on and so forth.

I have no reason to believe that philosophy hasn't carried over to the G2. I've been driving Acura/Honda for 30 years. I've never found that the "speed parts" were applicable in the sense of maintaining a useful and durable machine.

If I wanted go fast, I'd have bought a Raptor for $50k and avoided the middleman.

 

The 60 HP claim needs to be backed up with dyno charts.

I "chipped" my porsche a few years ago and I got about 15 HP. Then I put a performance exhaust on and got another 11 HP. Dyno tested (which was fun). Chip is in quotes because it was reprogramming the ECU... all electronic.

 

I own a 2009 Kawasaki Concours 14, there's a guy named Steve outta Florida that created an ECU flash that pulls harder, is more rideable and has given me about 15% better mileage. I know this sounds incredible and I wouldn't have believed it myself if I didn't buy the flash myself. Sometimes the OEMs leave much more on the table than we think. Now, I don't know if emissions have been affected....it's not stinkier/richer or changed in any negative way from what I can tell. My mileage went from 38.5 to over 44mpg. Hundreds of fellow C14 riders would unequivocally attest and support the above and then there are the dyno runs to back it all up too with nice bumps in HP (+7) and TQ (+6). On a 700lb motorcycle, your seat dyno will notice the gains. This is how the C14 "Shoodabeen" tuned from Mama Kaw...

https://sites.google.com/site/shoodabenengineering/concours1400

 

NY, thanks for confirming what we know but can’t seem to convey or persuade others to believe. That just maybe OEM maps are conservative and there is something to ECUs that can yield pleasant if not amazing results. I’m practical, can do the physics and don’t drive a smoking spitball as a result but it changed the entire giddyup characteristics. Was sporty good midband to zoomy anxious to jump now with NO lag. Try a throttle tap from stop on any RL... does your neck nod yes? It’s not magic but certainly easier than muzzler resistor juggling for no ROI and no more fun. This (chipmy) makes the RL exciting to drive (maybe I need Make Ridgeline Fun to Drive Again hats?).

Concours is fantastic ride but fear the HD repercussions here, it’s all good. Went fro V65 Sabre to FJ12, GW later.

 

I can'tn describe how frustrating it is to have someone comment multiple times, boasting about results, yet he won't share a company name. What a let down from, TruckOffRLBE-on