How to Modify a DE5 Acura Integra Type S: The Ultimate Guide

The DE5 Integra Type S is what happens when Acura borrows the Civic Type R's drivetrain and gives it a hatchback that doesn't need a wing to make a point. It runs the same turbocharged 2.0L as the FL5, rated at 320 hp and 310 lb-ft, through a 6-speed manual with rev-matching, a lightweight single-mass flywheel, and a helical limited-slip diff. It weighs 3,219 lb and comes with adaptive dampers and four drive modes: Comfort, Sport, Sport+, and Individual.

It shares a lot with the Civic Type R, but not everything. Some parts cross over and some don't, and that's where people waste money. From daily driver upgrades to serious street and track builds, here's how we'd build an Integra Type S the right way. Let's get into it.

Best Suspension Upgrades For The Integra Type S

For most Type S builds, we recommend lowering springs over coilovers. Springs keep the factory adaptive dampers and all four drive modes, and the stock dampers are already well matched to this car. Coilovers make sense when you're spending real time on track.

Coilovers

Pull the adaptive dampers and you'll need an error canceller, or you're stuck with a warning light. Buy one made for the DE5, like the Öhlins ADS Cancellation Kit (35020-25). Cancellers made for the base Integra won't plug into the Type S.

• Fortune Auto 500 Series: Our pick for a street and track build. DE5-specific with 8 kg/mm front and 9 kg/mm rear springs.

Lowering Springs

• Eibach Pro-Kit: Our pick for daily drivers. About 1.0" front and 0.8" rear, tested with the factory adaptive dampers. A little stiffer than stock and very livable.
• Swift Spec-R: About 1.0" all around and firmer. Get the DE5-specific part, not the Civic Type R version.

Lowering adds rear camber, and that shows up as extra understeer. Plan on rear camber arms or a rear sway bar to bring the balance back.

Sway Bar Upgrades

A stiffer rear bar is the easiest way to get rid of the push you add by lowering the car. It flattens the car in corners and barely changes how it rides over bumps.

• Whiteline Adjustable Rear Sway Bar: Adjustable front and rear options

What Wheels And Tires Fit The Integra Type S?

The Type S uses a 5x120 bolt pattern with a 64.1mm center bore and M14x1.5 lug studs. That's not the same as the regular Integra, which is 5x114.3, so double-check you're shopping for the right car. Stock is a 19x9.5 +60 wheel on a 265/30ZR19 Michelin Pilot Sport 4S.

Recommended Wheel Sizing

• Diameter: 18" (or keep 19")
• Width: 9.5" (or 10" for a more aggressive fit)
• Offset: +45 on a 9.5" wheel fits flush with no rubbing, even lowered. On a 10" wheel, go +40.

Recommended Tire Size

• 265/35R18 on an 18x9.5 +45
• 275/35R18 on an 18x10 +40

18x10 +40 with a 275/35R18 is a popular aggressive setup on these cars. Plan on adding front negative camber (around -2.5° to -3.5°) with camber ball joints. Also know that 200-treadwear tires like the Bridgestone RE-71RZ run wider than a Pilot Sport 4S in the same size, and that combo can lightly rub the fender liners over big dips on a lowered car.

Recommended Wheels

• Apex VS-5RS: Our pick for the street and track builds. Forged monoblock,
• Volk Racing ZE40: Higher price point, but it's forged and comes in the two sizes that matter here: 18x9.5 +45 for a flush fit, or the ZE40 M-Spec in 18x10 +40 for the aggressive setup.
• Enkei Triumph: The budget pick. Enkei's MAT process gives it a formed barrel, and it's a few pounds lighter than the stock wheel and tire combo. It only comes in 18x9.5 +45 for 5x120, which happens to be the right size.

Recommended Tires

• Michelin Pilot Sport 4S: The factory tire and still the best all-around summer tire for this car.
• Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02: Our pick for a sharp summer street tire that costs less to replace.
• Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus: For daily drivers who deal with real weather all year round.

Bolt On Performance For The Integra Type S

The Type S already dynos stronger than the Civic Type R stock, but once both cars are tuned they make about the same power. That means your percentage gains are a little smaller, and supporting mods matter more.

Intake Systems

Check the MAF housing before you buy. Some intakes use a larger housing, and those need a tune to run right.

• PRL Motorsports High Volume Intake: Our pick for a stock-tune car. No tune required and it carries a CARB EO (D-878-8).
• aFe Takeda Momentum: A sealed housing that pulls air straight from the factory inlet instead of hot engine bay air. aFe claims up to 19 hp and 15 lb-ft with the oiled Pro 5R filter. It's not CARB exempt, so it's off the table for California cars.

Intercooler Upgrades

Heat is the K20's weak spot. In PRL's testing on the Civic Type R, which uses the same intercooler, the stock unit lost 65 whp once it was heat-soaked and boost dropped from 25 psi to about 16 psi. The PRL intercooler cut that loss to 40 whp.

• PRL Motorsports intercooler: Our pick. Proven numbers, no tune required, and it fits the DE5.
• COBB Front Mount Intercooler: The core is 101% larger than stock. Pair it with COBB's Stage 2 map.

Exhaust Systems

The stock exhaust is a straight-through design with an active valve and three center tips. It has one less resonator than the Civic Type R, and the flanges aren't the same, so make sure the exhaust you buy is made for the DE5.

• AWE Touring Edition: Our pick for daily drivers. A resonated 3" cat-back that deletes the valve and is built for no drone at highway speed. AWE claims 4 whp and 6 lb-ft.
• Borla ATAK: Keeps the factory valve, so your drive modes still control the sound. Quiet when you want it, loud when you don't care.
• Remark cat-back: Resonated and deletes the valve. It needs Remark's front pipe because it won't bolt to the factory one.

Tuning

The ECU has to be unlocked before either of these will work. On a Dynojet, one stock car went from 302 whp to 348 whp with a custom tune. The off-the-shelf maps gain a lot less, so a custom tune is worth the money.

• Hondata FlashPro: Our pick, and the platform most Honda tuners know best. The ECU unlock is sold separately.

Whatever you run, match the map to your fuel. A 93-octane map on 91 is asking for trouble.

The Ultimate Integra Type S Build

The Integra Type S is already one of the best front-wheel-drive cars you can buy, so the goal is to build on that, not undo it. Start with lowering springs and an alignment, get a proper 18" wheel and tire setup, fix the heat with an intercooler, then tune it. Buy DE5-specific parts along the way and you'll end up with a faster, sharper Type S that's still easy to drive every day.

Ready to start your build? Check out our Integra Type S parts and reach out if you have fitment questions.

Mod your car with your friends at MartiniWorks.