scarlemthug

Hey guys,

I currently am driving a 98 honda civic DX automatic and I am looking to get a little more HP and torque outta my engine. What would be the best way to get hp outta the engine that wouldnt involve a swap or tons of money?

blk93si

intake, performance headers, full cat back exhaust

imported_SiR_YO

and u know I can get you hook ups

scarlemthug

that'll get me max 20 HP prolly. I was told I coudl put a 95 vtec head on it and get some good power?

imported_Slvr-Bullet

Yes, that's called a mini-me. But I don't think you caan put on a '95 head. Has to be '96-'00 (Y7-->Y8), but someone correct me if I'm wrong.

cosmic zx2

d16y8 head on a d16y7 block

S2K KID

yes plus other things like boreing out the throttle body and port matching the intake would be good as well.

scarlemthug

Do you think its worth building up an automatic car? In the end I am hoping to do the ls/vtec swap, but its gonna cost alot of money for it. So if I can find a vtec head from a 96-00 civic and put it onto my engine what sorta numbers would I be looking at? I was thinking if I put the head on my block then I might as well replace some of the internals and try to get some more hp outta it. The one thing I want in the end is for my engine to be turbo'd.

Thanks for the help guys

00 Civic SiR

Honestly I don't think is worth spending the money on an automatic car. At the end of the day it’s an automatic. Trade it in and get a manual civic and you will enjoy your upgrades a lot more.

blk93si

agree

scarlemthug

Well I have already started work on the car and I have no intention of trading it in ever. Down the road I will be doing an auto - manual swap so yeah. Everyone hates on autos saying there **** and stuff but then alot of people forget that drag racers use auto trannies. What I am really wanting to know is if its easy and reliable to build up my engine and turbo it?

scarlemthug

TTT

Import Racer

I don't think it's worth it to spend money on an automatic car. Especially if it's a DX. If any engine mods are gonna be done to that car, the first thing is to swap it out. I just don't see any point in spending money on and intake, header and exhaust for that motor. I highly doubt you'll get 20 horses on that motor with those bolt ons. And even if you do get 20 horse, you'll still only end up with about 125 horse to the crank (depending on how many horse the DX comes with of course. I just don't remember).
In my opinion, the first performance mod made to a Civic, should be a swap, then go from there. I just don't think it's worth the money to try and make a DX motor faster.

imported_sketch

DX d16y7 = 106 hp =waste of money to do anything.

If you have plans already on doing an LS vtec swap then just wait and save your money, because if you're going to do a mini-me conversion it'll still be worth nothing when it comes time to get rid of it for an LS motor.
trust me I've been in the same boat and so have others here.
Wait and get something great don't settle for something mediocore if you already have plans to do something big.
thats my two cents

scarlemthug

Thanks guys,
I was just looking to see if there was anyway I could get some more power outta my engine for like $300 just because I am putting a ton of audio equipment in and its gonna slow the car down a ton.

Import Racer

To be honest with you, even if you don't put the stereo equipment in, it's still not gonna be fast.
Also, $300 worth of performance mods will probably get you 2-4 HP, and that's not even at the wheels.

EK7_DriftMania

You can try to lighten up the car, you have a 2dr. I just you don't use the back seats that much anyways, get that outta there and your spare tires and get rid of those big *** 18'' big pimpin' chrome rims that wiegh 60lbs each. If you don't have that stuff, then scratch that.

If you don't want to spend money, then the best way to go is wieght loss program.

What about your friend, you ask? well, since you drive an auto, loading 5 people in the car and driving at highway speed will take 2 years off your transmission. You should of gotten a stick if you wanted to go fast and save money.

dingus8

meh a mini me sounds good then jsut maek a diy cold air intake and call it quits...that shoudl give you a nice little gain

scarlemthug

I could get a 95 vtec head for $150 I would just have to get it put on and properly tuned at a shop?

I dont have rims or anything and I do use my backseat sometimes so I will keep that. I didnt get the car first off, my mom bought it without consulting me and second I wouldnt buy a car for power I would buy it for modability and more show then go. I plan on getting more power so I can haul around all the equipment im gonna be putting in.

EK7_DriftMania

That's what I am telling you, with an auto, it is a bad idea for hualing in the first place and giving it more power without doing nothing to your trans will burn it out. Don't forget which continent you live in, summer - stop and go + hauling will kill your trans. Or you can drive really slow and cause a huge traffic.

You'll find this out later when you will notice a lag in your pick up and the gears are not shifting correctly. If you began with a stick, I can understand - drive a car with the trans that was made to haul.

Trans rebuild would be around $1,500 - $2,000. Replacement of a used is about a few hundred dollar difference. Be prepare with the money if you are going down this route, but then again it's your mother's car, so all good - let her spend the money and pretend you don't know what happen, usually works.