Our Community is 940,000 Strong. Join Us.


Adding HP with bolt ons...


ExemptX2000
05-27-2003, 04:50 PM
Wussup,

I have a 95 Civic 4dr auto, car runs fine at about 4g+ RPMs, but untill it reaches that point in first gear its really slow and doggy... What can I do to increase the low range HPs? I was thinking an intake and an exhaust, maybe a chip (if they have one for my car, saw some for standards but not auto does it really matter?) but I dont know if this will really help... Any advise?

Thanks,
Exempt

KrNxRaCer00
05-27-2003, 05:19 PM
i/e is going to really jus add some top end. VERY little lowend. honda's are tough to get lowend from...even w/ a swap, the b18c1 doesn't really get up an move until past 5200 (or the stock VTEC settings)

strodda
05-27-2003, 05:19 PM
an intake might help a tad, and it doesnt cost much anyways. at least it will add a nice tone to the engine. as for the exhaust, i dont believe that will help your low range. a free'r flowing exhaust will result in a loss of lowend torque and highend hp gains. thats what sucks about a/t's, you're going to be terrible off the line no matter what. unless you get a level10 converter, where you can adjust the stall point higher.

for example, if youre at a dead stop and you floor it, your car wont really kick in and move until about 1-1500rpm. if you change the stall point to 3k(if possible), that will give you alot better start. you'd probably be able to burn your tires doing that. its basically like launching a m/t @3000.

how much do you have to spend total?

you could also get a cam gear and advance the timing.

ExemptX2000
05-27-2003, 05:27 PM
I dont have a whole lot to spend... I was thinking buy a part now, and then wait a few months and buy something else... I was thinking a CAI first, then maybe the exhaust... Exhaust more for looks and sound cuz the car sounds weak and looks weak with a puny stock exhaust on it...

KrNxRaCer00
05-27-2003, 05:49 PM
not bad then...i'd agree w/ u an start w/ a cai or even sri. the sri will add the same top end, but u'll lose VERY little on the bottom.

as for the exhaust, jus find a nice muffler u like, an then buy some 2 1/4 inch piping an have someone weld it on for u. depending on the price of the muffler, it'll only run u around 2-300. i think u should start considering settling for top end, because thats really all that hondas have. u want low end? buy a ford or chevy :D

PWMAN
05-27-2003, 08:21 PM
Originally posted by KrNxRaCer00
u want low end? buy a ford or chevy :D

What about MOPAR? It's always chevy this, and ford that, they're both POS's.

kittedb18bt
05-28-2003, 08:57 PM
dont put a cam gear on a sohc! its a waste of money



chris

ExemptX2000
05-28-2003, 09:04 PM
Ok, well thanks everyone for their input...

Can anyone comment about a performance chip? Do they really make the much of a difference?

KrNxRaCer00
05-28-2003, 09:31 PM
Originally posted by ExemptX2000
Ok, well thanks everyone for their input...

Can anyone comment about a performance chip? Do they really make the much of a difference?

no.

pwman...sorry, as soon as i posted it i thought i should add that. my fault, dodge has some new SWEET cars...(ie the neon, viper etc...)

PWMAN
05-29-2003, 09:38 AM
Originally posted by KrNxRaCer00

pwman...sorry, as soon as i posted it i thought i should add that. my fault, dodge has some new SWEET cars...(ie the neon, viper etc...)

Thanks:D

91civicDXdude
05-29-2003, 12:29 PM
yes, buy a v8 if you want low rpm power.

actually a cam gear on a SOHC engine can do some good, you can change your powerband, i.e. raise it or lower it in the rpm band, but this takes a dyno to tune it, and most kids with a cam gear have never dynoed their car.

an adjustable cam gear on a SOHC engine is only really useful if you hvae an aftermarket cam, and need to degree it.

super_man_3179
05-31-2003, 08:11 PM
basically there is not much you can do at all except increase displacement which means tons of $$$$. headers are mid to high.....it's a 4 cylinder...that's why they have to rev up to 8000 RPMs to make power. Torque on a 4 cylinder with low displacement isn't going to happen.....Even when you turbo low RPMs are same and boost don't kick in until about 3000 rpm's depending on the turbo. So there is nothing that you can do much....Don't forget that there is no replacement for displacement!!

ExemptX2000
05-31-2003, 09:15 PM
Its really slow though... I know Hondas arent that great for low end, I just feel like there should be some more there though... When I hit the gas I want it to move... My brother's CRX SI does this fine and hes got the stock engine heavy chrome weels, and hes not a light guy... Oh well its cool, I still love my Civic... Fast or slow... Thanks for helping guys...

Redline_civic91
06-01-2003, 01:03 PM
u want low end torque get a h22 lude or a b20 civic. people saying you cant produce low end power on a honda motor i will dissagree. it cost money but you can definetly do it. b20 vtec/h22 in a civic will pull on a v8 camaro and mustang all day. trust me i know.

asdfbeau
06-01-2003, 02:41 PM
I would say intake-exhaust is a must first, but like everyone else says, you're gonna have a hard time getting torque from the low end of that engine.

i was thinking about getting into cam tuning with my Ex, but after reading this I'm rethinking that-I don't quiet understand why SOHC makes that much of a difference (why it might be worth it in a DOHC, but not a SOHC...). If i drop an aftermarket cam in, and get it tuned right (as 'right' as I can tune&test it) then i could definetly open up the low-end on my car, right?
chances are I would screw up my engine, but we all gotta learn somehow, and I think its a more viable solution than an engine swap for someone who's new to tuning.

I'd go for an aftermarket cam if i REALLY had to have more low end power from my car. Every engine I've swapped has been a pain in the ass: I've gotten them to run, but there's always some nusiance problem with them afterwards (the tranny doesn't feel right, the wiring gives me shit, etc etc.) But I've never swapped anythign in a Honda so maybe its a different story.

who knows...thats just my opinion; good luck

PWMAN
06-01-2003, 02:48 PM
Originally posted by asdfbeau

I'd go for an aftermarket cam if i REALLY had to have more low end power from my car.

A cam that has more duration gives you less low end, and more top end. I don't know of any aftermarket cams that have less duration, that would just be dumb anyway. Lets just face it, with such small engines you have to rev the crap out of them to make power - thats the nature of a small displacement engine.

jcrx
06-02-2003, 03:39 AM
Originally posted by ExemptX2000
Wussup,

I have a 95 Civic 4dr auto, car runs fine at about 4g+ RPMs, but untill it reaches that point in first gear its really slow and doggy... What can I do to increase the low range HPs? I was thinking an intake and an exhaust, maybe a chip (if they have one for my car, saw some for standards but not auto does it really matter?) but I dont know if this will really help... Any advise?

Thanks,
Exempt
There are chips for autos, I don't know who is doing them, but it is going to be more serious race companies, since most of the mainstream stays in the manual camp, but htere are some seriously fast autos. Only problem is they are not Hondas. Honda autos are HORRIBLE, try finding performance aftermarket tranny parts for an auto Honda, not gonna happen. The best you can do is search the net for a chip, and get a torque converter.

crxlvr
06-02-2003, 07:15 PM
check out www.levelten.com they have plenty of autobox fun toys for your honda needs.

ExemptX2000
06-02-2003, 08:48 PM
Cool, thanx for the link... I'll check them out...

eckoman_pdx
06-04-2003, 03:03 AM
Hey, thanks for that level 10 link, I have been tryin to find how to contact them forever. and exempt, I have a 92 4dr auto. I couldnt stand the lack of low end, so when the d15 enigne died, I put in an 97 LS automatic. The thing hauls in my civic, lots more low end, car doersnt have problems on hills anymore. Yea, its an AT, but its a fast little AT now. So there one opinion and route to go. I went that route mainly cuz I couldnt drive I stick at the time, and refused to pay for a d series engine. I wanted the torque of a 1.8. If I did it all again? I'd probably convert it to a manual tranny. But check out force ten, I have been told they can build a "bulletproof AT" to any specs u want. I'mma check em out. If I dont like it, I'll can always make it a manual tranny, cuz I'm lookin for big power. But just dumpin an LS in there will add a lot more low end, and the LS hits peak torque at a lower rpm than the gsr too.

eckoman_pdx
06-04-2003, 03:08 AM
I forgot to say, I admitt I woulda been better off swapin it to a manual, and I'm thinkin I'll have that eventually, once I get enough to build up the engine and turbo it up. I figure, might as well save money and get what I can outta this at before I dumpit for a manual. I know the LS tranny is supposed to be great for turboing, cuz the gear ratios are more sutible for it. I know the integra type-r tranny is good for it too. But if you were gonna turbo the hell outta it, would it be best to LS/VTec it with a type-r tranny, or leave it and regular LS with LS tranny (once its manaul)?

ExemptX2000
06-05-2003, 01:42 PM
Yea and LS engines arent that expensive compared to the other engines out, am I right are they non-Vtec? Or do they have both nonvtec and vtec LS engines? Also, this may sound like a dumb question but, when u do a swap such as this, does it matter if the engine from the donor car is auto/manual transmission in it? I mean if you just taking the engine and leaving your own tranny, does it matter? Is there any differences on the engine side on an auto/standard, or are they examctly the same?

Oh and how exactly could u make an auto a standard? I read somewhere its not a simple task... Easier to just go buy a standard...

B16EJ1
06-05-2003, 01:58 PM
Okay, calm down and take a deep breath. Here it goes. B18B/A's(LS) are non VTEC motors. LS/VTEC is a frankenstein motor and Honda does not make em mad scientists do. As far as the longblock/auto/manual tranny question goes, either an auto or manual tranny can be used on any longblock. The problem lies in what type of tranny you need, ie hydro or cable. This is determined by what type your chassis as made for. What all do you need for the auto to manual swap??? Look it up. I've been typing long enough. It's all over the net. Yes it would have been easier to just buy one but it's too late for that now.

eckoman_pdx
06-05-2003, 07:03 PM
Ok, I don't need an LS, I already have an 97 B18B1 in my civic. It was a complete swap. I kept it an AT though, so its an LS auto. I am already planning of make it a manual once I am outta college (sooner if buget allows). My question was, I am making it stick, cuz of my HP goal for the car. I am planning to close the deck, change all the interals, springs, vavles, cams, etc. I have been doing my hoework, and know I will have to completly buiild up all the the interlass tpo a stage 3 blokc and head build up to allow the engine to handle the 400 hp I am hopin to make. My question is, I am going to use a turbocharger, of course, at a high boost level. I know I can keep the LS non-vtec, or I can put on a GSR head (or B16A) and make it an LS/Vtec. I have heard, that for turbocharging apps, its better to keep the LS non-vtec, that an LS/Vtec is more for all motor. What are your thoughts, if you know what I'm talkin bout. I am not interstedin speardin $1500-2000 for an LS/Vtec conversion if its better to keep in non-vtec for turbo apps. What are your thoughts on this? Is it better to keep the LS non-Vtec or make it an LS/Vtec for such apps?

PWMAN
06-05-2003, 09:27 PM
Originally posted by eckoman_pdx
I have been doing my hoework,

So you have been hoe-ing around huh? slut:silly2:

super_man_3179
06-05-2003, 10:16 PM
I don't know about LS/Vtec for turbocharging. I know that you will get higher horsepower but at higher RPMS. I like vtec, but then again it kicks in about 5000 RPMS.....and I really don't want to have to rev my engine that high for it to kick in. I've seen dyno graphs of LS turbo charged cars and the torque kicks in earlier than LS/Vtec....Like with a drag gen III kit on a 94-00 integra LS the highest torque is 216 ft-lbs at about 5000 RPMS.....then with a turbo LS/Vtec torque peaks at around 6500 RPMS......The car will pull hardest where the torque is highest...so what do you want??? 5000 RPMS or 6500 RPMS??? But then again you'll get higher horsepower with LS/VTEC....depends on what you like. A regular drag gen II tubo kit on an 94-00 integra LS non-Vtec...is about 255 whp and 216 ft-lbs...that's good enough to run 13.3 quarter mile times so on 6-7 psi......so that's good enough for me...Here's a dyno graph of a drag gen III kit on a non-vtec 94-00 integra.....Pretty tight!!!

http://www.geocities.com/dynocenter/turbo.html

P.S: Keep in mind everything else is stock......only thing extra is block guard....which you really don't need at 6-7 psi....

eckoman_pdx
06-06-2003, 01:05 AM
super_man3179, thanx for it info . Most informative so far by far. Yea, high HP at a high rpm is fun, but, its nice to not have to rev the car to 6500 rpm to get max torque for goin up hills. Keep the good info coming people:D AlsoPWMAN...as you know, I ment HOMEWORK:D lol:D

PWMAN
06-06-2003, 07:11 AM
Originally posted by eckoman_pdx
AlsoPWMAN...as you know, I ment HOMEWORK:D lol:D

Yeah I know:D I guess that was about the least informative post so far:silly:

V00D00
06-06-2003, 11:29 AM
Originally posted by kittedb18bt
dont put a cam gear on a sohc! its a waste of money



chris

AGREED

Add your comment to this topic!