Newbie 96LS Modest reliable upgrades

[shopcartrice]

Hey all this is my 3rd time trying to post a message everytime i try to post one it freezes after i hit send but im worried it will multipost so i dont want to keep hitting reload. i digress....

i just bought a 96 integra ls coupe, i paid 2400 with 100k not bad i dont think. no problems with the engine at all little dents here and their ill take care of and i love the way the car handles so much better then my cherokee but it could use a bit more low end torque and hp thats the one and only area the cherokee had it beat with cause it was meant for offroading and all low end torque
im new to the import scene ive been trying to learn it seems like a lot of people start with i/h/e which seems to be the best/only path to start off safely with if your not really confident in your skills in the engine bay
could anyone give me a map almost? or directions on what they would do first and second and so on if they wanted to give an ls engine more speed and torque without sacrificing reliability at all, are those ECU chips or replacements good? im still learning on those the LS/vtec conversion seems to risky for me, (this car is my daily driver to work) help me out
im still learning but i catch on quick, the problem is the best way i learn is to break something and fix it myself (im good with computers) i dont want the to happen with this car
thanks
steve

[kicker1_solo]

Well steve, welcome to AF. There's a whole crap load of info on this site, let the search function become your best friend and do some reading. You are right though, I/H/E is the perfect start and will have no affect on your reliability. Start off with the intake, I personally have an ebay intake on my integra and a custom made one for my accord, they both work great, it's mostly in the filter that you get. Next step I'd go is the exhaust, get a cat-back system or buy a new muffler and have a shop install larger piping from the cat back. I personally have 2.5" on all of my cars, have been very happy with it. Some people say 2.25" is perfect, but either one will be better than stock. Then to the header, do a little research on this and choose the brand you want. I've chosen DC Sports for all of my headers and have been very happy with them, they are also a bit more spendy than the rest. A 4-2-1 header will give you more power throughout all of the RPMs whereas the 4-1 is just targeted at a certain range. 4-2-1 is the way to go as far as I'm concerned, you may decide differently after reading though.

The LS/VTEC conversion is perfectly safe and can be completely reliable, if....you have someone do it the right way. Since you're new to the import scene, if you do choose this route I'd suggest finding a shop that is familiar with it and have them do it. Problem with your situation is that this is your daily driver car and this will take your car out of commission for a few days, maybe even a couple weeks.

The ECU chips, the real ones are actually quite nice. The ones that you see on ebay that say they'll increase your hp by 15-20, crap, nothing but crap. So do some reading on chipped ECUs and what not before you decide to buy one. A few little things that you can do are upgraded spark plugs and the high capacity spark plug wires. Another thing that is a little harder to install but is well worth it is an upgraded clutch, I have a stage II clutch and I just love it, might be something to look into as well. Next on my list is a Skunk2 intake manifold, that would do a little more for you too. If you're wanting to get a little more serious you could install new cams and cam gear, but if you're going to be doing that you might as well go with the LS/VTEC swap so you can have the gsr cams, vtec, and then get the cam gear for those. Maybe a lightened flywheels, true pulley set, it's endless.....

good luck

[jon@af]

dude...kicker...wtf? where's your one word/phrase response?

[kicker1_solo]

Originally Posted by J_Swigz

dude...kicker...wtf? where's your one word/phrase response?

[D[X]P]

Originally Posted by J_Swigz

dude...kicker...wtf? where's your one word/phrase response?

lol, i was asking myself the same question lol

[Louse76]

Ok, a lot of what he said was correct, but spark plugs and wires...? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! ok, sorry about that.

Anyhow, get yourself an intake, cold air if you want the 'AEM Hump' which is an extra bit of torque inbetween 4-5k RPM.

And as far as exhaust, do it all or not at all. If you want midrange, get a 4-2-1 header, the 4-1 would give you less power than the 4-2-1 down low, but would increase after 6k RPM (counterproductive to where this engine already produces torque). The minimum you should think about here is DC Sports. Off-brand headers such as Pacesetter have been known to actually produce less power than stock on a dyno.

You then need a high-flowing cat. You're best bet is to get a carsound/magnaflow. You can get them on ebay for cheap and have them welded or get them pre-welded (much more expensive). Don't skip the cat. Also, a 2.25" inside diameter is perfect for your setup.

As far as exhaust, it doesn't matter what you get as long as its mandrel bent, not crush bent. 2.5" is too much unless you're doing a lot of headwork and pistons etc. 2.25" would be fine or 60mm would be ok also, but nothing larger.

Beyond that you can install cam gears to tune for more midrange power, you could get higher lift cams (crower 404 anyone?) or you could bore out your engine or install higher compression pistons, but I think that's best left alone for now.

Or you could change spark plugs and wires... if you only want 'pretend power'.

[94 GS-R]

Please dont encourage lego building. Do research and then do it again until you find the perfect setup with what u want. The thing about bolt on are that they are made to work on a unmodified enigne. Please do yourself a favor and dont rush into the E/H/I fad.

Get yourself a goal you would like to accomplish and then find parts that would work TOGETHER. Its all about your parts working TOGETHER to get the best numbers.

If your new stop by www.teamintegra.net and READ!

[kicker1_solo]

Originally Posted by Louse76

Ok, a lot of what he said was correct, but spark plugs and wires...? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! ok, sorry about that.

you must be kidding....