Port/polish or bolt ons?

I have a 97 Civic EX and currently have CAI and exhaust as far as performance mods. I am getting $1200 back for taxes and want to use the money strickly for performance. I would like to spend the money on a b16, but that is out of the question b/c then I wouldn't have enough money to get it put in. I can't save any money b/c I'm doing an internship and only get $500 a month working 40hrs. a week. I have been thinking about getting a port/polish done. Would I have to get new rods/pistons or could I still run w/ my stock rods/pistons? Would the gains be worth the money? I will be graduating in May and hopefully I'll be getting more money to spend on my car. I really want to do something b/c I am so used to the speed now, but I'm sure ya'll know how it is! I could just spend the $ on cam, cam gear, header, and a pulley kit. Let me know what I should do.....

no you dont need new rods and pistons with a p&p.

no i wouldnt get one if i was you. a port and polish to me is basically a compliment to mods that exist already.

ex. i have all the bolts ons i can get. now get a p&p to help the flow and get some extra ponies.

ex. i put a turbo kit on. get a p&p to help the flow and get some extra ponies.

ex. i dont have nothing but a cai, and exhaust. complete the trio and when you get your cam and misc valvetrain parts you have a reason to get a p&p because then your flow will be altered enough to warrant it.

by the way forget the cam gear, its basically pointless on a sohc.

so if your going the bolt on route just get the cam (and other parts depending on the cam), a header, pullies, and a vafc.

[i]

so if your going the bolt on route just get the cam (and other parts depending on the cam), a header, pullies, and a vafc. [/B]

I'll probably go w/ the cam (don't know which brand yet), header(dcsports), pully kit (unorthodox). Does anyone know of skunk makes a pulley kit for the 97 Civic? I haven't found one, but I know they make one for the 97 Prelude. I've got the VAFC and should have it installed Wed. next week. The only thing I'm going to be able to adjust is the v-tec though b/c the closest place to have it dynoed is 3hrs away! Oh well, at least it will look cool!

Originally posted by nemesls_2000


I'll probably go w/ the cam (don't know which brand yet), header(dcsports), pully kit (unorthodox). Does anyone know of skunk makes a pulley kit for the 97 Civic? I haven't found one, but I know they make one for the 97 Prelude. I've got the VAFC and should have it installed Wed. next week. The only thing I'm going to be able to adjust is the v-tec though b/c the closest place to have it dynoed is 3hrs away! Oh well, at least it will look cool!


i would seriously get it dyno tuned and you will have to once you get a cam anyway. ive gone out of my way to see if i could find one closer to you so here is the list of dynojet's in georgia.

GEORGIA

Atlanta Chassis Dyno
1855 Buford Highway
Duluth 30097
Tel. 770-623-9789
Email: [email protected]

Balanced Performance Motorsports
730 North Price Road
Buford 30518
Tel. 678-546-3133
Website: http://www.balancedperformance.com/

Dynolab Inc.
1535D Rosewood Circle
Marietta 30067
Tel. 678-560-0692

EEI
Winston Cup Team
NASCAR OFFICIAL LICENSED

Engineered Performance
1784 Corn Rd. Suite D
Smyrna 30080
Tel. 770-434-0051
Website: http://www.engineere.net

Higgins Ford Performance
8799 A Gruley Rd.
Douglasville 30134
Tel. 770-949-1234

Import Car Mart
4286 Jonesboro Road
Forest Park 30297
Tel. 404-366-7777

Lamar Walden Automotive
6-B Steve Drive
Doraville, 30340
Tel. 770-449-0315

South Georgia Corvettes
1396 Dillan Rd.
Thomasville 31757
Tel. 912-226-4447

Thanks man, you've been a great help! Is there a JDM cam available for my car and what suggestions do you have? Thanks for all of the listings for the nearby dyno test sites~very cool!! When I get my $, I'll probably order the cam and pulley kit and get it dynoed, program the vafc, and worry about the header later.

try and save and get the header also before you start tuning. i would also suggest doing a baseline run of your car to see exactly what you have gained.

as far as i know there is no jdm cam for a sohc. check out gude, that seems to be where most of you sohc guys get your stuff from.

I found a cam on gude for my 1.6 SOHC. I e-mailed the sales guy if it would be alright if I was still running stock rods/pistons. Do you think they might bend or do you think they'll be ok?

the stock pistons and rods are fine, trust me. unless the valve lift is like .600 (exaggeration) then you wont have to worry. but never the less it would idle like shit if at all and be totally unstreetable.


what you do have to worry about is if your valve springs and retainers can handle the cam. what you'll also have to worry about is when the cam produces power because if its like a set of jun 3's or toda c's then the power extends over the redline and fuel cutoff so you'll need something to do away with that so you can harness your power. not to mention the springs wont be able to take it and you'll float a valve into a piston.

Here are the specs for the cam that I found for my car on gude:

Powerband range: 2000-8800rpms
Intake lift .397 Duration .261
Exhaust lift .375 Duration .228
Oh yeah, the description said it "idles at 800rpm(fair) and that it has strong top end power."
I know that a set of valve springs will run me around $100, what about the retainers or can you get them together in some sort of a set? One more thing, what can I do about the fuel cutoff? I e-mailed the guy at Gune, but he hasn't sent me back any type of information or even a price for the cam! I'll let you know when I hear from him. Oh yea, got to wax an eclipse on the way home yesterday and another one today, to bad they were both rs....lol

Crower also makes a cam for the sohc......i was thinking of going with crower or gude.....
any suggestions on a cam gear??....you can match up the gude cam with their cam gear.....ardperformance.com carries gude bullfrog products.......
i was looking into either the skunk2 or jgedelbrock cam gear.......don't know yet tho....and a 4-1 header.....either kamikaze or dcsports...

What other kinda mods have you done to your car?

Has anyone had any experience or know anyone with the Airmass headers? I saw them pictured in SuperStreet or Honda Tuning a couple months ago.

I admit I don't know anything about camshafts so can you tell me which cam will be better? I'm looking at 2 cams, one from Gude and one from Crower. Here are the specs:

Gude Cam $???? (guy hasn't e-mailed me the price)
Powerband range: 2000-8800rpms
Intake lift .397 Duration .261
Exhaust lift .375 Duration .228

Crower Cam (Stage 2, street & strip) $320
Powerband range: 900-7500rpms
Intake lift .427 Advertised duration .276 Duration @.050" .230
Exhaust lift .432 Advertised duration .255 Duration @.050" .204
ps: I will have to get a retainer and new spring w this for $280

i heard that the zex cam and cam gear worked wonders for sohc....in superstreet(i think).....it dynoed showing a 7hp increase with just the cam and with the cam gear tuned it gained 3hp more....making it 10hp!......i don't know how much for them tho...i'm trying to find out.....i heard it was pretty pricey tho...

the crower stage 2 will produce more power. more lift, more duration.

Originally posted by i like naked girls
no i wouldnt get one if i was you. a port and polish to me is basically a compliment to mods that exist already.

so if your going the bolt on route just get the cam (and other parts depending on the cam), a header, pullies, and a vafc.

yeah everything he said.
get the camshaft first (HIGH Priority)

Originally posted by jOYRiDe


yeah everything he said.
get the camshaft first (HIGH Priority)

KA-CHING!! That's the sound of my tax returns in my pocket! They just came in today. I think I'm going to go w/ the Crower Stage 2 cam that I posted earlier.

95hbMatt, can you post the specs for the Zex cam you were talking about?

it would be a god idea to upgrade the fuel/ignition system aswell
more spark/fuel is good :bigthumbup

My friend is going to install my cam when it comes in, but he says he doesn't have the tools to put in the spring and retainer. How much does this normally cost at a shop? Will it be safe to drive my car very carefully w/ the cam before I can get the spring/retainer in?

basically the springs and retainers are a safeguard. when a cam calls for upgraded springs and retainers 9 times out 10 it's because there is power production potential to be harnessed after the stock redline. well we all know that you shouldnt exceed redline because you might crash a valve into a piston. basically the springs are stiffer to deal with the faster rotation so you dotn float a valve, and the retainers are lighter reducing the overall mass of the system allowing it to rev higher. on some brief occasions springs and retainers are need to handle massive lift. but by looking at your cam specs that probably not why they recommend it. now if you where running a .500 or above lift then yes i would even run the car untill the valvetrain is upgraded but you should be safe as long as you dont exceed redline or beat the hell out of the car. i woudl recommend getting it all installed at the same time because it will be much cheaper to do and you wont have to dimantle your head twice. also if im not mistaken you can rent valve spring pullers at auto zone or some rentel shops. just make sure your boy knows what he's doing, and to adjust everything after he's done. also while your there you might as well change the timing belt since you have to take it off anyway.

as for fuel the only thing you should need is your vafc and maybe an adjustable fuel pressure regulator to increase the static pressure a little bit although i highly doubt it.

This is the end of this post! I've been talked into saving my $ and getting an Integra GS-R engine. My other boy has an RX-7 twin turbo (T3) w/ some ridiculous crazy mods. He's been working on his car for 3yrs, I've ridden in it and this thing is FAAAASSSSSTTTTTT. He's also got two 100 shots of NOS. He said he's got the hook up and can get the GSR engine for $1800....these go for $3000!!!! He said he'll install it for $2000. I've got $1200 now, I'm gonna get a 2nd job, scrap and save and do an engine swap. I know he's serious b/c he also has another 92-95 civic w/ a GSR engine in it. I know he's not going to rip me off b/c his wife is my best friend. Sorry all you other D16s, this deal is too good to pass up! Anyone want to let me borrow some money???

i like naked girls:

Thanks for all of your help man, you are the shit!

1800 for the motor = good price

2000 for install = dude is RIPPIN YOU THE HELL OFF unless theres some unsaid reasons.

that motor is almost plug and play with the exception of some minor things. sure nickle and dime things add up but i would never see it add up to 2000 for an install. shit maybe 1000 at the most to have a shop install one prefessionally. i would do some research first on install prices if i where you. watch your back dude, people you think are your best friends and are cool with you will stab you in the back in a heartbeat for money. ask ghettolegs about his experience.


thanks for the compliment by the way, but im just here to help those who want help. i remember when i first got into this stuff and nobody wanted to talk to me cause i was a newbie to the scene. i kept asking legit questions and learned and started doing my own work and now i know a couple things. so keep asking legit questions and stay focused and you'll be fine. start asking retarded questions or playin a front like the occasional moron the pops up here and you'll get flamed. but you seem ok though....good luck with the motor.

This guy who can get the motor also put my lowering springs and he did a good job. I'll do some research on installs b/c I know a few mechanics around town, plus I've got another buddy who is installing an Si motor in a civic hatch, so maybe he can hook me up. When I told him I was getting a cam, he told me he'd do it for lunch. <---Very cool guy btw! He's always busy, but I'll ask him how much he'll do it for and let you know.

If some one told me 2000 for a motor swap I would tell them to......... there selfs :)