Need some help creating a fast 96 or 97 ex

[wannaex]

I wanna buy a 96 or 97 ex as my first car and hooking it up. I plan to keep the car for a long time, so it'll be a long term invest ment. I bascially wanna try to get it in high 12's to mid 11's and maintain N/A, on gas no higher than 93 octane, and use a 2.5" catback.

Mods I got in mind:
Gude Racing ported head
Gude Camshafts
68mm throttle body
Iceman Intake
Aftermarket Radiator
High Pressure Rad cap
Aftermarket intake manifold
4-1 header
High flow cat
Unorthodox Racing Pulley set
160 degree thermostat
Throttle body spacer


Could I also use high compression pistons, and get more HP? I was thinking of civic type r pisons? Would those work w/ the mods above, and what internals would I need aswell as fuel system upgrades. Also what ECU is out their on the market that I could use w/ those mods and it'll raise my rev limiter and speed limiter? And who makes the best intake manifold and 4-1 type header for?

My only limitations are that I don't have access to a dyno, but I plan on getting the new G-Tech that claims to have 1/100 accuracy.

Thanks and sorry for all the questions, guess you can say I'm a newbie :)

-Jay

[Maxvla]

Welcome to HondaStyle.com :yes:
Enjoy your stay.

[slowEJ6]

EX = SOHC VTEC, d series
civic type-r = DOHC VTEC, b series

therefore you cant swap stuff from engine to engine.

[wannaex]

Okay so are there any other pistons I could put in? Who here is using high compression?

Thanks,
Jay

[VTC_CiViC]

Honestly, I would't go N/A on a SOHC. I had a plan for it all, I ditched it to go turbo and I can't thank myself enough for doing it. I would have sunk a couple grand for maybe 150whp out of my D16 all motor, instead I've spent about $2500 and have closer to 200whp completley untuned!! Save your pocket's, go boost!

[!_wide_teg]

daily driven so basically full interior on a coupe...all motor...12s on a sohc vtec ??...thats gonna be alotta money and ...i think you should go turbo as well...even if you have the money its gonna be pretty tricky to get that motor to do that...i think its possible tho

[Whtehnda93DXSdn]

Welcome to HS.com..Glad to have you aboard...

I would have to say go w/ the turbo as well unless you plan to do a swap and use a DOHC then that's a diff story....

I mean if you have the $ to spend go for it but w/a turbo you would spend less to achieve your goals you want.

Hope this might help out a little..:)

[wannaex]

300 to 400 HP daily driver civic, and run on 93 octane. I know that bottom end reinforcement is a must, but is it possible. How much HP would it take to make a civic bet a vette? What turbo kits can help one achieve that on a 96 or 97 ex. The F-max kit doesn't seem to cut it for that much power.

Even though I'll probably never get the chance, but if I run into a vette I would wanna win or at least give it a run for it's money. Is it possible to do that w/ a civic. Vettes are about as fast as it can get in my area. If I couldn't beat a vette, I'd like to be able to beat other mildly modified imports, and a few srtangs, firebirds, camaros, and transams.

Thanks,
Jay

[hondabob]

Hey wannasex,
I am new here as well. I have to think (due to lack of knowledge), that no matter what you do to your '96 or '97 Ex, you could not beat a Vette. Don't get me wrong, I am all about Japanese engineering, but you only have a d series engine. Only starting with about 127 hp stock, it is hard to match the stock of a simple Vette even with turbo and sh**. All the power to ya though. I have a '96 Civic Ex and I am considering goin the turbo route myself although I am also looking into a supercarger. But I am sure if you read any of the posts reguarding FI, then you will see that turbocharging comes highly recomended.

H.B.:)

[wannaex]

Well could I beat mildly turbo or stock turbo eclipse, mildly moded civics and other imports. Maybe I got a lil carried a way w/ the vette but what about the stangs, firebirds, transams, and camaros. There's plenty of them around here.

What turbo is gonna get me the power I need and then some to beat them on no hgiher than 03 octane. I've honestly been trying to put forth some effort in research, but I haven't found any turbo kit that get's up to the 300HP range.

Thanks,
Jay

[Racing Rice]

Originally posted by wannaex
Well could I beat mildly turbo or stock turbo eclipse, mildly moded civics and other imports. Maybe I got a lil carried a way w/ the vette but what about the stangs, firebirds, transams, and camaros. There's plenty of them around here.

What turbo is gonna get me the power I need and then some to beat them on no hgiher than 03 octane. I've honestly been trying to put forth some effort in research, but I haven't found any turbo kit that get's up to the 300HP range.

Thanks,
Jay

No Turbo kit will get you into the 300+ HP range without some internal work, Any larger turbo like a T3/T4 [RevHard, DRAG, and FMAX to name a few] will allow you to if you have the proper setup.

[wannaex]

Like what internals will I need? I'm thinking valve springs, retainers, pistons and rods? What about fuel setup? I'm thinking Bigger pump, rail, injectors but I'm not sure whether to use a FPR or one of those apexi S-AFC? Are they easy to use, that's my only fear w/ them.

Any one here got a 250+ turbo civic and their setup is online?

[Racing Rice]

Youll want to build your bottom end... Pistons, Rings, Rods, etc... PnP your head will give you some extra HP also.. A thicker head gasket will drop compression and let you run more Boost too.

[SPEED]

Your not gonna run those times without forced induction..

[VTC_CiViC]

Originally posted by wannaex
Like what internals will I need? I'm thinking valve springs, retainers, pistons and rods? What about fuel setup? I'm thinking Bigger pump, rail, injectors but I'm not sure whether to use a FPR or one of those apexi S-AFC? Are they easy to use, that's my only fear w/ them.

Any one here got a 250+ turbo civic and their setup is online?

I'll tell you what my setup will be:

sleeved D16
eagle rods
JE 9.0:1 pistons
balanced and polished crank
all new seals and bearing
ARP bolts/studs throughout
PnP head including work to the bowles and dome face
oversized Ferrea SS valves
Crower springs and retainers
turbo cam
Venom intake mani
60mm B-series TB
RC 440cc injectors
Walbro 255lph pump
AEM FPR
MSD 6AL
Hondata 2B

All told i'm looking for 350whp for track duties, 300whp for daily driving on a new turbo (T3/T04E .48 A/R), this after spending ALOT of $$ and I'll still only be in the high 11's with slicks and great driving. Be prepared to spend thousands if you wanna go fast!

[starmax]

As someone posted earlier, not to knock JP engineering, but the last time I looked the only production cars that could get into the 11s were super exotics (McClaren F1, etc). If you want the civic to be a daily driver as well I doubt you could get into the 11s, or the 12s for that matter.

[Racing Rice]

Originally posted by starmax
As someone posted earlier, not to knock JP engineering, but the last time I looked the only production cars that could get into the 11s were super exotics (McClaren F1, etc). If you want the civic to be a daily driver as well I doubt you could get into the 11s, or the 12s for that matter.

I have one little problem with this statement..

"the last time I looked the only production cars that could get into the 11s were super exotics (McClaren F1, etc)."

Thats from factory... why do you think they make aftermarket parts such as turbos and motor buildups. If you dont think you can get a honda into 11s, I think you need to research a little more. ;) :yes:

Ill even help you into the right direction.. Go talk to Boosted3g about not being able to get a daily driven car into the 11s and beyond.. He could probably go on for days about how many he's seen [not to mention he owned one, before he started changing it to strickly race..] or go talk to MatT3T4 about his civic.. He's probably got a story or 2 for you..

[starmax]

Originally posted by Racing Rice


Thats from factory... why do you think they make aftermarket parts such as turbos and motor buildups. If you dont think you can get a honda into 11s, I think you need to research a little more. ;) :yes:



I know, but the F1 costs $1M, I doubt aftermarket could improve it at all. It's basically a street legal race car.

I have read many people who spent over $5k on turbos, header, etc and are getting low 14s. Going from 14 to 12 or 11 is huge. I'm not saying it can't be done, but on a daily driver that the owner wants to last a while? That seems a little unrealistic.

[Racing Rice]

Originally posted by starmax


I know, but the F1 costs $1M, I doubt aftermarket could improve it at all. It's basically a street legal race car.

Your right about that.. Aftermarket parts would probably do more harm then good for this thing, but hell for $1M, I shouldnt have to buy anymore parts for it.


I have read many people who spent over $5k on turbos, header, etc and are getting low 14s. Going from 14 to 12 or 11 is huge. I'm not saying it can't be done, but on a daily driver that the owner wants to last a while? That seems a little unrealistic.

You right again.. Its not a cheap process at all to make a car that fast, especially from a 1.6L 4 cyl. Honda, its not an easy task but in no way is it unrealistic.. I mean, well can put someone on a different planet.. Why couldnt we put a Honda in the 11s. Granted you dont just bolt something on and *pow* your in the 11s running with the big dogs, it takes a lot of hard work and time, and money to do. But nothing is unrealistic. Im sure there were lots of things in the 1800's that seemed unrealistic if we would could have told them about the things of today. But thats what seperates the Boys from the Men so to speak.. ;)

[starmax]

Originally posted by Racing Rice


You right again.. Its not a cheap process at all to make a car that fast, especially from a 1.6L 4 cyl. Honda, its not an easy task but in no way is it unrealistic.. I mean, well can put someone on a different planet.. Why couldnt we put a Honda in the 11s. Granted you dont just bolt something on and *pow* your in the 11s running with the big dogs, it takes a lot of hard work and time, and money to do. But nothing is unrealistic. Im sure there were lots of things in the 1800's that seemed unrealistic if we would could have told them about the things of today. But thats what seperates the Boys from the Men so to speak.. ;)

Okay, I'll accept that.

By the way, how much of an engine's lifespan does adding a NOS system take away? My impressions were that NOS would cause you to get your engine reworked almost annually.

[Racing Rice]

Originally posted by starmax


Okay, I'll accept that.

By the way, how much of an engine's lifespan does adding a NOS system take away? My impressions were that NOS would cause you to get your engine reworked almost annually.

Talk to Civic_Addict about that.. I know he sprayed on his old EX and never had a problem. The car ran perfect. He can give you more details as to what he used and the precautions you should take.