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What is a good way to add more torque to my 08 civic si? I'm a noob when it comes to engines and increasing power, I want more low end power, maybe 20-30 lbs of torque would be good. Around what ballpark would the price be at? And I would prefer if it didn't have to add noise (hate being noticed). Thanks in advanced.

 
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Turbo (or) Supercharger

 
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^^^--- agreed. Fuel management is paramount however. Nitrous can be cheaper, provided the installer performs careful tuning. Refilling the bottle can be a hassle, but its a quick way to add tq/hp from rpmA to rpmB; way cheaper than turbocharging.

Disclaimer: Im an 05 ex (D17A2) peep, and I've never worked with your class motor, so I could be wrong. Generally however, nos will give you that powerNOW youre prolly looking for.

Just be careful...power adders can also mean loss of insurance co payout in a scrape. Ask around.

 
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NOS is not what I'm looking for, I want this power ALL the time, don't want to have to push a button for it. I guess supercharger would be a better source, isn't there a way to mod the engine to get power?

Also, would a supercharger ruin my engine in the long run?

 
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in some cases some motors can withstand a bit of abuse such as a small turbo on stock internals however.....it is recommended you do a full rebuild and do it right anyhow. Whenever installing a Turbocharger or Supercharger kit onto the engine will need stonger parts such as forged pistons ,etc...
best way to say it is....N/A engines were built for N/A and Boosted engines were built for boost, so by adding boost to a N/A engine will kill it over time without proper research.

Also check to see if the headgasket can withstand the boost pressure, cuz it could lift it off the block which in turn would also need strenghtened studs

re: NOS
this should be the last thing on any racers list!
i dont recommend this in the least!!
fastest way to kill an engine^

.02

 
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Thanks FG, that was very helpful. I'll stick to naturally aspirated, so I guess intake headers and exhaust is my only options. If I do get those, would I have to change anything in the engine, drivetrain, or computer? Again, sorry for the noob questions.

 
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just remember....
there are many other ways to obtain power then just boosting!

~ Camshaft(s) - Intake/Exhaust
~ Race header
~ Hondata (this ones expensive and for certain selected engines)
~ Throttlebody spacer
~ SRI (or) CAI - If you live near an area known to flooding stick to SRI
~ Downpipe
~ Upgrade the exhaust pipe from header/downpipe/Cat to the muffler
~ Weight , Remove all unecassary things like spare tire, A/C, carpet ,etc...
(This all depends on what you want as not everyone wants to strip thier
interior down to pieces and also only gains fractions of a second on a
quarter strip anyhow)

you just have to research or get creative!

 
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ecu will adjust to small mods as well like intake and exhaust.

 
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I would like to keep it sounding stock though, so straight pipe would not work for me. However, the camshaft sounds like it would work for me. Now, since I know little about camshafts, what does it do and what should I replace it with?

 
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do a full 2.25" exhaust then with a glasspack mid-line, this will bring it back down in tone so its not droning at you

 
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2.25? Wow my 5.2 liter truck used 2.5 inch piping. Remember, I want to keep it sounding stock, or quieter.

 
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ran 2.25" straight down the 06 civic w/glasspak midline, and it sounded great!!

 
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So what is the diameter for stock piping? I'm guessing 2".

 
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yeah 2 inch is most common size.

 
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Hey everyone! I am new to these forums and this is my first post I also just got myself an 08 civic SI and was looking into the same thing (increasing torque).

As far as changing the ecu... there are none out for the 08 si yet (from what ive heard). Only thing available to us is the hondata reflash, which does help. I will personally wait to see what comes out in the new year. Another thing you could do is a CAI. I was looking at http://www.aempower.com/ViewProduct.aspx?ProductID=1383 which increases low end torque and HP.

I think we need to remember that our cars are still fairly new and at some point soon some really cool after market parts will be coming out. I say be patient and do some small things like CAI

 
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um isnt there hondata reflash for your car? basically it lowers the powerband by about 1000 rpms so power comes in sooner without having to rev as high.

 
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Do throttle body spacers actually work? I hear there is a lot of controversy over it.

 
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um no. but they sound cool!