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Well its my first car and what can I say, when I got the thing I had no idea what I was looking for other than I wanted a honda. I overpaid but in my area it was the best deal I have still yet to find for the price but after finding forums like this I realize there is no potential in my car....so whats next? Anything I am going to do will have no power gains so give me ideas on how to increase my MPG instead. The engine is a D16Y7 automatic no vtec and it loves 2nd gear just to pass/go up small hills which is really annoying but I can live with it as long as I am pulling 30mpg which I am not but I think the fuel filter might fix a lot of that. The car is bone stock and I am wanting to know what I should do engine wise to get the best out of it, shes not even hit 90k yet so the engine still has years of reliability to give me threw college. Any input is appreciated!

 
Rep Power: 246

An auto to manual swap will give you more mpg AND open up your options for adding power.

 
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Considering im not a talented mechanic, every thread I have read on that has said its a better option just to sell that car and get a manual than try to swap it.

 
Rep Power: 267

So what if it gives better mpg? You have to replace the clutch and mounts every ~60-120K miles, which is like 700-1100$. And I question the extra mpg thing. Automatics have very efficient shifting, therefore the momentum is retained nearly perfectly. In a manual, there is a lot of momentum loss between shifts. Therefore, if you do a lot of city driving, I wouldn't be surprised if it gets equal or worse gas mileage.

But that last part is theory, I haven't done any tests.

 
Rep Power: 267

New fuel filter, a galon of FP60 to clean out your fuel system, stock NGK plugs (the ones in the manual), plug wires, new tires + inflate to 35-38psi. Possibly a new O2 sensor, but I would wait on that since my DX has 118k miles with original sensor. Air filter, a good one like Weapon R. Oil change every 7k.

Torque everything properly, especially the wheels and spark plugs.

 
Rep Power: 267

Automatics kick ***, don't sell it or swap it.

 
Rep Power: 246

You're not serious are you? Well thankfully the EPA has done some tests so we don't need to rely on your theory.

EPA mileage estimates City/Hwy

97 Civic LX Manual 28/35
97 Civic LX Auto 25/32
97 Civic HX Manual 31/39
97 Civic HX Auto 29/35

Doesn't seem like a lot? Well it's around a 10% improvement or .50 per gallon.

Your assertion that automatics hold an mpg advantage because they maintain momentum is just hogwash. Ever go up a hill in your slush box? You'll have to floor it to get it to kick into overdrive hopefully before it bogs down in order to maintain any momentum. And that's good for mileage, right? Ever drive a 5-speed up a hill? (My guess is no.)

A 5-speed allows you to control the shifting of your vehicle when speeding up AND slowing down therefore there is more potential to gain mpg from your driving habits. I would also add that a 5-speed is also safer to drive.

Last time I changed my clutch it ran me about $100.
Last time I paid someone to do it it ran me $500.

So yeah if you want improve your mpg and take advantage of other performance and mpg options (i.e. lightened flywheel, LSD, longer FDs) then ditch the auto.

LOL! Automatics are for girls.

 
Rep Power: 267

What's with the attitude? You must be on the high horse today.

Gee, like I've never seen EPA before. It's all just so new to me. Did you notice that the EPA you gave is completely off? Go look at EPA's from different sites, and they are all different. Makes you wonder how the tests are done. An auto 6th gen will easily get 38mpg highway. I get 38-42 highway in my manual.

As for what I was saying before, I was just stating that there is very little "down time" in between shifts unlike a manual. I had forgotten that despite that, a manual still get's better mpg. But I wonder if that's just because in an auto, the car is left in drive at the stop instead of being put in neutral. There are many factors, it is not as simple as you make it out to be.

Most people can't drop their engine to change their clutch. And I made a mistake with that price. That's about how much you pay for a new transmission+labor.

What you said about shifting uphill, well that's lame. It's called shifting into 3rd gear before the hill. Anyone who presses their foot down to shift up before or during a steep hill needs to learn something new.

Yeah like it takes a real man to drive a manual --it's such an accomplishment. Hey, go tell Gearbox how you feel about automatics. I drive a manual btw, and I used to drive a 98 auto. They are both great for different reasons. The only reason girls don't drive manuals more often is because they aren't as interested in mechanics. There's nothing hard about it.

 
Rep Power: 812

meh it depends on the driver i guess. my auto gets 40+mpg on the highway, and average of 34 in the city. it doesnt really matter in the end, its just a few mpg. EPA has no clue about measuring gas mileage. they say the civic hybrid gets 50mpg, but in real life most people only get 26.

 
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So, you are getting better mpg ever since 02 sensor change? You were getting like in the 20's.

 
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02 sensor change i didnt notice a difference. its when i changed driving styles when it went up 10mpg (keeping below 3k rpm, coasting, etc)

 
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Boys, I quoted EPA's mileage estimates (did you read the word "estimates"?) as a source of an independent test on gas mileage. OF COURSE THAT DOESN'T MEAN SOME DRIVERS DON'T GET MORE OR LESS MPG THAN THEIR RESULTS. They are for comparison purposes only and not the gospel on what mileage you will get. The point is that their tests indicate that manuals get better mileage than automatics.

And it is simple really, an auto tranny has more parts that need to be moved in order to operate and that causes a parasitic power loss between the engine and the wheel.

 
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well my point was, i dont believe anything the epa says lol. i know you lose more power with an auto, common sense.

 
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i get 34-35 mpg with 75/25% hiway/city. autos r alright but a 5spd is nice since u can pop it in neutral when coasting or if ur coming up2 a stop sign. but like said above infate/maitenence is the key. plus this is basic ****, like feather foot vs. lead foot is the way2 go. in high traffic dont tail gate the guy ahead of ya, give ur self a car length or 2. and 4 everyone who races 2 the red light chill out an ease off the gas!