Rep Power: 350

I've had my car, an 02 civic dx (no a/c) since back in October of 01. First mod was an oem honda a/c system. I put that in and decided it was time to start with tuning somehow. So it was winter of 01-02 when I got some wheels. I picked up a set of enkei rs-5's in 17's. Not a month and a half later, I dropped the car on some gold line springs.

Wasn't long after that, I did more and more aesthetic work. I ended up getting a cf hood, new front end, sideskirts and rear skirt, axleback exhaust, kenwood excelon cd player, some 6X9's, a jl 12w3v2 and a 250/1. This is what it looked like:


Then, around I guess summertime of 03, when I finally had the car looking how I wanted, I decided it was time to get some more power. A few people had done nitrous kits and a very few had done turbo. This was when SF had just hit big on 7th gen. I made arrangements to have Mike Stafford and Catalyst come out to colorado to help me install the kit. Here's how it came out...

Basically, this setup had a t3 super 60 turbo, stock injectors, sf fuel setup, air/water intercooler tubular equal length manifold, SAFC II, Greddy Profec B Spec II electronic boost control, all autometer cobalt gauges and a few other things. This was all on the stock non vtec motor. I assume it was maybe pushing around 160 whp maybe on about 10 psi. The night we finished the install, we didn't realize until it was too late that we ended up with a blown headgasket because the side mount intercooler pinched off a coolant line.

Let the never ending string of engine problems begin.

From there, I kept the turbo kit for a while, couple of years I guess. Then, due to a divorce, I ended up selling all of my parts off. Sold the turbo kit to gotti and parted everything else out. I got rid of pretty much the whole bodykit and cf hood for stock parts. Then, around the middle of 05, I started piecing together parts for a new setup. I got an SFP turbo manifold, picked up some j and u bends for intercooler pipes from jegs and started working.

Here is what I had...

I picked up a t3/t4e turbo 57 trim with a .48 ar hotside. Nice sized FMIC, tial 35mm wastegate, d16y8 intake manifold. I ended up getting some 440cc injectors and got everything installed. Due to the issues with the emanage and such large injectors, I never ended up being able to run a reliable setup with the emanage so I had to wait for the aem to come out. As soon as it was available I picked it up from dezod.



This setup once installed and tuned (on a non vtec motor) made 247 whp and 211 tq. This was on a bone stock non vtec motor.


Not long after, I decided it was time for a vtec motor build. I put together a d17a2 (vtec) with wiseco 8.8:1 compression pistons and crower rods. All new oem crank bearings and did all of the work (except machining) myself in my garage.


Then there were upgrades along the way. I ended up picking up a new front lip, new sideskirts, etc etc. I ended up with 750cc injectors, dezod equal length stainless exhaust manifold, jdm fabtech intake manifold, aeromotive fuel pressure regulator and return line. With all of this work, I couldn't squeeze out more than 260 wheel horsepower, so I figured it was time to start playing with the cam. I was boosting it to about 18 psi and I couldn't get above 260 so I installed a crower stage III cam and valvetrain upgrade. I had it retuned and spinning the motor to 8k at 18 psi, I made 335 whp and 255 tq.




I went and retuned for a little more boost afterwards. We ended up hitting about 354 whp and 277 tq. I never was able to get a copy of that dyno in hand.

I've sold my AEM EMS and am going with the Hondata K Pro for the d17. I've been selected as the turbo test car to provide them with a map. I plan to retune with it in the very near future. Keep an open eye in the forced induction 7th gen forum for a dyno chart.

Here are the numbers with kpro, I retuned in Dallas, TX at t1racedevelopment and we hit 374 whp and 280 tq. Here is the dyno:


Engine bay at this point:


January/February 2008 brought about alot of changes. I've finally gotten most everything together to complete the car. The new radiator support is being installed, there are two brand spanking new sparco torino 2 seats in the car. I have a pioneer avid d3 nav/dvd with bluetooth and ipod control. There is a new tranny in my garage as well as a quaife lsd, brand new action clutch and lightweight flywheel.


Also had a very nice exhaust setup done. It's a 3" vibrant stealth muffler with an 18" resonator. basically the least restrictive exhaust you can run.


There is a freshly built bottom end that's been balanced and blueprinted waiting to go in as well as a barely used tranny with Quaife LSD installed. I had a new front bumper picked up and repainted. My new VIS cf hood is on and seibon cf ww g5 front lip is on order, should be here very soon.

Here are some progress pics just before going into the body shop:




Here is a video at about 15 psi-300 whp, enjoy:


New paint! New front and rear bumpers and a new radiator support. Pic was taken in the shop. I'll be taking some more pics real soon.


Car is done in the body shop. I picked up today. I discovered the cause of some of the fitment issues of the front bumper. The intercooler piping underneath the intercooler won't allow the bottom of the bumper to lock into the lower radiator support. That said, I'm prolly gonna have to reroute it. No biggie though. Most everything I want is on order. Things are really coming along, I may just be ready for show season. Just a few more odds and ends.

New pics, as promised:
New bumper; will go on when the new lip comes in and I reroute the ic pipes.



Notice the new trunk trim in NBP.



The center console is now back to black and the shifter has been replaced with an ARC titanium ****.

I'll be keeping this post updated as I do more.

Current Mod List:

Engine:
d17a2
Wiseco 8.8:1 pistons
Crower Rods
Crower Stage III Camshaft
Crower Valvesprings and Retainers
Garrett t3/t4e 57 trim 48/60 ar turbine/compressor turbocharger
Honata Kpro w/Honata's modified AEM adj. cam gear
AEM 3.5 Bar Map Sensor
Tial 35mm Wastegate
Greddy Type S Blow Off Valve
675cc injectors
Aeromotive FPR
Custom design return fuel system
Walbro HP 255lph in tank fuel pump
JDM Fabtech Intake Manifold
Dezod EL Stainless Exhaust Manifold
Jet-Hot Extreme Sterling Coating on Manifold/Downpipe/Dump Tube
PWR 18X6X3 Top Flow FMIC w/2.5" piping
Fast Turbo Vacuum Manifold
3" Custom Fab'd Downpipe/Exhaust
Vibrant Stealth 3" Muffler
Vibrant 18" resonator
K&N Air Filter
Mugen Reservoir Covers

Suspension/Transmission/Brakes/Tires:
GC Coilovers
Koni Yellows
Neuspeed Front Upper Strut Bar
Progress 27mm Front Sway Bar
Moog Ball Joints
MoogTie Rod Ends
Moog Endlinks
Energy Suspension Motor Mount Inserts
Energy Suspension Front LCA Bushings
Quaife Torque Biasing Differential
Action Chromoly Flywheel
Action 2MD Clutch and Pressure Plate
Rear Disc Brake Conversion
Hawk HPS Brake Pads
Russell Stainless Braided Brake Lines
15" Konig Hurries
225/50/15 Falken Azenis 2

Interior/ICE:
PLX DM-100
PLX SM AFR Wideband
Autometer Sport Comp Digital Gauges-Boost, Oil Pressure, & Fuel Pressure
Pioneer AVIC D3 w/Ipod Control/Bluetooth
Pioneer Premier 6X9's
Rockford Fosgate Power t4004 4-channel Amp
Eclipse Titanium 12" Sub
Sparco Torino 2's (Black/Grey)
Sparco Custom Matched Rear Seats
Custom Leather Shift Boot (Black/Grey Stitch)
ARC Titanium Burnt Shift ****
Optima Yellow Top
JEG's Battery Box w/cutoff switch

Exterior/Body:
OEM Sideskirts and Rear Lip
Seibon Spoon Carbon Fiber Front Lip
VIS Racing OEM Carbon Fiber Hood
VIS Carbon Fiber Trunk Lid
20% Metallic Window Tint

Current Pics:

 
Rep Power: 305

very nice evolution of your vic, i like the look now as compared to before...

 
Rep Power: 263

Wow very good article.
Just how much does it cost to do a build up like that?
What about smog?

 
Rep Power: 350

I have well over 7k in the motor. Smog? Forget about it.

 
Rep Power: 272

all you gotta do is offer some mexican shop like 40 bucks extra to pass you. thats what i did. lol

 
Rep Power: 319

damn thats nice...how much was spent to get the 354 whp?...cuz im interested

 
Rep Power: 281

Great write up, I always find it interesting reading ppls progression with their cars over the years. Good luck with Kpro.

 
Rep Power: 278

I like the look a lot more.. and I feel sorry for any unsuspecting person that wants to race you (probably everyone)

Good luck with the K-Pro too

 
Rep Power: 350

Yeah, its alot of fun pulling on supercharged v8's.

 
Rep Power: 263

I'd say 7k+ is well worth those numbers.
I just wouldn't attempt the work without a Honda engine expert guiding me through the build.

Awesome car man!

 
Rep Power: 242

thats a hot car andy....keep up the good work man

 
Rep Power: 350

Motor building isn't that bad. I wouldn't attempt it if I wasn't mechanically inclined but if you have a good general understanding of how an engine really works from a mechanical aspect and you can follow directions well and know what to look for, what questions to ask, and who to ask, its not too tough at all.

 
Rep Power: 272

the d17 looks so much better with that IM instead of that pos plastic one. car looks nice and got the numbers to back it up

 
Rep Power: 285

geez the wonders andy has done with the lil engine that could


If I may ask how old are you bro? Divorce and all that money to spend just got me wondering?

 
Rep Power: 280

When we going to race Andy? lol

 
Rep Power: 388

andy, man as always you should be a an idol of what the d17 is capable of

 
Rep Power: 336

nice....d17 is capable of such power....good work

 
Rep Power: 326

nice work and good numbers to seeo na SOHC...its gotta be better pullin on modded K20s

 
Rep Power: 350

Yeah, it takes a k20 with ALOT of work and money to pull on me. That's the beauty of this, everyone always says to k swap but why spend 5-7k to be so slow still when you can be pulling 12's in a sohc?

 
Rep Power: 280

You trying to tell me im slow?

 
Rep Power: 350

No, hey, your fastest time is still faster than mine...at the moment

 
Rep Power: 280

Just giving you hard time, now get that crap installed and lets do the damb thing!!!!!

 
Rep Power: 350

Why don't you come out here and help me get everything finished so we can go to Dallas.

 
Rep Power: 0

Well when I started reading this I was in a good mood thinking to myself "hey this guy made 250whp on his d17 thats pretty good... good for him." and then I keep reading and I see that you made 335whp and I think to myself "wow that's insane, wish I could have that... bastard." then I see 350 and now I'm pissed off, that's way too many horses for one person to have.... let me have some jessh. So now I gotta say it you car is fat and it has a double chin lol.

also gotta ask what supercharged V8's?

 
Rep Power: 475

wow, congrats man....car looks great too

 
Rep Power: 350

Modded cobras pushing 15 psi, making 480 whp and 520 tq, I pulled him from a dig. That was the most impressive kill I've had. Also spank stock cobras and lightnings all day. There isn't a single domestic in my hometown that will even run me. Its a small town, so word travels fast. None of them want to lose to a Honda, lol.

And I had it in my sig for a long time that the 350 whp d17 on steroids was coming soon, its finally here, hehe. Hopefully with the k pro I can pick up another 15-20 whp. I want to break 370 on pump gas.

 
Rep Power: 0

Ow yea I forgot about the cobras... I couldn't think of any supercharged V8's that you would been able to race against as they are kinda rare, except for cobras. Good job though that probably pissed him off to no end... If he cant beat a civic with a supercharged V8 cobra then he has gotta feel like ****.

 
Rep Power: 331

wow andy, youre on a completely new level of respect in my book. thats pretty impressive, keep up the good work. boost is the most addicting habit any car enthusiast can have. ive been running my stock DX motor at 7psi for the past year, and im about to do the vtec head swap too. So I can relate..

 
Rep Power: 350

Thanks man, yeah, you're late getting into the boost game. It was a major bitch figuring out where the restriction was coming from as far as making power went. At first, I thought it might be fuel. Then I ripped off the exhaust and left an open downpipe. Finally, I said screw it and opted for the cam. I wanted max power out of it so I decided on stage III, no point in causing more restrictions. Next will be a bigger turbo. Depending on if I come into anymore restrictions, I'll upgrade to a 3" downpipe, full 3" exhaust and portwork on the head. This will all come after the gt30.

 
Rep Power: 0

Nice car man, very very impressive. Got my opting to rig my EX up.