cd2781

Ok so I've decided to keep my civic after a lot of thought cuz I really do like the car. I'm thinking of getting a used motor and tranny and rebuilding the motor with a stage 1 cam. And possibly boring it to a 1.8???? Then ill get a stagr 1 clutch and light flywheel. It won't be a rocket ship but fast enough for a gas sipping DD. What do you guys think about it??? Please be honest and no I'm not going the k swap route. I'd rather buy a mustang than do that. Oh and my car is a 2002 ex coupe 5sp.

Tragedy

iTrader: (10)

Did this a few months back. Check your piston heads, rings, bearings, and gaskets. Not sure about the cam, the D17 is not the best platform for mods, but it has been done.

The intake manifold is notorious for carbon buildup, so clean that really good. The vtec solenoid might need the gasket screen cleaned, or replaced, as well as the pressure switch, and the o-ring.

Get new spark plugs as well, and any other part that might be old or dirty. The D17 is super small and super sensitive, so anything left out or forgot about will come up in the end.

Good luck, and please share your build progress if able.

cd2781

I will most definitely post pics. My first goal is to get rid of the stock steelies for some wheels and new tires, then suspension work. i will start a build thread once i get started. anyone else have any feedback for the engine build? i know the d17 doesnt make a lot of power but like i said it gets good gas mileage so im happy with it.

mac25

the d17 takes the crower stage 1 just fine. people are scarred they don't want to admit the em2 is a contender for the older civics.

I have an auto d17 with stage 1 and smoked my friends 98 manual hatch d16 on hill climb and downhill. he's still beating me at autocross but i'm working on that.

I haven't put her up against an rsx-s yet, but one day.

cd2781

nice man thats what i like to hear!!!!! I hate seeing that other people dog on the em2 because i think its a great car. it may not beat a v8 muscle car, but its a 4 cylinder that is meant to get good gas mileage. i personally think the car does quite well just stock, but i just want a little more power. ive personally raced an integra and blowed his doors off. now i dont know what he had under the hood, but im guessing not much. ive been keeping up with your build thread and if you have any more advice, please pm me id love to hear it!!!!

mac25

well a few thinks that aren't on my build thread

include
-stripped out carpets, rear seats and trunk liner. (I'm waiting till i cage it and make it look pretty before i post pics).

-ac delete
-cruise control delete

-and I have a ricer cut out headlight ,which still functions, run to an extended intake and isolated from the engine heat by fiberglass.

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

Tragedy,

you might be pleased if you do

https://www.civicforums.com/forums/7...ge-1-cams.html

that's the only drop-in mod that actually gives enough changes to be felt.
best bang for the buck, actually

Tragedy

iTrader: (10)

That is some good info. I like how it does not need to be tuned after install. The em2 is a fun car to drive, part of why i keep maintaining the little guy.

cd2781

Ok sorry i havent been on in a few days. My engine has 145,000 miles on it, do you guys think itll be ok to put a stage 1 cam in it or rebuild a motor and save the cam for the new motor?

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

?
if you are going to build a "new" one, the answer is easy.
one of them is going to go, right?

cd2781

Well i was just thinking of the best and most cost effective solution. If you think the motor i have is fine then ill just put a cam in it and put my money towards something else

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

if you going to do the work yourself, AND rebuild a engine in separate, you could drop the cam in you current one and then during the engine swap you could simply pass cam from one to the other.

if you taking to a shop, some moneys might be involved with man-hours. (not too many, but still some) - depends on how much work you want to do or pay for, really

cd2781

Well at most i was gonna get a port and polish job done along with any other necessary machine work but as far as assembly goes ill do that myself.

EM2Tim

Good to hear more people doing some more n/a builds on the d17 platform. I currently am almost done with my rebuild, I pulled the engine and trans out and rebuilt everything but the bottom end because it was strong and not currently in the budget. I sent the head to my machine shop along with a stage 2 crower cam, crower valve springs and retainers, super tech valves, also added ARP head studs and a cometic head gasket. As far as other work I installed a new eom oil pump, water pump, timing belt and every single gasket an o ring on the entire engine is new from Honda. I just got it running and currently working on getting a stand alone ecu, and running it. Any feed back would be much appreciated. And if you don't want to do all the work I had to and get a stand alone ecu I would suggest the stage 1 cam, a direct drop in and good bang for your buck off a single mod....

cd2781

I know you dont get a lot of power out of this motor n/a but im just looking to give my dd a little more a** in the top end. Thats all i want, of course with a fresh motor would be great!

mac25

It can be a pretty powerful n/a engine considering it's sohc and the weight of the vehicle. for the $350 cam you're sitting with a bhp figure somewhere around 150. considering this block,transmission and overall vehicle are lighter then the rsx-s at 200bhp, it would be interesting to run a stage 1 em2 against a stock rsx-s.

em2 with stage 1, 150hp at 2,405 pounds. power to weight = 0.0623700624
dc5 200hp at 2,800 pounds. power to weight = 0.0714285714

the dc5 also revs higher so it can hold power longer so it should be the faster car in a drag.

If you can get the power to 165 and the weight to 2300 the em2 would be at a theoretical p/w of 0.0717391304, which seems easy enough.

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

then don't look at the stage 2 mentioned above - requires a lot more work (springs, retainers, engine management, etc). the stage 1 is more than enough

cd2781

Well thats some good news What sorts of things are the best to do to lose weight? Im getting ready to lose the stock steelies so thatll lose a few pounds but where next?

EM2Tim

Is there any way possible to run the stage II n/a crower cam without going k-pro or any other sort of standalone or piggy back?

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

create a new thread and we will move your post to there. this is thread jacking and really not related to this thread which is alive and well :P
short answer is no.

cd2781

What are you guys thoughts on this turbo kit cuz ive been seriously thinking about going this route

http://www.procivic.com/pages-produc...505/index.html