Rep Power: 309

ok, i got an lx
so ive got a boring old d17a1, ive been lookin at cams and i see they are for the Ex models only, im convinced that the cams will not work in my car since its non vtec but im hoping one of you guys can confirm this or not.

also if i wanted to swap it from lx to ex motor (a1 to a2) as i understand id just need ex head along with ex ecu and thats about all right? or am i wrong here too?

and final question is does anyone know where i could get internals for an "a1"? im assuming high compression pistons for a a2 will work in an a1 since its the same block. and are there any stroker kits out there? (i 99% doubt this)

 
Rep Power: 280

Cams from EX wont work on LX - obvious
You can swap heads EX to LX - make sure ex ecu is for the with same type transmission as you have, also you will need to change head gasket and head studs
Crower make stroker kit, read their website or the forums.
They also make good cams for EX, different kinds, so if you have d17a2 you have a chice, unfourtunately not with d17a1.
Get head swap 1st and you will be happier - extra 12hp!
good luck!

 
Rep Power: 0

wouldnt it be about the same price to swap engines.

 
Rep Power: 331

not even close.

 
Rep Power: 413

LX to EX head swap DIY
http://www.7thgencivic.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=169411

 
Rep Power: 309

havok2k1, awsome.

oh and yea guys i was wondering if it would be better to swap to a k20 rather than build up my d17 with head swap, cams, stroker, pistons, odds n ends. but building up something i already have gives me flexibility with time because i can easily spend 3 grand over a year or two on my engine but ill never save 3-4 grand to buy a k20 (if i could find one so cheap)

 
Rep Power: 280

Building is expencive. Not the parts, but the lebor if you cant DIY.
With d17 you need to think twice if want to go n/a. You wont really get a lot without forced induction.
If you want to stay d17, go with turbo or n2o. Best $/hp formula.

 
Rep Power: 309

well i will pay absolutely no labor costs.
im a mechanic and i love to do new projects. plus im in college for auto tech so i could do lots of machining processes even for free, i could even get my teachers to do it for me.

i dont have the money for turbo and ive driven my bros a4 1.8t and my other bros s4 2.8bi-T
i discovered turbo lag is forever my enemy and i must go NA. n20 is next option but NA is just the way to live.

 
Rep Power: 309

well i just filled out a thing on car-part.com to have junkyards reply if they got one. do you think the hx head would be the same? i dont know much bout them.

 
Rep Power: 607

IMO.....if you were gonna spend that money, i would just swap a k motor.

 
Rep Power: 286

dito.

Just save up the money and do the swap, no matter how long it takes you to save up for it. No use in spending all that money on upgrading the d17 and still making less hp (most likely), than a k20a2.

 
Rep Power: 309

again......swap is not an option......... spending a couple hundred here and there over time is a good option for me.

i dont think id be spending as much as i would on a k swap anyways since ive heard the average is about 5 grand for everything you need. i figure 500 on vtec head and vafc2 then 500 on cat back then 500 on cam and springs/retainers 600 on act clutch,short shifter, maybe lightweight flywheel

so thats like 2100 and id be very happy with that set-up. plus those are rounded prices because i could get most stuff at a discount cus my brother owns www.ipsracing.com

thanks for opinions and suggestions though, keep em coming

 
Rep Power: 280

Good start, with set up you mentioned you will get:
12/hp - with the head, 5/hp with catback, 15/hp (max) with cam. Equals about 30-35 hp's at the crank for $2100. Its $60 per horsepower.
Good investment, but better is turbo. I know you dont want it, but its now. LAter whan you will get you set up done, you will think about turbo, because n/a power on d17 is kind of weak.
turbo kit is about $2600 for at least 60-70/whp. It comes out to $35-40 per hp or less! With turbo, power is always there, enough low end torque and good top end!
I'm not trying to convince you, but you may follow this lead if you want.

 
Rep Power: 584

ull need the vtec solenoid and have to do some wiring into the harness so that ull have vtec. ull have to have the ecu imobilizer flashed otherwise it will not start. been there done that. swaped the engine to a EX and pluged the EX ecu in got nothing, poped the LX ecu in and bam started.

 
Rep Power: 374

go with the lx head and a t25 turbo. full boost by max 3000 rpms.

 
Rep Power: 314

A EX head is pretty cheap on the f/s thrread.
B Go header-(exhaust)- and intake.
C Get NO2
This (used) is far cheaper than swap!






(hateing hot air since 1975)

 
Rep Power: 309

ive never seen a turbo kit for 2600, please tell me wher you saw it.
now my next problem lol, things ive listed i can put on my credit card (BS limit of 400 bucks and the limit dont go up for whatever reason)

 
Rep Power: 281

You can get a quality used kit for less than 2 gs.
^You cannot make good HP N/A with out spending more than 2gs, and you deserve some sort of medal for getting mroe than 150whp out of d17 n/A.
You should swap a k20 if you must go N/A, because with a N/A SOHC 1.7 you are limited. Even with tuning a k20 you will not have bottom end and torque^

 
Rep Power: 280

here you go:
http://www.7thgencivic.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=222621
Used kit, the seller is very well known on this site, I would say he is trusted.
Check it out if want to go boosted!

 
Rep Power: 309

well i just sent payment on a used ex head for about 150 shipped. im gonna look into a turbo kit as well as na parts and if i find a cheap turbo kit ill get that (if funds are there) and then ill slowly get parts like stage2 turbo cam and whatnot.


thanks for all the replies you guys, your all really helping me consider everything and im looking into every method so keep posting your ideas.

 
Rep Power: 309

anyone got word on the bottom end internals? (ex. pistons rods crank piston rings. bearings blah blah.

 
Rep Power: 584

first of all use stock bearings just get the right colors.

bottom end internals are out there i have them all.
Weisco
JE-mine came with rings
Crower

a crank ud have to have specially made from crower or another manufacturer of choice

 
Rep Power: 309

well i looked on crowers site, saw pistons and rods but nothing for d17 just d16's so ill check out je and weisco. as for crank, ive heard ours is good for 600hp so im fine with stock, unless i find a stroker kit.

 
Rep Power: 309

anyone got the bore and stroke of d17a1/a2?

and weisco only had domestic JE only had b16 or h22

 
Rep Power: 281

when you get the ex head installed use arp head studs and the oem nippon HG.

 
Rep Power: 413

Internals buildup thread
http://www.7thgencivic.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=168101

 
Rep Power: 297

since your getting the head.. think about if your going all motor or forced induction... cause then you might want to get the head port and polished for your application while your at it since its off the car...




and to everyone else... you dont need the EX ecu to use the vtec head
trust me when i say that too

 
Rep Power: 362

why wouldn't you need the ecu to use the vtec head? ... what controls the vtec?

 
Rep Power: 297

read up
http://www.7thgencivic.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=169411

 
Rep Power: 309

well ive heard that an ex head swap means you need 1 of 2 things
a. ecu and key reflash
b. vafc-2