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So Im joining the dark side everyone! Ive been compiling a list of everything i will need for my setup. NO im not buying a kit. I dont wanna cry after dropping thousands on a kit that most likely wont work right so im going to buy everything in parts. Yes i know it will take a while. Im shooting to install by Feb 09'. Yes im 16, yes i go to school, yes my job pay sucks nuts. ANYWAY on to the questions. I have a a1 head currently and plan on converting to the a2 vtec so that i can do the stage 2 cams and what not. Ive read multiple times that an apexi vafc2 is needed for the swap. Im not dropping a leg on a standalone or kpro... yet. im just gonna do with an emanage or aem piggyback. Will the vafc2 be needed if i do the piggy back too? is that possible? Im very new to boosting but very interested. TEACH ME! I have so many more questions so hopefully this will be an ongoing thread. Id like to just start with this one and hopefully move forward. When im comfortable with my to buy list i will share with everyone. So far im looking at over 5k. thats not including a pnp. its still cheaper than a good dezod kit because this includes more stuff like cams, cam gears, springs and retainers, a2 head, and that good stuff. SO start with the teaching!

Again the first question is in that big pile of gunk up yonder. ha.

 
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no, u dont need apexi vafcII, u need kpro, u dont have to use a2 head with kpro, u dont have to switch, unless u want to run the crower stage 2 cam, pnp is not needed unless ur really going for high HP. do not use piggyback, or emangle, ull have nothing but problems, get kpro or ull be sorry

 
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Forget the head swap, put the head swap money into a Kpro and shut VTEC off. Boost makes up for it until you get way up into boostland.
Other than that, just search. Its all out there.

 
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so no head swap, no piggy? I do wanna go kpro. I just wanna find it for a good price. Woosh im actually relieved about the pnp. that ***** expensive. what about the stage 2 cam and stuff?

 
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btw im not necessarily going for huge numbers. i hoping this can be a weekend show car. i just want a lil power to have some fun. my dd will be my eg project whenever i finish that.

 
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Leave the stock head for now. If you have no intent of huge numbers the stocker will be fine, but if you want the drivability, you really need the stand alone running the show.... trust me... the Kpro makes it like driving a stock car, its not jerky, there's no partial throttle wierdness in the maps, everything runs seamlessly. It looks expensive, but its a lot easier to deal with than blowing headgaskets.

 
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ok sounds good man. thanks. how much will i be looking at for kpro exactly? who sells it? most of the crap im going to buy is from dezod, but i didnt see it there.

 
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save up about 1300 for kpro with cam gear

 
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*****! thats gonna take about a month. well christmas is coming soon but i already asked santa for coilovers. lol

 
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ok boilermaker, so i read the description on clubrsx.com. i think thats where i will buy it from when the time comes. will a k ecu be expensive to find? what exactly will i need from it? and can i just get what i need seperately for cheaper?

 
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i don't see anywhere what your goal is, so how can we recommend the proper setup? It seems that assumptions are being made and may not be giving the best advise. If your goal is just 150-200whp then its a different story than 250-500whp.

 
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i would like close to the 200 range if not more. im looking for an easy setup that i wont have to worry about taking it to the mechanic every weekend.

 
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if u dont wanna go to the mechanic every weekend, make sure ur parts r installed properly, and kpro for ur ecu, AEM standalone is meant for drag not dd and never run on piggybacks ull have nothing but problems like every1 else said

 
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With respect to the head, if you're planning on making 300+whp, then consider the EX head swap because of the availability of cams and such. If you do decide to go this route, simply run a standalone to power your fuel, ignition and VTEC signals. Stay away from the SAFC, VAFC, NEO stuff. It's sub-par for tuning turbo vehicles. So do not waste your time there. Our Alpha kit is geared toward more of the 250+whp mark, however if you want to purchase your own engine building components over time, look into our Stage 2 kit.

 
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troll the forums and ebay to find an K-series ecu hondata's website will tell what k-ecu you need. Or just keep you eye out for a used K-pro the do pop every once and a while and sometimes you can get them for as low as $900 it doesn't matter if it is for an rsx or an si you just need to pick up the cam gear once you get the k-pro.

the cam shaft doesn't put a restriction on the motor till around 280-320 but like dezod(paul) said you are going to need the A2 head if you want to run a cam shaft and if you do don't go with stage 2 go with stage 3 it's a nicer camshaft

 
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is there a difference b/w aem ems and kpro in making power ... i went with kpro

 
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thanks everyone for the advice so far. right now im in the search for a donor ecu as i've decided to just do with the kpro.

first things first. obx manifold ordering this weekend. any thoughts? link below

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/OBX-D...spagenameZWDVW

also any input on what the right turbo size im looking for? and good companies. i know garrett be ballin but their pretty expensive. luckily theres a turbo supply right down the road from my house that sells garrett and maybe i can buddy with them to get a good deal. just wanna know what size and specs. again im going for around the 200 mark or lower.

 
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ALSO. anyone know that obx made intake mani's for our cars? i had no idea, never heard anyone on here talk about em. they look pretty sexy.

 
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if your going to fork out the $$$$ for kpro you mind as well spend some cash on manifolds like a dezod EL and maybe a jdm fabtech intake the pair will only set you back $1,500+. Dont forget just cause someone said that stand alone is the only way to go dont mean that they are correct. That would be like me telling that piggyback is the way to go. Each has thier place. You need to figure out what your goal is and how much $$$$ you have to spend. And not blow it all on your fuel management and then skimp on an obx manifold. Thats like buying a ferrari and running cragger wheels on it!

 
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And nobody makes an off the shelf intake manifold for d17's

 
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agreed^
but another way to do this is in stages as i am. If you dont have the big bucks right at the moment to get it all done right away, do your research and find out where you want to be and what all is needed to do so. Then find out which way to go first and work your way up.

but yea...just to go with Fuel management is a waste! check into fuel delivery (injectors, pump, rail, etc...)

 
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ya i am going in stages. lol cragers on a ferrari. thats nice. but the obx mani looked really nice? is there that much diff between that and the force fed similar design sold through dezod? Im just going to save for kpro so i dont have to mess with that again later on. its alot easier to swap out manifolds that computers. ive got a set list right now that i feel pretty comfortable with. the only things i still need to know are the turbo itself and the obx mani whether its good or not. just because its cheap dont mean its crap. *cough* megan racing i love their stuff.

 
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you may be right. perhaps there website is outdated. you can check it out though if you want
http://www.obxracingsports.com/products.php?pk=1202

 
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If you look close they are showing the same part number of intake for 01-04 civic as they do for 99-2000, and they are completely different............. NM looked again and its different number, but as far as i know they still dont make one

 
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maybe it like just came out and no one knows about it yet lol

 
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So u guys are sayin i dont have to have a a2 head to use kpro?!!

 
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thats what they tell me! pretty sweet huh.


the obx mani is ruled out. i searched on the site and reviews arent lookin to good. i guess i'll have to look around for a diff one.

 
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boilermaker,
how hard was it to do your custom ic piping and such. id much rather attempt that than pay a poopload for an already made kit. i dont like the look of the dezod intercoolers but it seams that the right side of the cooler itself is to hard to route charge piping without removing ac, washerfluid, and that shiz. howd you do it?

 
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okay here's the deal man... buy the dezod kit. its quality stuff, it fits, its good for 200 hp easily with the addition of a few minor things. k-pro is awesome, or so everyone says. i'm using ems as soon as i find money for tuning. i'm using aem f/ic now on 6.5 psi. its working fine, afrs aren't really solid, but it works with no detonation, idles fine all that, but again its only 6.5 psi. i started like you researching and wanting to piece a kit together but when you really get into it, and research what you have, what you need, what fits with what, what will work best with what, etc. etc. etc. its a lot of work and research and you really have to know what you're doing both with the ins and outs of a turbo and theory type stuff but also with the mechanical side of installing a custom kit that will require modification of just about everything. so while your efforts are noble, keep researching and buy a kit. i started looking into everything and about the time that i really learned how and why everything worked, i also learned buying a kit is much easier than having a ton of stuff customized and costing more money and time. so i just bought a used dezod kit. if the need strikes you, you can always customize stuff later, but start with a kit. also go to turbobygarrett.com they have section all about turbo basics.. 101, 102, and 103.. it is a great base of knowledge to start from. thats my humble .02 from a guy who has been where you are.

 
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wow man i really appreciate your input. you know i may just buy a dezod kit. thing is when i start saving money i tend to spend what i have when i get it. im really bad at that. but if i do end up saving up enough that sounds like a good idea through what youve just said. all i need is some thinking time.

since you spent all that time typing all that and giving me all that info.... +1 for you sir!