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So I have got our Civic running again. I have been doing as much reading as I can online, trying to soak up as much info as possible. One thing I have noticed is that some Honda motors are considered to respond to bolt-ons, and some not so much. Does the D16 respond well to bolt-ons such as intake and header? I am not at all interested in a cat-back, or probably anything to do the exhaust, with the exception of maybe a header. We bought the car for my wife to drive, and she will string me up if she has to listen to a loud exhaust. I have noticed that there are reprogrammed ecm's available...are they worth the money? I am also not looking to lose any fuel economy. I know, it is a tall glass to fill, but that is what we are looking for with the little car.
My wife would like the car to be zippier to drive, but she will be wicked mad if I sink a load of money in parts, and the car doesn't run any better.


ROb

 
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the dc sport cat back is expensive but super quiet, nice big piping and not all the noise.

 
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And how does big piping help a car be "zippier"?

Is this car an automatic?

Seriously, intakes and exhaust mods improve the volume of air flow when the engine demands it which is usually at high rpms. Unless your wife drives around at 5-7000k rpms you won't feel any more zip. Stock intakes and exhausts are designed the way they are to increase air velocity which improves torque at low speeds which is what most daily driven cars use. Also, keep in mind that aftermarket intakes will also make your car louder since you'll be removing the sound resonators which are there to baffle the sound. Chipped ECUs are also not that beneficial.

I assume that when most people say they want more zip they mean they want more torque so that when they step on the gas, you get instant power. Intake and exhaust mods don't do anything to help that; they make it worse. There are several ways to improve low end torque but they're not cheap. The most straightforwaard way is an engine swap.

 
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The car is an automatic...that is really the only downfall the car has in my eyes, except for the fact that it is black...I understand the point of upgrading the intake and exhaust...this isn't my first rodeo, just the first Honda. I don't mind the intake noise, and momma won't either. She doesn't mind the intake sucking, but not excessive exhaust noise. I know that the header and intake will increase airflow, but there is something I have noticed. The VTEC doesn't kick in until 5500 rpm, and a header and intake will add power around that same rpm range...where the car operates about 1% of the time. I am just wandering if bolt-ons will help the car where we actually drive it.
We are prolly gonna look into improving the handling of the car. I used that approach on the Cavalier we used to have. Wasn't extremely powerful and fast (unlike Honda's, there is no performance aftermarket for a second gen cavalier), but we put it together to handle very well, and that sure made the car fun to drive.



ROb

 
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Honda D series engines are very efficient slugs at best. Not saying there aren't some turbo or even all motor D engines out there that really rock but they are kind of few and far between.

Even the B series engines.... forget that, even the K series engines don't get noticable power with just bolt-ons. I challenge anybody to take a completely stock VTEC engine of any kind and put every bolt-on available on the car and see if someone who had no prior knowledge of the upgrades can honestly say they feel a huge difference. It aint happening.

 
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Waste of time and money

 
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I'd say you are dead wrong. Just bolt on a S/C or turbo. Or go with NOS. Definitely noticeable.

 
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Noticeable yes... fairly expensive though... and not for the average DIY'r. Otherwise, I agree. In all reality to achieve more "Zip" in that particular engine. You better be willing to spend time.. and money... your better off to leave it alone and make it handle better like your cavvy.

 
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Who said anything about price? A small turbo or a used JRSC can be had for under $1000. To me that's not a lot of money for a 20-35% increase in power.

 
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dude let me know where to get a used jrsc and i would be on top of that in a hart beat. for real if you know where to get one let me know

 
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I see them for sale on eBay very often, They've been selling for around $800 but usually they're not complete so you may have to pick up some of the missing parts.

 
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To the OP, bolt ons will do very little for you. Best thing to do is go FI with this car. These days its not that expensive.