My 1996 Honda Civic CX Transformation
 

Follow me as I transform my newly acquired Civic to a naturally aspirated beast.

Re: My 1996 Honda Civic CX Transformation
 

Hey everyone. So I just bought this Civic a month or so ago and am planning some big changes. I started with a few improvements to the cars performance while I get money together to actually get started on the overhaul. For starters I swapped out the oem plugs...I can almost guarantee the previous own did not ever change them. I replaced them with brand new NGK Platinums. I also installed NGK Wires. Then I installed an aftermarket distributor cap and button. Next up when I get paid next is to get ride of the crappy walmart short ram thats currently on the car. It's getting swapped for an Blue AEM Short Ram.

I'll attach so pics of the current engine setup this weekend.

As much as I'd like to list everything I plan to do to the I think I will stick to just announcing the last addition to the car. Hope I've sparked your interest, and I look forward to suggestions along the way for better options in products or methods.

Re: My 1996 Honda Civic CX Transformation
 

My first suggestion would be not wasting money on an intake; buy an ebay one, rattle can it blue, slap on a sticker and a good quality filter. You instantly save yourself $200 to put towards other mods.

What engine do you currently have?
Why go N/A?

Re: My 1996 Honda Civic CX Transformation
 

^x2 to everything he said.

Re: My 1996 Honda Civic CX Transformation
 

Ok so if I seriously wanted to be cheap yea sure I would do that but I'm not going the cheap route.

Presently I have a D16Y7, No power steering or A/C.

Alright newest updates:

Tomorrow I'm starting a 3000km engine clean. I'm also putting on a new WIX fuel filter. I'm also getting a quote for the rear quarter panel work on Saturday.

Re: My 1996 Honda Civic CX Transformation
 

I didn't see a place that asks what my current engine is.

Re: My 1996 Honda Civic CX Transformation
 

Cheaping out in parts that are important is a problem. The intakes seems not to be the case. cheap one or expensive ones will not make difference. Just need a good filter like AEM dryflow. If you want to spend anyway, go ahead.

Re: My 1996 Honda Civic CX Transformation
 

?!?
Say again?

Re: My 1996 Honda Civic CX Transformation
 

Ok sorry guys, it's been awhile since I updated. Been having some major issues with my Civic. Actually I'm still having the issues.

I just replaced the TPS sensor and I'm replacing the IAT sensor because someone put in a bypass module and it failed. Basically my problem is that if I'm sitting idle the car revs between 1000 and 2000 rpms constantly. Also now when I'm driving the car with all of a sudden "forget" I'm stepping on the gas and starts slowing down, then bucks and starts reving up again. Now it only does it when I first take off, and when I'm trying to keep a constant speed. If I'm accelerating it doesn't do it. The only other sensor that I haven't changed yet that I got a check engine light for is the O2 sensor.

I had one friend suggest that maybe the clutch is slipping. I'm also thinking after reading the service manual that there could be a break in one of the wires going to the TPS. I'm gonna get a multimeter this weekend and test the wires from source to destination to see if that is the issue.

If anyone has had an issue like this and found a solution that isn't pushing the car over a cliff please let me know. I'm nearly ready to go buy another Civic in better condition.

Re: My 1996 Honda Civic CX Transformation
 

Here are the pics of the old and new short ram intakes. The new one sounds amazing, specially going over 140km/h.

Re: My 1996 Honda Civic CX Transformation
 

Ok so here's my latest update. Obviously >.<

So after a very frustrating weekend of trial and error. I finally got my idle surging to go away.

I still couldn't tell you what exactly was the cause because so many adjutments were made.

I installed a new IAT sensor, and a used IAC/IACV. After much tweaking I was finally able to get my car to idle at about 1500 rpm. So I decided it was time to take it for a test run. As soon as I came to my first stop sign and put in the clutch it would idle surge yet again. So me and my buddy we're basically scratching our heads then we decided to use the OBD II code reader and see if we could clear the DTCs. It cleared all but the Secondary O2 sensor code. Perfect. However it still idle surged, so while it was running I read the codes again. Still only the secondary o2 was flagged. So all in all we gave up for the day. While driving the car home it was like it re-learned how to idle or something because now it's working like a top. rpms a little high at 1000 but hell thats the quietest my car has been in a month.

All in all just have to replace the secondary o2 sensor and the muffler which...funny discovery, is not the correct muffler for the exhaust system installed on the car. In and Out pipe diameter is smaller then the exhaust piping. Turns out I'm running an Si 4-2-1 header, cat, and piping but OE CX muffler.