nick20555

I have a 98 civic ex coupe with the manual transmission and a d16z6 motor. I haven't had it very long and don't know much about civics yet. My problem is that when I go wide open throttle from 4th or 5th gear at around 2500 RPM the car sounds like its bogging and accelerates at the same speed as when I'm just cruising around giving it 1/4 throttle. Its not the clutch because the rpms don't climb any faster either. Is this normal for a tiny 4 cyl trying to pull from those rpms or should it react a little better? My previous cars have been V6s with 200+ hp so maybe this is just typical for a civic.

alpine87

From my experience with a standard '01 Civic the engine will definitely experience some problems revving higher in fifth gear. Normally, on my automatic, it sounds like the car has to shift down to fourth to accelerate quickly and then move into fifth at higher RPM. It's a good little motor for sure, but it can't take off in fifth. Hope that helps.

slowZ6turbo

Have a friend rev it hard while you check exhaust flow, sounds a lot like a clogged cat.

ek9_beast

If you floor a stock civic with 120hp tops in high gear at low rpm, yes this is normal. You gotta downshift these 4bangers and get up in the rpms. They're high revving motors. Trust me. Its par for the course. If it was an issue or clogged cat^ it would be in all gears not certain ones.

B20VtecVillain

Are you just talking about going from a 2500rpm cruise in 5th and then punching the throttle? In that situation I would say it's normal to not have hardly any power on tap. From that low of an rpm in a stock D16 you really have to drop a gear or two to have any sort of acceleration worthy of passing. Is this your first manual transmission car in general?

ek9_beast

I'm hearing an echo here lol

slowZ6turbo

Not true. A healthy z6 pulls good in fourth form 2500. the power range is very linear from idle to redline, it may not make much peak power or tq but does well low end. fifth it would bog some but I never had issues passing in fifth on the highway. And a clogged cat starts off worse in higher gears because the engine has less power to push through the extra backpressure. A clogged cat takes a couple months to get to the point of bogging in lower gears and lower RPM. I have dealt with two clogged cats on a z6 and a GSR. And keep in mind VTEC engines are more prone to clogged cats because of the oil use during vtec with a mid to high mileage engine.

ek9_beast

It all depends on your version of "pulling". A stock d16 under heavy load in 4th\5th gear at 2500 being floored is far from my version of pulling. To each his own. And by power are we referring to torque or hp?

P.s. This guy is comparing a 200+ hp car to a 120hp car so his "pulling" is going to be a little on the weak end in comparison

slowZ6turbo

There is a huge difference in being slow, and bogging. Fourth at 2500 it should not bog at all, it should gracefully accelerate as much as a lightweight 125hp car is supposed to.

slowZ6turbo

Yeah but keep in mind power to weight. I pulled on my buddies 3000gt sl which is 220hp in fourth gear in my z6 because he's 3600 lbs and I'm 2350 lbs. HP isn't everything, power to weight is what matters.

ek9_beast

Gracefully is a correct term. Pulling, no.. Op, is it bogging(losing power) or accelerating slowly but steadily because I'm guessing the 2nd of the 2. And I'm glad for the weight ratio lesson cuz I had no clue. Wtf.. This topic is being based on interpretation, not facts so the op needs to explain whether its bogging or accelerating slowly but steady and we'll be able to help the man based on fact vs. Opinion.

Keep in mind its a 2400lb economy car, no race car stock.

slowZ6turbo

I am not arguing its a fast car, I have had 4 single cams and there all slow, but never had one that would bog in fourth almost anywhere in the power band. My reply is simply based on what the op said it BOGS, you took it upon yourself to ASSUME its just slow. That's opinion. You are entitled to your recommendations to the op and I am entitled to mine.

B20VtecVillain

Exactly what I was thinking. In the grand scheme of things a Stock D series doesn't do much "pulling" even in the meat of its powerband, so to me the acceleration of even a healthy D in high gears and low rpm is not anything special and is lacking compared to a lot of other vehicles with more power.

slowZ6turbo

I totally agree, but all im saying is that it will NOT "bog" in fourth at 2500 unless something is wrong.

ek9_beast

He says "sounds" like its bogging but says it accelerates at the same speed as cruising which means its accelerating slowly. Hey villian, were wrong bro, a stock d16 pulls on v6s all day cuz its lighter. I can count on my hand how many v6s I've beat in a stock d16, actually I'm not sure if the two grannys were on it but I was.

ek9_beast

Who races stock d16s anyway?

slowZ6turbo

The op knows the 4 cyl will be less powerful than the V6, but in general the z6 pulls way better than most other economical 4 cylinders, it pulled MUCH harder than my wifes infiniti G20t, that's a sr20de with better torque and HP all around. My z6 did better low end than the g20 back when it was still stock. If the OP has to wonder if there's something wrong then there probably is, because for such little HP the average person would be impressed with a z6. And also you are assuming it is stock when it was never said that it was stock. It is a z6 in an ek chassis so it is NOT the original engine, which means it is very highly likely to have a minimum of intake and exhaust and most likely headers. A bolt on Z6 should not make you think there is an issue in fourth gear. Plain and simple

slowZ6turbo

People who have not finished preparing there turbo yet. The car has to be stock at some point before you modify it.

slowZ6turbo

And what better way to tell the difference in power to race before and after the turbo. That's like asking why people dyno a car before the tune.

ek9_beast

Bolt on=stock.. Add a cai and exhaust for $500 for 4hp and a "different powerband".. Nope its still stock

ek9_beast

Best way is to do ******* diagnostic tests before you turbo. Not race some clown with different variables each race

slowZ6turbo

No the f*ck its not, you are getting pathetic with your claims, you say in this sense that I/h/e is all stock correct? But if you hop on CL to buy a Honda and it says ALL STOCK, would you expect I/H/E???

slowZ6turbo

Why would people call stock parts "stock" Like stock intake, or stock exhaust, if when its modified it is STILL stock. Get a life dude

ek9_beast

I'm telling you ihe doesn't do **** for adding power.

slowZ6turbo

That has got to be the dumbest thing I have ever heard.