Wussup everyone... I have an automatic 99 civic LX and was wondering about supercharging it. I was worried about the torque converter. Do many automatics run into problems when trying to s/c or go turbo? Will the b16a and teg tranny be a better solution or can i just run it on my stock d16 setup? Please shed some light on the subject.

Thanks

 

Just go ahead and get an engine swap. Honda autos suck ***. At least in the 90ish civics. Get a b16 and a manual. Even with a stock motor you'll love yourself.

 

I have a 95 civic ex with a turbo (almost done, need to hook up the downpipe) but I'm pretty confident that it will be quick. I have talked to several shops and they all said that the torque converter will be fine for mild to medium boost applications (below 8 PSI). Why are you thinking about s/c or turboing a LX though? It's not worth it (IMO).

 

Keep this in memory.

What ever you do ditch the auto!! dont even think about Level 10

 

Screw that, keep the auto, i have an auto DOHCKLR and she runs on b series with sticks, gst's and all the great dohc cars that i've come in contact with. And yes most of them have been at the track. See the thing is, with the auto and a turbo you get no wheel spin, you never miss a shift, and you get almost no turbo lag between the shifts. I'm telling you it's a great way to go. Don't let people discourage you from doing what you want. Your gonna have to find ways to lighten your car up, but if you dedicated, you can do anything you want. The auto's are a little week, but levelten can definitely solve that problem. Now you might get comments made on why the automatic, don't say a thing and see who gets the win light. Later

 

I must agree with autoEXturbo about a few things... yes autos are a little weak... but you do NOT get any wheelspin at the track and you do NOT loose pressure or create lag between shifts etc.....

I have a turbo automatic for around 3-4 months now and I love it... tranny is taking it fine, it hasn't acted funny or been shifting weird or anything like that. The car loves me, and loves to go quicker.... and it definatly achieves that! Full boost on an auto is pretty sick if you ask me, if you haven't driven in one then PLEASE DO NOT COMMENT... cause you don't know what your talking about...

However despite all this I just said, I would like a manual swap eventually, just because fact for fact, sticks are faster and its better to control your gears etc...

 

your right shadodawn, i would prefer to end up with a manual swap, but due to the fact all these people dog us automatics, i think i'll just keep it and start causing some trouble. I try to be different, not really with owning a civic, but i don't see to many turbo sohc automatics out there and i plan on being one of the fastest streetable ones out there. Good luck on your auto turbo or sc.

 

I drove my friends auto ex SOHC turbo....great kit (apexi) but i thought it would have more pull than that....shadowdawn, i saw in your sig you ran a 15.9 at the track, i mean i dont mean to dog on you at all, but my buddy has a ls auto with intake header exhaust and cam gears and ran a 16.1...have you dyno'd your car? i think the stock auto tranny robs the power.....

 

I had a 90 Civic EX with an auto, it was a horrible transmission. The transition from 1st to 2nd gear was unbelievably rough. you always had to back off the throttle just enough for it to be tolerable...just my .02.

 

Thats wonderfull.... I know this cause my friend had a 90 civic... the auto trans was a piece of ****... NOTHING compared to a newer honda auto... granted its not AMAZING but its handling boost for christ sakes! It shifts baby smooth.

 

Thank you all for your input. Of course with any mod. or setup there are gonna be advantages and disadvantages.. it's all on the person driving the car. It was not my choice to get an Auto, but I gotta work with what I got. I just wanted to know if my tranny could withstand the boost. So thanks again for the input.

Peace

 

i like it, according to the dyno's, drivetrain loss isnt too major. i dunno this talk about no wheel spin, but i get plenty. maybe if you all are running slicks or something then that would make sense to me. my tranny has taken 6psi for over 3 years and its fine. of course, i killed it doing neutral drops. but its still holding up.

 

Nope, no drag slicks or drag radials here. Just good stock tires and stock rims. I boost to 3 psi and let her rip.

 

But autos are no fun!!!!!!

 

Auto is good and bad. If you run an auto at the track, you will be consistant. However it's kinda of boring. I dunno, I just like to keep my hands busy!

 

If you can keep the auto trans from breaking....all the 5spd shifters cant out shift you. I dont care how quick everyone claims to be able to shift. You cant out shift a automatic.

 

I would love to switch my car over to a manual just because of the fun factor. But unfortunatly, I can't find anyone to do the swap for less than 2000 dollars so I think I will end up with a Level 10 auto trans for 2800 dollars just because it's easier to install and I will have a bullet proof trans. BTW, anyone here wanna come to my house and install a 5 speed into my car for 1700 (all I got right now)? I live in Jamison, PA and I am very serious.

 

Why do you say this, is it because you like to change gears. Well that's fine, I like to win races, racing is fun no matter what tranny I have.

 

that is the only problem they break!! that is why everyone talks bad on them

 

Yeah i like to change gears. I had an auto before. It wasn't a quick car but if it was stick I would've liked it better. Winning is fun. But my daily driver is not racing everyday.

 

Then i take it you have a car that you strictly just race then. Some of us aren't so fortunate. I knew that a turbo and the automatic would be a killer combo, obviously straight out the box a 5spd will beat the auto but i've raced 5spd sohc turbo's that don't beat me. It's all the matter of wheel spin, 5spd's launch at a high rpm and break traction, I boost to 3 or 4psi and am gone. I just have to build the tranny, that's all. I don't care about trannies, i got what is best for my needs. Since your in va and i'll have her built by next summer, maybe we can meet up at a track and decide which is better. I don't know what you have, but mine is in the sig, but things will only get better.


[Modified by autoEXturbo, 12:44 PM 7/11/2002]

 

Hey man, i'm in the same boat, and STILL undecided.
I'm going to try and list my pros and cons of turboing an auto.

PROS:
faster than stock
Show most ricers whats up.
Spools between gear changes (can be a con though, because i'm guessing its going to be a LOT harder on the gears by boosting between shifts)
CONS:
tranny might not be able to handle excess power (90,000+ miles)
Lose MORE power through the drivetrain
replacement parts are SPENDY for autos...
Will be lucky to hit low 14's (in most cases)
Have to put more money into auto than manual to make it as fast..

I dont know guys,,,for me to spend 2000-2500 on my auto, and HOPING that i'll hit 14's,,,, i just dont know if its worth it. Its like gambling to me; I honestly DONT know what i'm going to get out of my car if i turbo it. Sure, i'm not going for a street monster, but i'd REALLY like to hit 14's AT LEAST, without beefing up the damn tranny....
any comments?

 

if you dont like getting a turbo and hoping for 14's, get rid of the little rice burner and get a real car. Camaro SS = 13.3 stock.
if drag racing is all that matters, might as well.

 

Good call. but you want to give me some free money to purchase one?

Also i didnt say that drag racing is all that matters.
Peace


[Modified by ill_take_one, 10:44 PM 7/12/2002]

 

i hate being in traffic with a 5 speed.... I HATE IT! I like my auto...