I had planned on putting in a turbo next spring, but last night I cracked my manifiold. Right now the car is completely stock (92 Civic EX Sedan). I don't have the money right now for a complete turbo setup and Santa (yearly bonus check) won't be as fat and jolly as last year.

Should I:
1- Buy a stock manifold and continue through the winter? how much? new/used?
2- Buy headers and go N/A and change my entire plan for the car?
3- Buy a turbo manifold and fabricate a plate to cap off the portion that would go to the wastegate? Cast Iron plate? Steel? 1/4"? 1/2"? Is that possible/wise? Could I put in the turbo setup exhaust for it now or wait until spring?

I think you can tell I'd prefer option 3, but I've never heard of anyone "piecing" together a turbo while retaining it for a daily driver. I live in MN and it will be my first turbo (I'd do the install on everything but leave the tuning to professionals).

A second question is if anyone could tell me what size the nut is for retaining the AC tensioning pulley?? Is there a washer between the dust cap & nut? I blew that off, but the pulley and dust guard fell onto the bumper (whew! saved $50). The nut is M.I.A. somewhere in Elk River.

I just got off the phone with my cousin and he heard that the manifold from an earlier CRX? bolts on and is a shorter manifold. He said that some paople use it with an internal wastegate setup. If I got a custom pipe to close the gap from the CRX? manifold to the existing exhaust, would this work? Apparently tis manifold leaves room for the turbo/custo downpipe later. Is this a CRX manifold, and if so, what years? Any websites with this application?

Thanks guys, this forum is really teaching me a lot and yes I beat the "ghetto-modded" cavalier.
-Mike


[Modified by asdewq, 7:08 PM 12/8/2002]

 

yes,you can get a crx HF manifold from a 88-91 i think,make sure it is the hf though,it is a short manifold and if you look at it you will see thats how they make them for turbos,it will have 4 bolts that hold on the cat right under the manifold,just go to your local junkyard and you could proabaly pull it yourself for $10 or so.then take it to the exhaust shop and see if they will adapt it for you,then later on use it for your turbo setup.you will need a adapter too then to adapt it to the turbo.

 

Then the only piece the shop will have to fabricate is the connector from the Manifold to the cat correct? And then after the turbo is on TWO new pieces: from the manifold to the turbo (adaptor) & then the turbo to the cat (downpipe)? Any idea what this costs? maybe $100 now and $200 later?