Hello all,
I am just another high school kid with a '91 CRX DX with 180k miles, and a completly stock d15 motor. I am looking for some advice on what performance upgrades you guys would suggest aside from doing an entire engine swap. I have looked into a few things which I will list below, however I am wondering how big of a gain these things will give me, Also how much labor is involved in these things. My father is a motorcycle mechanic so installing things wont be a problem. Thank you for your advice.

1. Cold Air intake: From what I have seen these seem to be a pretty easy upgrade from a stock system and seem to run around 150 dollars. I am wondering what brands you would suggest, and where to purchase these.

2. Replacement exhaust headers: Run around 250 dollars, look shiny, and install shouldnt be to hard. But do they make a big differance? What brands would you suggest?

3. Suspension upgrade: This needs to be done no matter what, the current suspension in this car is pretty much shot. I dont really want to lower the car, I would just rather make the ride more comfortable. I would much rather purchase a kit or something that includes struts and springs, where would you suggest getting this at?

4. Exhaust system: Increase exhaust flow, does it make a big differance? For a steep price of around 500 dollars, I am doubting this one unless it is really worth it.

5. Boring out, and new pistons: I would have no idea where to start, thanks to my father I have all of the machinery to do this however, with motorcycles you can purchase a kit that includes all of the new parts you need. Do they make something like this for car engines, where can it be found?

6. Pully Kit: Run around 75 dollars, so they really make a big differance?

7. Rear drum to Disk break conversion: I would really like to do this no matter what, but I cant seem to find a good kit for it, any suggestions?

8. Strut bars: Do they make a noticable differance, I realize that they are designed to prevent body bending while turning, but is it worth it and where would you suggest buying them from.

Any thing else that you would suggest?

 

honestly man,once you add up everything you listed,you could have easily swapped a dohc zc motor!

If anything,just get suspension stuff for now and put off the "power" idea with the dx motor because all you're really gona do is waste money you could have put off for something better.

THE ONLY real power you could add to your dx motor without an engine swap,would be nitrous.

 

yeah dont waste your money on a d15... if you want a "cheap" fast car....i'd probly get a dohc zc or a b16 if you have the money....if it aint enough...get nos...its cheap and easy trust me i was in the same position as you...i just graduated from high school last year (c/o 04) ...... i've done a lot to my car ... all of it while in high school

 

use the search with archived checked, u will find alot

on the intakes, aem is top doller....and i'll be honest your car has a tb the size of a golf ball (if it's the same am my buddies 89dx) so alot of motor mods should come after u go mpfi.

if u want a cheap intake u can get a 92-95 generic intake found at auto zone..install it backwards and plug the inlets (where vc breather would hook up) and breather the valve cover.

my buddy did prove that the d15 liked nos, not my thing but he had that thing bangin, strait insane. he went dry then wet and could run a 75 shot np...only thing was he did burn/scare a few exsaust valves till he found a happy median in hp/reliability.

u can get illumina's for "bout 350" ~ chef's mom

spring are more reliable than co's but u can't adjust ride hight

seems most strut bars work the same but all the cheepies force u to have to unbolt the fuse box



u would install intake like this



Modified by oldSCHOOLhonda at 5:51 AM 4/21/2005

 

what does "go mpfi" mean? I probably sound like a total dumb *** asking you this. If I were to purchase an intake sytem, I wouldnt pull something off of an older car, I would probably go for an AEM system.

 

delta 262 cam

 

Explain please? "delta 262 cam"

 

mpfi multi point fuel injection

u got only 2 injectors

my car is old but intake is newer that urs 25 bucks at auto zone vs 230 aem

 

deltacamshafts.com

regrinds for like 75 bucks..

 

How exactly would i go about doing this upgrade? Do you have more information on it? (fuel injection upgrade)

Re: Delta Cam shafts, this looks cool but I cant afford to go without a car for the period of time it would take to have this done.

 

MPFI means Multi Point Fuel Injection. I went thought the same thing as you. Highschool student wanted to make my Automatic DX CRX faster. I did alot of research and found that swapping in a DOHC ZC was really the best option. The suspention and brake upgrades are really good ideas too. If you wana get serious about doing a swap get your motor from http://www.hmotorsonline.com Great prices and awsome customer service. Here are some other message boards that have alot of great info.

http://www.hondaswap.com
http://www.thezcr.com
http://www.homemadeturbo.com

Best of luck to you!!!

 

its a project that requires wiring experience, you get a Si manifold and ecu and some other **** and make it MPFI. its easier to start with a HF or SI but it can be done with the right info and some patiences** . do some more research

 

start out with intake and exhaust
just get a $30 generic intake off of ebay ( a tube is a tube, don't pay for stickers)

exhaust is up to how much you want to spend. you can do some thing as cheap as a new muffler to more expensive as in whole new piping and muffler

for suspension since you don't want to drop your car i would recommend tein s-tech springs and agx struts. someone recently did this, just search a little.

from there is depend on how much you want to spend.
at least to the mpfi
or a d series swap would even be better
replacing pistons/boring is just a waste of $ IMO

 

I am a junior in HS and just got my 91 DX. I have a job so it will be easy to save up money for car stuff, and I plan on buying a d16z6 (92-95 civic ex motor). These motors are more common and therefore have more available products, ie, more competition/lower prices.

Nippon motors sells garunteed working d16z6's for $650 unshipped. Here are all the option im looking into for upgrading that engine when I get it

New/Preformance:
Cams
Cam gears
Rods
Pistons
Pully kit
cold air intake
exhaust (manifold-catylitic converter-muffler/tip)
intake manifold
clutch
flywheel

Port/polished:
Cylinder head


Hopefully that's another way to look at your plans for your car. For me it just makes sense, although it can get quite expensive doing 80-100% of these upgrades. But I plan to completely rebuild my engine so I can turbo it and cherish it for years.

 

Save your money for a b series

 

As fas as brakes, I would recomend maybe an Integra setup at most, and probably a nice rotor/pad combo would be adequate. As far as the rears, they don't do much of the braking so aside from looks you won't gain much. I would keep the drums in the back, just refresh them.


And ya, don't bother trying to go all motor on the DX. You won't be happy in the end.

 

welcome to the club bro, your best route would be a swap or mini me that 1.5

 

Ide swap for a d15b Vtec. 1.5 Vtec, 130hp same as the d16z6's. you can get them for about 500 shipped to your door with no transmission. Get that and a 91 Si transmission, for no more then 120. Use your flywheel and clutch. Convert to MPFI=Free. You will have a potent biatch right there.

 

Don't worry about the brakes right now. You don't have enough power to get you in trouble yet so don't worry about brakes. You would be surprised how much of a difference upgrading your stock pad would make. Try $30 hawk pad before you dish out $250 for a integra rear disk brake conversion and that is cheap, considering your a budget.
Like most of people mentioned don't buy all that bullshit, buy a ZC or D15D for like $500 and find a si tranny or zc tranny for like $100 and swap it in.
All the parts you listed cost more then a swap, its just a thought.
Your already a step ahead because your dad is mechanically inclined to help you do the swap.

 

do either a swap or mini me. Dont worry yourself with huge engine upgrades for the moment. Just do the basic bolt ons (I/H/E) once you decide what to do with your engine, get some lowering springs and have fun. This car, by the sound of it, is going to be a learnig experience for you. We all need to start some where I guess. Dont let all the little minute get you down, look at the car as a whole and take advantage as things come up. I was kinda in your shoes when I was in highschool. I had all these big plans, but once I finally got started with it, you begin to realize, everything that looks good on paper, usually isnt quite as sweet as it sounds, cuz paper never shows error, just the final product. just my $0.02. GL and have fun with your new project!

 

yeah i agree ^^^ don't get me wrong my DOHC ZC only cost me $475 for everything, but then there was shipping at $250, engine hoist $70, replacing parts $150-$200. and about 6 hours putting it in. And i am still working out all the bugs 4 months later.

Don't always go off this $2000 for a B16 set up, or $500 for a DOHC ZC there are so many other things to factor in. Also i'd suggest just working with your current engine till it gives. And maybe do little things so you can learn your car.

Read- read up on here, thezcr, and d-series.org , just by reading you can learn so much about what you want to do.

save- lots of money since its probably gonna break

.....i think thats all for this rant