I did a search on the topic but I couldn't find the information that I was looking for, so here's my situation:

My family is going to get a new car over the summer, leaving me the 1990 Civic wagon (auto, 160k). Over the summer, my plan is to rig up a home made turbo set up. From what I found on HMT, I need a small, fast spooling turbo, a custom manifold (or modified STD mani?), a blow off valve, piping of some sort (will radiator hoses work?), a mbc, an adjustable fuel pressure regulator (I'm on a budget, I understand just how ghetto this is), oil lines, vaacum lines, and a boost guage. I plan on going no more than 5psi. Do you guys have any suggestions? Should I just abandon the project due to how unrealistic it is? ?

 

well i dont know how the wagon works. but if it were the same as the crx or hatch, then id first look into swapping for a 5spd. d16z6. ill give u 30 extra hp. plus the lower geared 5spd would help significantly. plus it would give u a newer/better platform to start with, plus vtec. then think about turbo.

 

If I had the money that's what I would do. I don't want to spend more than $500 on this, and I think that making a homemade turbo setup is less time consuming and cheaper than converting to stickshift, doing an MPFI conversion, swapping the engine, etc. A local mechanic has a 87 Prelude Si running a similar setup (non-intercooled, just an adjustable fpr and an mbc with a Dodge Daytona turbo on 7psi). The prelude ran a 15.5 with him (atleast 250 lbs ) in it. I don't want some crazy boosted to the extreme street-racing machine, just a fun peppy car to tool around with. I'm looking to make about 120 to the wheels.

 

well i would get a 5spd no matter would you should be able to pick up a si trans for like 100bucks and you could probaly find a dx for 50 bucks maybe free if your lucky ! you gotta get a 5spd. ! personlay i think its a good idea just try for a little more money !

 

you should not abandon the project, and I think how cheap-o you're trying to go is what would make the project fun! lol..go with it.

 

I dunno. I live in a REALLY hilly place (if anyone's been to Ithaca, they know what I'm talking about), so practicality wise, auto wins out. Also, I think it would be pretty original to have a automatic turbo EF wagon. Do you think I could do an auto-manual swap with basic hand tools and in my garage? If it's not too difficult I'll consider it.

 

I wrote to honda tuning not too long ago asking them if my 88 crx manual stuff would swap over to my 88 civic sedan auto, and they said it would be a direct swap and everythign would switch over, so hey, maybe your stuff can switch right over from parts you can source at a junk yard, without any serious work but hand tools

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sLcREX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you should not abandon the project, and I think how cheap-o you're trying to go is what would make the project fun! lol..go with it.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah, I have good access to junkyards and I know someonw close by who has a similar setup already (the turbo prelude mentioned above) so I guess I just have to wait till my family buys a Honda Fit so the project can commence!

 

go check out homemadeturbo.com every thing you need to know

 

If you read my first post, you'd notice that I mention looking on HMT.

No harm done, just read before you post.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CivicWagonRUS &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I dunno. I live in a REALLY hilly place (if anyone's been to Ithaca, they know what I'm talking about), so practicality wise, auto wins out. Also, I think it would be pretty original to have a automatic turbo EF wagon. Do you think I could do an auto-manual swap with basic hand tools and in my garage? If it's not too difficult I'll consider it.</TD></TR></TABLE>
dude i live in the mountains and having a manual fast car makes will make driving everyday fun !
my freind did a auto to manual swap in his carport with handtools so i think its kinda hard but very doable !
what kind of wheels are you planing ? any suspension work ? you can buy cheap coilovers for like 50 bucks off ebay so i would atleast do that. remeber ebay and junkyards are a poorboys best friend !

 

Auto gearbox is for ****** lol

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EFMAN &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
dude i live in the mountains and having a manual fast car makes will make driving everyday fun !
my freind did a auto to manual swap in his carport with handtools so i think its kinda hard but very doable !
what kind of wheels are you planing ? any suspension work ? you can buy cheap coilovers for like 50 bucks off ebay so i would atleast do that. remeber ebay and junkyards are a poorboys best friend ! </TD></TR></TABLE>

I see your logic, but I'm not the touge/canyon-racer type. I plan to keep my suspension stock and I have CRX Si wheels (roads around here make short work of lowered cars with low profile tires). I'm more into the rally/Ice racing type stuff, and during the winter, you can bet that I'm out on the unplowed secondary roads having fun . I just wanted to have some more power for everyday stuff (going up small hills without having to kick down to 3rd), and to have something to do this summer

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CivicWagonRUS &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I'm more into the rally/Ice racing type stuff, and during the winter, you can bet that I'm out on the unplowed secondary roads having fun </TD></TR></TABLE>

And that the reason why u should use manual tranmission

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ruffie_PL &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Auto gearbox is for ****** lol </TD></TR></TABLE>
That's what I expected to hear from HT . Some of you think you're sooo cool driving stick. Sure, stick shift requires more skill and is more rewarding (better mpg and acceleration) but which would you rather have in stop and go traffic? For everyday use, I think that an automatic is better.

^to the post above: I agree that a manual would be more fun, but I find myself driving to school more often than I do sliding around in the snow .


Modified by CivicWagonRUS at 8:01 PM 3/26/2006

 

in all honesty, i seriously doubt you could make a complete turbo kit for less than 500. good luck though.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by CivicWagonRUS &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I see your logic, but I'm not the touge/canyon-racer type. I plan to keep my suspension stock and I have CRX Si wheels (roads around here make short work of lowered cars with low profile tires). I'm more into the rally/Ice racing type stuff, and during the winter, you can bet that I'm out on the unplowed secondary roads having fun . I just wanted to have some more power for everyday stuff (going up small hills without having to kick down to 3rd), and to have something to do this summer </TD></TR></TABLE>
well if you rally than i you need a si trans !
i want to get a 4 door beater to rally we have tons of forest roads around that are loads of fun on dirtbikes but would be much better in a car ! good luck

 

I guess you guys took my rally/ice-racing comment too seriously. That's my fault. The only abuse this car sees is in the snow, not mud/gravel/anything else than will actually damage the car. I don't race competitevely, ya know, just to mess around. Mostly the car sees daily driving to school over hilly terrain and subpar roads.

 

well than turbo it, si trans. coilovers, and have fun !

 

I think we're gettign off of the topic of the turbo. Do you think my turbo setup (non-intercooled, 5 psi, adjustable fpr, etc.) is feasable for $500? And is so, would it be reiable enough for everday use?