What should I do first?

Change my transmission to 5 speed?

or

Buy a Greddy turbo?


I would go ahead and buy the turbo because it will cost more and I'd like to get it out of the way, but what I'm worried about then is that I'll want to use my money to build the engine and turn up the boost, which might cause me to procrastinate on getting that 5 speed tranny put in...

What would YOU do?

 

get that auto tranny out of there!

 

From my experience: do the 5spd swap. My Sol B18B hybrid is still automatic, because it's my personal challenge to build a mid 13 sec daily driver with automatic. I'm down to mid 14's, and 13's are well within sight -- but I've already been thru one automatic. It's very expensive to get an automatic built right to hold big HP. You'd have to be pretty dedicated to keeping the automatic for it to be worth it. I happen to be dedicated, so its worth it to me -- and it's fun to beat V8's and other cars, then tell them they just got beat by an automatic 4 banger. They usually have to see it to believe it.

A stock auto will NOT hold up to boost. I'd say give it 2 to 6 months, but it will go out with no real warning (unless you never drive under boost, but then we'd you get a turbo for??). After parts and labor, I'd say $1200-$1500 for a 5spd swap. It's not very hard, it's just not fun to do.

 

I had the same debate going when I had my old Sol. It was a '93 Si with an auto. Then I realized I didn't want to pay $3500 to run mid-15s. And then I sold it and got a car with a 5-speed. But that doesn't really help you out that much does it? Sorry. I would swap the trannies first. It would make the biggest difference, and you don't want to have that auto go out on you.

AutoSol: I'm voting for you for the USCC dude. Del Sol power!

 

AutoSol is so right. The auto tranny won't hold up long to that powerful boost. I say get the tranny first.

 

Definetly go with the 5spd, either swap in a d-series hydro tranny or save up and do a B-series swap w/ 5spd. I think alot people can agree that when they see a car with an auto, they pretty much go "hmmm...could have some potential if it didn't have the slushmatic tranny".

Brian

 

anybody know duckman on this board? He's offering me an EX tranny, but I'd like to know if he is someone I can trust...

 

Honestly I would sell that car, and use all that money that you plan on dumping into the car, and start with something that doesn't need to be modd'd as much. That tranny conversion isn't going to be cheap, and I doubt that it's something that your average shadtree mechanic could pull off flawlessly.

 

the smart thing to so would be to take the money u had for the boost and buy a b series manuel put that in an put in a new master cylinder and clutch pedal and hydro lines and you will be all set with 160 stock------that would be the best start

could some one that done an auto to 5 speed post some of the important info ???

 

Sure I'd have 160 stock then, but it would take a lot of money to get signifigant power from it. If I got a swap, I would NOT be going FI in the future. I'm not building a rocket here. I want to turbo so that I'll have MORE than that 160hp and more torque too, and then I can build up the engine gradually and raise the boost until I say "I'm done". Much easier IMO than swapping in a B-series and then trying to squeeze out more power through bolt-ons and building. Plus, to be honest, I just want a damn turbo

 

Why?

 

$1200-$1500 to go from Automatic to Manual? Sheesh, I guess I feel lucky.

I got everything to convert, for only $125(yes i'll have to mess with the rear tranny mount, but that's the only thing that requires work besides bolting everything else in)

 

Sell the car and buy a manual...

It's not like there aren't hundreds of thousands of civics out there to choose from...

 

First of all, I am NOT selling this car. It was bought FOR me a couple of years ago and isn't even paid off yet. I'm KEEPING THIS CAR! And also, I'm not going FI if I get a swap because like I said "I'm not building a rocket", I just don't want my car to be slow as **** like it is now.

 

I really Hate it When *******.. Tell u to sell your car..

I got a 99 civic ex auto.. would u tell me to sell my car?. WHY SHOULD I?.. its a ******* 99.. Do a tranny swap? why?.. Better off Rebuilding a auto tranny .. the bullet proof auto tranny rebuild kit is only under $400 bucks.. and that can handle up to 600hp before Blowing.. grab a new torque converter.. and U will be launching as good as manuals..

get your ECU chipped.. so that u have more redline.. then the gay 6500rpm when it shifts.. make it go to like 6900rpms or 7000..

but doing so, u gotta rebuild the head also.. to hang with higher revs.. and build the block so that u can handle more boost..


But then again.. Im buying a 300zx TT manual next year or a 89-92 Integra LS and go LS/VTEC

 

I'm not telling him to sell the car because it's an automatic... I was simply suggesting that it might be easier (and cheaper) to sell the automatic and buy a manual rather than do a tranny swap. I still believe this. If it's got some sort of sentimental value, or there's some reason you can't, fine...

Then again, some people just like working on their cars...

 

I'm actually in the same boat as you SOHCam. I have a 4 door 98 auto EX that was handed down to me and for a long time I looked at selling the car and buying something else. The problem with that is the payments still left, which total about 2000$, and the fact that it still is a relatively new car. In order to get an Integra or EX hatch I would have to go for higher miles and lower model year.

After working for about a year to save money and doing college, I finally decided I'm going to try and build a sporty sedan with FI on the SOHC. I'm not looking to drag it, but I definitely want a bit more power then what's available (if youve tried passing or accelerating on slants or hills in an auto civic...).

Keep us posted on your progress. Good luck to ya bro.

 

Thunderlips and JeffS are only giving suggestions that they think will save you money in the long run. I'm just like most of you, still going through college poor. My paychecks basically go to books and parts. Even if you don't want a rocket, doing the tranny swap or going FI is gonna hurt your bank. I think if you're going to take the extra step of tranny conversion or FI, you will be happier starting off with a better base to build upon. BUT, it seems your very set on not selling so tranny swap then turbo!

 

doing a b18c1 swap it will make the tranny swap way easier and you will have 170 horses stock, thats more then what you will get from turbo unless u spend about 2 grand building your motor and it will be way easier if your doing it your self
I also heard that auto engines aren't as aggressive as the manuel engines

4 grand you can have a manuel and a 170 with no mods

 

I can have more than that with a turbo for 4 grand

 

you can only get so much power out of that little single over head cam before investing tons of money

plus with the swap you have way more reliabilitie than with the swap