I have a 2000 Honda Civic LX Sedan and I had a question about improving my cars performance. I don't really know the technical terms so please bare with me. I noticed that even when I step on the gas and push it all the way down to the ground, I dont get an automatic response from the car. It takes a 4 or 5 seconds to start accelerating. What would I have to do to get a quicker stronger reaction from my car? I want it so that if I want a quick burst of speed, my car will give it to me. I want my car to react immediately to my foot pushing on the gas.


Thank you in advance for your help

 

Civics are fast!

No seriously though, is this an auto and maybe your transmission is downshifting?
And to answer your second question on how you want your car to react immediately and move when you push the gas. What your looking for is Torque, for that you'll need a new vehicle .

 

wow, you definately need to search search search buddy.

 

you have an economy minded civic (what civics arent? ) with what im assuming is an auto tranny. either do an engine and manual tranny swap, or get used to the slowness.

 

Theres not a whole lot you can do to improve your automatic transmission. You could always do a manual swap and downshift to increase the response.

 

The D16Y7 is a pig - it's made for "around town driving while maintaining fuel economy" - not best acceleration.

If you got a '92-'95 LX even that would be better off the line as A) It's lighter, and B) The engine on the B7 has a lot sharper of a torque curve (RPM oriented motor) than the Y7 which is more of a "cruising" motor - the Y7 has no ability to take off fast.

My friend has a '97 LX and I find myself driving it quite often as I don't like to spend money in gas, and it's a great lil engine for around town and on the highway, but I wouldn't attempt to race a man on foot with that thing.

The only things I can recommend for you that don't have a completely pathetic power to cost ratio:

- EX transmission (shorter gear ratios will lead to faster acceleration without compromising gas mileage on the highway.
- Use a Y8/EX automatic intake manifold on it, if you put a manual Y8 intake manifold everything is different due to the Y7's TB orientation and you'll be fabricating more than you'd like.
- Put a Y8/EX head on it for a mini-me swap
- Once you have the EX/Y8 intake manifold on, get a short ram intake - the shorter the distance from the filter to the throttle body, the faster the throttle response (engine response) will be.

I wouldn't do a whole lot else - it's a horrible engine to boost, and putting bolt-ons on it sucks. You'll throw money away with a header, but a decent exhaust may be worth it for the 3 or 4 hp if you want to attempt to justify that.

 

Well said Syndacate

To the OP, with the way gas prices are right now, i would just stick with the Y7 and do an engine tune up. Maybe in the future do a manual transmission swap, that will increase the feeling of performance and will make the daily drive more fun.

 

do a b series swap

 

If its an automatic using an EX transmission wont change anything. 96-00 automatic transmissions have the same gearing. Unlike the manual transmissions.

If he were to do a 5speed swap then yes. Id say go with an y8 transmission.

I cant figure out if the OP is listing a problem with his car as far as it being fast. Or its sputtering of some sort off the line.