I have a 1994 Civic EX Coupe with a D16Z6 that is completely stock except for an aftermarket cone air filter and a "coffee can" muffler. I'm replacing the head gasket, water pump and timing belt soon, so while I'm down there I figured I'd take my first step into the world of upgrading/modding. I'm looking into getting a few moderate bolt-ons. Could you offer me some advice as to what brands to consider for the following, as well as some installation tips and things to watch for:

1. Intake manifold Should I go with Edelbrock or something different? Also, would a throttle body and/or throttle body spacer be a good idea? What brands would be a good buy?

2. Headers I'm assuming a 4-2-1 is the way to go. I've looked at Flowmaster, DCSports, Skunk 2, Pacesetter, etc. Could someone with experience point me the right direction here? These come with the down pipes, too, right?

3. Exhaust system I'd like to go with a stainless steel look, but I'm not quite sure what the best deal is.

4. Spark plugs/wires What would be a good set of plugs and wires? Should I use hot or cold plugs?

5. Cams Just looking for some moderate cams, nothing extreme...I don't want idling issues. I'd just like some more power in the higher rpms. With new cams, what else would I have to replace? Valve springs/seats/retainers?

6. Valves Not sure what to look for here. Skunk2? Swirl polished? Multi-angle grind?

7. Cylinder Head Should I send the head off to get machined/ported/polished? If so, will the new intake/exhaust manifolds need to be machined to match?

8. Tuning Lastly, after doing all of this, should I take it to a shop (I live in Washington State) to get my ECM (P28) tuned? How much would a quick tune cost, approximately?

Anything else I should do while I'm under the hood? I'd hate to upgrade certain aspects of my engine, only to break something because I didn't upgrade a separate component, too. Thanks for the help!

 

Welcome to the Accord Forum...

 

Ah dang it. Meant to post in the civic forums.