Not sure if this is best subforum or not;

So I have a '97 DX that I'm putting a Y8 head on and next year I'll be putting on a Turbonetics T3 60. I plan to keep it an Automatic, with A/C at least for a while (Daily driver, 25k/year). I'll have to redo exhaust (Cast Iron top mount manifold planned) but I have both O2 sensors new now as I recently had to replace my cracked factory manifold (used a cheap aftermarket high-flow stainless manifold/cat)

I'm looking for insight on P2P vs P28, I understand most people use P28 for turbo setups, what are the drawbacks if done complete? would that ECM be able to use Power everything, A/C, and CC? I may end up getting a full EX harness for Power stuff and CC.

P2P would need to buy:
Knock sensor, VTec oil pressure sensor (extra ~$100 off ebay)

P28 would need
Obd2a-Obd1 mini harness, drop one O2 sensor (extra $20, but ECM itself is $50 more)

Thanks!

 

No. Stop right there. You don't keep an auto transmission with boost. First off, the transmission will **** itself. Second off, you can't tune it, and without a tune, you will nuke your motor. Do it right, or don't do it at all.

 

1: So you can't tune a (chipped/hondata-fied) ECM for an Automatic?


I fully understand a Y7 Automatic tranny would not enjoy life with 250+HP, I do plan to convert that as probably the last Mod down the road or at the very least get a Y8 Auto, and I plan to have it professionally tuned and not just beat on out of the gate, but If I can't use a turbo with an automatic at all, that's fine I'll just do the P2E I have with a VTec by RPM switch for the minime phase and get just a Manual ECM for when I have everything else ready for turbo.


I only have the one car, drive 70+ miles a day M-F and rarely have time off work, so I fix things based on how long it will take and generally just on weekends, so when I do the Minime (y8 head from a member here showed up yesterday) I'll have the Head ready to go, and all wiring run and in place ahead of time- so if something breaks or doesn't work right off, I can mess around with it and still get to work on Monday.


2: I'll reiterate, P28, or P2P? knowing that It'll have turbo, A/C and possibly CC
(I'm Basically making my EJ6 DX, into an EX- the A/C system was certainly fun to install)

 

In order to tune an ECU, it needs to be OBD1. You have an OBD2 car. An OBD1 automatic ECU cannot control an OBD2 transmission. Thus, you cannot use an automatic transmission for a boosted Civic.

As for P28 vs P2P, I point you again to my previous point. You cannot use an OBD1 ECU (the P28) on your OBD2 transmission. It doesn't work that way. You would HAVE to use the P2P ECU. Now, because you insist on staying autotragic, that is going to bring forth another problem - the EX ECU won't know how to control the DX autotragic transmission. You will throw a CEL/D4 code, and your car will not shift correctly.

You need to back burner your ideas of mini-me's and boost, and start off by 5 speed swapping the car.

 

Hypothetically is it possible to use one ECU for the transmission and one for the engine? In theory you could run seperate harness for each controller. Kind of like when they tune gas converted diesel trucks.

 

Except the two halves of the brain (the engine half, and the transmission half) need to talk to each other. The amount of custom wiring and research you would have to do would be a comically amazing waste of time just so you can have an autotragic, especially when the transmission is going to absolutely **** itself as soon as you apply any kind of FI.

With how old these cars are, and how big the Honda fan-base is, if something hasn't been done already, there's a good reason. It's either a pointless waste of money, or a pointless waste of time. What you want to do is nearly the epitome of both. Just swap the transmission, and move on.

 

My brother did a 5 speed swap over the weekend. The 5 speed swap alone is a huge increase in performance and fun factor.

 

Yep, especially if you use a 6G EX, or a 5G EX/SI transmission, the car will be quicker 0-60, AND get better gas mileage while doing it.

 

You can boost on an auto. It has been done before which is why we know the auto trans can't handle much power at all.
You can't tune with an ECU to accomplish this so you're left with methods like an FMU and VAFC hacks.
You really put your entire drivetrain in jeopardy.

 

Anyone dumb enough to still be using FMU and VAFC hacks deserves to have their engine grenade.

 

QFT

There are ways around the ECU tuning, but none of them are good options.

OP: Your only viable option is as NotARacist said, swap the 5spd and then move on with your boost plans. Even if you did manage to tune the auto setup correctly, you'll eventually (sooner rather than later) grenade the transmission as well. Skip that headache and do it first

 

Lol and to claim trying to get 250hp+ on a stock d series while driving 70+ miles a day is hillarious.

The failomatic will probably hate life at even 200hp. Hell ill bet itll wish it were dead at 150hp.

Honda automatics are so weak that essentially anything above stock will make them hate life

 

heh thought I replied already to #4

Going to pick up an EX manual coupe OBD2a with a blown motor or rotted out from craigslist as a parts car and do manual first and basically turn my DX into the EX.

Granted at 158k now, the y7 tranny shifts a lot better than it did when I got the car at 120k. (Valvoline Max-Life ATF fluid changes, some gear-fix and seafoam)

Thanks for the info guys, the auto is gonna go