Recently bought a '97 Honda Accord LX 5 speed manual 4 Cylinders 2.2L MFI SOHC 132 CID

Here is the specifications link from Honda: https://owners.honda.com/vehicles/information/1997/accord-sedan/specs#mid^CD553V

Does anyone have any tips from their experiences with modding Accords? I have heard "do the Acura Prelude engine swap", but I am not sure if I am ready for something that intensive and expensive. Maybe in the distant future.
For now I am simply interested in getting the most performance out of my little Honda for the lowest cost and least effort. Preferably these are things that could be done by 1-3 amateur mechanics without ever needing to go to a shop.

Sorry if I am in the wrong place this is my first time starting a thread.

Thanks anyone and everyone for any knowledge you can throw my way.

 

If you just want to get your feet wet first then some good performance tires, shorter gearing(M2S4 aka H23A1 transmission is perfect), a lightweight flywheel, and adding a rear sway bar will transform the car into something much more fun without making it noisy, annoying or unlivable.

Going further down that path, a good set of coilovers and a properly installed polyurethane master bushing kit will tighten up the chassis further and reduce body roll. You must get an alignment if you alter the ride height at all, it is not optional.

There's very little point in doing the typical intake, header and exhaust unless you really want a lot of extra, annoying noise. Very, very little gains on a stock F22. The money is better spent elsewhere.

 

Thank you exactly what I was looking for! I have elderly neighbors and am out late when I drive for fun usually, not a good combo for a fart can exhaust you can imagine.

I will look into all of those that you mentioned, since you mentioned the bushings, my mechanically inclined stepfather said the struts are worn and loud but 100% usable for a long time, are there any good aftermarket struts out there? Or should I just not even bother?

Thanks again!

 

Personally I like/use KYB struts. Since you have to replace what you have their AGX line may be a good option for a little futureproofing. They will support a lowered suspension if you decide you want that and are dampening adjustable.

 

What are some good sway bars and flywheels? those seem like the cheapest and easiest to do after the tires.

 

Rear sway bar - ST Suspension is pretty much the only option. They were on nationwide backorder last I looked, hopefully that's changed. Flywheel, you can go namebrand like ACT if you want but pretty much any of the chromoly steel ones(11lbs) on eBay are fine. Wouldn't recommend the 8lb aluminum ones. Might as well replace the clutch with an OEM replacement or stage 1 performance street clutch from ACT/Competition/Exedy/Etc while you're in there.

 

I believe these guys have a few of the ST rear sway bars, if interested:

https://www.kseriesparts.com/STS-511...hoCpmgQAvD_BwE

Shows 3 available as of today.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/FX-LIGHTWEI....m46890.l49292
Is this a good flywheel?

 

That is not for the same year. Looks like 6th generation. Would it still fit?

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Exedy-Stage....m46890.l49292

Like that?

 

Yep. Get an OEM throwout bearing, fresh flywheel and you're good to go.