Sorry if this is boring.

I have an automatic 97 CRV and want to add a touch of reliable power. Enough to make it up and down hills without losing much if any speed. I live in the foothills of SC and that is my only complaint with this thing. I understand that these transmissions aren't known for being powerhouses, but how bad are they really? I dont want to set the world on fire, but I think a nice 175hp or so would go a long ways to solve this issue.

My thoughts were either a very low boost set up (probably no more than 5ish psi?), or raise the compression to a more modern level ~10:1? Any input, or suggestions would be great. I've been looking for someone who's built something similar, but I keep finding performance builds, and that's not exactly what I'm looking to do.

Thank you.

 

Adding power to a 25 year old hardly up for the task in stock form automatic transmission is asking for trouble.

Save your pennies and buy something with more power in stock form. You will be money ahead and likely find something more modern and fuel efficient. Added bonus the newer cars are safer and along with that they cone with much lower insurance rates.

 

Probably the worst response I've ever received on a forum. "Just replace your car", on a tech forum? Wtf? If I didn't like this car, I would. I wasn't asking for new model recommendations or financial advice.

Nothing about my post suggest "stock form" either. I figured this forum would have more focused knowledge on these platforms and could lend a hand and give a little guidance.

 

Ok then spend 10k on a k swap idiot. The crv isn't a performance car and with an auto it will always be dogshit.

 

Hey man, the truth is hard to swallow sometimes.

If you want to spend an absurd amount of money on an old CR-V then go right ahead. It's a foolish endeavor.

 

There's a thread from like 2009 with an auto CR-V build. A lot of money went into it apparently.
Years ago, I looked into mildy boosting my 2nd gen CR-V and it just isn't worth it IMO. I realize those are different powerplants and drivetrains, but same idea.

Swapping from the B20b -> B20z is an extra 20hp according to wikipedia. Swap in a manual transmission while you're at it and the extra gear will help with feeling like you've got more power. Probably a better documented route and more economical.

 

Your other option is to attack this from the opposite side. If adding power doesn't pan out particularly well, you can remove mass. Do you need the rear seats? Can you find a lighter set of wheels? Do you mind the car not having a carpet or headliner?

I'll definitely echo Smackin here and say your best upgrade route is probably the one Honda already engineered for you. Picking up 20hp in bolt-ons is no small feat. I'm not going to say swapping the engine for a B20z is a simple task, but you know the engine fits, and Honda already verified the power gains to a degree that they can advertise in the United States without fear of lawsuit. When K&N or Raid (etc...) advertise power improvements associated with their intakes, the list of caveats is generally extensive. Same with aftermarket exhaust systems. Forced induction is a different story, but the amount of cost and complexity that comes along with forced induction is considerably greater. It's also very likely that you'll wind up with a vehicle that never quite operates properly, and that's not a good attribute for a daily driver.