I have a 91 dx civic with a 1.5 motor, and I plan to use it for auto x next year.The car is stock right now but i plan to modify it over the winter.My question is , how much horsepower can i get out of the stock motor with just bolt on performance and a few internal mods? How much to overhall the whole motor. e.g. rings pistons and a valve job. A friend can get me a b16a motor and tranny for a good price. Is it worth rebuilding the stock motor, or just put the b16a motor and toss the old motor away? What would you do? thanxs

 

if you really want that car to go faster, then the b16a swap is a must (if you had to choose between the two you have now). if you are not looking for hastle of swapping an engine or paying someone to do it, then just mod your car.

A BIG TIP: if you want to make that car breath better to go faster, then remove the throttle body cover (the black metal thing that looks like a carburetor). there are four small screws that hold the cover to that on. take off the cover and there will be a metal air restrictor in there right where the air comes in. take that out. it will just slide out. then put the cover back on and away you go. THIS does not apply if you have a multi-port fuel injection model (like the si). your intake should say electronic fuel injection or something like that. it should be the dual point injection system.

 

fairly cheap way of making power on the dx motor can be made with the following 88-91 mpfi intake/injectors/ecu (complete) and rewire (92-5 intake off a DX or Si can also be used)

then get a 90-1 crx si, cam...get a 92-5 si 4-2-1 header (oem)....

or get a D16A6 from a Si rewire and add the ecu and tranny...or even ZC

 

If you are just starting out in autox, I would recommend NOT swapping the motor because it will bump you into mod class. Start out in stock, and then add mods as you become a better driver. You will have more fun and the car will be more competitive that way. It all depends how serious you want to get in autox.

 

Good advice solorex!

 

Thanxs for replying to my post guys. I have done auto xing for about a year now and the reason I bought this civic is just for auto xing and for the track. I have to do a little work to get the car going. The clutch is smoked, there is a crack in the winshield, and there is a hole in the muffler. During the winter the suspension is going to be replaced with Neuspeed race springs, tokico blue struts, and energy suspension bushings. With all that being done, what can I do with the motor to make a little more horse power.The motor has 264,000km on the motor. Is it worth putting money in to that motor or replace it with the b16a motor? thanxs

 

well after reading your first post i was gonna say keep it stock

but after reading your second post... if your cool with running mod put the damn engine in it.

1.5 is a pos engine and wont do you any good, junk it and toss in the good ol b16