I just bought a 1995 Honda Civic CX from a friend last week for $500. I already have big plans for this car, and I want it to one day be my weekend track car, but for the next year or so it will serve as my daily driver since I'll soon be selling my Acura Legend, to go in search of a BMW M3. I don't want to spend ridiculous ammounts of money on this car becuase my funds are pretty divided, but I do know that I want to drop in some sort of B-series motor and definitely turbo it.

My initial plans were to possibly just get a B18B and throw on a greddy turbo kit, with Intercooler, BOV, and Timer. I could get all of those turbo parts through a friend that owns a shop for $2600. Would I need to get a wastegate too, and if so what kind. I've never turbo'd a car before so I could use some tips.

Would I be better off going with a B18C1 so that I could have VTEC, and how hard would this be to put into my Civic CX that doesn't have VTEC currently.

What else do you guys recommend or would I be better off putting in a custom turbo setup?

Also, I'd immediately like to get a tachometer in the car, I noticed that on ebay you can pick up the Si Guage Clusters, would one of these just pop right in and is the connector for the Tach already there?

 

Search

 

95 CX for $500,

 

Thanks for making me feel so welcome to these forums. I tried to do a search and didn't find anything.

 

i would say go with a gsr motor and boost it, you cant go wrong with about 8 lbs of boost. basically do that or go with an LS (b18b) and u could safely run 10 lbs (tuned of course), but without vtec, it wont pull as hard up top.

i have thought about going greddy kit also myself, and should you need a wastegate, get a TiaL, not deltagate. for boost creep problems, etc. if you want to go for a custom setup (could be about the same price) go with a mprd manifold, turbonetics t3/t4 turbo, tial wastegate, rc injectors, atleast a vafc to control fuel management, if not that, atleast a greddy e-manage, smaller "johnny racer" type intercooler (unless you plan on running TONS of boost), greddy turbo timer, manual boost controller, and make sure you have a reputable shop build your intercooler piping/downpipe and use t clamps to make sure **** doesnt fall/blow off under boost.

 

Are there any modifications that the B18C1 responds well to when under boost. I've heard that for example new cams really help the B18B1. What kind of exhaust should I get, who makes the best coilover setup for the track for these things?

 

Before you go crazy, What are your power goal?

B18c1 will make more hp when a b18b with the same mods. The b18c1 also has a better geared trans then b18b.

Yes, 92-95 si/ex cluster is plug and play in your car.

 

My goals are to get the car running the quarter in the 12's. I'm thinking about using a B18C5 tranny because I really want an LSD. Do I have any better options as far as getting a LSD in there, I'm just concerned about when I'm getting that much horsepower through the corners that I'll be breaking loose and that coming out of the corners will suck on the track. I don't plan for the car to be a drag car, it's going to be a car that I can take weekend racing at the track, for possibly some Auto-X and definitely on the road racing track.


Modified by SpeedDemonAaron at 10:45 PM 7/5/2004

 

hey speed demon i have a civic cx hatch and right now i have an ls motor in it i also have an si gauge cluster i just popped it in the tach works great the only problem i have encountered as far as that is my fuel and temp gauge dont work but i think im missing contacts... stock tach less likely to get stolen then an autometer or something u no... also im in high altitude and with the ls motor bone stock with 17inch rims and full interrior including system i run a 16.3 in the 1/4mile and im at 1mile above sea level u will run a nice 15.0 also that was my first time at the track with that motor.. it will be better to run a ls turbo for wicked amounts of boost... the gsr is high compression and is not as good for boost and a lasting debate is that if u are boosting u dont need vtec... unless u run a hondata programable ecu and have the vtec start off real early like at 3 g's it will help spool a huge turbo.. what else.. um.. if u wana run 12s best bet for about 3g's on hmotorsonline.com u can get a h22a with lsd and the hasport motor mount kit complete swap check it out.. sick 200hp and 161 torque u will run 12 13's with a stock motor.. and its cost effective if u wana get any faster u can boost it later dude... holla back if u have any questions ... im investing alot into my car time and money this is my third engine i stated witht he stock motor running 21's at the track with the zc sohc vtec i ran about a 16.9 and now im at 16.3's with full interior.. yea im going for the H22a that is the bomb swap for our car..

 

Won't I have some serious weight issues though with the H22? How do you combat the weight as far as handling and balance go? I don't want this to be a drag car, it's going to be a track car so it needs to handle very well.

Also, what do you think about the B18B1 tranny, are the gears really to tall, or would it be fine with a turbo, and would I be better off just getting one of those and getting an aftermarket LSD.

Also, PANE, what's your AIM SN?

 

A friend of mine keeps talking about getting a JDM b16 tranny with lsd. I believe that was an option for the jap trannys in the b16 civics. Just some thing to look in to if you want lsd. b16 tranny is also geared lowerd and a good match for a b18b1 motor

 

i havent yet to have a turbo car yet but if u have a large turbo on this car. with this tranny i believe there will be more then enough spool time u no what mean.. .i had a zc sohc vtec jdm motor before and i blew the tranny. and i dropped a dx tranny on there 1st gear went to 60 and 2nd to 90 and 3rd to 130... aint that a bitch everyone said turbo it but i had no power off the launch and it dropped my track times to ****... anyways i like the way my car runs and u have power in every gear with the ls u can always feel it pull the whole car.. its tight man.. yea either get a real lsd some of those lsd's stop working once u hit a certain amount of wheel hp.. o yea and about the road track i would go with a gsr and swap all ur suspension to type r or gsr also.. instead of the h22 its lighter and if u turbo it u wont have to worry about the torque and it will handle great.

 

In the end does anybody know how much more horsepower I'm going to get with a B18C1 over a B18B1 with a greddy turbo kit + intercooler, BOV, and wastegate?

Also, which is a better tranny with the turbo, the B18B1 tranny with LSD, or a B18C1 with LSD? Of course the LSD will be aftermarket. If anyone has tips on this I'd appreciate it as well. I've only had the car for a week so a lot of this is new to me, but I just need to work out the details so that I can get started on my project. Or would I just be better off with a B18C5 tranny since it comes with the LSD, or are the gears to short for a Turbo setup? Thanks!

Is the B18B1 even a little tall for a turbo setup sometimes because it's not like I'm going to be needing the drive it in excess of probably 140mph. That's about as fast as I would ever go on our local track in Seattle I think.

I'm just trying to justify if it's worth it to go with VTEC, and get the extra 30hp n/a, and get the 8200RPM redline, for the ammount of money I have to pay. Or should I just mix and match. Thanks.

Also, when swapping engines I was looking at Hasport's website, will I need to get the new shift linkage, mounts, axles, and wiring kits if I decide to go with the B18C1, and obviously not the wiring with the B18B1?


Modified by SpeedDemonAaron at 5:37 PM 7/6/2004