performance question - pickup

hey got a few questions. i'm lookin to do some small mods to my engine but dont know where to start because I know nothing bout engines and such (only electronics)

So the other day i was driving and was wonderin what i could do to get some better pickup in it first. the engine is all stock atm. any suggestions?

Most likely the cheapest upgrades are going to be intake and exhaust

what's a good intake? what do i look for?
and i not lookin for like loud exhaust just better performance i guess

Personal exp. if your going to look at an intake go for the CAI The full one and not short ram like i have (FAIL). Anyways doing so is much more beneficial because it usually sits away from the engine and isn't just sucking in normal or even warmer air. Where a full one picks up air that is cool from by the wheel well usually. I don't know what everyone else will say just know that one that goes underneath is better.

As for the exhaust im not an expert and have no dealings with the Import market per-say. I really only know what i have seen in that respect. Cheapest route though and what most will say is go to a exhaust shop and get the tubing of your size liking custom bent. Then get a nice universal muffler from like HKS or Greddy or something. (Like i said no run ins with honda) just going from the big names there.

I also have a Civic, although mine is ten years older. Like robbie said, the cold air intake will get you better results, but will also cost you more, and can end up ruining your engine if you go through too big of a puddle and get water in your intake. A short ram intake does a nice job. AEM makes a good one, although I'm sure you could go cheaper with a less well known brand. On the other end of the engine, headers , a hi-flow cat, and an exhaust will get you some decent power gains. Megan racing makes a good quality, cheap header. For the exhaust I'm not sure what kind will get you the best performance without being too loud. The one thing to check on the 05s are whether or not the cat is integrated with the headers. For the 95s it is on the DX and LX, but not on the EX or SI.

The other thing you could do is new ignition wires and iridium spark plugs.

Hopefully this gives you some idea of what to do.

madtown_civic wrote:

The other thing you could do is new ignition wires and iridium spark plugs. Hopefully this gives you some idea of what to do.

I highly doubt that putting new wires and plugs into a stock Civic engine is going to give him any noticeable performance gains. In pretty much every factory engine, changing the intake, exhaust, and/or CPU programming are going to get you the most noticeable power increase for a relatively cheap price.

As far as specifics for your Honda, I have none. I'm a big muscle car fan and enjoy big V8s
I would recommend finding a Civic forum and reading up on there.

thanks all, ya the cold air intake sounds like first thing on the list, was readin up on it online. gonna look into some stuff tomorow at some local shops, might just order it online

I know that the AEM V2 intake is the best one that you can get for Accords, Might be the same for civics. Cat-Back exhaust helps a little too.

im doing one of the Spectre Performance modular intake systems in the shape of this.



but i have a flowmaster true duals system with no cats. and the super 44 mufflers(2 of them)

you can hear some of the sound of my exhaust.

alot of it comes down to what kind of pick up is it and what size motor?

DJTricky wrote:

im doing one of the Spectre Performance modular intake systems in the shape of this. but i have a flowmaster true duals system with no cats. and the super 44 mufflers(2 of them) you can hear some of the sound of my exhaust. alot of it comes down to what kind of pick up is it and what size motor?

Sounds pretty good,but didn't seem very loud,maybe it was your camera?Also,have you checked your fuel pressure?When you were cranking it over,it sounded like it took a little bit long to fire up.

Tat2Dragons wrote:

DJTricky wrote: im doing one of the Spectre Performance modular intake systems in the shape of this. but i have a flowmaster true duals system with no cats. and the super 44 mufflers(2 of them) you can hear some of the sound of my exhaust. alot of it comes down to what kind of pick up is it and what size motor? Sounds pretty good,but didn't seem very loud,maybe it was your camera?Also,have you checked your fuel pressure?When you were cranking it over,it sounded like it took a little bit long to fire up.

I think it's the camera. I didn't hear too much low rumble but I'm thinking that's because the camera didn't have good audio and wasn't able to pick it up.

the camara sucks with sound its a stoked out 350 so it had the rumble. and i know the fpr is bad, i dont really care if it takes a bit to start up for now so yeah

but i think you can hear it a little better here.

dont mind the bad drifting and my dumb ass friends

If your looking small upgrades then teh intake and exhaust is the best place to start. Also since you know electronics look into the big 3 upgrade for power and along doing MSD ignitions and wires. and ECU or PCM upgrade. If you have any questions about this feel free to hit me up.

umm pick up in first you say?? Hows about a turbo lol
But on a serious note cia, exhaust would be your best choice but also headers but its still an atm so your not going to get the full controle of you horses as you would in a mt. but you could also think about big bore throttle body or ported intake manifold but you said SMALL mods and those really aint that small
i would consider underdive pullys as an AWSOME way to get some good hp/pull

Supercharge and turbo! Carbon fiber intake! A fart can exhaust, stickers = +10 hp