hey guys, i have been searching everywhere but i cant find any info on a DX that is built up...btw, i have an 88 civic dx...i am planning to build up the engine but i dont know where to start...i know the engine is kinda weak but i read an article "HF all-motor monster" and i was inspired to do it with my dx...so are there any possibilities that my dx can reach around 115 hp to the wheels or so? any help would be greatly appreciated. oh yeah, turbo and engine swap are my last choices. hoping to do a h22 swap. thanks.
Dx Monster?
- Thread starter bamer02
- Start date
- Replies 15
- Views 2K
We may earn a small commission from affiliate links and paid advertisements. Terms
hey guys, i have been searching everywhere but i cant find any info on a DX that is built up...btw, i have an 88 civic dx...i am planning to build up the engine but i dont know where to start...i know the engine is kinda weak but i read an article "HF all-motor monster" and i was inspired to do it with my dx...so are there any possibilities that my dx can reach around 115 hp to the wheels or so? any help would be greatly appreciated. oh yeah, turbo and engine swap are my last choices. hoping to do a h22 swap. thanks.
saturn_boy96
88 C1V1C 53D4N DR1V3R
if you want power for pretty cheap you'll have to do some wiring that is moderately difficult but you could get some ZC pistons and a sohc vtec head (any 92 or newer ex head, or a 92-95 si head, or a del sol si head) with a d16y8 head gasket and a vtec ecu and you would hve approximately 130 whp.
there have been some discussions on this so if you do a search you should be able to come up with more.
thats about a 70 hp increase over what you have now and you should be able to do it for less than $500.
there have been some discussions on this so if you do a search you should be able to come up with more.
thats about a 70 hp increase over what you have now and you should be able to do it for less than $500.
MaaseyRacer
Senior Member
i just did an MPFI swap on my 89DX, it hauls man, like having a new motor, and it makes a beautiful sound after 4000rpm.... Here is what i recommend you do:
MPFI swap
ZC or 89 integra pistons.
Si or aftermarket cam, if you change the cam you will need a adjustable cam gear
stiffer springs
lighter valves
retainers
get the head ported and polished
header
exaust
I would hold off on the SI tranny, the SI tranny has a higher final drive, so when you are in 5th gear going 80mph you will be at like 4000+ RPM.
good luck man...
MPFI swap
ZC or 89 integra pistons.
Si or aftermarket cam, if you change the cam you will need a adjustable cam gear
stiffer springs
lighter valves
retainers
get the head ported and polished
header
exaust
I would hold off on the SI tranny, the SI tranny has a higher final drive, so when you are in 5th gear going 80mph you will be at like 4000+ RPM.
good luck man...
MaaseyRacer
Senior Member
no, all i chaged was my intake manifold, distributor, ecu and did some wiring, but all well worth it...
MPFI
MPFI
What year Si ECU are you using? Under Articles section it shows that the 88 si ECU and 90-91 si ECU have slightly different pinouts on pins C12, C13, and A17?maybe pin C8?
4th gen ECU pinouts - ARTICLES
sohcslammer
Senior Member
Is there a diference between a 94 EX tranny and a 93 SI trtanny? I had the 94 EX and put in the 93 SI. I feel a diference but someone told me the EX tranny is the same..... <_<
MaaseyRacer
Senior Member
my ecu is from an 89 SI, i would not worry about the different pin outs, it should not mater much, and if so you just have to move a few wires around... i would recommend going to a junk yard, and getting, some ecu plugs, just cut them and leave about 4 inches of wire on them, i pulled my extra plugs off an 89 integra, while you are at the junk yard pick up a crx or civic injector resistor box...
also about the pistons... you will need to get zc pistons machined to fit DX rods, i have a buddy who did this before he dropped hsi b16 in, and his little DX ripped...
MPFI = Multi port fuel injection, n injector for each cylinder DPFI = Dual point fuel injection 2 injectors fro 4 cylinders.
Dyno Tuning is done at places with dyno's you can look at dyno jet's website to find the nearest or look in your phonebook and call a race shop and ask. They charge by the hour $80 per hour here.
Dyno Tuning is done at places with dyno's you can look at dyno jet's website to find the nearest or look in your phonebook and call a race shop and ask. They charge by the hour $80 per hour here.
oldmopwater
Banned
When I built up my '87 dx the first thing I did was purchase a k20A(s2000) head and then I got a high output distributor from a an RSX type s. Then I went to a junkyard and got a 68 dodge cuda piston kit. What you are going to have to do is sit the pistons on top of each other so that you are basically running a v-8. Oh yeah I almost forgot you will need to replace the valve springs with coil overs so that your pistons will have enough clearance. Then get a s2000 tranny and axles and go to lowes and have the tranny port polished and cam grinded to fit your dx. But this is very expensive but if are blessed enough to have $1800 then you have a dx runnin high 11s in the quarter.
