If you run on stock internals it's best to keep it under 200hp. So if you decide to turbo and not beef up the rods, pistons etc. Than a nice small turbo running at 7-9 psi should suffice. And not use up too much gas and stay fairly reliable. It's adviseable that you do a compression test and even a leak down test to make sure that ur engine is healthy enough for boost.

Everyones got to start out somewhere man, I've been on this forum for a little over a year and still consider myself a noob lol. theres always more to learn with auto's.

Thats cool you play guitar,I play bass and have a 5 string fender jazz bass, and a 4 string fender precision deluxe. With a konig effects pedal and Ampeg amplifier. Rock on

 

Sounds like you need to read up on a lot of information. Its easy to put bolt on parts in a car, but when you want to turbo, its a lot more difficult

 

keep in mind, 220 hp in your car is in the same ballpark as a 350z

 

Talk to riceburner... he's turbo/non-vtak

 

No, the HX has VTEC-E. Lean burn at low rpms and sporty above 2800? RPM. It's a very good car to mod because it has a lighter curb weight than the DX, LX, EX and SI and only weighs 2370 lbs [99]. 115 hp is better than DX or LX.

I got NHT powder coated calipers and BAER crossdrilled slotted rotors for it. Too bad it doesn't have a good aftermarket header for it.

 

just as mybrokenblinker said putting <200 hp in a civic will def be in the 350z range mainly becuase they're so light and it doesnt take a crazy amount of hp to make a civic run a good 1/4 times(if thats what you're pursing). but if you do intend on making a "race car" do an engine swap, a boosted b16 should suffice, then gut that sucker out. take the all the seats out (cept the driver lol) sound deadning material carpet floor mats power steering, although im sure the dx doesnt have power steering, the a/c and pretty much any luxury item on the car, thats free and you'll get something out of it. and dont run a bottle, bottles are for babies. lol. another thing is my auto teacher once told me is get asmuch torque as possible you can hve 500 hp but ur not gonna get anywhere with out any torque to keep that sucker on the ground.

 

some quotes:

"chronodev87" 97hxxx- you really need a reality check. I have a '98 hx, and no, the d16y5 did not have 117hp. It had 115; the 2001+ hx with the d17 came with 117. And no, a stock ek hx is NOT faster than a stock ek ex, no matter how much you think it is. The transmission is simply not meant for launches. The weight difference does not make up for the hx's tall gearing. And I think the hx weighs closer to 2400lbs. But yeah, I agree, it's a nice stock car.

"sacicons" Im no expert on the HX, but it is my understanding that it is a VTEC-E motor. this is a lesser version of VTEC than is found on the ex or si models. It is more geared toward gas efficiency than power. I think it is rated around 117hp, not bad compared to the non-vtec motors rated at 106hp. im not sure about a swap, but i do know that not all vtec motors come with VTEC stamped across the valve cover.