97 DX short-ram question - issues
 

This has bound to have been posted before, but I have quite an issue with my civic's breathing system.

I was handed down this car from my wife, she's had it for a few years, and I have alwayshad my eyes on giving it a little life. Even though I really want to fix this one up a tad and trade for a 99-02 type civic I want to figure out how to get a little look into the engine compartment.

The 97 DX is the bottom level civic of its time, manual windows manual locks *that i am about to upgrade to power*, and the suckiest air intake system of them all.

Instead of having the side mounted throttle body like the LX,EX,SI engines with the large plennum, my car has a top mounted throttle body and a big clunky air box to boot. That air box runs its intake hose to another box, what i can only assume is the "resonator box" to quiet the breathing down a bit.

Ok, my issue is this, I bought a strut bar kit, but the strut bar will NOT fit over this clunky airbox, I have to get rid of it in order to make the bars fit, and I am just itching to throw them on.

I am curious if anyone else has run into a similar issue, or has a dx that they upgraded to a short ram, or cold-air intake. Most kits on ebay are for the side mounted throttle body housing, I have only seen 1 or 2 kits that will fit my car, and they kind of fit ugly, but I am afraid to buy one, for the chance that the pipe might stick up the same amount as this air-box I have now thus not helping my strut bar problem.

If anyone has seen this issue, or knows a way around it, or has any input at all I would welcome it. I am not huge on upgrades under the hood, so I need help so I don't screw up something :-)

Thanks all!

RE: 97 DX short-ram question - issues
 

are you sure you got one for the right year.. that kind of stuff does matter.. air intakes arn't really alot of money.. you can buy one from vibrant for maybe like 130 tops.. to give under the hood some life go to wall mart and get some engine degreasser.. just cover everything under the hood and let it sit for a bit then hose her off this works like a charm:D.. You can also take you valve cover in and get it powdercoated this is really cheap to.. and looks awsome.
goodluck
peace

RE: 97 DX short-ram question - issues
 

Well, I haven't purchased a system yet, I just want to know if it would be more logical to blow the money on the new side mounted throttle body intake manifold and a system, or just find one that fits the top mounted el-cheapo manifold and just shop around hard to find a strut bar that will fit over the height of the inlet tube. If i can find some pics or take some later I will try to explain it alittle better with pics.

RE: 97 DX short-ram question - issues
 

you have a d16y7. splurge and get an 96-00 d16y8 intake manifold. and then the intake.

RE: 97 DX short-ram question - issues
 

i didn't feel like swapping the manifold for such a crappy motor so i got an AEM SRI and searched for a strut bar that would fit around everything, i think it turned out ok

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...c/DSCN0724.jpg

RE: 97 DX short-ram question - issues
 

Thats exactly what I was looking for. I think our strut bars are pretty similar, so If i can pick up that AEM kit I will be golden.

I priced the new intakes anyway, unless I pull one off a wreck I would be looking at at least 400 bucks, and thats only if the throttle body fits the newer one.

You got any idea what model # or etc that system is, or did you just specify it was for that engine?

Thanks in advance, great pic, clean engine!

RE: 97 DX short-ram question - issues
 

http://www.aempower.com/ViewProduct.aspx?ProductID=109

here you go, and i think that my strut bar is APC

RE: 97 DX short-ram question - issues
 

Ugg, they are higher then I really care to go, I was hoping to luck into one of those 30.00 ebay specials, but I guess I would rather try a product that I have seen in action then one I have no clue about.

Guess that will have to wait a few weeks till I get these rims on this sucker.

Thanks again for the help, I will keep my eye on that intake!

RE: 97 DX short-ram question - issues
 

you don't have to buy from there, i got mine for $112 a long time ago, they're probably cheaper now a days

RE: 97 DX short-ram question - issues
 

ha stunt u jus destroyed my 97 dx sedan....im hurt :(