I just bought a 97 Civic EX Sedan 5 Spd, I would like to build it performance wise. I dont have a whole lot of money, I would like some suggestions of what I can do for instance, my exhaust, air intake, ecu computers, headers. Also do the brands really matter that much, or do pretty much all parts do the same job. How can I improve my horsepower without drying out my resources.

 

If you really want power you have to turbo. I/H/E might get you 10-13 HP, for 800 bucks spent. You could buy a jet ecu chip www.jetchips.com for about 250. they add around 10 hp, but you have to run high octane gas. Just remember what you pay for is what you get.

 

turbo = best bang for your buck, but if you want info about each indivdual category, read the Stickies at the top of each section of the forum, those things are goldmines of info, for real. Any info about which intake/exhaust and brands, rear the Intake FAQ or Exhaust FAQ stickies, and as for chipping/tuning an ECU, theres lots of info in the ECU/Fuel Managment section

 

i would use this site http://www.manchesterhonda.com/ap/ibuy all the replacement parts such as belts oil filters etc, but they have performance parts that are ment to fit hondas, im not sure how good they are but they are cheap.

 

yes, IHE will get you 10-13

but the chip is likely to get you 0

if you want real power, you need to run forced induction, or swap motors.

really, you're probably better off taking the money for "performance" upgrades, and putting it into a good suspension... sway bars, strut bars, tie bars, and a good set of sport springs/shocks does wonders for the handling and sporty feel of a car.

tie that together with better brakes, lighter wheels, and stickier tires, and even the simple IHE will feel 100x faster, not to mention it will handle and respond more predictably

 

ECU tuning is kinda expensive so you might just wanna stick with I/H/E.......and like Flip said you can just do a search and you'll find a lot of info.