Hi, all.

I just bought a '98 Civic EX 5-speed, which I really like. I would have preferred an LX for the better gas mileage, but it's a used car, so I had to take what I could get. (I have driven the LX and, the way I drive, I can't even tell the difference in power).

Are there actual mechanical differences between the EX and LX engine, or is it just software? If it's software, can I just replace the EX chip with an LX, or something like that?

I don't know anything about this subject. Where can I learn more?

Thank you.

 

If you drive it with the rpms low you should get the same gas milage.

You might be able to swap in a Non-Vtec head but why????

If you were doing it for MPG it wouldnt be worth it. It would cost you several hundered dollars and reliability would be an issue and you would have to like put 150k miles on the car to get your money back from the swap in milage

 

im sure someone here would do an engine swap with you. why downgrade motors?

if gas milage is that much of an issue you should really look into a bus pas

 

Also you know Honda does have the Hybrid Civic and the Accord.

Maybe even an Insight.

 

Don't forget about the HX with the VTEC-E. Better gas mileage than the lx and dx while still being all gas powered. Once again though why would you? It will not be cost efficient. price and time of the swap would be way too much to be worth it.

 

Thanks. That tells me a lot. The head is different! No, I wouldn't do anything crazy like install a different head. I was just hoping there was a really cheap way to make the EX think it was an LX. It sounds like there isn't. I can live with that. This is a great car. It's OK if it gets sub-optimal gas mileage.

 

I have a civic DX and I would be more than happy to swap engines with you

 

unhook the vtec selinoid,but in all reality a ex will get as good milage as a dx/lx.The Hx in more instances than not will get worse cause the lack of power means you have to depress the gas pedal more to drive at any certain speed.

 

Wouldn't it be easier to just swap cars? (not a serious proposal)

 

not true. the HX gets astronomical mileage. like 40+ city is common. but you do have a point. my 102 hp stocker got me around 30-33 city-highway mix, and nearly the same mix, maybe a little less freeway, my 180+ hp gsr motor, with a couple of mods that added a little weight, averages about 28mpg, and believe me, i drive the hell out of it.. so extra power doesnt mean worse mileage by default.