Questions/help to improve my 97 civic dx coupe?

[Trenton2996]

Hi I'm new to club civic and I've searched around looking for good exhausts, cold air intakes, and headers but none of what I find refers to a dx coupe, it's always hatchback or ex coupe. So I was just wondering what's the best cat back exhaust I could buy without putting me in debt, the cheapest good one i could find the fit was a magnaflow for 460$ everything that was cheaper that fit was just JDM which I've heard is bad. Also any good CAI I should know? I know of AEM but that's about it, any really good ones? Same with headers. Any help is appreciated, thanks.

 

[CO671]

Let me tell you this, spending all your money on a D16 without any forced induction will eat your wallet and be disappointing in the end. They're not performance parts really...

1) Headers: Noise/Looks
2) CAI: Noise/Looks and may result in hydrolocking engine if there's no bypass
3) Any intake: Noise/Looks (better gas mileage is usually bullcrap since the Civic is already hitting 20-30mpg
4) Exhaust: Noise, noise noise/looks

If you purchase BRAND NAME / BOLT ON exhaust, headers, intake etc; you may be spending anywhere from $600-$1,500+. You'd be better off just turbocharging your D for power (which will require a turbo manifold, larger exhaust etc; anyways)

But if you're still persistent about getting them.:
Headers: Ebay/Amazon replica headers usually crack under heat, even with heat wrap etc; A bung may be needed to be welded for the O2 sensor and if the car is lowered, it may scrape on the road.

Intake: You can get a cheap $20 intake and make sure the emissions/PCV is connected up with a K&N filter. Same applies with Cold Air.

Exhaust: The cheapest route is usually to custom build it. What's modifying a car unless you actually custom modify something right? If there's tests in your area for smog/emissions etc; you'd best be looking for a catalytic converter to throw in there instead of using a test pipe or straight pipe.
Also, 92-95 Coupes/Sedans and 96-00 Coupes/Sedans (I believe, not 100% sure) have the same undercarriage for cat-back setups, however the ones with catalytic converters built into the header (Like on D16Y7's CX/DX/LX models they will require more piping)

I don't consider my opinion/advice to be the only way as there are way more knowledgeable members here on the site, just waiting for what they would say.

 

[emerican]

he is right that bolt ons to a d series especially the non vtec models do next to nothing
also correct about the intake buy a ebay sri and get a aem dryflow filter for it if you have to have one
if you want to do the bolt ons to a d series then i support you if you read my signature ive done a good bit of bolt ons and things to my d16y8 vtec; i know i could have spent the same money and gotten more hp out of a turbo setup, but i didnt want to turbo my high mileage dd.
if you are looking for serious hp out of this and have the mechanical abilty to do it then do a mini me swap and boost it
if you dont want to turbo it at all for whatever reason and you arent looking for a ton of hp just a bump from what you have now then do a mini me swap and do all the bolt ones
when it comes to modding a d series without boost though you need to know up front that you are going to spend a good bit of money with not very much hp neted from the mods if you go into it knowing that and still want to do it then have at it. Like i said read my signature and you can see that i have done a good bit to my y8 i had my reasons not to turbo it as i stated before i just cant have any vehcile without modding it in some way and making it my own; however i went into it knowing that everything i planned to do wasnt going to be cheap and wasnt going to make it super fast like i said if you know these things and still want to go ahead without boost, but mod it then go mini me swap and bolt ones.

 

[2slo4u]

i've seen proof of someone changing the intake manifold, having an intake, a nice header, and exhaust and pulling out 128whp on a dx. surprising but impressive