Turbo Question! Cant find the answer!

[slimddozen]

Ok, ive looked around and i cant find the answers for my simple questions. I guess there not so simple.
I have an 99 Civic EX auto with greddy evo exhaust, dc sports headers, and AEM CAI.
I want to get a turbo kit for it without having to buy to many extra things like pistons and cam shafts or whatever. I dont want a 300 hp car. At max, I just want something a little quicker than my car now. Maybe a 30-40 hp gain.Like 150-170 hp. Thats all. I want to know whats the safest, cheapest way to give it only that much. I found a kit with an intercooler and everything else. About how much psi would i need for a safe daily drive on my almost stock motor. Does it matter that its an auto tranny? I hope not, cause i cant sell it to get a five-speed. Thanks

 

[anfrey]

i wouldn't boost it over 7psi with a stock engine

 

[6sic6]

If you're not looking for huge gains go with the greddy kit, it's kinda cheap and comes with everything you need along with good instructions. You'll probably need to look into a good AFC and some bigger injectors along with a possible bigger fuel pump. Maybe some colder running spark plugs too, to prevent detonation. I saw your post earlier, you're not looking hard enough for your answers man. Turbo is not something to rush into and if you don't know your answers you definitely shouldn't try it yet.

 

[anekin007]

Turbo on a auto tranny? big NO NO.

 

[uncre8tv]

Unless the civic's auto is AMAZINGLY weak, turbos and autos are a good combination. the auto shifts smoother so the boost doesn't die down as much.

 

[6sic6]

Turbo on a auto tranny? big NO NO.

You can do it, it's just not gonna be as fast...

 

[SeanMc300]

turbo auto civic....ha.

 

[anekin007]

auto turbo civic can be done, but wont be fast and will have lots of turbo lag. the auto tranny is slow on shiffting. modifiing for turbo for the ecu is near imposible for auto. its better you go supercharge. i seen some cars with a auto that is supercharge.

 

[edhgreatone]

i don't know if this is a myth or what but i heard that turbos work better in an automatic..... i guess thats BS... but don't take too many shortcuts in getting your turbo because in the long run it may do a lot of damage.....

 

[Handlebars]

turbos work better on autos. on the start, you can brake torque the motor which spools up the turbo, and when an auto sh ifts, you dont let off the gas like in a manual, so you dont lose any boost out the bov. that being said, honda autos are hella weak and cant take the turbo's extra power without $$$$$ in mods, and even then, they still are prone to breaking.

 

[rumracer]

Levelten.com check em out auto all the way
kevin

 

[sohc_vtec 2NR]

you can boost more than 7 psi on a stock D16 as long as its tuned properly.. auto is better since it doesn't there's minimal loss in boost pressure, but i guess the civic's auto tranny is weak..

 

[anfrey]

shouldn't a new torque converter solve that issue?

 

[joe7987]

I was also told that turbos are better on autos.

 

[96greencivic]

I would love to turbo my auto 96 Ex. Everyone says either don't do it for whatever reason. I just wanna do it b/c there aren't really any around and like slimdozen said, I too can't afford to sell just to get a manual.

 

[turbowhat_n_dat]

Just the post I like to run into. I currently have an F-MAX set up on a stock D16, w/ add-ons of MSD-SCI, MSD cap, MSD coil, MSD wires, Revolution cat-back exhaust, clutchmasters stage 3, 2mm headgasket, as well as I just added a dual stage boost controller (running 6psi normally now and 12psi at the flip) and a V-Afc. Otherwise I had been pushing 12psi for 2 years w/o a problem, that gives me 197whp and 192tq. Take it as you want to, it gets up and smokes 2.2 ludes, kept up to a Saleen S281 door to door, couldnt f**k with a supercharged Lightning though, go figure!!! Oh, I have exactly 1 hour of tuning time on the dyno..............

For saftey sake and being you are looking to only looking for 150-170 hp, hoping that is whp. I would tell you to run 6psi. When we dynoed my POS at 6psi we hit 146whp. If you do get a turbo, I suggest installing a new timing belt, water pump, oil pump, fuel filter and head bolts. That'll keep you trouble free for a while if the set up is good.

Jumping into a turbo kit or turbo set up isnt the best way to go, look into everything to learn what a turbo will do to your motor and what it can do to your motor. I've seen plenty of guys roll into Honda needing a new motor stating they tried there first turbo set up and somehow the boost line from there snail to there gate came off and it kept building psi past what the gated psi was at. Or miss wiring in there new injectors, having a 6 injector set up where the wires are wired wrong and the motor ran lean------booooom!!! Or same for the fuel system, not having a good fuel pump and filter made a few guys run lean, but, they were in the 15-18psi ranges.
Do some research on this, go to homemadeturbo.com for your answers man.

The cheapest way to go is to custom build a kit, however, that creates a ton of homework for you, and a lot of time on the net------homemadeturbo.com I've recently seen a custom kit (on a D) from there site that produced 228whp on a budget, total cost of custom kit was $1200.00. Considering my kit costed me $2600.00, I could have built the btm end with the remaining amount had I chosen that direction.

As for your auto tranny, they are crappy compared to the honda 5 spd's, but the honda 5 spds are crappy compared to some other trannys on the market too. Everyone has an opinion on what they would run and on the things they dont have. I used to own a 1st gen DSM which was auto, ran 11's with that beatch, the brake torque works out awesome with an auto.

If your only looking for minimal gains of 30-40hp why not squeeze??? Spending 3k on a turbo kit seems like a lot of money for minimal gains. Especially if your talking 30-40chp.

 

[sohc_vtec 2NR]

turbowhat_n_dat has got some good point, i would suggest you look into getting a boost gauge (so you won't run higher than the preset boost level) and at least air/fuel ratio gauge (so can know if your running lean or not) just to keep an eye on things...

the greddy 19t kit/type s bov/aluminum flange/radiator cap cost me $2030 shipped! an awesome deal compared to the cost of the19t alone, retail: $2600

check out turbod16.com!

 

[anfrey]

don't forget the exhaust temperature gauge!!!

 

[turbowhat_n_dat]

sohc_vtec 2NR-----------welcome to the board man!!!!!!

 

[PANGES]

if u only want like a 30-40 hp gain, and u can afford a $3,000 turbo kit, u mite as well just swap your motor for a b18c cuz u got lik 125-127 hp rite now (correct me if i'm worng) so if you get a gsr motor it'll give u like a 40 hp gain and it costs about 3 g's for one and it's alot safer and more reliable