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Newb needing help D17 a/t potential?

6K views 22 replies 16 participants last post by  baron340 
#1 ·
Hey ive got a d17 non vtech with an automatic transmission (04 civic lx)
i was wondering what the potential of this setup is i was considering a standard tranny swap but decided it isnt something i need just a want and gettin a new honda isnt an option at this moment (payments= grrrrrr).
anyways a possible list of mods or setups i am not looking for godly amounts of whp just somethin better than what it puts out that i can actually race with.
any help is appreciated!
 
#4 ·
Well you unfortunately have two things going against you on this purchase: 1) it is a d17a1 2) it is an auto

If you look at my sig you will see what i have on my 7th gen. It is simple, mild performance adders like you mentioned and it definately made it more fun to drive, but nothing riveting surely. (and mine is manual)
 
#8 ·
ok

so say i get a random thought to just roll what i got
for minor increases instead of JUST i/h/e cuz on a d17 that wont help much
say i were to get ahold of some new cams, valves and a mild street tune would that give me a lil more power than the supposed stock 115hp? and i know get another car and such. this is a time killer and sorry for horrible typing i have a busted hand. woot rollerblading ftw!
thanks and sorry fer newb questions but gotta learn some how
 
#10 ·
its an auto d17. what the hell are you gonna race and actually win?????? keep the car stock so its not another annoying ass automatic fart cannon running around killing people. find a real car to mod. 88-00 honda. you will be 100% wasteing your money trying to do anything to it.1 reason, its a d17, but the main reason...its an AUTO...that gearing alone just takes any and all the fun out of driving it. take our word...leave it bone stock..find a real honda. unless you wanna spend $3200 for 30whp that you wont even feel from your shit ass gearing.
 
#11 ·
Hondata K-Pro or AEM EMS wont work on the automatic transmission. You'll be looking at a piggy back engine computer to tune. Only really fast solution with the automatic is turbocharge it. Boost favors tall gears and you'll be on boost all the time without the need to release the throttle between shifts (can be done on a manual with an anti lag tune, but it's very complicated to setup and you'll probably end up with a cracked exhaust manifold). Powertrain Control Solutions does make an automatic transmission controller. Hasn't been done on the D17 yet, but there was some talk awhile back about trying it.
 
#12 · (Edited)
in other words what i said and everyone else considering you just got it off the car lot i highly doubt you are looking to turbocharge and break a new civic. piggy back and turbo auto is just asking to ruin both engine, and transmissionl...sounds like a hell of a plan!!!:rockon: and yeah the turbo might favor long gears cause its just spools an spools...but acceleration does not. or else everyone would be runnning DX/cx/lx trannys. and LS and non vtec h series trannys. but torque wins races, so shorter gearing is in favor. but thats here nor there.
 
#13 ·
leave the car stock... the car you bought was ment to be reliable and to make sure u always get where your heading to.. thats as much as i would use it for, as it was for any types of mods, you need a better platform.

d17a1 with i/h/e is not worth the effort in an automatic trim.

but if u want, start with those mods,
 
#14 ·
just do an auto to manual conversion youl feel like you got 60 whp more .... feel is the keyword here lol
 
#15 ·
I ask why you bought a newer honda with a auto? For the money you spent on it you could have older honda, that still looks nice, manual, and have money left over to tune her up. Thats my 2 cents those.
 
#16 ·
yea your not gonna be happy with urself if u drop 3 g'2 into it for maybeeeeeee 20 hp

which will feel slow in 3-4 weeks time, trust me.

any major mod u do requires i/h/e

auto is definitely against you too, the only thing that will get that heavy car moving is nitrous. but even still, our 7th gens are heavy and i chose to stay away from nitrous for this car b/c your not gonna be able to make the car one that dominates lol. unless u have a large budget.

but if your goal is to learn and to be proud of what you will be driving for the next few years, do w/e you want and learn from your mistakes!
 
#18 ·
I say swap in a motor from a NSX (If thats possible, heard it is but IDK) nitrous, twin turbo, and cams........ Thats the only way it will go fast. There to heavy.... There like my old 1989 Lincoln TownCar. Wait no it would probably out run that civic.
 
#20 ·
where do you get this crap from? the 7th gens are heavier than older civics, but still a relatively light car when you are talking about power to weight ratios. have you ever even seen an nsx, much less the motor, those engines are f'ing huge. that thing will fit in a civic just as easily as an LS1. a decent turbo setup on a 7th gen will outrun mustangs all day long, yeah maybe not a heavily modded one, but still mustang owners get really pissed off when they cant outrun a wee little 4 banger.

but seriously... a manual trans swap and start building a turbo setup, you're good to go
 
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