I have a four-door 97 Civic LX with the stock D16Y7 SOHC engine, and I would like just a little more oomph. Nothing serious, just a little bit more. The tough part is, I am a college student with next to no money. Also, I don't want a cheap cold air intake, because I want my engine to last a long time, and I know the stock filter is great at keeping junk out of the engine. So, maybe I am asking an impossible question, but are there any inexpensive things I can do to eek a couple more horsepower from my wimpy engine, without sacrificing engine longevity?

 

you can get more horsepower with a cold air intake, they dont do anything to sacrifice the longivity of your engine. actually they will increase your gas mileage also. you can pick up a CAI for like 100-300 depending on the brand name. there isnt really any other way to get cheap horsepower with next to no money, the only thing i can think of is to gut your whole car and then your car will be lighter so your engine wont have to work so hard.

 

If I did put a CAI on, what brands would you reccomend?

 

AEM is probebly the best brand name, thats what i have and they are fairly easy to install yourself.

 

A cheaper alternative to a CAI is simply replace your factory air filter with a K&N. Your stock intake already pulls the air from basically the same place as a CAI would. You won't get the extra noise and the bling bling (for lack of a better term) as an intake but you'll get the power benefit, especially if your on your old filter has never been changed. The filter will only cost about $40 probably as well.

 

true, but yo wont get as much of a gain as you would get with a CAI.

 

Cheap horsepower = oxymoron.


You'll learn someday.

As for CAI's, I wouldn't pay more than 60 bucks for one. It's a tube with a filter stuck on the end, not too hard to screw that up. CAI's bring in cold air, short ram's bring in hot air, but you really don't have to worry about hydrolocking your car with a short ram and its hardly a difference in horsepower (MAYBE 1 hp to the wheels).

 

$32 for CAI on ebay

 

I'm in a very similar situation to nobrainer, I replaced the initial box filter thing w/ a K&N, and have always thought that that rubber tubing that then runs to the other air filter would be better for keeping away engine heat then the metal CAI tubes anyway. Am I completly off in that, or would I get better power if I spent the cash for a tube to replace my rubber stock one ?

 

intakes = waste of money

especially on a d16y7.... trust me.