There is a good chance I'll be getting a very nice condition 95 Civic 1.5L sedan for a good price. Tragically automatic. I'll likely leave it complete stock, but just for fun:
What would be the best bang for buck in engine improvements? Something that'll still get 33mpg average, but actually be fun.
It'd also have to be a really straight-forward swap. I'm mechanically inclined, but working out of a small backyard garage.
A single-cam D16Z6 VTEC swap can be done for really cheap, and boosted for even cheaper. Junkyard turbo, second-hand cast manifold, and eBay intercooler and piping kit. Swap in some DSM injectors and run an emulator with Crome Pro and you're looking at 250whp for about $1000 or so invested. Off boost you'll still hit 30mpg no problem. It's a real easy swap if you get the right parts, and there's no fabrication involved.
NA power? Not happening on a "bang for buck" scale.
Wasn't sure if there was a cheap/easy larger displacement swap out there now'a days.
I think the best results will come from swapping in a manual trans. Makes the best of the engine you have and will improve mileage even further.
Yea probably. The car will actually be my girlfriends, and she can't drive manual comfortably.
That's not to say some day down the road the Civic won't be mine.
I have seen some F-series out of Accords swapped in and they are cheap but they will require fab work and a different transmission.
93EXCivic wrote:I have seen some F-series out of Accords swapped in and they are cheap but they will require fab work and a different transmission.
Images of a 351 in a civic ran through my head. 
I did a quick search and it appears the F22 just isn't worth it in terms of fab-vs-performance.
There is a B20, but those are relatively expensive I guess.
nitrous oxide
Having owned one, a B18A engine and it's transmission (manual, tho) would meet most of your needs and is a definite sleeper. With the automatic that must also come from the same car as the engine...you won't get 33 mpg. You will get close...maybe 30 or more, but on the hiway at cruising sppeds of about 70 mph. In town driving? About 28 mpg.
PHeller wrote:I did a quick search and it appears the F22 just isn't worth it in terms of fab-vs-performance.
There is a B20, but those are relatively expensive I guess.
The F22 is soooo cheap though.
AngryCorvair wrote:nitrous oxide
Nitrous on a E36 M3ty Civic engine:
B16 with cams ... ( type R cams on a friends = 175 to the wheels 
)
Do a B20 bottom end with any VTEC head and a decent tune if you want budget NA power.
The b20 came from the Honda CRV. This may be a junkyard swap.
Use a GSR transmission as they are a good 'compromise' between the loooong MPG savvy LS transmission and the shoooort B16 transmission. (I won't even get into the ITR tranny)
Take one parts:
B18B (Integra ls) block
B16 head
CTR pistons (cheap from your local honda dealer, 12.5:1)
ITR cams
CTR valvesprings and retainers
Attach to transmission of your choice. Enjoy LOTS of power.
Sounds like we're making a Spoon Civic Sedan...
Needs more SR20. Just get them far before Race Wars.
My dad has a '93 Civic hatch that we put a junkyard B18b into and threw a 150 shot of nitrous on it. Ran 11.8 consistently all day. You can find B20's for $500-$1,000, or you can find B18A1's everywhere and those are good motors. My dad's friend has a LS/V turbo in his '89 Civic hatch that runs 11.8's and he daily drives it. He's driven the car daily for about 2 years now, and one of the cylinders are just starting to get low on compression. There's PLENTY of bang for the buck options, it's just up to your preferences.
If you want more power, turbo'd D-series is the answer IMHO.
93EXCivic wrote:If you want more power, turbo'd D-series is the answer IMHO.
Way cheaper than finding a decent B-Series VTEC these days.
Just discovered that MPG will not be as high as I was hoping in the city with the automatic.
Still better than the girlfriends 18mpg Thunderbird in town.
I'm going to vote B18b as well. The compression is low enough to handle mild boost and it's pretty drop-in compared to the F-series. Plenty of transmissions to choose from as well.
All I have to say on the auto Vs. stick, My wife had a 97 civic slusher. It was a nice drive, but a 5spd would have made it perfect.
