A good performance upgrade?

[RensoreK]

I own a 1993 Honda Accord and I want to spruce it up, not just be plain show and all ricey. But I have heard that when starting out, there are several mods you can perform to increase the HP a little. Some people say a good intake and a good exhaust, a combination of both can increase about 10-20HP (could be a lie, you know how some people exaggerate, havent seen many dyno shots). But so far I have a stock everything engine-wise Where should I start to slowly build my horsepower up?

[JdmDC5]

Intake, Header, & a Cat Back Exhaust

[kmcaprice14]

its not really worth it to just add tons of little things... you'll be spending a pretty penny on crap that if you are lucky may add an inconsequential 10 hp to your ride. Save up for something big if you go this route. Adding exhaust and bolt ons to your honda may make it half a second faster to 60...... but its still gonna take like 9 seconds to get there cause the stock engine is so weak in the first place.... in my opinion, its a total waste of money. If anything, work on suspension (wheels, tires, springs, struts, etc). This will be where you get your most noticiable performance boosts.

[vtecaccord01]

Save up your money and boost the motor or h22. Trust me, I wish I would've waited. There is still like nothing like building up your motor but just save first. You can always work on suspension which brings great benefits.

[wedley2]

short shifter (if you have a manual), smaller, more aggressive tires on the front...lighter rims.

stronger motor mounts (help put more power to the wheels)

[ED9man]

Save for an H22a.

[Accord2005NJ]

Save for an H22a.

What is H22a?

[wedley2]

What is H22a?

lol, its a prelude engine, most likly from a 92-96 one becuz it is OBD1

[RensoreK]

Does an H22a engine require a large amount of modificatio to my 93 accord LX sedan? If I were to buy a H22a engine, what else would I need to have it mecanically installed?

[sherwood]

www.hmotorsonline.com is prolly your best bet

the engine bay for the prelude and accord gens for your car and the h22's years are nearly identical, so only minor mods are needed.

some say since the h22 weighs more the steering get a little messed with, but most ppl dont find it a problem. your accord will be jsut as fast as a prelude most likely but it's a definate step up from the f22 you have now.

think about things before you do them tho, the h22 has been called a clunker, and someimtes i wonder if the only reason it is popular is because the engine fits in so easily, i think we are all just envious that japan got accords with h22's from the get-go.

note: the increases are signifigant, but the prelude and accord are so much alike that it's not really a worthwhile transformation, it's like having a prelude that looks different, it still isnt meant to be a racecar, and you have to rev it so high to get it to the HP numbers that you'd see the increase in that it makes no sense (daily driven you'd rolly only rev past 5 or 6 once or wice every few weeks) and above 5k is where you'll notice it the most so it is your decision.

[bubbrubb]

i just found some people building custom turbos for about 800 bux. Now its no t3/t04e turbo, but you'd be about .5 second or so faster then a prelude if you did it. I cant remember the place off hand (ill link it when i get to the house) but its a IHI turbo, and you'll be hitting 210whp/227wtp @ 9psi so its worth a look at least. Plus our cars can handle 10psi and still be reliable daily drivers. So you do have cheap options for massive horse power increases, and i wouldnt believe everyone else when they say you have to spend 1000's of dollars to have a quick accord, because times are changing, and performance parts are becoming more tangible for people on a budget like us.

Edit: I also saw some people installing their own NOS and NX setups for about $250. If you do decide to do this (its probably the cheapest solution out there, and refills are about 10bux, but dont quote me, i just think i heard someone say that) you should get a dry shot if you plan on going turbo afterwards because it would put too much stress on your engine with a wet shot. And i also heard that you should only boost 20hp per cyclinder, so you could get an 80 shot and smoke foo's! Their are even incremental NOS controlers, so you could time it to your rpm range or possition of throttle. Im thinking about going the NOS or NX route until i save up for a turbo.

Edit2: One more thing, the custom turbos i saw were for 6th gen accords, but i dont see a problem getting custom piping made for your car. Plus i think it would be better on your car because its lighter then the 6th gens, and its made for 2.2L cars anyways.

[JdmDC5]

note: the increases are signifigant, but the prelude and accord are so much alike that it's not really a worthwhile transformation, it's like having a prelude that looks different, it still isnt meant to be a racecar, and you have to rev it so high to get it to the HP numbers that you'd see the increase in that it makes no sense (daily driven you'd rolly only rev past 5 or 6 once or wice every few weeks) and above 5k is where you'll notice it the most so it is your decision.

Mostly all Honda Motor's are high revving motor's! I mean c'mon they started out as a Motorcycle company, why would you have a problem with a high revving engine anyway? Me personally, I love the sound of VTEC, it's a roar like no other. Oh and another thing, don't rank on the Accord, we all know It's not a "racecar" out of the factory but who cares, what race car are you driving? The Accord has a lot of potential, and the H22 being one of them, not to mention the double wishbone suspension, doing a little research would inform you of the many Touring Accords found in Japan & Europe. Ask anyone in the formus with an H22 and I'll bet they'll tell you it's one of the best modifications they've ever done to their car.

[AcuraFanatic]

I'm not a fan of H22's at all. Find a lower mileage F22B, swap and then boost.

[MrChad]

Let's see the car is a 93.
I'd recommend, a new timing belt change with water pump and needed maintnence items. Get the valves adjusted/set if needed. I'd also install new plugs, wires, distributor and regular plain old new air filter. And how about a good quality oil change.

The above is always a good start before pouring money into an engine swap.
The results can be surprising some times, may even run better, almost like new on some cars.

[JdmDC5]

I'm not a fan of H22's at all.

-Wouldn't mention that around the Lude forums

[sherwood]

um.... the f22 revs to like 6 k... not all honda are high reving motors, and i was just saying with gas prices like thesea swap where you're going to have to rev it up high to get alot of the power is just stupid

[JdmDC5]

um.... the f22 revs to like 6 k... not all honda are high reving motors, and i was just saying with gas prices like thesea swap where you're going to have to rev it up high to get alot of the power is just stupid

I believe I said Mostly all Honda Engines, and I can't believe you just said this: you're going to have to rev it up high to get alot of the power is just stupid-that was classic, I gonna call Honda right now and let them know that you think VTEC is stupid.

[sherwood]

ok, i dont think you are understanding what i'm saying here

vtec on h22's doesnt come on (as it shouldnt) until about 5k

and vtec isnt like a super boost or anything, it's just a reworked cam profile to match rpm's above that point to keep the line moving upward.

yes the h22 has power, but the question is how much more power is needed than the stock f22b1/2

a f22 with SOHC vtec would be rounding out at like 145 for both top hp and torque, an h22 averages like 200 at the crank for hp if i remmeber correctly and 155 ft-lbs of torque.

the truth of the matter is that if you matched both curves you would see that the h22 and the f22 have very similar attributes until 5K (minus the vtec kick at 3-4k on the f22)

now if he is not looking for a track car or a ricer, wind it up at every possible time upgrade, it's not going to be worth the 3 grand just to show around because of the ease of install.

if you were to place a b20 with boost or k24 in there, then call me, but the h22 is just such a cut and dry thing that it is almost as easy as I/H/E

the h22 swap is somthing every accord owner that upgrades or mods their car will eventually think about, but only a few act on it because they grow out of it.

to be blunt, the h and f series are clunkers of engines, some of them make some good ammount of power, but compared the the b and k series in the respective devisions of cars they are nothing too special

an accord with an h22 is a go-kart for grownups

[sherwood]

i don't want to start a fight here, but i'm just trying to speak to the accord community about how the accolude is a nice car, but may get old fast for some.

[sherwood]

I believe I said Mostly all Honda Engines, and I can't believe you just said this: you're going to have to rev it up high to get alot of the power is just stupid-that was classic, I gonna call Honda right now and let them know that you think VTEC is stupid.

i 'm not feeling well and my sentances are screwed up, give me a break, do you really need to cut em down like that to make your point? lets try reality and stats here, not dirt

i meant to say reving it up that high all the time is just stupid

[MrChad]

Well I own an '00 F23A Vtec Accord since new, and we own a K24 TSX...and one of my 2 best buds from college owns an H22 '00 Lude for as long as I've had my Accord.

The H22 is no clunker, it hangs very-very well with the K24 TSX in fact the TSX can't out run the Lude, it's been tried. The H22 Vtec kick is a sh1t load more fun then the K24 kick or should I say, K2--what kick? They (Honda) smoothed the Vtec out so well you just hear a small change up top but you don't feel a kick anymore. Not that I dislike the K24, the H22 was just so much fun.

The H22 in the Prelude was (is) a damn fine engine, clunker my @$$...many a Civic Si lost a stop light battle to the mighty Lude back in the day.

Now I'm not going to yank my F23 ouf of my Accord, frankly I've never seen one I liked installed in a 6th gen. But I fail so see how the H22 is a clunker. It's got a fairly trick oil system, way better then the B-series setup. GSR, Si, blah-blah...the Prelude was a fine car, a little short on room but a kick butt engine. Too bad that engine never came in the Accord.

But the used market price of Vtec ludes is very affordable now, I'd clearly pick one up before swapping into an Accord. Why hack up a perfectly good wire harness.

[sherwood]

Well I own an '00 F23A Vtec Accord since new, and we own a K24 TSX...and one of my 2 best buds from college owns an H22 '00 Lude for as long as I've had my Accord.

The H22 is no clunker, it hangs very-very well with the K24 TSX in fact the TSX can't out run the Lude, it's been tried. The H22 Vtec kick is a sh1t load more fun then the K24 kick or should I say, K2--what kick? They (Honda) smoothed the Vtec out so well you just hear a small change up top but you don't feel a kick anymore. Not that I dislike the K24, the H22 was just so much fun.

The H22 in the Prelude was (is) a damn fine engine, clunker my @$$...many a Civic Si lost a stop light battle to the mighty Lude back in the day.

Now I'm not going to yank my F23 ouf of my Accord, frankly I've never seen one I liked installed in a 6th gen. But I fail so see how the H22 is a clunker. It's got a fairly trick oil system, way better then the B-series setup. GSR, Si, blah-blah...the Prelude was a fine car, a little short on room but a kick butt engine. Too bad that engine never came in the Accord.

But the used market price of Vtec ludes is very affordable now, I'd clearly pick one up before swapping into an Accord. Why hack up a perfectly good wire harness.

i'm not saying that it isnt better than them at all, just bring up the point that it is harder, and is more to talk about, not to mention it should make decent power

the h22 did dcome in the car in japan, they just failed to see the market here, i think with an automatic tranny it would have been a very nice setup for the USDM

h22's started falling when (i'm not a real h22 guy here) but when they stopped using the closed deck in the mid 90's.

the older obd1 h22's are nice engines, but honestly, they make just as much power with the same compression as a b18 ITR engine (HP wise) yet have more displacment. I think that the design should have allowed for better resuls, but it didnt, thats why it's a clunker

[MrChad]

i'm not saying that it isnt better than them at all, just bring up the point that it is harder, and is more to talk about, not to mention it should make decent power

the h22 did dcome in the car in japan, they just failed to see the market here, i think with an automatic tranny it would have been a very nice setup for the USDM

h22's started falling when (i'm not a real h22 guy here) but when they stopped using the closed deck in the mid 90's.

the older obd1 h22's are nice engines, but honestly, they make just as much power with the same compression as a b18 ITR engine (HP wise) yet have more displacment. I think that the design should have allowed for better resuls, but it didnt, thats why it's a clunker

The H22 made more power in the end (200hp) then the B18C5 (195hp) and it always made way more torque, the displacement makes the torque, rpm in the Hondas is usually the key factor in the HP figures. Clunker? If you really want to know the reason they don't make H22's? They don't meat ULEV standards, Honda wanted a super green lineup in the US....it's the same reason we will never see an RSX typer-R or a Euro-R sped K20 in the TSX.

The Type-R Teg B18C5 engine was built by hand and if I recall the H22's from the Euro type-R Accord was also built by hand and it made I think ~210hp range?

Closed deck vs. open deck, in stock form the open deck allowed for better cooling--all Honda are now open deck. If you run the engine NA you will never have any issues, my buddies has 75,000 miles on it and runs fantastic.

So the H22 doesn't have iVTEC, big woop that engine rocks in the cars it came with. The Prelude is a greater car for it. Our TSX K24 has larger displacement and still only makes the same HP, the TSX's greater torque figure is likely helped by the 200cc larger displacement.

[JdmDC5]

DRfrank you've just been