Originally Posted by
white_n_slow
...ment, and unless you're burning nitromethane you'll need an intercooler, etc etc etc....
Fixed.
I totally agree.
If it's not a 1.6L don't build it unless all you're doing is re-building it. It doesn't sound to me like it needs it. If you want something faster and you have something else to drive, then ok swap it. It's a light car which gives it great potential, but the expense of adding Intake, Header, Exhaust, Fuel control and suspension (only around ~$1500 for the miserly) is enough to carry you 30,000 miles at $1.80/gal. That's around the world and then some.
It won't have the torque of a Legend with the engine that's in it, but there's no engineering problem that time and money can't fix. The civic is destined to become a legend, though some would say it already is.