Cheap/Easy increase in performance?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 22
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From: Elk Grove
Cheap/Easy increase in performance?
Okay, I'm sure this place is loaded with information on how to improve the performance of a Honda - from cheap/easy to full-blown nitrous/blower and exhaust kits.
Here's my car:
2001 Honda Accord Ex - Black
Standard 4 Cyl Engine - only option was the power driver seat
Automatic Transmission
What I'd like:
Something cheap that would give me a bit more power/performance that a chick like me could do easily.
I've heard of "superchips" and "intake kits" - four questions:
* Do they make those for my vehicle
* Are they easy to install (no hours of work)
* Are they affordable (under $500 total)
* Is the improvement noticable?
Thank you,
Melissa
Family Car looking to keep up with say a Infinity G35 - or at least one of those big pickup trucks (laughter).
Here's my car:
2001 Honda Accord Ex - Black
Standard 4 Cyl Engine - only option was the power driver seat
Automatic Transmission
What I'd like:
Something cheap that would give me a bit more power/performance that a chick like me could do easily.
I've heard of "superchips" and "intake kits" - four questions:
* Do they make those for my vehicle
* Are they easy to install (no hours of work)
* Are they affordable (under $500 total)
* Is the improvement noticable?
Thank you,
Melissa
Family Car looking to keep up with say a Infinity G35 - or at least one of those big pickup trucks (laughter).
Cracker Quack!
Joined: Nov 1998
Posts: 659
Likes: 0
From: LI, NY
Infiniti.
Welcome to the board. You'll really have a hard time ever keeping up with a G35 with the car you have for cheap.
Chips not worth it at this point for your car....save computer issues/fuel management for later when you have decided on your total mod plan.
Intake is a nice place to start. It may give you a lil bit more power, but will it really be noticeable, not likely. If you go this route, get a cold air intake for more power than a "short ram".
The cold air intake will situate your air filter in the wheelwell where there is more cold (read: power) air. There is a real, but small risk with this. Your motor could suck water in and kill itself if you drive through a large enuf puddle.
Expect to spend about $180 for an AEM CAI...if you have a flat screwdriver and about half to one hour you can do an intake
Most mods for you car will when combined will give you a tiny bit more zip and cost you $$$$. i've spent about $1000 bucks over the years for pullies, intake, headers and exhaust and can say that my 94 EX (similar motor/performance to yours) is more powerful than it was stock, but it isn't anything amazing.
Your car, like my own, is hobbled by its auto tranny so most power gains are not fully realized.
You could go nitrous and get a true 50 hp gain for around $600+ install, but you will in the long run and seriously compromise the life of your tranny (not very strong) and eventually your motor.
Recommendation: Spend more money on suspension, tires and brakes and then learn to drive to the point where you can extract 95-100% of the performance of your car. I think most of us don't know the true limits of our cars and how to drive at those limits without crossing over into the danger zzone.
I have put more money into my suspension and found better overall returns.
noel
Welcome to the board. You'll really have a hard time ever keeping up with a G35 with the car you have for cheap.
Chips not worth it at this point for your car....save computer issues/fuel management for later when you have decided on your total mod plan.
Intake is a nice place to start. It may give you a lil bit more power, but will it really be noticeable, not likely. If you go this route, get a cold air intake for more power than a "short ram".
The cold air intake will situate your air filter in the wheelwell where there is more cold (read: power) air. There is a real, but small risk with this. Your motor could suck water in and kill itself if you drive through a large enuf puddle.
Expect to spend about $180 for an AEM CAI...if you have a flat screwdriver and about half to one hour you can do an intake
Most mods for you car will when combined will give you a tiny bit more zip and cost you $$$$. i've spent about $1000 bucks over the years for pullies, intake, headers and exhaust and can say that my 94 EX (similar motor/performance to yours) is more powerful than it was stock, but it isn't anything amazing.
Your car, like my own, is hobbled by its auto tranny so most power gains are not fully realized.
You could go nitrous and get a true 50 hp gain for around $600+ install, but you will in the long run and seriously compromise the life of your tranny (not very strong) and eventually your motor.
Recommendation: Spend more money on suspension, tires and brakes and then learn to drive to the point where you can extract 95-100% of the performance of your car. I think most of us don't know the true limits of our cars and how to drive at those limits without crossing over into the danger zzone.
I have put more money into my suspension and found better overall returns.
noel
Lurker
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,922
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From: NoVA
Originally posted by vtecinside
Infiniti.
Welcome to the board. You'll really have a hard time ever keeping up with a G35 with the car you have for cheap.
Chips not worth it at this point for your car....save computer issues/fuel management for later when you have decided on your total mod plan.
Intake is a nice place to start. It may give you a lil bit more power, but will it really be noticeable, not likely. If you go this route, get a cold air intake for more power than a "short ram".
The cold air intake will situate your air filter in the wheelwell where there is more cold (read: power) air. There is a real, but small risk with this. Your motor could suck water in and kill itself if you drive through a large enuf puddle.
Expect to spend about $180 for an AEM CAI...if you have a flat screwdriver and about half to one hour you can do an intake
Most mods for you car will when combined will give you a tiny bit more zip and cost you $$$$. i've spent about $1000 bucks over the years for pullies, intake, headers and exhaust and can say that my 94 EX (similar motor/performance to yours) is more powerful than it was stock, but it isn't anything amazing.
Your car, like my own, is hobbled by its auto tranny so most power gains are not fully realized.
You could go nitrous and get a true 50 hp gain for around $600+ install, but you will in the long run and seriously compromise the life of your tranny (not very strong) and eventually your motor.
Recommendation: Spend more money on suspension, tires and brakes and then learn to drive to the point where you can extract 95-100% of the performance of your car. I think most of us don't know the true limits of our cars and how to drive at those limits without crossing over into the danger zzone.
I have put more money into my suspension and found better overall returns.
noel
Infiniti.
Welcome to the board. You'll really have a hard time ever keeping up with a G35 with the car you have for cheap.
Chips not worth it at this point for your car....save computer issues/fuel management for later when you have decided on your total mod plan.
Intake is a nice place to start. It may give you a lil bit more power, but will it really be noticeable, not likely. If you go this route, get a cold air intake for more power than a "short ram".
The cold air intake will situate your air filter in the wheelwell where there is more cold (read: power) air. There is a real, but small risk with this. Your motor could suck water in and kill itself if you drive through a large enuf puddle.
Expect to spend about $180 for an AEM CAI...if you have a flat screwdriver and about half to one hour you can do an intake
Most mods for you car will when combined will give you a tiny bit more zip and cost you $$$$. i've spent about $1000 bucks over the years for pullies, intake, headers and exhaust and can say that my 94 EX (similar motor/performance to yours) is more powerful than it was stock, but it isn't anything amazing.
Your car, like my own, is hobbled by its auto tranny so most power gains are not fully realized.
You could go nitrous and get a true 50 hp gain for around $600+ install, but you will in the long run and seriously compromise the life of your tranny (not very strong) and eventually your motor.
Recommendation: Spend more money on suspension, tires and brakes and then learn to drive to the point where you can extract 95-100% of the performance of your car. I think most of us don't know the true limits of our cars and how to drive at those limits without crossing over into the danger zzone.
I have put more money into my suspension and found better overall returns.
noel
There is one misconception about the cold air intake. To install a Cold air intake in a 6Gen Accord (98-02 models) you'll have to take off your front bumper to install the intake. It took me roughly 2-3 hours to install my intake and it was a bitch to install. good luck to you though and welcome to the board.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: Elk Grove
Thanks for the replies and welcome fellas. I was hoping there would be something easy - the Accord really feels "gutless," I had a 1995 Civic EX with the V-Tech engine that actually felt MUCH quicker than this Honda does (it had an automatic too). It would wait until 7200RPM to shift where the Accord shifts at like 6500RPM and there seems to be no "Boost" that I got at about 6500RPM in the Civic.
See, I have two places on my way home where right after the intersection the lanes drop from two to 1 lane. In the Civic I used to get next to Escort GT's and wave bye-bye as my Civic hit about 6,000RPM - cause I knew they'd be shifting and I would get the car lenth on them. Now, those Ford (something like XVR's) are kickin' my @$$ across the intersections - not to mention full-sized SUV's like Expeditions, Suburbans, etc. I truely feel like I have the slowest car in the world.
I'd sell the dumb car, but when I went to trade it in on an Infinity G35 the dealer offered me just $13,500 for trade-in. It's a 2001 Accord EX with just 21k miles, power driver seat, one small scratch (a key mark about 8 inches long) and a small spot in the back seat where the car seat rubbed through the "velore" finish. It's been well maintained - always got the "full-synthetic" oil when changes where made and its garage kept (black w/grey interior). I thought Honda's held there value - I expected I'd get like $17k in trade . . . guess I was dreaming.
Thanks again for all your help,
Melissa
See, I have two places on my way home where right after the intersection the lanes drop from two to 1 lane. In the Civic I used to get next to Escort GT's and wave bye-bye as my Civic hit about 6,000RPM - cause I knew they'd be shifting and I would get the car lenth on them. Now, those Ford (something like XVR's) are kickin' my @$$ across the intersections - not to mention full-sized SUV's like Expeditions, Suburbans, etc. I truely feel like I have the slowest car in the world.
I'd sell the dumb car, but when I went to trade it in on an Infinity G35 the dealer offered me just $13,500 for trade-in. It's a 2001 Accord EX with just 21k miles, power driver seat, one small scratch (a key mark about 8 inches long) and a small spot in the back seat where the car seat rubbed through the "velore" finish. It's been well maintained - always got the "full-synthetic" oil when changes where made and its garage kept (black w/grey interior). I thought Honda's held there value - I expected I'd get like $17k in trade . . . guess I was dreaming.
Thanks again for all your help,
Melissa
Cracker Quack!
Joined: Nov 1998
Posts: 659
Likes: 0
From: LI, NY
Infiniti, VTEC
Well 6,500 is redline on the 4cyl accords, so she's giving ya all she's got. The other thing is the VTEC in an Accord is aimed at giving you better fuel economy, not power....
The problem with the accord is that its heavy as hell and not that torquey despite the larger motor than your civic. If you do try to drag with someone, leave the auto in D3 not D(4)...you can hold of on the last upshift. But at that point your at 90 mph and your baby has likely soiled itself! :naughty:
noel
Well 6,500 is redline on the 4cyl accords, so she's giving ya all she's got. The other thing is the VTEC in an Accord is aimed at giving you better fuel economy, not power....
The problem with the accord is that its heavy as hell and not that torquey despite the larger motor than your civic. If you do try to drag with someone, leave the auto in D3 not D(4)...you can hold of on the last upshift. But at that point your at 90 mph and your baby has likely soiled itself! :naughty:
noel