1996 Honda Civic EX - Power Pages

Dyno TestingThis is where the manufacturers earn respect. Without dyno testing, it is impossible to gauge how much power each product is making. That is why Import Tuner leaves it to the dyno as the best source of feedback. Our tester came in with more than 100,000 miles on the odometer. We freshened the engine with a new set of plug wires, spark plugs and cap & rotor. Strapped to the dyno, the Civic pounded out 103.9 hp and 90.7 lbs-ft of torque. Even though our tester had more than 100,000 on the ticker, the Civic was given the go ahead. Our first modification required only a 12mm wrench for power steering removal; removing the rubber hose from the intake box was performed in five minutes flat. Power figures jumped an astounding 4.1 hp and 2.9 lb-ft of torque, pushing our power level to 108.0 hp and 93.6 lb-ft of torque. Not bad for being free. Next in line was the Random Technology exhaust system. There are only two parts to the exhaust system: the piping and the canister section, which made installation a breeze. After a proper cool down period, the entire exhaust system was removed and installed in 10 minutes with the use of a hoist. With the exhaust install, the Civic spun the rollers again. This time, peak power checked in at 111.7 hp and 95.4 lb-ft of torque, an improvement of 3.7 hp and 1.8 lbs-ft of torque. Last of the power trio was the Landspeed PowerCore header. We called a lunch break to allow the engine to cool prior to removing the header to prevent stripping any nuts or bolts. Prior to removal, we sprayed the nuts and bolts with WD-40. Not including cool down, we were able to remove the factory header and install the Landspeed unit in 20 minutes flat, working at a frenzied pace. The Civic was back on the dyno and spun the rollers to the tune of 118.7 hp and 98.1 lbs-ft of torque an amazing improvement of 7.0 hp and 2.7 lbs-ft of torque.

ConclusionBy merely spending a little more than $820, we were able to increase the Civic's output by 14.8 hp and 7.4 lbs-ft of torque. The increase in power is easily felt throughout the entire rpm range. Considering the fact that most stock Hondas are slow, this Civic really moves at higher rpm. Where else can you find dyno-proven performance that doesn't break the bank?

The FactsEngine Tested: Honda D16zApplications: 1992-'00Common Swaps: NoneReplacements: B16A, B18 A/B/C, H23, H22A