The Honda Civic just might be the reason this magazine exists. Yes, people modified small cars before the iconic Civic came around, but never had the sport compact market been taken by such storm than when the 1988 Civic and CRX models hit U.S. shores. On went three-spoke wheels, makeshift intakes and clear corner-lamps faster than aftermarket manufacturers could keep up. It was a car that enthusiasts could afford, a car that had potential.
For little more cash than a nicely equipped Vespa, the Civic offered enthusiasts a fully independent suspension, a capable chassis and the biggest import aftermarket known to man. With a build quality second to none, the dependable D16 powerplant was good for giga-miles of worry-free driving.
This is probably why the Civic is still one of the most popular compact cars on the road. That, and the fact that you can have an older one for a cash investment of less than a pair of tennis shoes.
With so many Civics made (used factory engines are readily available from junkyards for around $350), they're almost like disposable razors these days.
So why not turbocharge them? As the price of engine replacement continues to drop, people are pushing more and more air into stock engines-in an effort to determine when molten hunks of metal will do unintentional port work to the bottom end.
Some people have been able to push 10 psi through the stock block, which isn't bad at all.
The Options
Given the legendary following the Civic lays claim to, it's not hard to find a ready-made, bolt-on turbo kit that will net great horsepower with minimal modification. But we just have to be difficult-we want to do it for less than a grand. And as you can probably guess, you don't meet that goal with shiny off-the-shelf stuff.
No, you do it with rusty, oily junkyard stuff. There isn't a universally accepted formula for success, either. People have tried every turbocharger imaginable, and there are a few good options.
Unless you're pretty good with cutting and welding, the safest bet is to secure an exhaust manifold from a Civic HF or an EG Civic VX. These typically cost between $50 and $100, and make excellent candidates for the marriage of a simple adaptor plate (around $50 at your local muffler shop), allowing the bolt-on installation of a turbocharger.
A more advanced option is to purchase a log-style manifold from one of many sources online. The most expensive route is to use a stainless-steel tubular manifold. But we're cheap, so to the hell with those options.
A junkyard can offer hundreds of solutions for things to bolt onto the end of your new manifold, or, if you're less strapped for cash, you can even buy a number of turbochargers brand-new.
At the junkyard, you'll find boost options ranging from the Mitsubishi turbos found under the hood of the Eclipse, 3000GT and Galant VR-4, to the turbo from the Isuzu NPR diesel truck.
So where do you begin?
As a general rule, the way to pick your turbo is by engine size. Unless you can find a compressor map, it's the best thing you have to go by. Try to pick a car with a displacement as close to 1.6 liters as possible. You'll be lucky to find anything smaller than 1.8 liters with a turbo, but some turbochargers are versatile enough to perform over a wide displacement range, just moving the power curve up a few hundred rpm.
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