Buying 92 Accord sedan

[PPCB7]

Hi all,
Going to buy my first car very soon, I found a 92 accord sedan with 110k miles on it. Just wanted to ask about things to look out for when purchasing one, as well as what kind of mods I can do for power on the stock engine and what kind of numbers I could expect out of it if I put say about 5-7k in it. Thanks!

[Darkcloud]

What I would do prior to modding, is check all maintenance parts, such as hoses,radiator and ccooling, oil, change, spark plugs etc. As well.suspension and brakes, check those very carefully you don't want surprises with suspension or brake failure.

As for mods depends on what you want to do, cruise or go fast.

Track(drag strip)), circuit racing or cruise

[deevergote]

110k is an absolute baby. If it's healthy, you're getting a great car.
First, look for rust. Rear quarter panel rust can be a major issue (and it is prevalent in pretty much the entire Northeastern quarter of the US, and all of Eastern Canada.) If it has rust, it's going to be expensive to fix. Ignored, the rust can spread to the point where it's pointless to even try to fix it. It's probably the worst problem these cars have.
First, what trim level is it? If it's a DX or LX (US models), it'll have 125hp. If it's an EX or SE, it'll have 140hp. The F22A engines found in these cars are essentially the same internally, so you can actually bolt on the parts from the EX/SE engines to the DX/LX engines to make that extra 15hp (or more... see the thread at the top of this section about making 30+hp for under $500... read the other threads stuck up there as well, as they all contain valuable information.)

Is it automatic or manual? The automatic transmissions have some issues with neglect (fluid changes and proper fluids are very important), and some issues with electronic components. They're also not the best for performance modifications, though some people like them. Manual transmissions are the best, though many of them suffer from worn synchronizers, causing grinding gears. A quality fluid, such as AC Delco Synchromesh, can help alleviate grinds, but it won't fix it. Only a full rebuild or a replacement can fix grinding gears.

The stock engine isn't going to get you a whole lot of power, though with a 5-7k budget, you can do some pretty good stuff. If you want serious power, turbo is the way to go. The F22A's internals, primarily the pistons, are no good for turbo, however. You will need to replace those with forged pistons. Aftermarket rods are best for those pistons, as the stock rods (while usable) will require some modifications to be used. www.raceeng.com is a good place to get that stuff for a reasonable price.
If you go turbo, you'll need a quality clutch that can handle the power. Buy a good brand, not some eBay junk like XTD or F1. Buy a clutch that is suited to your intended power output. Don't go overboard. There is no benefit to having a clutch made to hold 800hp when you're not even making half that.
You will also need some sort of engine management system. Unless you want to acquire the tools necessary to tune an ECU, and then learn everything you need to know to do it (there's a LOT to learn... though the information is readily available), you'll probably want to find an experienced tuner. Find a tuner that is familiar with Honda, and ask what they recommend using. Get that. Don't expect your tuner to use something they've never used before... because that may result in a very expensive paperweight.
With proper internals, the right turbo parts, and a good tune, you could make up to 400whp. That's MORE than you'd need, seeing as you'll have trouble maintaining traction well before that point. Beyond 400whp, you'll need to resleeve the block, which will add $1200-$1500 to the bill (but then the sky is the limit... you could get 700+whp on a properly built F22A.)

Another option is to swap the F22A out for an H22A from a Prelude. www.hmotorsonline.com is the place to go for that. Pricier than many engine resellers, but you get what you pay for. I bought my H22A from them in 2003, and it's still running strong in my friend's car today. The H22A will give you 200hp, with a fair amount of upgrade options (though they are becoming fewer with each passing year.) It's not impressive by today's horsepower standards, but it makes the car incredibly fun to drive, and retains stock reliability and fuel economy.
A K24 swap from a newer Accord or TSX is also an option, but it's more involved. Personally, I think the K series looks awful in the engine bay of a CB, but they're very good engines. They're also still very heavily supported by the performance aftermarket, so you can make big power on them pretty easily.

You'll probably want to do some suspension upgrades as well. Use quality components. There is a LOT of absolute junk on the market today, and far too many uneducated people recommending it because they don't know any better. Buy your suspension components from LEGITIMATE suspension manufacturers... companies that actually engineer, manufacture, and test their products. Companies like Koni, Bilstein, H&R, Vogtland, Eibach, Tokico, KYB, Tein, and KW are companies worth trusting. Avoid junk like D2, TruHart, Emusa, Skunk2, Raceland, etc... There are a great many knowledgeable people on here regarding suspension. Read up and ask questions (in that order) before buying anything to make sure you're not getting crap. Your life rides on your suspension. You don't want to screw around. You don't want to trust your life to low-end junk produced in some shoddy factory in China or Taiwan with no true engineering or quality control.

Before you do ANYTHING, go over your car and make sure it's in good condition. Make sure your brakes work properly (no dragging calipers.) Make sure your suspension and steering components are in good condition. If you have torn ball joint boots, replace the ball joint. Address any leaks... be it oil, coolant, brake fluid, clutch fluid, etc... Take care of your car, and it'll take care of you. Do a full tune up, and make sure it's running properly. NEVER ignore a check engine light (check engine light error codes are available in another thread located at the top of this section.) If you have a 140hp F22A6 that needs some repair, it's probably lacking 20hp or so. You'll gain more power by properly repairing and maintaining your engine than you would by bolting on a few mods (for example, a basic intake, header, exhaust setup is likely to gain less than 20hp.)

Finally, I suggest picking up a copy of Honda/Acura Engine Performance by Mike Kojima. It's an old book, but these are old cars. The majority of the information pertains to Civic and Integra engines, but most of it translates to the Accord and Prelude as well. Read through that book, and you'll have a solid basic understanding of your engine performance options. It's the fastest way to cram a bunch of incredibly useful information in your head.

[deevergote]

I love it when they don't come back. Makes me feel like I spent my time wisely.

[Fleetw00d]

I love it when they don't come back. Makes me feel like I spent my time wisely.

I hope you have that treatise stored somewhere you can copy and paste instead of typing it out each time it is needed.

[deevergote]

After all these years, you'd think I'd learn...