Ask the expert(s) That's you:)

[Toohardtohandle]

Hi,

I'm new to the site, and I'm also a new owner of a 1988 Honda Accord. I'm looking to beef up it's performance without going internal. So far I've added a K&N Filter and have had a Pacer Header installed. I'm wondering if anyone can make a few suggestions on what else I might do without breaking the bank.

Much appreciated,

Toohardtohandle

[Accord R33]

do you like math?

f(hp) = (money + hookups - lazyness)(knowledge) / time

in other words, there is no such thing as free horsepower. turbo, swap, or nitrous will be your best hp/$

[MadSpleen85]

Welcome aboard. First off, I and many of the other CB7 members will let you know that searching the forum will be your best friend! Basically the easiest upgrades are I/H/E or Intake (Short Ram or Full Cold Air Intake), Headers, and Exhaust system upgrades. Other then that you can switch to full synthetic motor oil, Upgrade your spark plugs and wires. There are too many possible external/ bolt on upgrades that are very easy for someone to complete. Again welcome to the site and good luck. Later

[Prez808]

Welcome! I'm sure people can help you here, but you might be able to get more help from http://www.3geez.com/

[Toohardtohandle]

Thanks for you imput guys,

I was told that basically I have cold air intake due to the design of the car and that I've added a high flow air filter. Is that correct? And what I can gather from the site is that I should be looking at an exhaust of about 2.25 diameter from the cat back; with a high flow muffler? I'm wondering if a different throttle body would make any difference?

Does the fact that the car is auto and has 210 thousand km's on it make much difference? I don't know if anyone would care to guess how many HP I have now with the add-on's I'm already made? I know I started with about 120...but again I'm just going by the stats provided by other sites?

[MadSpleen85]

has 210 thousand km's on it make much difference? I don't know if anyone would care to guess how many HP I have now with the add-on's I'm already made? I know I started with about 120...but again I'm just going by the stats provided by other sites?

Is the 120 the stock HP rating for a 3G? If so then you are running now well below that with 210k KMs on the motor. HP doenst stay consistent over time/ years of running. I would check out the 3geez.com as was suggested earlier. And about the Cold air intake, if the 3rd Gen is like our 4th gens when it comes to intake you would have to do some modification to get a full cold air intake in. Do you have the stock piping? Later

[phatdoughnut]

if you're talking about an im for your cb7, you could go with the f22a6 im, or the h23 im, the h23 will add a nice tone, and it will pulll a bit harder than stock

1988 Honda Accord

[Toohardtohandle]

Yeah I still have the stock piping...funny I was looking at it today. From what I can tell I should be able to just pull off about half of it. It will leave me with about a foot of plastic pipe and the K&N will be down at the end, instead of the top were the cone would normally be. Any thoughts?

[owequitit]

Is the 120 the stock HP rating for a 3G? If so then you are running now well below that with 210k KMs on the motor. HP doenst stay consistent over time/ years of running. I would check out the 3geez.com as was suggested earlier. And about the Cold air intake, if the 3rd Gen is like our 4th gens when it comes to intake you would have to do some modification to get a full cold air intake in. Do you have the stock piping? Later

Mileage has little to do with total output. As a general rule of thumb, HP output decreases with time, but a properly maintained and cared for engine will age at a rate much slower than a neglected one.

Go to 3Geez, as the platform of your car is almost 100% different than ours, and there is a ton of knowledge over there.

I am a member over there too, and there are definitely some things you can do to those cars.

Honestly, as far as your high flow filter, I don't know that it is doing much.

The stock piping on the 3rd gen is not unlike that on the 3rd gen Prelude, it is very restrictive.

Unfortunately, Honda had not adopted the highflow resonator intake system yet, so you are left with a convoluted and complex set of tubes.

[Caution]

if its right like you say and u have a 88 accord, first thing I do is swap that ass out and put in that jdm b20a. that be your biggest power, and you should start off with that, the accord sohc motor are gutless, your wasting your money on that accord motor if it is an 88 accord, i think the motor is like a A20 somthing like that, but yah! Swap it out if it is

[owequitit]

if its right like you say and u have a 88 accord, first thing I do is swap that ass out and put in that jdm b20a. that be your biggest power, and you should start off with that, the accord sohc motor are gutless, your wasting your money on that accord motor if it is an 88 accord, i think the motor is like a A20 somthing like that, but yah! Swap it out if it is

An A20 equipped LX-i or SE-i will outrun a CB7 EX...stock.

They also are closed deck and have a cast iron block, so the bottom end is quite stout.

These engines love boost.

I was talking to a Honda Tech friend of mine that said they were given several new Preludes to play with in 1984, and they had the ES3 (1.8liter version of the same engine), putting out some unbelievable numbers, even by some of today's standards.

The A series does have some potential.

[erok515]

honda tuning had one of these accords a few months back. it had a jdm b20 swap with nitrous and they said it took on type-R's. it was even slammed on coil-overs and looked good too. talk about a sleeper...

[dsyple]

for those years.....best swap is the B-Series Motor!!