[MauiSI]

Hey everyone! I recently picked up a 2008 Honda Civic SI Coupe for $6500. I initially set out to buy a car because my V8 4Runner is a GAS MONSTER! Since selling my 1998 Integra about 4 years ago, I have regretted it everyday since. I have been wanting to get another car but things were not working out until now.

My plans for this build is to keep things mild. This will be my daily driver and I am a single dad with 2 kids so will need to keep comfort, MPG, and reliability.

Mods for the car:
1st Round:
- Paint red windshield wipers and badges black
Shifter Upgrades (Goal - to keep stock but make it better)
- SiriMoto Shift Lever Bushing
- Red Acuity POCO Shift Knob (Looks cool and to shorten throws while keeping stock)
- Acuity Shifter cable bushings, base bushings, and K Series Transmission Spring
- NST Short Shift Adapter (Shorten throws even more)
Performance Upgrades (Goal - Keep it stock and make daily driving fun. No sacrifice in low end power.)

• Hondata FlashPro (Make the stock car drive smoother and more enjoyable)
• NST 3 Piece Pulley Kit (Free up a little extra HP and get better mileage)

Future Plans:
1. Suspension, Tires, Wheels
- Koni Oranges with Tein S- Tech Springs
- Energy Suspension Full Bushing Kit
- OE Performance 193 2019 Shelby GT350 Replica 18x9 +30 wheels (Have not seen anyone run these on their civic yet and loved them off the Mustang)
- Tires - ?

2. HFP Muffler (Still keeping stock i/h/e but get a little more sound)

3. DevSport Chin and Side Splitter (More aggressive look)

4. Sounds
- Double Din Android Head Unit (Use the ATOTO one in my 4Runner and it's awesome)
- 8-10" Subwoofer in a smaller box (Save space)
- 1 Set of Component Speakers
- Coaxial for the rear
- 4 or 5 Channel Amp
- Kicker Front Row SP

5. Who knows...


Here's some pictures of the car.

 

[colton1808]

Nice car just needs some un-ricing like you said blacking out everything the previous owner made red would be cool. Man I want to do the same things to my bushings and get a skunk 2 shoft shifting assemlby. I dropped money on skunk 2 springs first without thinking about fixing my notchy gears.

 

[MauiSI]

Nice car just needs some un-ricing like you said blacking out everything the previous owner made red would be cool. Man I want to do the same things to my bushings and get a skunk 2 shoft shifting assemlby. I dropped money on skunk 2 springs first without thinking about fixing my notchy gears.

Thanks! And yes totally agree with un-ricing haha. That was my initial thought was to drop it first but after doing more research and driving the car, The shifter became first on the list. Do you or anyone know what to replace or change out to prevent any of the 3rd gear grinding issues?

 

[Overdosedvtec]

Best of luck with the car man.

 

[MauiSI]

Best of luck with the car man.

Thanks! Excited to finally be back in a manual car. The 2004 4Runner has been fun camping and off-roading, but now it's time to get back to the pavement! 😀

 

[colton1808]

Thanks! And yes totally agree with un-ricing haha. That was my initial thought was to drop it first but after doing more research and driving the car, The shifter became first on the list. Do you or anyone know what to replace or change out to prevent any of the 3rd gear grinding issues?

I know exactly what to change, you change the Manual transmission fluid, buy Redline MTF, and change the shifter bushings. You can get a set of cable bushings and base bushings from Acuity for around $100 or $70 and $30 indivually, ( you can do all of these to try to help grinding in any order). Im currently in the process of getting all of the above and it should make the trans feel new.

 

[colton1808]

Thanks! And yes totally agree with un-ricing haha. That was my initial thought was to drop it first but after doing more research and driving the car, The shifter became first on the list. Do you or anyone know what to replace or change out to prevent any of the 3rd gear grinding issues?

All of these mods are easy to do in your driveway no lift or jack needed. YouTube will provide tutorials

 

[colton1808]

Thanks! Excited to finally be back in a manual car. The 2004 4Runner has been fun camping and off-roading, but now it's time to get back to the pavement! 😀

Im just looking that you have already listed those in your inteded mods and you're on the right track lol i forgot

 

[MauiSI]

Thanks for the tip on changing the fluid.

After thinking about it, I may not go with the Hondata at first as I am fine with how the car drives stock. The cost of the suspension is around the same price as FlashPro so I think I may swap things around. Get my shocks and lowering springs with the shifter upgrades and pulley kit.

Later down the road I'll be getting the FlashPro but since I am fine with how the car drives stock, suspension it is!

 

[colton1808]

Thanks for the tip on changing the fluid.

After thinking about it, I may not go with the Hondata at first as I am fine with how the car drives stock. The cost of the suspension is around the same price as FlashPro so I think I may swap things around. Get my shocks and lowering springs with the shifter upgrades and pulley kit.

Later down the road I'll be getting the FlashPro but since I am fine with how the car drives stock, suspension it is!

Exactly what Im doing.I dont feel enough stability in my suspention and tires to put more power in. At the moment i dont want a harsh ride so I just got skunk 2 springs for my stock struts, heard its a good balance of stability and only about 2 inches lowering. If my stock struts ever go im getting a pair of replacements just in case, even though people have ridden with stock struts with these springs a lot. The thing with hondata etc is that it gets rid of the hard vtec crossover sound, but adds more low end torque.

 

[krash]

That is nice looking Si, if you are replacing a Premium Sound system, (HU + Factory Amp with 6 Speakers and sub), I might be interested in the Amp... depending on what you would want for it..

I have an '08 Civic EX with Premium Sound system.. amp is suspected to be bad, (no rear audio), and I'm not into replacing the entire system and did like the sound as it was before the rear deck+ sub went out.

 

[MauiSI]

Exactly what Im doing.I dont feel enough stability in my suspention and tires to put more power in. At the moment i dont want a harsh ride so I just got skunk 2 springs for my stock struts, heard its a good balance of stability and only about 2 inches lowering. If my stock struts ever go im getting a pair of replacements just in case, even though people have ridden with stock struts with these springs a lot. The thing with hondata etc is that it gets rid of the hard vtec crossover sound, but adds more low end torque.

Yea after thinking about it, the car has enough power for now. I mostly do normal driving 98% of the time and didn't think Hondata was needed. Same with the pulley kit. It's so easy to get caught up in trying to go faster, when not really necessary.

I'm getting Tein S Tech springs and orange Koni shocks for suspension. Not as an aggressive drop as the skunk but should still keep good performance.

All accuity shifter upgrades are ordered as well. Can't wait to get everything in!

The only other thing I decided to order was the necessary stuff. Not fun per say but needed.

• Royal Purple Oil
• Fram Ultra Synthetic Filter
• Honda Coolant
• Royal Purple Trans Fluid
• Chemical Guys Air Freshner - Squash
• Chemical Guys InstaWax, applicators, and spray bottles (I'm busy and don't have time to wash my car by hand so taking it to the car wash once a week and using this to protect and wax after)
• Chemical Guys Total Interior Cleaner & Protectant (Got to keep insides nice)

I also just bought a Ice Bear Maddog 50CC Moped. Couldn't pass up the deal for $300. So spent some money there as well lol. Here's how it looked the day I bought it, definitely needs a clean, repainting, and replacing parts, as well as full maintenance. But will be perfect for Kihei!

Here's what I got for the moped.

• New Speedometer (Old was hazy)
• 2 LED 4 Inch Spot Pods (Replace the lame stock headlights)
• New Black Foot pegs
• New Smoked Tail/Brake light
• Air Filter
• Bar End Mirrors
• Front and Rear Turn Signlas/DRL
• New royal purple oil and Spark plug

If replacing that nice looking Si has Premium Sound system, (HU + Factory Amp with 6 Speakers and sub), I might be interested in the Amp... depending on what you would want for it..

I have an '08 Civic EX with Premium Sound system.. amp is bad and I'm not into replacing the entire system but did like the sound as it was before the rear deck+ sub went out.

Once I get to that stage I will be posting up here. I actually remembered I had the open air pioneer 8" sub I bought for my 4Runner but wanted more oomph. So I'm going to start with a budget sounds system first. A little different than my original plans described above (which is the same setup I did in my 4runner). So replacing speakers with coaxial speakers and dropping in the pioneer sub to run off the factory amp. If I am not happy with that, then the factory amp and whatever other components you need are reserved for you man!

 

[chachafg2]

the first thing any fg2 owner should do is delete the clutch delay. for a daily family car, 2nd would be hondata to delete the rev hang. if you want to have some fun, 3rd stage 1 clutch exedy.

 

[MauiSI]

Thanks for the suggestions. What do you suggest to do to delete clutch delay?

 

[chachafg2]

Thanks for the suggestions. What do you suggest to do to delete clutch delay?

hybrid have a kit using the em1 clutch master cylinder but fitment no good. use the 2001-2005 civic coupe/sedan (non-si) clutch master cylinder, hybrid racing stainless steel clutch line. for the clutch slave cylinder, either pull out the delay valve from your stock slave or buy the ktune slave cylinder.

 

[MauiSI]

hybrid have a kit using the em1 clutch master cylinder but fitment no good. use the 2001-2005 civic coupe/sedan (non-si) clutch master cylinder, hybrid racing stainless steel clutch line. for the clutch slave cylinder, either pull out the delay valve from your stock slave or buy the ktune slave cylinder.

Thanks, I'll start doing some research on that!

 

[chachafg2]

Thanks, I'll start doing some research on that!

you're welcome. i had this car for a year now and i learned a lot of things that i dont like about the car. but this is the only car i would want to fix up 😃

 

[MauiSI]

Besides the things you mentioned previously, what else don't you like about the car?

 

[chachafg2]

Besides the things you mentioned previously, what else don't you like about the car?

changing the spark plugs, lowering the car 1 inch cambers the **** out of the rear wheels, everything is expensive compared to older civics, not many bumper lips only hfp style, below 4,000 rpm its slow as hell gets on my nerves but its saving gas tho haha redline at 7800 but kills gas at 8300 rpm, be better if redline was at 8500 so i dont choke up there. thats just a few i can thrinknof quickly

 

[MauiSI]

I did notice everything is more expensive then when I had my Integra. And I feel you on that. Hardly any lips. I did find the devsport splitters but still not a lip.

Any tips for lowering the car and fixing the camber? Do you have Hondata to lower the VTEC point?