old civ
 

ok i have this 97 civic dx sedan with 250k miles that i dont drive much anymore since i got my new car... the engine idles funny and the tranny whines a lot. i know a lot about d-series motors and turboing and what not so i guess im just askin for your opinion. would a cheap (yet effective) junkyard turbo kit be suicide or a good idea for a little fun? i dont really want to kill the thing (lots of sentimental attatchment) but at the same time i wouldnt be super hurt if i did. what do you guys think? i was planning on keeping it low boost just so i had enough to beat around a little. what do you guys think?

Re:old civ
 

Depends on the condition of the engine. Why does it idle funny? Is it just a simple IACV or a more major internal problem with the engine? If the engine has been taken care of and is in good shape then you can boost it all day long. But it might blow up 15 mins after you install the turbo. I wouldn't recommend turboing a 250k engine especially if you are unsure of engine condition and your tranny might not be able to handle much more power anyways from the sound of it.

Re:old civ
 

you're right it's not in the best condition and i know i should know better but its just chillin there and it seems like a fun project lol... as far as the engine im not sure what condition its in internally... it burns a bit of oil and i think the funny idle has something to do with the fi.. it used to be really bad, it would just turn off at idle sometimes. then i got the wrong injectors and it only turned off on certain left hand turns, then i got the right injectors and when i turn the car on sometimes it idles rough, but as soon as i tap the gas it's not rough anymore, just a little high. idk what it is. weird tho... as far as the tranny i dont think it is going to break it just makes a hell of a loud whine.. but its been doing it for about a year and has been holding up pretty well so far so your guess is as good as mine. before i got my new car i was planning on building either a mini-me with the current block and cheaper internals and a y8 tranny or taking the less expensive/labor intensive route of doing a d15b vtec swap. now i dont really know... i know a guy who has a brand new y8 head he'll sell me for 200 bucks but idk if its worth it. the car has an aem sri and an rs*r ex-mag exhaust... everything else was taken off and sold when i got the new car (2004 civic vp).

Re:old civ
 

change the transmission fluid. if it's manual use 20-40w motor oil 2 quarts.