Best Mod to Date - Trans Swap (1997 Civic HX)

[PAFirefighter11]

Originally Posted by 1slw4dr

I'm about to drive up to York to pick up an HX for my daily commute. Here in North VA it's the same. Hell when I lived in Orlando it was as well. People get mad as hell especially when people drive to slow in the left lane. It's insane. I can get like that at times too but if your doing 70 in a 55 there is no reason for someone to be getting mad lol but that's how it is.

Good luck on the drive! I LOVE my HX. I'm at 255 miles on this tank and it's still at half! Luckily I found a local gas station that has 100% petrol, no ethanol

Yah I don't know what's wrong with people. I understand getting pissed if someone is going slow in the left lane with no on on their right. Stay right, Pass Left. It's the law here in PA and people need to follow it. But if you're going slow in the right lane, who cares. It's the right lane for a reason.

[slownugly]

yea on my route ive discovered it doesnt matter if i drive 65 or 75 people blow by me. so screw them i dont care if i piss them off im driving the speed limit.

[1slw4dr]

It's actually the law everywhere. The left lanes are technically "passing" lanes to help ease congestion for those drivers who do exactly the speed limit, speedometers might be off, trucks that have heavy loads, etc. Learned that when I got a ticket for impeding the flow of traffic lol

[slownugly]

yea i dont cruise in the passing lane at 65 haha. that would be interesting. my route has big trucker congestion

[Cobb]

Yeah, bunchof a holes here too. I drive a prius shaped car so when people see it they gots to pass it too. I love watching them duke it out as I too go 5-15 over the limit and am pretty good with reaction time at lights.

Once someone actually catches me I lift to slow 5-10mph, then they merge in front of me, I further slow so car B that came with him sees a 100 ft in front of me thinking I am going 10 mph under the limit, then car A and B duke it out tailgating and passing each other.

See we got reverse A holes here. In many cases when someone sees you within 15 ft of the rear of their vehicle they slow 10-15mph as long as you are behind them.

Now if you are in the left lane and you are going faster and should pass them in a manner of seconds they suddenly speed up to match your speed or better yet, just suddenly swing into the left lane and match the speed of the next guy in the right lane to perform a rolling road block.

What ever happen to just driving to get from point a to b without playing with everyone on the road?

[California98Civic]

I like it. +1.

Go tell this to guys on forums like Honda Tech and such. Those dudes insist that the gearing of these cars is not relevant to their fuel economy. That it's all about the intake manifold and other such stuff. I'm certain there are many differences that produce the HX and VX and HF fuel economy champs. But the gearing is part of the story, as your case shows. Why else would Honda build all their high fuel economy models with their tallest gearing?

I also like the look of the original post here. Car on lift. Fuel log screen capture.

[Cobb]

Those guys are ---king stupid. If they knew anything about volumetric efficiency they understand the gearing part and driving WOT. You want to lug the engine to at least 80% if not engage the lean burn if equipped for mpg.

[H-Man]

My prizm does 3500 rpm at 65 on the speedometer, 72 or so road speed. Loud? Yes. Overpowered? I can climb a grade steep enough to coast down it at 65 MPH (speedo) in 5th gear, thus I see twice the power potential I need on flat land, so yes. I see maybe 35 on long trips through the LA basin at 65 on the speedometer. I'd be happy with 2400 rpm at 65, but it would be cheaper to buy a civic and swap in a CX transmission or buy a SC2 and swap in a taller 5th gear.

[justme1969]

Ive done what can be done with mine to reach 40+ and it just isnt going to happen Kia trans is too high in first and too low in 5th. My tires are as large as the clutch can manage in first and yet the top gear is still too low to drop RPM down enough to get really good Hiway mileage.
I did find out that the engine is a Miata engine and that also explains alot too.
Designed to be torquey and responsive never to be efficient.
OH well time to give it away and start on a decent car. with A/c power steering, etc. etc. etc.
It has been fun though.

[Xist]

Yes, then you can delete both the AC and power steering!

Hey, I definitely understand wanting to replace your car with '99 with something more economical. For the record, I love my HX!

Good luck!