New to the group, need guidance!!!

[jollygreen333]

New to the forum. I have a 88 accord lxi. I picked the car up for $350 running and driving. i do think it needs a head gasket and a few other parts. Bought the car for fun. I want to turn it into a little monster. Any and all suggestions on where to start with the little monster project are very much appreciated. Like I said I am new to the page and I am a 3rd gen fan. I do know that there are not many options when it comes to performance parts and aftermarket parts, again I say any information or opinions on where to start would be great.

[mdauriemma]

Greetings. Do you have smog laws over there in South Carolina? Engine mods drastically raise the price & limit locations when smog date comes around- word of warning.

First, make sure everything is in factory working order...this helps you learn your car's inner working & make it reliable.

Word of the wise-- Replacing a head gasket does not usually solve your head gasket problems. Also, if the head gasket had a coolant leak, cat usually needs replaced (or removed if you do not have smog). Usually there is a reason why the gasket failed in the first place. I am now on my 3rd headgasket (including original in that total)-- here are my experiences:

1)coolant leak from whoknowswhere... I replaced the head with a reman from ebay ODYSSA or something & new german head gasket. This happened the week after I bought the car @200k miles, right after I passed smog& installed headers & K&N (I have a carburetor) without adjusting fuel for my new lean conditions

2) intake manifold came loose @95mph, head gasket blew between piston 2&3. Car ran & idled shittily, and would not make more than 70mph on a light hill

3) still going strong...220k miles, installed wideband oxygen sensor & cabin gauge to ensure proper fuel mixture (your computer & fuel injection will take care of this)

Your mods should all support turbo, if you want to go turbo. Skip this paragraph if you don't.
No turbo manifolds are available at this point aftermarket, other than custom made for our cars. You would need to source a header flange, or cut one from raw metal 3/8 thick- using your stock cast iron exhaust manifold as a guide (you cannot reliably weld cast iron-- these are molded at the factory). You could also order the non turbo OBX header off of eBay- install it for starters & could decide to hack that up for turbo later.

If you do not want to go turbo, I recommend the PaceSetter headers (I love mine). They don't leak like the OBX header set, because the PS has an actual flange connecting the downpipe, whereas the OBX is sleeved & can never be made leakproof bc You cannot weld the sleeves in-between the four runners. Both are available from eBay or on the manufacturer's website (summit Racing for the Pace setters).

Aftermarket Cam Shafts are available from webcamshafts.com & bisimoto (last I checked you have to call bisimoto because their website is f****d right now). With the camshaft, you will for sure want the bisimoto valve springs.

Wait till you have the head off (for your new head gasket) to do the head & camshaft work. Makes valve spring job 10x easier. You have at that point already removed the valve cover, then remove the cam & rockers, then hit each valve spring's top with a punch & the retainers will shoot out. Make sure you are in a white room with white floors so you can see those little buggers as they fling out.

Perhaps someone with Fuel injection experience could chime in?