I can NOT stress this enough!
GO TO A REPUTABLE SHOP. RESEARCH. GET THEIR CUSTOMERS TO CALL YOU. MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOURE GETTING INTO WITH H22A INTO A CIVIC.
that said. let me go into the specifics. I drove my car with a fresh new swap from NYC to Philly.
-It did not over-heat even with the factory CX radiator.
-It did not understeer more noticably than before. The clutch was heavier. ALOT heavier....its the ACT extreeme street disc. anyway. it only understeers when you throw it hard and i do mean HARD into a turn. suspension tweaks will help to make the car more neutral or maybe even tail happy.
-theres still plenty of room for a turbo. even with the HCP race mount kit in there is still room.
-I did break an axle the second day i had it back. all we know is that the axles the shop used werent correct for the swap. they didnt snap...the splines didnt line up right and the differential ripped the splines right off the axle. the shop...as yet will remain unnamed...if you have the correct length axles then you should have no problems. if you decide to run slicks then you may start to encounter axle problems.
-i never had PS but i did lose the AC. Probably unnecessarily, but i lost it nonetheless.
-traction is FINE. its actualy pretty damned good. it just takes careful throttle modulation. I drove it in the snow maybe 2 weeks after i got it home. i was scared at first but i made it home the 5 miles from work just fine. spun it in first a few times but like i said it takes a careful throttle foot. i have shitty tires but i can still manage to chirp into third. it will break free in 1st even at 20mph. if the tires manage to stick through 1st and you shift to 2nd and drop it the tires will break loose again.
-its just disgusting. the torque is amazing and i guarantee that if youre drag racing you will want this swap. otherwise IM gonna be the one whuppin your turbo b16a! you need not fear lude-vtec, gsr hatches, and all kinds of domestic scrap iron. i havent gotten to the track yet, but when i do i will be clippin off mid 13s.
-i pulled up next to a lude vtec and he heard my exhaust and saw my CX badge on the hatch and he was all like "oooh civic w/exhaust, lemme whup him" i pulled on him like he was goin backwards.
-late 90s 3 series bimmer coupe. same story. `cept he had some fake-ass "ion" blue non-HID headlights. he thought he was all fast. passed him like nothing else. he pulls up like "what you have?" im like "Uh...nothing?....intake exhaust..stock engine?" I had a little chuckle and turned around
-GO WITH H22A YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT