All You Need to Know About Civic Superchargers

Why You Need a Civic Supercharger in Your Car

If you are looking for the simplest way to increase the performance of your Honda Civic, the best possible solution is installing a Civic supercharger. Here, we will go through some of the things you need to know about these air compressors, how to find the model suitable for your car, and what you will get from the installation.

Honda Civic Supercharger

The first Honda Civic was introduced in 1972, and over the years, it became one of the most popular cars in the world. The original Civic was in the subcompact class, and it was a two-door model. Naturally, the design changed after the seventies, and soon Civic fell in the compact category.

Today, the Honda Civic is the sixth-most popular car in the world, with nearly 20 million vehicles sold since the model was released. Due to the popularity of the model, many drivers are looking for ways to improve the performance and make it run even better.

The simplest way to achieve this is by installing a supercharger that will boost horsepower and torque, transforming your vehicle in just a few hours. But, since Civic has been around for nearly half a century, you will need to know the series of cars you have if you want to find an appropriate blower.

Evolution of the Honda Civic

Since the release, there have been eleven generations of Honda Civic. You will need to know the year your car was made since it will help you find the appropriate supercharger.

Since cars have changed almost every year, it is essential to know as many details as possible to avoid buying a blower you can’t use. You can find the full list of Hondas by year below.

Using this list, you will have an easier time determining which generation of Honda Civic you own, and it will be the crucial part of deciding which supercharger you need to buy.

Versions of Civic

This is just a part of the problem when determining which supercharger you need. It is important to know the year, as well as the series of Honda Civic. The reason for this is that almost every generation offered variations of the same model. That means that the engine will be different as well.

You can find numerous different series and engines within one generation, and the more details you have, the better. The first change to the Honda Civic was introduced with the first generation, and in 1974, Honda introduced the Civic 1200 RS, which was a sports model.

We can notice a couple of different models appearing since the Civic was introduced:

• RS (first-gen)
• CX and CX-S (second-gen)
• CR-X, CRX Si, and S (third-gen)
• STD, DX, LX, EX, Si, wagon (fourth-gen)
• EX, HX, GX, VP, Si (sixth-gen)
• Type R, SiR, (seventh-gen)
• FB1-6, FG3-4, DX, LX, EX, EX-L, (ninth-gen)

This is just to get a sense of how many different Civics exist in the world. We already mentioned that the Civic is among the most sold vehicles worldwide, and each new generation introduced different options like a wagon, sedan, hatchback, coupe, and so on.

Superchargers for Civic

Based on the type of engine that is on your Honda, you can find an appropriate supercharger. This will significantly improve the performance of your car, and the difference will be more than noticeable. Of course, it is up to you to decide what kind of supercharger you want in your vehicle, but regardless of the choice you make, you will notice a significant increase in performance.

In general, there are three different types of superchargers you can find on the market:

1. Turbo
2. Centrifugal supercharger
3. Positive displacement pump

We can’t guarantee that each of these three models will be available for every single series of Civic and for all types of engines. Your best option would be to find which options you have at your disposal and buy the one that suits your needs best.

Getting a Honda Civic Supercharger Kit

If you are looking to install a blower into your Honda Civic, our recommendation would be to go for a supercharger kit. That way, you will receive all the necessary parts for the installation, and you won’t need to worry about anything.

Typically, a supercharger kit will arrive with:

• Housing
• Intercooler
• Oil cooler
• Piping
• Pulleys
• Bypass valves
• Connectors
• Others

It mostly depends on the model of the vehicle and engine since it is the most important part when choosing a supercharger. The only thing that matters is that you won’t need additional parts, and if you own the necessary tools, you will be able to install everything in no time.

How to Find the Right Blower

To find the right supercharger for your Civic, it is necessary to know the type of engine it has. Superchargers are mounted on the engine, which is why you need to know the exact series and size of it.

Honda used many different types of engines over the years, and you can find models with 1.0-liter engines that are already turbocharged, as well as bigger ones like 1.8-L, 2.0-L, or even 2.4-L models. Naturally, it mostly depends on the generation of Civic, but keep in mind that each generation has a couple of versions available.

If we take the Honda Civic from the eighth generation as an example, you can find the following engines:

1. R16A1 – l4 with 1.6L
2. R18A1 – l4 with 1.8L
3. K20Z2 – l4 with 2.0L
4. K20Z3 – l4 with 2.0L
5. K20A – l4 with 2.0L
6. LDA-MF5 – l4 with 1.3L hybrid

Finding a supercharger for any of these models is quite simple. All you need to know is the series of engines, and you will know which supercharger to buy. For example, you can find blowers designed for R18 engines designed between 2006 and 2011.

Engines

As you could have noticed from the list before, each generation of Civic featured several different engine models. That means you will need to know the size of the engine before you go shopping for the supercharger.

There are several categories of engines used by Honda, and they were available for a couple of generations.

• E-Series (first, second, and third-generation)
• D-Series (third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh-generation)
• B-Series (fifth and sixth-generation)
• R-Series (eighth, ninth, and tenth-generation)
• K-Series (eighth, ninth, tenth, and eleventh-generation)
• P-Series (tenth-generation)
• L-Series (eleventh-generation)

Once again, be sure to find a supercharger that fits. It is worth mentioning that the manufacturer of the blower will write it in the description or even name, so if you know the type of engine, you won’t have any problems.

Installation Process

As soon as you find a supercharger suitable for your Civic, you can proceed to the installation process. As we mentioned before, supercharger kits arrive with all the necessary parts, and you won’t need to order anything else.

The installation process takes around ten hours, but it mostly depends on your skill and previous experience. In the majority of cases, the manufacturer will provide step-by-step instructions you can follow during the installation.

Needless to say, if you don’t feel comfortable installing the blower by yourself, you can always leave it to professionals.

Maintenance

The next step is maintenance. One of the best things about superchargers is that they don’t require special care other than regular service. But that doesn’t mean that you don’t need to do anything. If you want your car to work properly, you need to take care of it.

Superchargers need oil replacement, as the oil in the blower serves as both a lubricant and a coolant. Replace the oil in the supercharger as often as you replace it in the engine, and you won’t have any problems.

If you have any doubts or questions, you can always take your car to the service, and people there will be able to tell you everything you need to know about care and maintenance.

Kraftwerks Supercharger Civic Si

One of the most popular options for Honda drivers out there comes from Kraftwerks. The company offers many different models of superchargers for Honda, including popular models like Civic Si, S2000, etc.

You can find blowers by Kraftwerks for different series or generations of Civic, which means that if you own this car, there is a high chance that Kraftwerks has a perfect supercharger for you.

You have two options: buying a blower individually or going for a kit. If you don’t mind replacing parts and finding them on your own, an individual supercharger is a good choice. However, for the majority of drivers, getting a supercharger kit is always the easiest solution.

Vortech Supercharger B16A2

If you own an older version of Civic (1991–2000), there is a chance that you have a B-series engine in your vehicle. Specifically, B16A2. This engine was in the Honda Civic Si, and you could find it in the fifth and sixth generations of this car.

Naturally, you won’t be able to use the previous blower we mentioned since it is designed for newer versions with R-engines. But, that doesn’t mean that you are out of options.

The kit can offer a significant boost to your Civic Si and transform your vehicle. Since the engine is the same in both versions of the Civic, there is a high chance you’ll be able to use the same blower regardless of the year. Keep in mind that there might be a few slight changes to the engine, which is why it’s best to find a supercharger designed for your engine.

Is Civic Si Supercharger the Only Option?

No! While the majority of superchargers are designed for the Si versions of the Civic, you can still find models that work on other cars as well. Other types of superchargers include models for EX, 4WD, EXL, LX, LXS, etc. For example, for a Honda Ridgeline supercharger, you would need to find a supercharger for the J35L6 V6, J35A9, or J35Z5  engines.

As we mentioned before, the only thing you need to do is make sure you know the type of engine that’s in your Civic, as well as the year of production.

If you know all that, you will be able to find a supercharger for your car even if you don’t own the Si version of the Civic. Kraftwerks designs superchargers for nearly all types of Civic, so all you need to do is find the one suitable for your vehicle.

Other Options

These are just some examples of great superchargers you can find, but they are far from being the only option. Based on the model of the car you own and the engine series, you will be able to choose between several different models.

Of course, it is up to you to find the model you like. Do you want a centrifugal supercharger? Roots-type? Or something else? Regardless of the choice you make, you will get a noticeable boost in horsepower and torque, and it will easily change the way you feel about your Civic. We are well aware that the Honda Civic is not the most powerful car in the world, but you can easily make it a lot more impressive.

Ways to Improve Performance

Installing a supercharger is just one of many options for increasing performance and horsepower. But it is not the only one. The reason we talk so much about blowers is that the results from them are incomparable to any other replacement in the car.

If you want to fully upgrade your car, there are a couple of other upgrades you might want to consider. For the cheapest options, you can upgrade a cold-air intake, exhaust, or engine oil, or install a boost controller. If you are willing to invest a bit more, you can tune your engine and install a performance chip, buy lighter wheels, a catalytic converter, and a more expensive cat-back exhaust system.

Each of these upgrades will improve the performance of the engine, and if you combine all these changes with a new supercharger, you will be pleasantly surprised with the results.

Why You Need a Honda Supercharger

Every car owner knows how important maintenance and care are. But sometimes, you want to go a step further. And that’s where superchargers come to light. With this simple installation, you can transform your vehicle and make it as good as new. If you are satisfied with your Civic, this is the simplest way to make it run even better.

And the best part about superchargers is that the process is reversible. You don’t need to cut or weld anything during the installation, and you can easily return the engine to its stock version. So, the answer is quite obvious. You can get an instant boost in performance, and the installation is significantly cheaper than buying a new car. However, when you install a blower, you will feel like you bought a new vehicle anyway.

What Can You Get From the Blower?

We already mentioned before that you will get a boost in performance. But let’s talk numbers for a bit now. The Honda Civic has around 120 horsepower. Some models have more; others have less. The first generation had around 50 hp, which is quite low.

In general, a supercharger can add between 50% and 80% increase in horsepower. That means that you can easily reach 200 hp or even 300 horsepower on some models. If you decide to go for other upgrades we mention, you can easily double the power of the engine.

2012 Civic Si Kraftwerks Supercharger Kit Is an Excellent Choice

For those who own a 2012 Civic Si, getting a supercharger designed by Kraftwerks is an excellent choice. You will get an instant increase in power, and it works great even on low RPM.

So, the real question here is — Why wouldn’t you want such an excellent device in your car? There is a reason why superchargers are so popular, and you can easily breathe new life into your Civic Si.

While other options can slightly boost the power, nothing can compare with what superchargers can give you. There is no reason for you to get a new car when you can transform the one you already own. When you consider the increase in performance-to-price ratio, nothing can match a supercharger!