Working on a 5th gen, second pattern Accord...
 

Hey guys,

I have a 1997 Accord EX, 222,000 miles. It has the dreaded catalytic rattle (not the heat shield, I already checked) so I will be replacing the cat soon. Along with that, I decided to do some other upgrades...


Since the cheapest catalytic converter that isn't a test pipe is Magnaflow, I figured I would get an intake to increase flow to match the reduced back pressure. Also, I am getting a new car soon, and the Accord will be my interstate driver so I want to increase MPG as much as possible. I was going to go with a short-ram JDM intake, because a friend bought one for his Prelude and decided to go with K&N instead. So I'd get it new, still in the box for $30 (intake and filter). Even better, it fits my car.

So... will the ECU/O2 sensors work fine with this increased flow, or can I expect errors or other problems? I don't care about much besides increasing gas mileage.

Also, I will be replacing the shocks and struts (they are all original, so ride quality has been ****). Who is the best, and most affordable, to go with?

Same question for brake pads, front are pads and rear are shoes for drum brakes. I want the best combination of cheap and long lasting... not sure if that even exists, but heat resistance is not a big deal as I drive this car normally.



Side note on the engine... has anyone used Auto-RX? I have read a lot of positive reviews of it, and since the car has so many miles, was planning to use it in the tranny/engine. This is, of course, also aimed at reducing friction for better fuel economy. Good plan? I will also, while doing this, have a flush-and-fill done on the transmission and pull/scrub (or replace) the plugs. The water pump, timing belt were both replaced at 185K, but is there anything else I should consider doing to improve longevity?



Thanks to anyone who can provide help, again, I want this car to last as long as possible and have good gas mileage. So any other maintenance that needs to be done or will help the engine/car, is greatly welcome.


Again, thanks!