Yup, a single cam VTEC it is, which is not a very shabby engine, if you're not power hungry.
I think your engine makes about 130hp on engine, so probably gets about 100 or so at the wheel. Or was it 150 at engine, and 130 to the wheels, I forget..
And don't worry about learning.. we all have to start somewhere, just remember that what's true today may not be true tommorow.. and always filter the information you get. I'm not 100% knowledgeable either, so sometimes I do get stuff wrong, and it's worth it on your part to get second, third, fourth, fifth, xxxx numbers of opinions from other people.. Just don't listen to kopitiam talk where "this part sure power!" then when you ask "why?" and "who's using?" they say.. well, they heard "so and so person is using it, which happens to be NOT in the group you're in.. :P" Best info is always the one you can SEE, and confirm with various methods.
As for mods for your current engine...
Sure, you can mod by putting in a open air pod, extractors and such, but what's next? These parts you put in will not be able to be reused once you swap to another engine, like the DOHC VTEC engines.
If you're sticking to a D series, a turbo kit (used) costs about 6-7K, without installation. after installation, you'll start finding bottlenecks and such. Turbo manifolds, intakes, uprated intercoolers, etc. etc. Good luck finding the parts too, since they're not really a popular setup. Soon enough, you might find yourself pillaging other makes like the mitsubishi parts and such.. Some people might like 'rojak' (means uses parts from other makes other than hondas) engines, but it's their choice and yours.. if you feel that it's worth it, by all means go ahead.
And when you want to go DOHC, those filterkits and extractors cannot be reused, and good luck finding a buyer who will buy them off you at a reasonable price. Most single cam vtec users are 'budget' users, hence will only buy stuff if it's ridiculously cheap (with a few exceptions)
The reason why I'm saying a conversion is better is that you can do it in stages.
1) B16A/B conversion (or the B18C5, otherwise known as the Integra type R engine)
2) upgrade bits like manifold, intake and exhaust (keep in mind that if you're planning to go further than your current engine, buy more in terms of specifications than what you need, it'll save you in the long run) The tuning will sort out minor niggles that hinders horsepower output.
3) Feel the need for more power? Then plonk in a B20B, with a setup that's tailored to your budger, from RM2000+ B20B setup, down to a setup that costs well over 10K-20K. The best thing about B20B is the low end torque. No need downshift to overtake.. just floor it (throttle % depends on how crazy you are) and go.
Enjoy your car that has 200+hp on tap, depending on how you mod it. For a (relatively) lightweight car like the civic.. 200+ is plenty.. Anymore, and you'd have to invest in some good tires (semi slick tires) and life insurance, if you're driving it on the road.. hahaha. :P
