Vartok's Civic restoration/eventual upgrade
 

Bought a 93 Civic LX. 190k miles on the body and about 110k on the motor. It seems to be good so far, but it does need some work. In the imediat futrue, im looking to just restore it, but in the next year or two im looking at doing a motor swap and a auto to manual conversion.

Update 3/28/2011: Finally got around to replacing the master cylinder... Brakes are still a bit soft... will prolly bleed them when i can get an extra set of hands. Droped in a CAI and a set of projectors from ebay

Update 2/20/2011: Suspention shop says i need new inner tie rods, getting them this week.... Also found out that i have a d16z6 motor. looking into swaping out ECUs and wireing up VTEC


Within the next few months (updated 4/3/11) (done needs advice)


new tires and tie rod ends (steering wheel is about 45 deg. off)
replace leaking master brake cylinder
new headliner
plugs, wires, dist. cap & rotor (NGK v-power plugs)
windshield washer pump
Swap washer nozzles for Acura RSX ones
fix leaky doors/windows
cold air intake (generic ebay)
timeing belt and valve cover gasket
change to p28 ECU & wire up VTEC
Projector headlights
replaced cable reel

Down the road

HIDs
new wheels (prolly sticking with 14")
suspention parts (im really a noob when it comes to this... so suggestions are kinna needed)
new hood
new trunk lid
fix trunk damage
possibly a paint job
recover all seats (can do this myself with the help of my grandmother... does that kind of stuff for a living)


way down the road

auto->manual tranny swap
no longer looking at a motor swap due to the d16 a PO droped in... do need advice on parts though, not sure what these motors can take.... thinking mild boost setup

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You've got your work cut out for you. I'm not sure how you'll do that headliner with that DIY sunroof in there.

there is a shop somewhere around here that does headliners... im gonna give them a a call and get an estimate... although, i did find out today that the sunroof leaks (went through an auto-carwash) so i need to pull the ring off and put a bead of silicone and hope that stops it.

Getting tires tomorrow 195/60R14... I know the guy said hankook for the brand but i dont remember the model.... just know they are like a 70k mile tire and its $280 for all 4 mounted and balanced.

is there a trick to geting the plug wires seated? picked up new plugs and wires yesterday... got the plugs swaped out but i cant get the new wireset to push down all the way. With the palm of my hand i put most of my body weight down in the top of the wire and they still slide out with no resistance...

Unless they're the wrong wires, they should pop right on...

Took them back and got a "better set" and they popped right on... was only like 2 bucks more. Made a big difference... it no longer downshifts on every hill i come to. Also got new tires today but found another problem. Both inner tie rod ends need to be replaced... confirmed with a 2nd shop. Is this something that i can do myself then just take it in to get aligned? or is it worth the $260 they quoted me to have them changed?

Ok, so.... I was going to pick up a new valve cover gasket tomorrow and i went out to double check the motor, seeing as how it was replaced.... to my suprize.... it says "D16Z6" Wernt those VTEC engines? and if so, what do i need to look for to see if they hooked it up?

a. if your any good at working on a car there not bad. you need to remove the wheel, break the tie rod nut loose, then the outter tie rod to the spindle, count the turns removing the outter tie rod from the inner, remove the boot then with channel locks, vice grips, or cresent wrench break the inner loose from the rack (this sometime can be a pain in the ass depends on how much lock tight)/ yes you will have to align it afterwords.
b. d16z6 is the vtec motor.

a. I have the money, so i am just going to let a shop to it... its just taking away from my "motorcycle repair" money (have a 2001 Buell Blast that need work)

b. thats good news... but what do i need to look for to see if it is hooked up?

Check and see if the computer is a P28. It'll say so on the sticker. The computer (ECU) is behind the passenger side kick panel under the dash, against the fender well.

no, it is a p06. So do i need to buy a new ECU or can i have that one chip for a d16z6 motor?

You can convert a P06 to a P28 but you have to buy the kit and solder it all together yourself. Some P06s are harder than others. There are all sorts of threads on the internet about it. If you're handy with a soldering iron and want to do it yourself, that's the way to go. If you don't have that kind of time, just buying a P28 will be easier. Make sure you get the right P28 (auto, not manual).

You might also want to look at whether or not the vtec solenoid was wired up. There should be two wires coming off of it. If they reused the original wiring harness, there won't be wires for vtec. You'll have to add them yourself. (Easy).

Im guessing that this is it?

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few more questions..
1. which wires are what in those plugs? (3 wires total)

2. looking in the engine swap section in the vtec conversion sticky... it looks like there are other wire that need to be wired in to the new (or chiped) ECU. Where are they coming from (i.e. physical locations)

3. i know the vtec engines have i higher powerband and redline... will the new ecu change the shift points to match the powerband of the engine?

4. How will the effect gas milage, seeing how this is still a DD (last tank i got 29MPG)

5. Will it harm the engine to be running on the old p06 ECU?


heh, this is one of the reasons i made a project thread... i knew i would have tons of questions... thanks for they help guys (and girls if there are any =P)

1. Im not sure of the wiring. I thought it was only 2 wires.

4. Shouldn't affect much. It's just vtec vs no vtec.

5. Not that I know of. Again, just means you can't use the vtec, which only kicks in at high RPMs anyways.

I think one of the wires in the green plug is just a ground (read that somewhere) just not sure which


I know most of yall try to stay away from ebay... but this is the computer im looking for right? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...=#ht_500wt_956

got the tie rods changed today and amazingly, it straightened out the steering wheel ^.^... while i was in town i went ahead and picked up a new fuel filter and valve cover gasket.... will prolly do a valve adjustment while i have the cover off, the valves are a bit noisy, so that should help.... and advice on the valve adjustment before i tare into it?

also changing the master cylinder prolly next week.. any advice is welcome on that as well

ok, im getting the new ECU in tomorrow (along with new windsheild washer nozzles. i hate the stock ones)... what pin is what on the green plug in the pic... i know one goes to the ECU and the other is a ground, but which one? the plug ic connected directly the the solenoid, so i cant see any wires... also, is there anywhere i can order the plugs that go in there and just run wire from there? Junk yards arnt an option (no Civics)

Dropped in the p28 and wired up VTEC and no CELs ^.^ Not quite sure its kicking in though... this weekend I may wire in a LED to the instrument panel for a VTEC light. Stopped by a body shop and got an estimate on fixing the trunk damage. That moved up in my priority list after the last time it rained... i though the trunk leaked on just the one side, but it leaks on both.... it got my amp wet >.< Does $300 sound about right to fix the damage shown in the pictures?

Is that body work only or does it include some paint?

body work only... no reason to fix the paint on the trunk when im going to repaint the whole thing next year

Ordered a ebay CAI and it should be here tuesday... now i know the filters on them are crap and that i should replace it with a AEM or K&N. But whats the reason? is it just air flow or do the cheap filters actually not filter as well (compaired to like a stock filter)

if its a foam style one, the heat can actually make them fall apart and peices of it can go into your motor...

from the photo on the description, it looks to be a paper one.... thanks for the info about the foam, if it has that, ill go out and buy one and toss the foam in the trash... if its paper, ill prolly wait a bit

About the body work cost...what all needs to be done to stop the leaks? The costs could vary dramatically depending on what you need done. The pics you have on ur first page don't help us much, the whole rear end looks like a tornado hit it (no offense) lol

Maybe all you'd need is the weather/rubber seal between the truck lid and the trunk space itself? Like I said earlier, I can't tell much from the pics you have but i couldn't see any rubber there?

Another idea is the spacing/gaps...see if you couldn't try to adjust the trunk lid yourself. I am not there to see your scenario so sorry if this isn't helping any but I know that I am a cheap @ss and would be doing everything in my power to avoid paying a shop to fix something for me.

It looks like a PO backed into a pole or something, the trunk lid and truck are buckled in and theres about a inch gap.. they said they will have to put it on the frame rack to pull the back end straight.

Damn yah thats costly...then 300 isn't a bad deal if thats what they'd charge you to do that. I know that all the shops around me (San Antonio, TX) charge an arm and a leg for any body work idk why. I inquired about them fixind the rear end of my hatch (minor dent repair and paint touch up in a spot) and they wanted over 850 :eek: I told em they were crazy and walked out lol

You gonna have to get a new bumper and/or trunk lid or are they not dented/part of the problem?

the bumper was replaced by a PO, and the shop said they could fix the lid

Hmmm then you should be lucky to have that deal...wish there were a shop by me willing to do a good bit of work like that for a price like that...good luck.

got my headlights and ebay cai installed.... 2 things (will post pics later)

1. I didnt realise how much a cai would increase... exhaust volume... not im gonna have to look into redoin the exhaust a little sooner than planed... or just get used to it

2.got the headlights in (have yet to aim them due to rain) but they dont fit real well... they are too close to be body on one side and too far on the other,,, suggestions or is this what i get for buying ebay lights... i did like the wire harness they cam with though.... the harness has a set of relays that keep the low beams on when i hit the highs... handy for when i get the HIDs for them

@2. My oem replacement headlights I got for my hatch didn't fit 100% normal when I got them put on but I tended not to care because they were a hell-of-a-lot better than the ugly a$$ halo/projector housing ones that were on it. They were form ebay too though so idk if thats the reason or not. Also, you don't have high beams with those headlights? Isn't that like, not safe? Or do you not have to worry about that where you live?

i got the halo/projector lights, which are 2 bulb insted of one.... as soon as it quits raining ill take some pics

Oh yah i forgot you were talking about those before...my bad.

ok heres the pics

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I think i can live with the fit od the passanger side... but the driver side is off *hood actually comes over it a bit) But im going to pull the bumper off again this week and see if i can streighten it out....

I dont know if its my imagination or not... but after i put on the CAI, it seems to creep up speed wise worse than before (im prolly just not used to it) but this really makes me want to fix the cruse control. I have no horn, no cruse and a SRS light, so i imagin that the "clock spring" is broken... where can i get one? autopart stores dont seems to have it for the car, unless its called something else. Junkyards arnt an option, no civics

Clock spring AKA cable reel. Junk yard is the cheapest.

[edit] oh, no civics. Eh, ... www.hondaautomotiveparts.com ?

OUCH! $250 is a bit more than i was expecting.... back to ebay >.<

this is it correct?

92-95 Honda Civic ClockSpring Coil Reel Spring SRS OEM - eBay (item 180623933413 end time Apr-10-11 21:29:44 PDT)

99-00 Si Civic Parts/Integra parts - Honda-Tech

I'm not sure if the ek clock/reel is the same as an eg but if it is it is only $30.

quick update... got the bought the reel off someone on honda-tech.... ordered a new seatbelt buckle (the part thats attached to the seat) last week, it came in and got that swapped out...

While i was up there, i talked to one of the techs about my tranny, took it for a test drive and looked at the fluid... said the fluid was fairly dirty but didnt smell burnt... suggested a drain and fill to help with the hard shifts. How many quarts should i pick up and whats the best way to go about doing it? Id rather not pick up too much, seeing how its $8 a quart here.

Tranny takes like 1.8 qts or something, it is under 2, fill until it comes out the fill plug.

And you didn't need to buy a new seat belt. Honda (actually, all auto makers) have lifetime warranties on seat belts. As long as it isn't tampered with, they have to fix it.

Just makign sure, but you know its an auto? im fairly sure it doesnt have a fill plug.

I know they do. But its looks liek the PO tryed to fix it (button stuck down) so it voided the warranty....