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My very much "in progress" restoration\build of a '97 Integra LS
RIP 11-29-17
The Latest Hard Parking
Though I'd share a little about the end result of the 5 lug update on my Integra.
Biggest difference: I can tell going to the TE37 wheels\dropping the wheel weight by a couple lbs a corner has significantly reduced strain on the motor, even just doing 80 on the freeway. Speed just keeps on creeping up now, I have to watch more carefully when things are open. It's also reduced resistance when downshifting, when releasing the clutch the car seems to match the engine speed more readily.
Other significant improvements:
Much more aggressive braking. Probably a combo between going from EBC GreenStuff pads to Yellow, lower wheel weight, and new tires. I do really like the feel of the braking with the smaller (over ITR) Mugen (S2K) calipers, you can feel engagement right up top in the pedal stroke and maybe a touch more control \ sensitivity. Hard to say for sure since a pad change alone would have changed dynamics anyway.
I love how everything bolts right up just like it's supposed to now! (Ok so full disclosure: It seems Mugen was too lazy to change the left\right label on the casting for the s2k calipers so there's that, but it's less than minor.) I'm looking forward to pad\rotor changes now. (Oh, and for those running ITR Mugen AGBS. If you don't want to be tied to Mugen rotors: On 98+ JDM ITR knuckles the RSX-S hubs are a direct fit. PM me if you want photos\info. This change allows for use of RSX-S rotors with Mugen AGBS, like RacingBrake's 2 Piece. I assume this would also work with the Spoon 300mm BBK, but that's just a guess.)
I didn't realize how worn my old bushings must have been, they didn't look too bad (not torn, or majorly deformed) but what a difference with a full fresh set from HardRace! I expected going to 16" wheels I'd have a harsher ride but with the fresh bushings it actually really smoothed out. Perfect firm street ride. Also on 205/45/16 Potenza 71R tires steering response is more direct.
Overall, I couldn't be happier...... well maybe once I put some new seats in....
The roadmap: (2016) The beginning
X Alpine HU
X 98+ JDM ITR Upper front strut tower bar
X 98+ JDM ITR Rear frame end brace
X 98+ JDM ITR header (w/ support bracket)
X Mugen twin-loop cat-back exhaust
X Rear New '98 ITR brake calipers
X SS Brake lines
X HID headlight retrofit
X Upgraded ASR rear sway bar and rear brace
X Rear H&R OE Sport springs
X Front H&R OE Sport springs
X JDM Fog lights
X Walbro fuel pump
X SS lower clutch line
X Rywire Ground Kit
X Hideaway powered Subwoofer
X Spoon Rigid Collar kit
X 2001 ITR Rack and Pinion /w new pressure line
X 1998 GSR Power Steering pump
X Power steering oil cooler
X RSX-S Driveshafts (w/ Karcepts Spacer)
X Koni Yellow\Sport Dampers (w/ OEM ITR upper bushings)
X Rear Strut tower bar (Tegiwa OEM style mounts, ITR front bar)
(late 2016 and 2017) The main course
X New pre-assembled RDOT Block
X '98 JDM ITR Head (Valve job, new guides & seals)
X JDM Valve Cover
X HardRace (Street) motor mounts (set of 5)
X Skunk2 Tuner Stage 1 cams
X Mugen head gasket
X Hondata S300 (Plus OEM P72-02 '97 GSR OBD2A ECU for emissions testing)
X JDM S80 trans.
X ACT streetlight flywheel
X Exedy OEM Clutch
X Gauges (UKDM Gauges swapped to LS housing) mileage at gauge swap - old 228237, new 156614
X Toda Cam Gears
X Fuel pressure Gauge
X PLX WideBand O2 sensor
X RDX (410cc) injectors
X ITR icebox
X Tune\Dyno (Church auto testing)
X Koyo Alum. Radiator
X High pressure radiator cap (Koyo)
X Weathertech Floor and Trunk Mats
X '98+ JDM ITR Front knuckles & rear trailing arms (w/ abs mounting locations)
X RSX-S Front Hubs (5 lug, OEM)
X Front '98+ JDM ITR wheel bearings (NTN)
X ITR Rear Wheel hubs (5 lug, w/ bearings, NTN)
X Hardrace re-enforced rubber rear LCA bushings
X Hardrace re-enforced rubber rear tow arm bushings
X New OEM rubber rear trailing arm bushings
X Hardrace re-enforced rubber front LCA bushings
X Hardrace re-enforced rubber compliance bushings
X Ray's\Volk TE37 (Bronze, 16x7 et42 5x114.3) w/ Ray's Black Alum. Valvestems
X Bridgestone Potenza RE071R 205/45/16 Tires
X Tuner Lugs (closed short type, Gunmetal, 1320 performance)
X Mugen BBK
X Brembo RSX-S (300mm) front rotors
X Brembo ITR (260mm) rear rotors
X EBC Yellow Stuff Brake Pads (S2k front, ITR rear)
* Bar
In Progress
-* 2.5" cat
* 2.5" b pipe Kteller w/ resonator
Next phase Toda V2 Header
Oil pressure sensor
Oil temp sensor
Race seat(s)
GSR Power Steering cooler (replace Aftermarket cooler)
The history:
Early in its life our Integra had been given its proper respect and love, perhaps a bit too much by the original owner.
After my wife purchased it at ~60k mi., regular maintenance and care were provided by a reputable shop and it rewarded her with over a decade of largely trouble-free service.
Unbeknownst to her at some point the shop had changed hands and as larger service items came the shop's ability to provide adequate service declined but costs continued to go up until it was no longer reasonable to rely on the long trusted shop. The final straw came when after a faulty injector was diagnosed, replaced, and the car returned, I find it was free flowing fuel from a re-used injector seal over the intake manifold and down over the exhaust in the middle of a then 80 mi commute! Thankfully I pulled off because the smell of gasoline was so heavy I was getting light-headed and fuel dripping down the IM and block wasn't ignited.
Over the next couple years we sort of waffled between running the Integra into the ground and failure to launch on its restoration including a trip to the local dealership to the tune of $3000 for what amounted to them installing new dampers.
Sadly at that point my wife and I made the decision to minimize the costs and took it to a mechanic who we instructed that it only needed to run until about the end of that year. To its ultimate credit even this the Integra accepted without major complaint and provided several more years of reliable service as we found and purchased newer vehicles.
In 2015, having purchased a TSX and Chevy Volt, my wife and I found ourselves at a loss as to what we should do with our well abused Integra. It made no sense to it keep but it had been her car for 160k of its 220k miles and having owned a 2000 GS-R in my own import obsessed days we both felt an attachment that in the end just wouldn't let us part with it. Around November 2015 I finally decided I would revisit my earlier years of indiscretion and begin a new import project to restore the venerable machine.
The Project
I don't and have never planned for this to be something very dramatic or flashy, in fact the goal is really the opposite and probably incredibly common. I want to take my aging gen. 3 DC4 Integra, breathe fresh life into it, and try to stretch a little bit closer to the holy ground that is the ITR.
I started slowly nibbling around the edges:
First, a new OEM antenna mast since the original had long since ceased to retract - Ugh I'll just say this was a rough introduction to what I had taken on. Parts which have been married for nearly 20 years rarely part as easily as we'd like.
The new Antenna finally installed, I needed an easy win. On with a new set of aftermarket hatch dampers. Finally something that went quickly and without major struggle.
Next was an Alpine CDE-149BT radio to easily connect my iPhone and provide handsfree calling on the road. I have a lot of experience with this went quick and smoothly. (I tend to buy car audio from crutchfield.com, they tend to provide a good experience)
The First upgrade!
Quick trip to Home Depot for hardware and it was time for my first ITR upgrade, a genuine ITR front upper strut tower brace. (yeah, I get it, more or less useless and makes everything else a PITA but it once lived on an actual ITR)
Onward to meatier endeavors:
With confidence +10 item "ITR swag" now equipped, I started to research some maintenance items that I knew were overdue with timing belt replacement chief among them.
For anyone tackling this job their first time: I recommend a good quality crank pulley holder, a 1/2" drive impact rated 19mm socket, a standard 3 piece 1/2" drive impact rated extension set, and the longest 1/2" drive breaker bar you can get (nice if it has a removable handle so a pipe can be used for extra extension). I opted for a cheaper crank pulley holder and after struggling with it popping off the pulley found I could place a socket between it and the frame to keep the pulley holder in place. I also found the ericthecarguy video walkthrough helpful for this job(fair warning, the video showed locations for the longer water pump bolts which did not match where at least mine needed to go, don’t force them. You're working with aluminum - this is a very soft metal).
Once I was finally able to get the crank pulley bolt free my first major round of renovations wrapped up pretty smoothly with these items completed:
Replaced: Timing, AC, PS, and Alternator belts, water pump, timing belt tensioner, AC idler pulley, cam and crankshaft oil seals, lower dr. engine stopper, valve cover and spark plug well gaskets, oil pan gasket, spark plugs (NGK platinum), Fram oil filter (just what my dad and I had always used on our cars)
Performed: Valve lash clearance adjustment
Upgraded: Innovative black billet Upper dr. engine mount (60a\red insert), JDM '98 ITR 4-1 header\cat w/ support bracket*, JDM Mugen B-pipe w/ Twin loop silencer
*I found out recently that the JDM header support bracket has been rubbing on the half shaft. Some research revealed that on B series motors with a breather box, the box shares a mount point with one of the bolts from the exhaust support bracket, effectively spacing once side out from the block. It seems that starting in '97 the b18b for the Integra wasn't fitted a breather box on the rear of the block. This means the bracket, designed for the P72 block w/ breather box, essentially sits at a slightly different angle on my block. I've removed the support bracket for now but feel the exhaust sits in a slightly different position than I'd really like so I'll work out a spacer for the impacted mount point and reinstall the support bracket.
The satisfied feeling of new upgrades and updated maintenance didn't seem to last long. Nearly as soon as I got it back on the road I noticed my tach became unstable, at times indicating a jump of several hundred rpm while the motor seemed to hold steady. Back to H-T searching.... turn out this is pretty common when you distributor ignitor is going out. Ordered a new one up right away and knocked out a few other items too:
Replaced: Distributor, pass. lower motor stopper
Performed: Reset factory timing
Upgraded: AEM CAI intake (with hydrophobic filter cover for added safety), ITR Front Calipers, Russell ITR SS front brake lines, Mini Cooper rotors, EBC Green TSX pads*, OEM Honda Civic 15 spoke 15x6 (et45) alloy wheels, BFGoodrich Sport Comp2 195/55/15 tires, Innovative black billet Upper pass. engine mount (60a\red)
*For some reason I haven't determined yet the EBC TSX pad ears are loose in the caliper brackets (yes I have the pad guides installed on the caliper brackets), for better or worse I not-so-quickly made up some shims from sheet metal I had on hand and formed these around the EBC pad ears(so they remain attached to the pads and won't risk contact with the rotors). The result glided within the bracket without vertical movement. Checking pad alignment with the edge of the rotor looks good, wear over time seems un-impacted and they have provided reliable braking thus far. A better solution remains on my to do list, I mean how important are brakes any way right?
Begin the love affair with (new) OEM parts
So now I learn something new....aftermarket\reman. parts and application guides sux! After ordering a couple different sets of rear ITR calipers, and calling just about every source and manufacturer I can find I begin to lose hope of getting actual ITR calipers on the rear. (If you haven't gotten it already this project isn't about some real or perceived performance but really an expression of my own aesthetic, and I don't want to bleed my brakes upside down, period dot end.) It turns out that the parking brake cable stay changed for the '98+ Integra. After A LOT of effort I could only find '98+ rear ITR calipers and none of them included the updated bracket. The nature of change (mating surface and bolt sizes are different) prevented me from re-using my '97 parking brake cable stays. Nor are the stays available anywhere that I could find as an individual part. Finally I hit the Park Acura website and find that for only more $$$ I could have a bnib complete set (including required parking brake cable stays) of rear ITR calipers. Done.
Upgraded: Rear BNIB '98+ rear ITR brake calipers, EP3 rear rotors, EBC ITR pads (no fitment issue on this pads), Russell ITR SS rear brake lines
Performed: Full brake fluid flush (Valvoline Synthetic dot3/4 brake fluid)
Moving too fast without knowing enough
Ok so I have a few ITR parts on, things are running pretty well but I've just rolled over 220k mi. I can't really seem to get my idle smooth and the throttle response I want at the same time. I know I'm leaking some oil out the rear main seal and guess I'm probably burning some too based on the amount I'm having to add to keep oil in the pan. I start thinking about what I need to do to get a B18c Spec R in or specifically a shiny new Spoon B18c Spec R (completely balanced, brand new, if only I had it already and it didn't come with a yellow cover!). Next thought I've considered used JDM b18c5 swaps before and HMO said I'd need a USDM ITR ECU to convince the California DMV to let me drive it after. Time to hit used parts sites and start hunting. Hmm... thought that would be hard seems there's a bunch of people on offerup with p73 ecus for sale for $50-$100, oh ok so it needs to be one that ends A0X. Still doesn't seem like that big a deal there's a few out there better jump on one. Sweet for only $100 I'm now the proud owner of a P73-A03 ecu. From experience with the brakes I know there some difference with the 98+ OBD2b and back in the day my 2000 GS-R had the immobilizer system but every problem is solveable. I see adapter harnesses from 2b to 2a and there's even a guy online who can disable the immo. chip on the ecu.
I introduce myself to Katman
Me:Hey so Katman, I'm a really savvy guy and I found a idiot in the LA area who had no idea how rare these computers are so bought it from him super cheap. I hear you can fix this thing up to get rid of this stupid Immo. chip that's in my way from dropping a super sweet Spoon motor in my ride. Katman: Hell yeah, send it on over and I'll get that taken care of for you....JDM motor you say, what are you doing about the crank sensor? Here's a link to ff-squad and some stuff I wrote on the topic, you might want to read up. Me: Ok, sure whatever, let me send you over this ecu I'll need it whatever I do..... Katman: Dude, did you check this ecu before you bought it...........................I hate to tell you this but the board is barely even put in this case, the ID stickers were removed from the board, and while the case is labeled p73-a03 there's not even a Immobilizer chip on the board that's in it. Me: fck, I was the idiot in the story.
Katman: So what do you really want to do. Me: I want everything and it needs to be perfect but..well cheap. Katman: Oh, well I think I can help you with at least ..... some of that. Me: Dude, you're really nice and you have a bunch of information on this sh*t. What can I do to get half as smart?
Time to stick pride on the shelf and get back to work, while I let Katman handle the smart guy stuff
20 year old lights on the highways with HID\LED everything.....time to upgrade. Start with research this time. Ok not something I really have time to do well myself. TRS who can I trust? There some guys at this place called lightwerkz.net that can fix me up? Oh and look Caesar has even done Integra retrofits before. Let's do this and while I'm waiting for the new lights I'm riding a bit high with those 15" wheels w/ 195/55 tires now, time to fix that too.
Upgraded: H&R OE Street Springs (-.75", Stock+ spring rate), ASR Rear SubFrame Brace (black), 24mm ASR swaybar, ASR adjustable endlinks, JDM OEM SIR-G Yellow fog lamps, OEM USDM 98+ foglamp wire harness, OEM headlamp HID retrofit (Morimoto D2S bixenon projectors, OSRAM Xenarc Nightbreaker 4200K bulbs, Potted Denso Slim Ballasts, HD Relay harness, bixenon splitter), Generic solid amber front parking\corner signals (98+ style for 97 and older)
Performed: Full Alignment (Service Tire, Sherman Oaks banged this one out despite me rolling up right at closing time and they were even cool about it when I started getting all up in arms that their tech, yes I watched him, only made one adjustment, turns out after everything I did only the right front toe was outside spec. by 1/32", after adjusting that everything was well within spec., well Front camber was on the line at 1.2deg. but without adjustment that's just that.)
Hmm, styling but still not quite right
Ok, its been about 4 months since I started. I'm looking\seeing better and feeling like I've done pretty good by my Integra but its still not giving me the love that I expected from it. I'm still fighting a bit of a rough idle and loosing a good bit of oil. I try to convince myself its just an old motor and aging trans. I'll get to upgrading both but let's keep the restoration going for now. And fck I really need to do something about that metal to metal scraping I've been hearing
Replaced: Fresh black re-paint for front and rear wiper arms, new generic body clips for rear bumper, OEM shift boot, OEM clutch and brake pads, OEM fuel filter, OEM Master\Slave clutch cylinders, OEM upper fluid line, OEM PCV valve grommet, K&N PS 1004 oil filter, Valvoline Synthetic dot 3/4 brake fluid
Upgraded: Russell SS lower clutch fluid line, JDM ITR handbrake, Walbro 255LPH fuel pump, Blox Magnetic oil drain plug, Alpine Hideaway 8" subwoofer(PWE-8), 8 Gauge amp kit (grey and smoke wiring run hidden below vacuum and brake lines)
Performed: oil change, Paint service (clay, Paint cleaner, polish, Wax), removed exhaust support bracket (see install comment)
Ok now this is one happy Integra!
After this last round of service my LS is running so silky smooth its a bit...scary after all these years I've driven with idle issues and progressively difficult shifting. During the fog light harness install I had noticed my clutch master cylinder had been leaking down the firewall and several times trying to hunt down different issues I'd tested the PCV valve and thought while the grommet rubber was soft the valve seated a bit loosely but I never expected it such a big difference from such easy quick replacements. While I assumed the syncros were going out on my 220,000mi trans its now clear that the clutch hydraulics just weren't functioning properly any more and that was leading to a harder time getting between gears. My guess at the moment is also that at some point the OEM PCV valve was replaced with a generic part that doesn't fit 100% compounded by an aging or also poor replacement grommet that was allowing a vacuum leak. While the PCV valve still isn't what I'd call tight in the new OEM grommet it seem to be enough to prevent the vacuum leak that was probably causing issues for years. I want to take a moment just to say a very big thank you to the H-T community for all the information you've shared I wouldn't have been able to achieve this wondering around on my own.
Future plans
Well I led with it up front this is still a very much ongoing project and I'm glad to say with Katman's help I now have a more concrete path to my goal of getting a ITR spec. B18C in my LS (that I'll be able to drive mostly legally on the Cali streets). I'm optimistic that I'm on track to finally realize that dream late 2016\early 2017. While I continue to hit up the H-T community for deals, help, and info to put the pieces together, I have plans to continue the general restoration. I still have a terribly leaky steering rack, eager for the 2001 OEM ITR unit that I'm planning to mate with the a 98 GSR PS pump\oil cooler lines I should have in hand very soon, a Karcepts "36mm axle conversion kit" to go on,
Check back for, yep even more and some updated photos, for now..... I'll leave it at see you out there
Thanks, I ran out of time but it's seen a good bit of progress since these were taken.
These were after one of the aborted attempts to get a renovation project started. The original fenders had been beaten up. The photos were taken after I installed new (cheap aftermarket) fenders that I had painted off the car along with the spoiler (it had oxidized to the point the clear was gone and the paint was damaged in places).
Paint was done by Toy Shop in Newbury Park, CA under protest that it wouldn't match the rest of the body properly. To their credit they got the paint nearly 100% as you can see. Initially I noticed the pearl seemed a bit heavier but after letting it alone for over a year I recently clayed, polished, re-polished, and waxed the whole front end. It's hard to pick out a difference now even very close.
I got a chance to get some work in today, put in a clean balanced set of injectors (thanks to RCeng for getting an old OEM set I sent them in top shape, highly recommend having this done, big difference in idle, throttle response & general feel). Replaced the old cracking original steering wheel with new OEM one. Pulled my door panels off, stripped out the door liners that were brittle and falling off any way. Scrubbed off all the gooey adhesive. Reset inner/rubber dr window guide. Put fresh lithium grease on door locks (bars, joints, strike points), window guides. Started scrubbing engine bay down. Adjusted fog and HID alignment.
Little bit cleaner. As good as it's been to me really looking forward to getting that drippy motor and greased up trans swapped out for a new B18C5 and JDM ITR trans!
Been a while since I posted any progress but....
CAI in this photo has been replaced with ITR airbox and custom snorkel. I've also added a few other minor supporting mods. Big thanks to Church Auto Testing and to PortFlow for getting me to these fantastic numbers. Was hoping for 190 at best, Shawn blew my mind when he gave me these numbers.
04-14-2016, 04:51 PM
Beginning anew
Also on 205/45/16 Potenza 71R tires steering response is more direct.
Back to H-T searching.... turn out this is pretty common when you distributor ignitor is going out. Ordered a new one up right away and knocked out a few other items too:
Re: Beginning anew
