83 CVCC

We started my engine rebuild today. What a pain. Pictures!


Where it started
.

Air cleaner off. Vacume line hell.


A random pile of Shi* I collected just to get the head off.


Intake and Head


Closer view of the head. You can see the little cvcc springs and valves.


Combustion chambers. Where's the spark plugs?! (cvcc )


The block and how it sits as of now.

There will be more updates as I work on it.

83 CVCC

Took out the cvcc valve assemblies.

sickmojave

looks good so far. so what engine is that and what are your plans?

83 CVCC

Its the 1.5 liter. My plans are just to do a stock rebuild.

HondaXtreme100

That's awesome! Good luck, and have fun.

thesmogman

If you really want to get rid of that spagetti, I would try and find an older carb and manifold.

Here is a pic of my 75 CVCC set-up, Yes this is a stock 1.5l


And I just got rid of a manifold too.

I am glad to see your rebuild. I have my original motor that I am going to rebuild soon.

2ndGenGuy

If you put that motor, and the EK1 side by side, I don't know if you'd be able to tell them apart! Even the carbs look the same... Progress is looking good! Keep em up!

83 CVCC

Yeah I wouldn't mind finding a four runner intake manifold instead of an 8 so I could do a weber conversion.

2ndGenGuy

You can still do the Weber conversion. I've been running one on mine forever, and the intake manifold is damn near identical. The adapter plate has provisions for the CVCC aux runners and chambers.

And unless 83 is drastically different from 82, it's the same adapter plate as the EK1...

http://www.piercemanifolds.com/Catalogpages/honda.htm



Here's my intake manifold with adapter fitted and port-matched

sickmojave

^^^ looks just like my 83..

what are you going to do about head bolts? are you going to try to reuse the old ones or get new? the cheapest I could find them for my ek1 was about $18. each I hope you have better luck than me

RuskeR

Glad to see some of you still working on your older civics. I wish I had time to play with mine. May end up just selling it.

2ndGenGuy

They're supposed to be reusable, but it seems to me like they are stretching for a lot of people, ala blown head gaskets. Where did you get yours head bolts from? Were they OEM Honda? I am amazed you can even get them...

sickmojave

Mine had a broken head bolt when I bought it and several that just looked bad. I tried everywhere to get new bolts the only place that said they could get them was >>> http://www.thehondapartsstore.com/. but that's not what I used. I had a set of D15 headbolts that are a stonger bolt. I had to cut off about an inch and they worked out great.

2ndGenGuy

Hmm, that's interesting. I wonder if I could order D15 head studs from ARP and cut them down to fit the EK1. Will have to investigate further. Thanks for the tip. Sorry about the thread jack, but might be relevant during the rebuild? :D

83 CVCC

Its ok. The more I know the better.
As far as updates go, they're are none. I was very busy last couple of weekends so hopefully this weekend there will be some progress

MFH87CivicSi

I agree, get rid of the spaghetti! Full 2.5 exhaust and go with the side draft carbs, if your goin old school, its the cleanest i.m.o.(unless its not available(?)).

83 CVCC

Ive never heard of side draft carbs on a 2nd gen. If it was available, I wouldnt mind doing it.

Transporter99

Subscribed. This should be a nice project to see through to the end.

2ndGenGuy

From what I hear, the 1500 and 1800s both have the same intake port layout. I picked up an AT Engineering DCOE intake manifold for my EK, and I'm starting to get it put together with the carbs now. There were a few manufacturers, and the parts are out there, just REALLY hard to get. If it's true that they're the same, you should be able to find a manifold for yours too eventually. Check www.roadsailing.com. He's got an EK build on his car with some pics of manifolds.

83 CVCC

Do you know if a 79-80 EK1 shortblock from an accord would bolt right in? Also, would my cylinder head and transmission fit it?

83 CVCC

Or what about an ES1 shortblock from a 1983 prelude?

83 CVCC

Pulled out my engine today.





Factory clutch lasted 27 years and 108,000 miles and it still worked.

2ndGenGuy

The ES motors are going to be a little more tricky to mount in there. The mount layouts are similar, but the problem is you can't bolt your Civic transmission to that block. However, with the EK, from what I remember reading, you can bolt your stock transmission to it. Only tricky part I recall is the dogbone mount. The 1stgenCivic forums should have all the detailed info on that particular swap.

Amazing you still have the original clutch! Pretty crazy! Also, can't believe you left the transmission in the car! That's a lot of work! Must have made it tough to pull out. It's waaay easier to pull the axles and bring out the engine and trans as a unit. To get the axles out, you just gotta pop the spindle nuts, and drop the LCAs then pop out the axles. But hey if this worked for you, sweet! :D

83 CVCC

It took less than two hours to get the engine out. It wasnt hard at all.

83 CVCC

I'm going to have a 1 off engine here. Im going to use the em1 head with the ek1 block.
Picture shows em1 head and ek1 head gasket.