EU1 to EP5 precursor build thread
11-06-2012, 05:05 AM
#27
Honda-Tech Member
Re: EU1 to EP5 precursor build thread
Now that the conversion process is completed (minus the installation of the new handbrake), I can do a complete write up. I'm just looking for a good camera to take some photos of the process.
03-03-2013, 07:15 AM
#31
Honda-Tech Member
Re: EU1 to EP5 precursor build thread
I'm going to be continuing the write-up shortly. In the interim, I'm waiting for the EP3-R handbrake that I ordered online to arrive. I have very much to write as I had subsequently replaced the defective gearbox with one that works and as such my car drives beautifully with all gears working. The manual ECU has also done wonders with shifting the peak torque on my engine to a more (ab)usable range. I've been performing numerous hill-climb races since the successful swap. Tire traction in the front wheels is NOW a problem as I have a very aggressive first, second and third gear. I can be cruising slowly in third gear, then suddenly floor the accelerator to break tire-traction and do wheel-spin. Obviously the D-series gearbox doesn't come with LSD, so I have to be careful during fast cornering when I need to keep the speed up such as when chased by another vehicle. Under-steer is also a problem which I try to avoid with a controlled oversteer from the entry of a corner. This is proving difficult with a fron-wheel drive and no working handbrake.
Edit: before I forget, I had replaced the dashboard components and sprayed the center console the same color to match that of the EP3 (photographs to follow shortly). The rest of the interior is still striped as I await the arrival and installation of the handbrake so that I can get the carpeting re-installed then the plastic trims can go into place.
For a daily driver, the car is about 60% complete. For a speed-demon, I still have a long way to go as I haven't picked the right-sized turbocharger (for the existing D15) as yet and haven't been able to save for the K20A and K-series gearbox as I have been spending the money putting the car together for street-legal requirements. I've been toying with the idea of increasing the engine's displacement to match prior to boosting, but I'm advised that turbo alone will be sufficient. I'm having difficulty getting an intercooler that will fit my front-bumper as the space is limited and whichever exhaust manifold I get for the turbo wil have to be something custom made as there isn't any good space behind the radiator. I can't seem to find what the EP1 owners use when they are boosting their smaller displacement D14 engines.
This current project is getting more expensive by the minute as the Jamaica's exchange rate for each American dollar is devaluing on a daily basis.
Edit: before I forget, I had replaced the dashboard components and sprayed the center console the same color to match that of the EP3 (photographs to follow shortly). The rest of the interior is still striped as I await the arrival and installation of the handbrake so that I can get the carpeting re-installed then the plastic trims can go into place.
For a daily driver, the car is about 60% complete. For a speed-demon, I still have a long way to go as I haven't picked the right-sized turbocharger (for the existing D15) as yet and haven't been able to save for the K20A and K-series gearbox as I have been spending the money putting the car together for street-legal requirements. I've been toying with the idea of increasing the engine's displacement to match prior to boosting, but I'm advised that turbo alone will be sufficient. I'm having difficulty getting an intercooler that will fit my front-bumper as the space is limited and whichever exhaust manifold I get for the turbo wil have to be something custom made as there isn't any good space behind the radiator. I can't seem to find what the EP1 owners use when they are boosting their smaller displacement D14 engines.
This current project is getting more expensive by the minute as the Jamaica's exchange rate for each American dollar is devaluing on a daily basis.
03-04-2013, 08:07 AM
#32
Re: EU1 to EP5 precursor build thread
sure
got rid of that one then got this one
and then i bought this
last picture i took of the black one
i still have the green one and i sold my civic. so now i have an fd and the da. the fd will be for sale soon and i will be getting an axela (mazda 3)
got rid of that one then got this one
and then i bought this
last picture i took of the black one
i still have the green one and i sold my civic. so now i have an fd and the da. the fd will be for sale soon and i will be getting an axela (mazda 3)
04-11-2013, 03:18 PM
#33
Honda-Tech Member
Re: EU1 to EP5 precursor build thread
It’s been a while since I’ve seriously updated this thread.
I knew for a while that the plastic portions of my radiator cap was deteriorating to the point where it was just the spring keeping the radiator closed to atmospheric pressure. This wasn’t a problem for me as my radiator doesn’t leak or give cooling problems. This was the case until strange things started happening under the bonnet after finally replacing the radiator cap. One day, I was driving and noticed that there was what appeared to be fine white mist being produced before the front bumper. I had found this strange, but thought nothing of it as it was a cold day and I was tailgating a CRV that appeared to be smoking badly. The journey was a long one and as such the CRV up ahead happened to be going to the same location I was driving towards. The next day, the problem became more apparent, as the fine mist became steam and was definitely emanating from under the bonnet. Lifting the bonnet didn’t reveal anything unusual as there were no smells of anything burning or any weird oil leaks. The dashboard showed no abnormal conditions. Since I always drive around with my OBD2 scan-tool, I did a quick scan which shows no symptoms (other than a faulty O2 sensor that I already knew about). Obviously the steam had to be coolant coming from the radiator (although there are no visible cracks or leaks). I tried driving the car closer to anywhere I can buy coolant to patch the problem. At this point the radiator yielded under pressure sending the thermometer past the redzone in a matter of seconds. I spent most of the time cruising in 4th and 5th gear keeping the RPM low and taking frequent breaks keeping the engine cool. To cut a long story short, I got the car home and started removing the front bumper (which covers the entire radiator) to see a hairline crack on the “top-tank”. I just went straight ahead to remove the radiator and A/C stuff to get to it. Since it would have to be repaired or replaced anyway. Superior Parts, didn’t have a compatible radiator. Bert’s didn’t have anything for me either.
First of all, I should give a huge shout out to TurboDre who had I had only met twice before for some other car sales. I called up TurboDre who promptly passed by, and transported me (and the radiator) to the various repair places late that evening (in the pouring rain) to get it fixed. We ended up having to make a couple stops until we arrived at “Best Radiator” who replaced the top-tank for a reasonable fee. TurboDre even fixed one of my radiator fans that had been working intermittently due to a worn graphite brush. In all this, it is good to know that there are still good Samaritans in the world that are still willing to help even when there was no benefit to him to go through all that trouble. Re-installing the radiator and A/C components was more labor intensive than removing it in the first place, but with the help of good people, anything is possible.
The car has gone through several small changes to make it more drivable.
I’ve been driving around with the defective gearbox for a while until I decided to do a clutch replacement and get the gearbox changed. On the day of the replacement, I intentionally grounded the gears down to nothing along Haggley Park road and coasted the car down to Superior Parts. The warranty swap went through fairly well since I had taken the day off from work to get it done. I tested all 5+1 gears and the worked fine with this replacement box. The gears were noted to be even shorter than the previous box. Two days later, I noticed that this replacement box was exhibiting similar symptoms of the previous one. This time around, the car will “jump” out of gear if the shifter isn’t placed firmly into gear (seventh gen gearboxes have a tactile “click” feel to let you know that it is in gear). The other issue is that 5th gear will fail to engage sometimes and as such I have to either double clutch (although it’s not needed for a synchronized gearbox) or wiggle the shifter in the 5th position for a little bit before removing my foot from the clutch pedal (I end up losing some speed and vehicle momentum in the process).
I’ve grown accustomed to driving the car like this for a while and as such after some online research, I’ve realized that this is a common thing with the seventh generation Civic gearboxes to give these problems.
I really need some new transmission mounts as my current ones are dead (too much launching from a standstill at traffic lights and one too many burnouts). My plan is to buy a new set of the OEM ones and fortify them with the Energy Suspension polyurethane inserts so that I don’t keep tearing them every few weeks.
Finally, I got around to lowering the clutch pedal back to the correct specs. As simple as it may appear, it felt like a back breaking process as the adjustment nut was way up underneath the dashboard. To make the working environment more comfortable, I had removed both front seats to make use of the completely flat floor with no handbrake or hump in the center so that I can now lie more comfortably on my side so that I can use both hands to adjust the locking-nut. Needless to say, this makes gear changes smoother since I only need to rest my foot lightly on the clutch pedal and the clutch is fully disengaged (ahh, the joys of a hydraulic clutch).
I had bought an OEM FD2 shift **** from RJD which effective made my shifter 3.5 inches shorter thus making it effectively a short shifter. The added benefit I noted was that my first gear always works as it is supposed to as the “throw” is much more precise (previously I’ve been driving around with the automatic shift **** mounted on top). This also made me notice that 5th gear now works if I select an imaginary spot between 3rd and 5th. This would then definitely indicate a bent or worn shift fork. Andrew had warned me about this on previous occasions since I couldn’t have known how the previous owner treated the gearbox. I now need to get the shift boot to complete the appearance of the dashboard properly.
Andrew finally brought down the handbrake for me. I wasted no time locating the three holes that would need to be drilled and the section of the chassis that the two slots would need to be drilled to accept the pair of handbrake cables. I had someone else do the actual installation as didn’t have a hydraulic lift to raise and lower the vehicle several times to meticulously check for the alignment of the holes and the protruding cables. The operation of the handbrake proved that the rear brakes need to be replaced as I had replaced only the front ones the other day. I’m looking to get some custom carpeting done to the floor as I no longer like how the stock one looks. There is also the plastic center console that should surround the handbrake that needs to be ordered. This will also contain the ash tray and cup-holder. This will be added weight, but I think its aesthetics should complete the project.
I need to do an alignment on all 4 wheels, but I need to replace all the OEM bushings as some had deteriorated due to old-age and falling into too many potholes. I also want new shocks and springs as there is too much body roll during hard cornering and the car slides around too much having no lateral grip.
I know I have lots of photos to post up; I just need to get the bandwidth to upload it all.
I knew for a while that the plastic portions of my radiator cap was deteriorating to the point where it was just the spring keeping the radiator closed to atmospheric pressure. This wasn’t a problem for me as my radiator doesn’t leak or give cooling problems. This was the case until strange things started happening under the bonnet after finally replacing the radiator cap. One day, I was driving and noticed that there was what appeared to be fine white mist being produced before the front bumper. I had found this strange, but thought nothing of it as it was a cold day and I was tailgating a CRV that appeared to be smoking badly. The journey was a long one and as such the CRV up ahead happened to be going to the same location I was driving towards. The next day, the problem became more apparent, as the fine mist became steam and was definitely emanating from under the bonnet. Lifting the bonnet didn’t reveal anything unusual as there were no smells of anything burning or any weird oil leaks. The dashboard showed no abnormal conditions. Since I always drive around with my OBD2 scan-tool, I did a quick scan which shows no symptoms (other than a faulty O2 sensor that I already knew about). Obviously the steam had to be coolant coming from the radiator (although there are no visible cracks or leaks). I tried driving the car closer to anywhere I can buy coolant to patch the problem. At this point the radiator yielded under pressure sending the thermometer past the redzone in a matter of seconds. I spent most of the time cruising in 4th and 5th gear keeping the RPM low and taking frequent breaks keeping the engine cool. To cut a long story short, I got the car home and started removing the front bumper (which covers the entire radiator) to see a hairline crack on the “top-tank”. I just went straight ahead to remove the radiator and A/C stuff to get to it. Since it would have to be repaired or replaced anyway. Superior Parts, didn’t have a compatible radiator. Bert’s didn’t have anything for me either.
First of all, I should give a huge shout out to TurboDre who had I had only met twice before for some other car sales. I called up TurboDre who promptly passed by, and transported me (and the radiator) to the various repair places late that evening (in the pouring rain) to get it fixed. We ended up having to make a couple stops until we arrived at “Best Radiator” who replaced the top-tank for a reasonable fee. TurboDre even fixed one of my radiator fans that had been working intermittently due to a worn graphite brush. In all this, it is good to know that there are still good Samaritans in the world that are still willing to help even when there was no benefit to him to go through all that trouble. Re-installing the radiator and A/C components was more labor intensive than removing it in the first place, but with the help of good people, anything is possible.
The car has gone through several small changes to make it more drivable.
I’ve been driving around with the defective gearbox for a while until I decided to do a clutch replacement and get the gearbox changed. On the day of the replacement, I intentionally grounded the gears down to nothing along Haggley Park road and coasted the car down to Superior Parts. The warranty swap went through fairly well since I had taken the day off from work to get it done. I tested all 5+1 gears and the worked fine with this replacement box. The gears were noted to be even shorter than the previous box. Two days later, I noticed that this replacement box was exhibiting similar symptoms of the previous one. This time around, the car will “jump” out of gear if the shifter isn’t placed firmly into gear (seventh gen gearboxes have a tactile “click” feel to let you know that it is in gear). The other issue is that 5th gear will fail to engage sometimes and as such I have to either double clutch (although it’s not needed for a synchronized gearbox) or wiggle the shifter in the 5th position for a little bit before removing my foot from the clutch pedal (I end up losing some speed and vehicle momentum in the process).
I’ve grown accustomed to driving the car like this for a while and as such after some online research, I’ve realized that this is a common thing with the seventh generation Civic gearboxes to give these problems.
I really need some new transmission mounts as my current ones are dead (too much launching from a standstill at traffic lights and one too many burnouts). My plan is to buy a new set of the OEM ones and fortify them with the Energy Suspension polyurethane inserts so that I don’t keep tearing them every few weeks.
Finally, I got around to lowering the clutch pedal back to the correct specs. As simple as it may appear, it felt like a back breaking process as the adjustment nut was way up underneath the dashboard. To make the working environment more comfortable, I had removed both front seats to make use of the completely flat floor with no handbrake or hump in the center so that I can now lie more comfortably on my side so that I can use both hands to adjust the locking-nut. Needless to say, this makes gear changes smoother since I only need to rest my foot lightly on the clutch pedal and the clutch is fully disengaged (ahh, the joys of a hydraulic clutch).
I had bought an OEM FD2 shift **** from RJD which effective made my shifter 3.5 inches shorter thus making it effectively a short shifter. The added benefit I noted was that my first gear always works as it is supposed to as the “throw” is much more precise (previously I’ve been driving around with the automatic shift **** mounted on top). This also made me notice that 5th gear now works if I select an imaginary spot between 3rd and 5th. This would then definitely indicate a bent or worn shift fork. Andrew had warned me about this on previous occasions since I couldn’t have known how the previous owner treated the gearbox. I now need to get the shift boot to complete the appearance of the dashboard properly.
Andrew finally brought down the handbrake for me. I wasted no time locating the three holes that would need to be drilled and the section of the chassis that the two slots would need to be drilled to accept the pair of handbrake cables. I had someone else do the actual installation as didn’t have a hydraulic lift to raise and lower the vehicle several times to meticulously check for the alignment of the holes and the protruding cables. The operation of the handbrake proved that the rear brakes need to be replaced as I had replaced only the front ones the other day. I’m looking to get some custom carpeting done to the floor as I no longer like how the stock one looks. There is also the plastic center console that should surround the handbrake that needs to be ordered. This will also contain the ash tray and cup-holder. This will be added weight, but I think its aesthetics should complete the project.
I need to do an alignment on all 4 wheels, but I need to replace all the OEM bushings as some had deteriorated due to old-age and falling into too many potholes. I also want new shocks and springs as there is too much body roll during hard cornering and the car slides around too much having no lateral grip.
I know I have lots of photos to post up; I just need to get the bandwidth to upload it all.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
