eHMxhACk

iTrader: (17)

Bought a 1992 VX in September. The car was a solid 9/10 with the worse being the stereo head unit and wiring for what was a sub or amp in the hatch. Removed the ugly blue head unit and additional wiring!

The suspension is what you'd expect for a 21 year car so I decided to install new bushings. I figured while I have the suspension apart for the bushings it would be a good time to do the struts and springs as well.




So here's where I'm at now...

98 Integra GS-R Front lower control arms (Installed)
- 95 Integra LS - Rear lower control arms and front sway bar (Installed)
+ 95 Integra LS Front sway bar (Installed)
New Integra Type R Rear lower control arms (Installed)
New Integra Type R rear sway bar (Installed)
- 94 Del Sol SI - Rear trailing arms with disc brakes (I wanted the smaller discs)(Installed)
+ 94 Del Sol SI - Rear trailing arms with disc brakes (Installed)
Hardrace Suspension Kit Civic EG (Installed)
Hardrace lower control arm bushings Integra DC (Installed)
- Koni Orange Struts (Installed)
H&R OE Sports springs (Installed) --H&R Sport springs on order!
Spoon sports front strut bar (Installed, bar needs polishing!)
ITR rear strut bar (Installed)
Cusco front lower arm bar (Installed)
ASR rear subframe brace (Installed)
Hatch Si Parking brake cable and brake lines (Installed)
Civic HX Rims (VX rims on car, HX on stand-by)


(April 14, 2014)
Updated extras include:
GS-R leather wrapped steering wheel
GS-R front seats
Hard top arm rest center console (Installed)
JDM ITR shift **** (Installed)
C's short shifter (Uninstalled - replaced with a Buddyclub shifter)
VTEC-E valve cover (Powder coated red and installed)
New air, fuel and oil filters. Motul 8100 0W-30 synthetic oil. (Completed)
New OEM rotor, dizzy cap and wires. NGK plugs. (Completed)
PC680MJT-P battery. (Nope, no luck with Odyssey! Honda battery installed)
Auto Meter mechanical vacuum gauge and pod (Installed)
Honda S2K black wheel lug nuts (Installed)
Timken front and rear wheel bearings (Installed)


(August 19, 2014)
OEM Honda JDM clear corners (Installed)
Buddyclub short throw shifter (Installed)
Buddyclub oil cap (Installed)
GROM audio AUX interface (Installed)
OEM optional rear speakers (Installed)
Kicker coaxial speakers (6.5" front. 5.25" rear installed)



I haven't started on the rebuild yet, though I have pressed out a few bushings on the rear lower control arms. And unfortunately found that the EG/DC rear LCA bushings are different sizes.




Pics and write-up to follow...

Junkyard work!

Frozen strut bolt.


Harvested!


Del Sol SI rear trailing arms


First pressing (12 ton HF press)


EG bushing - DC arm


Size difference






eH.
+ Koni Orange Struts (Uninstalled)
H&R OE Sports springs (Uninstalled)

eHMxhACk

iTrader: (17)

So I pressed in all the rear lower control arm bushing last night. I found that just using a socket didn't quite work for me and my HF press!

I bought four 7/8 bolt washers to fit over the bolt holes on the bushings and then I could use a smaller socket to apply the force equally about the bushing. I also coated the bushings with PB Blaster. The PB had two purposes. The first being to help slide the bushing in. The second, and longterm, reason was to displace any moisture and prevent rusting within the arm/busing area.

With the exception of the first bushing I attempted to press in, and learned a lesson from, everything else went smoothly!

First bushing press attempt.


First arm complete.


Old bushings out. Hardrace in.


Complete lower arms.






I stopped by the junkyard yesterday to look through a few Integras. I picked up a cross-member brace. Acura lists it as a performance bar and it bolts right up to the Civic so I installed it last night as well.

Cross-member brace. 50205-ST7-000


Installed. Right side.


Installed. Left side.




I found my rear trailing arms on Craigslist from a yard that was parting out a Del Sol. I was able to look at the car with the arms still attached, but I wasn't able to pull them myself. When I came to pick the up the RTAs the compensator arms and one upper control arm were still attached. I was able to remove the compensator arms with air, but the upper control arm wouldn't budge. So I hit it with the sawzall! I'm going to have to remove the threaded part of the bolt this afternoon.


Preparing the rear trailing arms.


Busted upper control arm bushing!






This afternoon I'll be doing the front lower control arms and compliance bushings. I'm going to hold off on the RTA bushing until I can clock and measure the bushings on my Civic assuming there's a difference between the Del Sol RTA bushing setting (clocking, depth, etc.) and my Civic's. Ill also take some pics of the other goodies included with this overhaul!





eH.

deschlong

iTrader: (8)

You need(ed) this file:

eHMxhACk

iTrader: (17)

Yes, I did!


The front lower arm sucked! I ruined the left one on my first pressing! Pics below. The sockets I tried using were either too big or too small. I ended up pressing the first bushing three times. Somewhere along the way I stretched the arm just enough that I could push the Hardrace bushing through with my hand.

Yesterday, I stopped by a machine shop to have them press out the other arm and compare bushings to see if the Hardrace bushing was too small or if I killed the arm. I also called Velocity Shop and talked with them about the bushing. They confirmed the measurements of the Hardrace bushings.

While the machine shop was pressing the right arm, I ran to the local junkyard and pulled another two control arms. I stopped back by the machine shop, dropped of the new set of arms to have those bushing pressed out. (I decided to just start fresh and toss the other arms out as I did stretch one side.)

With all four bushing pressed on my new FLCAs I pressed in the Hardrace bushings and attached the compliance bushings. 12 bushings done, 14 to go!



First three pressing on the front lower control arm. SUCKED!


Measuring the Hardrace bushing.


Hand pressed bushings! I could push the bushings through with my thumbs!


New used arms with old stretched arms.


WD-40! Best cleaning agent!


Creative pressing. The HF press SUCKS! Glad I bought it used! Can't wait to sell it.


Complete lower arms!


14 bushings left to go! Up to now everything I've done has been on junkyard parts. The next steps require removing the suspension from my car.






Here are some goodie pics!

H&R springs.


Koni struts.


Parking brake cable for the disc conversion.






I still need the brake lines, but I'm hoping to get started on the suspension removal next week! More to come...





eH.

JDM_SOHC

I did this same thing like 10 years ago on my EH2, I used EM1 RTA's though but still same process with all the bearings and such.. Looks good so far, good job bro..!

speedjunkie_g35

I remember the joys of replacing all of the bushings on my vx. I have to say though, best money spent was on the HF 12ton press. I'm using it now to replace wheel studs and wheel bearings. It's a life saver.

eHMxhACk

iTrader: (17)

Not much done at all over the last few weeks. Today I had the chance to remove the old exhaust muffler and clean up my $9 junkyard find.

'93 DX exhaust with a DA exhaust tip I modified to fit. Looks a bit meater and less like a cheap economy exhaust, I think.












Nothing to come in January for sure. And probably not February or March either.





eH.

jmaze

Great job! Looks like you are not wasting anytime. Are you doing a motor swap?

eHMxhACk

iTrader: (17)

Not yet. I bought it for the fuel economy. Just looking to make it a little more fun (and reliable) to drive.





eH.

jmaze

When I bought mine new in 94' I got over 600 miles to the tank. Of course the speed limit was lower and I averaged 55 mph on the highway.

How many miles on the motor and how many mpg's are you getting now?

eHMxhACk

iTrader: (17)

It must be nice to be the original owner of a VX! I would have liked to have found a one owner seller!





Mine just rolled past 225k. I haven't put 500 miles on the odometer since getting home from the 1,300 mile drive where I bought it. Just over 53mpg was the best I got on that drive home. Since then the transmission has been rebuilt (bad input shaft bearing). I had a new clutch installed at the same time. I've also had the timing belt/water pump replaced. And I've got the new plugs, wires, cap and rotor waiting to go on. There is absolutely no oil leaks, you could almost eat off the bottom of the engine, so I'll slowly make the switch to synthetic over the next year and I'm looking into a lighter weight battery as well.

It's hard not to drive it 70mph, but I'm excited to see if I can beat the 53mpg. Maybe creep up to 58 or 59mpg with some better driving habits and quality mx. I know I'm adding weight with some of my rebuild, sway bars and braces, but I don't have A/C installed (a minor weight savings) so I figure I can afford a few lbs. here and there.






eH.

jmaze

I paid xtra for the ac option because I bought it back home in Texas. When I swapped to the 95si motor and tranny 6yrs ago I kept it on there. Some day I will rebuild my original d15z1, but for now I like the extra power.

Looks like you will have fun with it!

B_Swapped93

You want to save weight....gut the thing there's still lots of things you can do even if you don't want to full on strip it. For the battery look into Deka,anti gravity,and odyssey, I've got a 9lb odyssey in my track car but I'm not sure that would be a good idea for DD. the odyssey pc 680 is 17lbs and will still guarantee it starting every time. You know you could turbo it and still retain the MPG's right ? a set up can be piece together in the 1.5-2K range read a bit far from "hard" to do. Could be pushing 200whp without doing any damage.

eHMxhACk

iTrader: (17)

Don't want to strip it. I'm not quite that hardcore.

Thanks! I'll check out the pc680!

I was wondering if I could turbo the car for power and maintain the fuel economy. Good to know! I don't need 200whp, but something around 140-150whp would be nice.





eH.

jmaze

Import Tuner has a recent article on making a vx look good while gaining the most mpg's although they did gut it.

Eddie

VX look's clean love seeing unmolested VX model's. Keep up the good work and taking care of that thing

eHMxhACk

iTrader: (17)

I saw that. Carbon fiber doors. Using the hybrid's drum. While there are some good examples of people getting better gas mileage through modification, AEROCIVIC , I think the car does pretty well as is. However, if gas ever gets to the $6/gal range, I'll start removing interior pieces quickly!

Thanks! I am molesting her a bit. But trying to keep it strictly an OEM molestation!


New used GS-R seats! Pretty good shape, but in need of a deep cleaning!








eH.

eHMxhACk

iTrader: (17)

Not much done over the last few months. But within the next three weeks I should have the conversion completed as well as sprucing up some of the rest of the car like the oil pan! I found the drain bolt hole stripped. There was a VX in the yard with a good oil pan and VTEC-E valve cover!!

A nice junkyard find!

VTEC-E valve cover. My VX has the boring H valve cover. I'm going to get it powder coated wrinkle red. Same 'ol blah! I know, but after looking through a handful of VC threads, nothing beats the red!


Current dirty engine bay pic.


Mini tune up.


Well past due for a change!!


Out with the old.


C's short shifter.



Ok, back to the suspension and conversion update!

Late last year I attempted to press a bushing from the compensator arm off the Del Sol trailing arm. The arms are pretty thin and bend easily if not supported properly. And I bent it!

Fast forward to a week ago, I decided to harvest the compensator and upper control arms from another junkyard Civic. I figure if I bend them again it'll only cost me ~$5/arm. With my POS HF press I was able to press out six of the eight bushings. However, the HF press couldn't handle pressing in the small compensator bushings straight! So I took the four arms to a good machine shop and they did an awesome job pressing in the bushings!!

Completed bushings:
Rear upper control and compensator arms.

Front lower control arms.

Rear lower control arms.



What's left to do:

I ordered new OEM front upper control arms and for now I do not plan on installing the Hardrace bushing in those. Although I will (have them?) press(ed) into my old front upper control arms.

Trailing arm bushings. I'm still deciding how to go about installing them. Should I clock the bushings on my Civic and transfer the markings to the Del Sol arms or just go with where the Del Sol's bushing are now even though they would be clocked off the car and for the wrong car? Either way shouldn't be too much trouble.





eH.

eHMxhACk

iTrader: (17)

Almost three months later and she's finally under the wrench! I began tonight with both front wheels. Removed the calipers and rotors and "popped" the ball joints.

I'm going to install new ball joints and I was wondering if it would be a good time to replace the wheel bearings since I'll have the knuckles off? They aren't making any noises and I'm pretty sure they're in good condition, but they may also be original to the car with 225k miles. Thoughts?

I also installed an Auto Meter Vacuum gauge. At idle is reads 18 in. hg. and I'm afraid that's on the high side. A normal vacuum at 5000' msl. should be between 13-17 in. hg. I think my timing may be too advanced.




"Popped" ball joint. I went to use the wrench trick and was able to pop them out without preloading the arm and knuckle.


Old rotors. Both of them had an edge like this. I don't know it that's normal.


Rusty!


Goodies pic!


Vacuum tap at the brake booster.


Vacuum line through the firewall just above and to the left of the clutch cylinder.


Vacuum gauge and pod installed. I sourced an a-pillar from a yard to use. I primed and painted the lower half of the pillar black and then clear coated it.


Departing night shot!






eH.

eHMxhACk

iTrader: (17)

I scratched the Odyssey PC680 battery from my list. I ordered it and they shipped me the wrong one. When they received the returned battery they sent me the correct one, but the battery was DOA. I sent it back and went with a Honda battery.

While reading another forum, I found out that the VX PCV valve isn't really a valve so I found my original one and reinstalled it. (Original=top valve)






eH.

shotoutacc0rd

If you've got the money to burn I would put some timkin bearings in, just so you dont have to take the knuckles off ever again.

eHMxhACk

iTrader: (17)

The Timken is cheaper ($) then an OEM NTN bearing.



Front (Civic VX) - Timken (510015) $51.99* vs. NTN (44300-S04-008) $67.45

Rear (Del Sol Si) - Timken (513105) $106.99* vs. KOYO (42200-SR3-A06) $140.20

*Autozone and HondaPartsCheap.com price comparison.






eH.

shotoutacc0rd

I was thinking you may prefer OEM, I was just adding my brand preference along with my position.

IMO if you have the time and money, you may as well replace the part. Even if its unnecessary its peace of mind that you won't need to pull the spindles off ever again.

I want to get Integra suspension under my DX, I plan on replacing single thing, keeping only the spindles, hubs, sway bars, and control arms from the integra

eHMxhACk

iTrader: (17)

From what I've researched Timken is OEM quality and in some cases it's made by NTN. (According to Honda-Tech threads.)

I'm going to get the Timken from Autozone so I can have them pressed in on Wednesday instead of waiting a week or two ordering them online. I wasn't going to do the rear bearings, but since I'll be there soon enough anyway.

Good luck with your DX!





eH.

slogfilet

iTrader: (1)

There is some confusion on some of the forums regarding this topic... the PCV valve on the top may very well be an empty elbow. However, there should be a *straight* PCV valve off the breather chamber behind the block.

If you have a chance, take a look underneath and see if you have a valve. My understanding is that you need an actual PCV valve in one of those locations (but not both).