EG_SleepWerks

Throttle cable will be gotten in 5 weeks sadly. I’m one pay cycle behind because I’m a po boy. Only bills and probably going to have to cop a $20 IOU from work for gas. Should have gotten the cable along with the integra rear sway bar a couple weeks ago but I thought the SOHC cable would work fine before actually driving it every day. It’s passable but yea definitely would rather be safe than sorry.

So good news is the engine is holding up great. Oil is clean as the day I put it in. We did the rear main seal, the crank pulley seal, oil pan gasket, cam holders, cam cap, valve cover gasket, spark plug tube O rings, and new valve cover grommets. The only thing with even a drip is the plain rubber cam cap and the oil drain bolt drips occasionally. Next oil change I’ll get a new crush washer.

However my only real issue is a passenger side axle wobbling under acceleration, and I was told to use oil instead of Honda MTF in the transmission. So that definitely needs to be replaced with Honda MTF or I was thinking to use that GM FMSM since this transmission doesn’t feel quite like it should. Low RPMs it doesn’t want to go smoothly into gear, have to wait and rev match the up shift. Higher rpms it’s very smooth. This is probably just because I didn’t use the right stuff so I’m a big dummy.
I would say again obviously don’t use any oil in these transmissions, only Honda MTF or GM FMSM with whatever additives are needed.

I also got around to using gorilla tape to close up any direct water paths to my air filter since I am running the long CAI. The outer bumper air holes, around the side light and headlight, and made sure my splash guard was securely fastened in place and big gaps were filled. Apparently you can get a bypass valve that goes on the pipe before the throttle body and you could submerge the air filter entirely and still not hydro lock.
I have used a long CAI for probably about 3.5 years total and never had an issue driving in torrential rain, nor from puddles since I like my stock height. But with this build I’d much rather be safe than sorry. The bypass valve is only like $45 but I’ll need some new tranny fluid and a throttle cable first.

i also need to pick up a new climate control panel. I was at the AC shop and wondering why the clutch wouldn’t engage and OOH YEAH i swapped the blue dash with my grey dash with the known issue. YAY! I couldn’t get the sucker to consistently activate recirculation and get the AC to actually work right with my custom bracket and I don’t want to damage the dash. The button lights up but doesn’t engage without pressure. Just sucks and tried to redneck fix it because I sold a new climate control panel last summer before doing all this work, forgetting about the issue..

Maybe the end of this year I’ll pick up a wideband o2 and a adjustable AFR gauge to make sure I’m running right. Then I will get the EK hardrace suspension set. All shocks are done, front wheel bearings and ball joints. New rack and tie rods. Just need upper and lower control arms, and rear bushings and wheel bearing and I’ll be basically new. Maybe new sway bar bushings too. So I’ll get th EK set, so I still have the correct rear LCAs to run a sway bar, just new. I have ‘01 integra LCAs with a swaybar just have to hang my exhaust a little higher to make it fit and locate a couple nuts to fit on the back of the sway bar brackets on the subframe.

after all that is done it’s time for more bodywork, sanding, and paint. I hadn’t mentioned it here but I actually did the front body seam leak fix as well. I actually bondo’d the entire frame seal down and pained inside where I couldn’t see. It’s help up about 10 months not a drop. That bondo on those frame welds really stiffened up the front end as well. I did the entire under-cowl reservoir as well. Sanded and painted.
Well just spent 20 mins looking and I guess I never took photos. Maybe I will. My under-cowl area is MINT. Definitely gets rid of any funky air smell as long as the blower and stuff aren’t full.

That’s all I have for now. Wait maybe not. Whenever I had the body gutted I sprayed rubberized rust proofing paint on all the insides of the body panels. This was two-fold in purpose... protect as well as insulate. Also helps with acoustic quality. That’s also why I got the ultra plush carpet and barely cut any holes into it. My goal is to have a comfortable quiet cabin. Definitely makes a huge difference having a little bit of material between you and the exhaust tip/road.

I’ll post another update whenever I have done some significant work and I’ll make sure to take photos. Final thoughts... the boosted b18 eg coupe I had was faster but it took too long to make power. The b20b eg hatch would win light to light. But the coupe could hit 150 in less than 2 miles... hmm. No idea and don’t care. =P it’s way more fun and eye turning than a stock or a riced out civic.

Heres how the car sits now






this is the next project! The wife’s car!! 1985 Toyota Corolla. We’re gonna teach her 5ft 100lb self to drive a manual! I’m excited because it’s 200 lbs lighter. This was supposed to be the fast car and the Honda the economy but oh well. Just gonna stick another 4ac or 4af or 3tc in this sucker and try not to kill the family like a squished can of sardines. She had a 02 Mitsubishi Galant but someone hit that boat broadside going through a 2 way stop. Good riddance. 17mpg factory



Already replaced half the suspension a couple years ago, got the other half shipped in on Wednesday. Step dad is going to help me buy a motor just had to replace everything else first. Hence my budget crisis.


Anyways thanks for the read fellers. Good luck on all your endeavors and may you never drop a bolt into the bay or behind the dash and not hear the “thunk” of it hitting the ground. May all your 10mm sockets be found. And may you have some good weather work days. Outie 5000 G

Caoboy

Ohhh boy.

tony_2018

5w30 oil is fine in case of an emergency ONLY. Please use proper MTF for honda transissions. Also when you're tight on budget its best to get your info confirmed and not "I thought it would work". As for the axle ensure its seated all the way in the transmission as well is tighten down at the spindle. If both are confirmed the axle will probably need to be swapped for another.

Scotty Dosent Know

This is a weird thread.

EG_SleepWerks

ALLLLLLLLLLLRRIIIGGHHTYYYY THENN.
SO. SOME DECENT CHANges.

My rear mount crapped out so all are solid. My $57 mount kit definitely leads to some unsustainable NVH. I feel bad for my wife and baby. Definitely going to go with urethane and an aftermarket muffler ASAP.
I actually timed my engine with a gun and I was way too far advanced... can’t trust old dudes just saying turn it to the firewall until it’s good. Now that I’m running with a correct timing the explosions are much deeper and take longer. Idc about being advanced if I put roughly the same power down and I get around 28 mpg instead of 20. This vx hatch will do 1300 rpm in 4th or 5th around 40-44mph. Still horrible gas mileage compared to the blown o2 sensor z1 I had. I really want to get another tune and get an eco mode and a switch. Full throttle will kill an 8th of a tank each pull to 100. This swap will kill your gas budget.

I put the rear subframe brace and an Acura integra sway bar
and LCAS. The shitty Chinese eBay parts had to be ground down just like the header (bolts too short in this case) but after installation it dramatically increased performance and reduced body roll. I know my Sway bar isn’t super aggressive and I technically don’t need the brace, it was about the same price as just the bolts to get the brace anyways. Plus softer shocks equals more
body roll which is why I reinforced the frame.

I also changed my tranny fluid to GM friction modified syncromesh and it has done wonders! Zero grinds, smooth back into first and reverse, smooth pulls and zero grinds at high rpm. That top of second, no let off, third gear pull even quit acting up. SMooth as a baby’s bottom. I highly recommend it. My next fluid experiment is with the Amsoil race oil. I currently run
Mobil 1 high mileage full synth. But I will change soon.


Its such a mental challenge for me now.... i turned a $1200 car into a $4000 car and idk where to go from here. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.