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I've read through that once before, but I don't have LEDs in my tail lights. Only in the front corners. I think I've narrowed my issue down to the e-brake switch. Sometimes when I start the car with the e-brake pulled, the BRAKE light never comes on. If I work the e-brake up and down a few times the light will come on. If I do that, the ABS light never trips. If I don't work the brake, and the light never comes on, then I guess the car thinks the light is blown and pops the ABS light. I'm still dealing with the pesky P1491, and until I decide to futher investigate, and ultimately fix it, I'll just continue to carry my scanner around with me and erase the code if/when it decides to pop up. Slooooow progress, and it's only going to get slower. I'll be on 12-hour night shifts at the plant for at least the next week or two. The money is good, but I get nothing done when I'm home during the day and I feel like a zombie and forget what day it is!
thought I missed out on all the updates since I haven't logged on in a few days... and I return to this update-less barren thread?! What updates have you sir!
Sorry guys! I've been on night shift for two weeks so the project has been slow-moving! I did, however, bring the car into the plant to give it a much-needed wash! I'll do a full detail soon!
One night, I decided to bring the car into the shop and repair the windshield washer hose that had been broken all along. Check another thing off the list! I've been tinkering with the E-brake issue. I'm about 99% sure that the issue is with the switch itself, the one that tells the BRAKE light to turn off/off when the lever is operated. Every once in a while, the light will not turn on when I pull the E-brake and not long after the ABS light will turn on. I've been able to pull the cup holder and finnagle the wire and connection to get the light to turn back on. I still may pull the switch and clean the area where the contact is made; it looked a little dirty the last time I looked at it. I've got a MityVac kit coming to troubleshoot and fix the EGR issue. It will require of vacuum checking and probing so it'll take some time. Stay tuned!
Okay, since my stupid web browser won't allow me to "Preview Post", edit and then Submit, I'll just make another post altogether! Unfortunately, I've finally made the decision to repair the car and then put it up for sale. I've been secretly holding out for a good EG/EK hatch and I found one on Sunday. Bone stock 98 DX hatch, AC, PS, 123k miles. Comes with SI wheels and a whole set of stock steelies with brand spanking new tires. I couldn't pass it up! Since I can't keep both, I've decided to dump the Lude and go with the Hatch. Sue me, yeah I know. Blasphemy, right? The truth is, I've always wanted a hatch, I settled for the 94 EH9 because I got a good deal. I bought the Prelude because I got a good deal. Also, I'm a project guy. When I look at a car that needs work, I see potential. When I get it to where it's a reliable daily, I get bored and want something else haha. So anyways, here it is.
Haha I see where you're going with that! But this only applies to cars!
At least this is how I've been since I bought my first civic. I couldn't leave it alone, until I totalled it playing tag with Bambi! I got my EH9 perfect, and sold it. I've got the Prelude almost perfect, for sale. I really have a feeling I'll be sticking with the hatch though, since it's what I've ALWAYS wanted. We shall see!
So last night, myself and a buddy of mine threw the car up on his lift, replaced the leaking oil pan gasket and fixed the **** welds on the exhaust. It looked like they used bubble gum to patch it together once the resonator was cut out. It's finally quiet, a little too quiet... One step closer to the "For Sale" sign!
P.S. He's a BIIIIIG Mustang fan... and has the nerve to call me a Honda Fan Boy.
So Friday I went home with the plan of troubleshooting the EGR issue. I got the vacuum pump hooked up, checked a few things, shut the hood and put it up for sale. I'm at the point where I just don't feel like dealing with it anymore. It has been for sale for 2 days and the CEL and ABS lights haven't come on once since then. I found that the FSM I have for the car is actually for the OBD1 car, so the troubleshooting is different. I had no vacuum at the #16 hose at the EGR valve. I connected the pump the EGR valve itself and had to run it way up (can't remember the exact vacuum) for it to cause the engine to bog. Definitely higher than what the manaul mentioned for the test. I went to check the power wire for the EGR lift solenoid and had nothing. Only thing I can think is the EGR ports need to be cleaned (which I really don't feel like doing at this point), or theres a wiring issue between the ECU fuse and the lift solenoid. Does that sound right?
Plus, it's hard for me to deal with a seemingly dead end project when the hatch is peaking over my shoulder... So I swapped the speedo/odo out of the cluster I bought and now the hatch has a tach!
Location: Jacksonville Beach, Florida, United States
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Re: 1996 Prelude VTEC Rescue/Revival
Don't replace the PS pumps on these old cars when they leak, rebuild them, the procedure is in the FSM and really easy to do. All the seals and o-rings can be bought at the dealer for like $30.
Don't replace the PS pumps on these old cars when they leak, rebuild them, the procedure is in the FSM and really easy to do. All the seals and o-rings can be bought at the dealer for like $30.
That's exactly what I did haha! I ordered a rebuild kit from Gates and its dry as a bone now!
So, a little update. When I had the exhaust welded, I put everything back together and realized the next day that the flange from the header to the downpipe had a leak. Last night, I put the car back on the lift and started taking it back apart to fix said leak. Two out of the three studs broke off in the header (**** Stainless). I ended up removing the header altogether and leaving the car on the lift. I brought the header and downpipe to work today and handed it off to one of our best machinists. He's going to drill the studs out, along with the threads from the downpipe flange. That way, I can weld stainless nuts on the top side of the flange and use high quality stainless bolts instead of the cheap **** that came with it.
Overall, I've been happy with the fitment of my $65 Ebay "special" header/downpipe, but the hardware is definitely lacking. It's also got a pinhole leak around the #4 primary, right at the head flange.
I've had 9 people contact me about the car, but no one has been serious enough to come look at it. A lot of lowball offers and people that just disappear after asking if it's still available. Finger's crossed.
Like I said, the fitment wasn't half bad for being Ebay haha. So as of right now, the studs have been drilled out, the holes are drilled for 3/8" bolts and I'll just throw nuts on the bottom side and call it a day. Pretty soon, the car won't be my problem so I won't have to worry about the inevitable rusting of the bolts, since I didn't go back with stainless bolts.
Anyways, I'm bringing the header back to work to get a small pin hole welded on the #4 primary, then it should be ready to go back together!
For now, I'm back to driving the Ram and getting 15mpg, woo!
So I reinstalled the header (and put high temp anti-seize on all the bolts and studs, 94 Civic Si!) and all is good. No leaks so far! While tinkering with the car I also hooked my vacuum pump back up to the EGR valve. I forget what the exact vacuum number the FSM calls for, but I went above and beyond, heard a pop and the car fell on its face. I removed the EGR valve to investigate and found it functioning properly, but with a rough spot (full of carbon). I cleaned it to be sure and reinstalled it. What I'm thinking is that when I "over-sucked" the EGR, it popped because it had been stuck closed. The car has been fine ever since with no CELs at all.
I'm heading to DMV after work to transfer the tags to the hatch. There are two gentlemen coming to check the car out this weekend. I'm ready for this to be over!
So, after about a week of having the car for sale, and no less than 20 inquiries, not one person has even showed up to look at the car. Most people throw out some offensively low offer and then disappear when you present a counter-offer. I cleaned the car up this weekend because two people were supposed to check it out. Both people ghosted me. Man, I really hate trying to sell cars.
01-17-2018, 09:36 PM
Re: 1996 Prelude VTEC Rescue/Revival
