I aquired this CRX from the for sale section on another board. I traded some things from my garage for it and got a fair deal. So basically at the point where it showed up at my house I had zero "actual" dollars into it. The things I traded I did pay for but I won't be counting that cost as the things I traded were of no use to me anymore. It was said to be not running for unknown reasons and hadn't run in two years. Last time it did run it was running rough. I was told that a minor attempt to work on it had happened but only got as far as loosening the valve cover. (Many bolts/nuts are "loosened" and/or missing)

I will update this as I work on it. Check back for updates. Photos are at the end of the post.

GOAL= Dependable and economical daily driver.

ISSUES TO RESOLVE = (let me know if you have any ideas)
Bad alternator - get new one
RPMs jump up and down at idle - ????
Oil light is on - check pressure sensor wire or ????
Needs new exhaust
needs oil change

Friday 4/9/05 - The gentleman delivered it to my house on a tow dolly and we split the $40 dolly rental. We pushed it into my garage.

Saturday 4/10/05 - Went to Autozone and bought a battery for $45, two bottles of fuel injector cleaner $4, and a bottle of Marvel Mystery oil $4. Went to the gas station and filled a 5 gallon can with regular unleaded for $11.35. Went home, put FI cleaner in tank, put 5 gals of gas in tank, sandblasted and re-gapped spark plugs, put MM oil in cyls, tightened down valve cover, and installed the battery. I started cranking the car over and within 30 seconds she was running. Very loud but running just the same. It looks like the exh mani isn't bolted down all the way and the o2 sensor wire is not there. Not sure where it is and I haven't looked for it very hard yet. Will need a new O2 sensor as the wire was pulled out of the sensor.

UPDATE - 4/10 - tightened exh mani and cat to mani. Bolts were very loose. Cat nuts were in a box in the car. One is missing. Very quiet now but smokes a lot from tailpipe. Still needs o2 sensor. Also noticed there is no alternator belt.

UPDATE - 4/10 - Bought new O2 sensor $39.99 and an alt belt $13 at ghettozone. Started up the car and alt belt started smoking. Alt is frozen. Needs a new alternator. Hopefully the new belt will be ok. Started it with the alt belt off again and it runs much better with the new O2 sensor. RPMs jump around a little at idle. Still smokes but only at higher RPMs. Hopefully it is just the MM oil or the old bad gas that is in it that is causing the smoke. Muffler has dropped rust all over my floor. Definitely needs a new exhaust. Oil light is on but there is plenty of oil. The oil looks like black syrup. Nasty.

Car will probably sit a for a few weeks until I can afford more parts or until I find some used ones. Anyone have an alternator?


$ 20 - Split dolly fee
$ 45 - Battery
$ 4 - MM oil
$ 4 - FI cleaner
$ 11.35 - 5 gals gasoline
$ 39.99 -o2 sensor
$ 13.00 - alt belt

TOTAL COST = $137.34

 

Looks like it could use a little TLC plus the drivers door appears to have some rust at the bottom of it. But for a free car you could have done alot worse. For the jumping rpm, try cleaning the IACV, adjust the tps, etc. If the oil light is one check the pressure sensor and the associated wiring.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by freakaccident &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

ISSUES TO RESOLVE = (let me know if you have any ideas)
Bad alternator - get new one
RPMs jump up and down at idle - ????
Oil light is on - check pressure sensor wire or ????
Needs new exhaust
needs oil change

</TD></TR></TABLE>


most likely tps sensor.. ~$9 on ebay.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 2fast4udude &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


most likely tps sensor.. ~$9 on ebay.</TD></TR></TABLE>

could also be a dry rotted vacuum hose or vacuum leak.

 

I have an alternator lying around in my attic

 

damn not bad at all! if you just put in new oil and its like black "syrup" already, i would definetly get an oil system cleaner (additive). run it in the car for about 10-15 mins at idle, then change oil..


the only thing i would do differently is drop in a d16a6 along with si tranny.. you would still get decent gas mileage and have at least some passing power!

 

i ahve a drivers side door

 

nice find...

 

werd nice find. good luck! start with some bushings... My suggestion anyway :D

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 91civic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Looks like it could use a little TLC plus the drivers door appears to have some rust at the bottom of it. But for a free car you could have done alot worse. For the jumping rpm, try cleaning the IACV, adjust the tps, etc. If the oil light is one check the pressure sensor and the associated wiring. </TD></TR></TABLE>

The rust on the drivers door is due to an accident the previous owner had. There is no rust anywhere else on the car. Major find in the midwest!! I just need a new door and a new left front fender.

I will mess with the idle problem and oil light when I get back from vacation. I have to get my veetakin working on my EG before I leave.

The interior is dirty but in great condition other than the drivers side seat bolster being ripped.


<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nuckingfuts &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">damn not bad at all! if you just put in new oil and its like black "syrup" already, i would definetly get an oil system cleaner (additive). run it in the car for about 10-15 mins at idle, then change oil..
</TD></TR></TABLE>

I haven't changed the oil yet. The sludge that's in there is the 2 year+ sludge.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by whole9 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">werd nice find. good luck! start with some bushings... My suggestion anyway :D</TD></TR></TABLE>

Eventually that'll be on the list.

 

I'd drain the oil, drop the oil pan, clean the oil pan, clean the oil pickup, install new gasket.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by senpai &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'd drain the oil, drop the oil pan, clean the oil pan, clean the oil pickup, install new gasket.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Bahh..too much work. I'm gonna run some MM oil in the oil then change it and call it done. If I need to change it again then so be it.

 

yea, but if you throw a rod then your project wont be so cheap anymore.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by senpai &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yea, but if you throw a rod then your project wont be so cheap anymore.</TD></TR></TABLE>

:\

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by senpai &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yea, but if you throw a rod then your project wont be so cheap anymore.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Just an excuse to put a z6 in it and turblow. Not to mention cleaning the oil pan out by removing it isn't going to do much for throwing a rod. Running a little MM oil in it until the motor is hot then changing it will work wonders. Replacing the muffler bearings might help though.

 

I think he was talking about cleaning the oil pickup. if it gets clogged from black surupy oil you can have no oil pressure and smoked bearings (not of the muffler variety! LOL).

 

Good point but I'm still worried about those muffler bearings.