Hey Guys/Gals

So, I figured I would share some progress of my civic after reading many threads here and being inspired.

This will be both a timeline, modification list, and repair log of my 2002 EP3 with 212,000 and climbing miles. This SI has been a great little car to me and I hope to improve it from its worn stock status while keeping it on the road as a daily driver using OEM, equal or better parts. I believe in enjoying the work I put into my car. I do have a build listed on another site and will work to make this one current as fast as I can.

My plan:
I might as well get right to it, the master plan...
My idea behind the car stems from owning a former 2010 civic si four door that I had to part with due to loss of job. I came from a mainly VW background starting in early years of high school caring for what I could afford back then a MK2 vw golf. My cars where always breaking down and needing work, at the time I used it to learn giving me a good base to fly through tech school and become a certified mechanic. However I longed for that car that would give me a little back. I jumped at the chance for the new civic after the first test drive. The feeling of driving a car off the lot everything new, fresh, the feeling of the car wanting to be driven and not put away. This feeling is my excuse for spending the countless time and what money I can to bring this older brother of my old car back to life. Offered to me by a friend at my current job, I saw what I once had in this beat up little car.

The build:

First off, Do not be afraid of the pictures below. These where taken by my buddy at work when he first picked the car up from a traveling salesman. That man did a number on the car, not only did he rack up tons of highway miles he also proceeded to toss every super ugly part he could find at the poor thing, not stopping till it looked as it does below.





When I first took hold of the title the car looked much nicer, my buddy had done quite a large amount of "de-stickering" before I bought the car last xmas. It felt like a gift to myself getting back into a civic.
Below are shots from when I first got hold of the car after buying it off him.




Above photos are also from the first drive it took in the car. I was then driving a commute of 71 miles one way to work. So that did not help the miles... But I was glad to be back in a newer car (coming from a 97 vw with crank windows and no cruse)

After my 30 day tags begin to get close to there end date I gave the civic its first oil change by my hands and got it to pass Ohio emission testing needed to get my plates.




After it was legal and on the road, I kinda got into a slump where I just drove it...
It was the middle of winter to cold to work on it seeing as my apartment did not have a garage.
I did manage to find a place to store my breakfast on for my long drive to work every morning.


As spring began to creep closer I started thinking of ways to better the car so It could somewhat hold up to my 2010 si experience. First came some simple things I found how to do on my own, I did the "A/C mod" so I could turn the air off when on defrost... programed my keyless entry and installed a stock radio. (I like to try and Keep things oem plus) I also found great deals on a shift boot and some other odds and ends I needed. Safe to say I was always checking the classifieds 24/7.
Soon after, I had my first blow that took the car off the road.
Alternator failed on my way home from work, thankfully I was able to source one fast from the local parts store. I was able to limp the car to my dads garage near where I lived at the time and get it replaced next day.




Car was back on the road with my full trust back in it in no time.

My next adds where megan c-pillar and rear strut bars only because I got a good deal on them from my buddy that sold me the car and a roof rack since I road bike quite a lot and needed to carry my bike. I also kept a snow board carrier on top for a bit until I sold my board. I found that older yakima SST racks fit the ep roof when proper clips and stretch kit are used and cost much less than Q towers. Not to soon after that I was able to put the rack to use when I moved closer to work (Akron Ohio from Fairport Harbor Ohio) Ep did a fine job of helping me into my new home and finding my way around the city which I now love.







There after I took yet another break from really adding on to the car, I had to learn my way around town and make some new friends. My new boss is a cool guy and let me use his garage to work on the car when need be, and I was thankful when my clutch master went out and I needed to use his tools and place to put my omni power master cylinder in.

I also took that time to fit the car with a stock intake (air box) I picked up since the semi leaky ghetto cold air intake that was on there began giving me a missfire here and there. (side note) when putting the master in without getting a ss clutch line to use with it really sucks... I would deff now after doing this job spring for the line as well, I thought at the time the set I bought came with one but that was not the case. I installed the master anyway and will spring for the ss line later on.






Car was then back on the road again doing its normal now short commute. Clutch master had also solved an issue of the trans not always wanting to go into gear... At first I though I was going to be needed a new trans but it was actually the master slowly failing that did not let the car go into gear easy as times. I was quite happy when my dumb *** figured that out.

In figuring out I was not going to need a new trans I began to spring for some more smaller items like stock amber and red side markers, and washing and waxing the car often. Car was driven and cared for often during this summer. I was came upon my old SI carpet mats from my 2010 that I forgot to give with my car, they fit well enough and where brand new so I stuck them in there it beat not having any mats at all. I also stumbled onto a deal locally where I was able to get rid of some of the crazy stuff like the ebay exhaust and trade for some password jdm brakes and more broken replacement interior parts. I also cruised the classifieds on EPhatch often looking for OEM bits I could use.







It got a tad hot out for a northern state and I had to kick the A/C on
Ended up breaking the serp belt that I should have replaced when I noticed It looked bad a while back...
But I lived and learned, thankfully I was also able to fix it in a days time and it happened on a friday after work so I did not have to call off. A/C is now cold as ever after a new belt and a recharge...
I also took that time to rip off the bad tint job the car had. Fishbowl might not be the coolest thing in the world but I like it better than half awful tint.





Since then I have done nothing but add gas and change oil, it has been serving me well. I also gathered up enough money to get some more needed add ons, and some that where more just for my driving pleasure.
On the way as of current as the car sits in my apartment parking lot awaiting parts:

-Megan street series coilovers (32 way adjustable, with camber adjustment as well)
-Down pipe, cat-less (car kept tossing code for it since its bad I figure I would replace it and use a angle block to keep the light off eventually upgrading to an RSX S header and cat-converter)
-VTEC solenoid (I was experiencing the car going into Limp mode, as you guys call it.) I searched around on here and ephatch and found a number of good threads on the topic. At first I thought it was oil level related or a clogged screen...
Not the case tho, I am now just replacing the whole valve, I feel confident that it should solve the issue. I talked to my buddy who works as a tech at a honda dealer and said the side mounted and rear head mounted valves could both be at fault I have one down one to go. I also switched to full synth 5-30 a while back to help keep my cams safe. I also picked up a bundle of stock honda oil filters.
-Ingals stiffy touque damper. Two of my engine mounts are older and I feel this with help for a bit until I can replace them all with new fresh mounts. I already replaced my trans mount to solve a squeak.

I will update with some more pics when my coils land and I get time to tear into it and freshen up some more of my High millage Black EP.
Thanks for reading so far hopefully some of you can burn some time at work or something with all this...

Cheers dudes

 

Update: I will be doing a few to bring this up to current speed. Also I am super sorry for the picture quality. I am now shooting with a DSLR however all these older pics where shot with a cell phone because thats all I had at the time.

As of last time I was waiting to put coilovers some new ball joints/knuckles and wheel bearings on along with a new vtec solenoid on the back of the head to solve a limp issue.

The Good news:
1 limp issue is gone, solenoid took care of it, and the old one was quite gooped up inside so I could see why it would have been acting up.



2 Coilover install was a success and they handle great, I could not be happier with them... I will be working to tweak the specs of the set up as I go, camber being the main one along with ride hight and finding the right damper setting for street driving in the city.




Bad news:
1 I ended up ripping the exhaust off a few times, at least knocking it off the hanger, So while I was at the dealer picking up a lug lock key I broke when I was re-installing my wheels after coils went on (i got a bit to crazy with the impact rushing to get the wheels on and not miss a date) I ordered an exhaust hanger and rear gasket for muffler to mid-pipe.

2 My idle is kinda wacky from time to time, I am 100% positive its a combo of my IACV on the TB being bad and temp fixed by my buddy before I go the car. It will idle ok most of the time but at times when I put the clutch in a light (happens often in the city) the idle will dip down almost to nothing before coming back up to around 8-ish. This happens with no load on the car what so ever a/c or otherwise. I also have a code that popped up for my front o2 sensor heater circuit and I will be ordering a replacement for that this week $$$$.

I am hoping to get my hands on a used TB with a spare IACV that I can clean and install. Part because I want the car to idle a bit better and part because the plastic hold for the cruise control cable (TB side) is broke on mine, thus no cruse control for me... and I deff want that back.

I did get the exhaust fixed up nice and tight as well as tweaked some of the hangers to try and get it to sit as high as I could so that I could get clearance for the crappy roads around here.





I have also gave it a nice heathy oil change and after doing some research I will be starting to run the s2000 oil filters as well, or hamp, whatever I can get my hands on when oil change time comes again.
But the EP has been carting my *** around with ease and is still on its path to getting ever so closer to what I want it to be.

 

Update:
I picked up some LED bulbs from the company I work for. I put together a "EP" kit so to speak by figuring out what bulbs fit in the certain spots. The only ones I wanted to replace where the interior bulbs but I also ended up getting some for my plate bulbs on the hatch (might replace these with fresh stock bulbs as they are a bit to flashy for me)




Tonight I was able to stop by a cool loft apartment building in the city where I live and snap some crappy photos of the leds after installing them. I will be adding better photos I promise. For now here are the blurry ones.







Quick one of the lofts I was near for the pics, Ill try to find a parking spot on the front side next time,


Here is sneak peak of a little something I picked up for the high miles EP.
Sticking to my OEM + mindset this engine will be refreshed with a honda gasket set, new rings and some other add ons. I was not in a position to buy something like this just yet but the deal was great so I had to get it.
For those wondering it is a K20A3. The same motor that is currently in the car. Yes the vtec is not the best, yes the head does not flow very well. I just do not want to swap something else in. Maybe Im crazy, but I think with the right supporting mods this low miles version of the A3 will do what I want the car to do just fine. After all I want to see what it would feel like to drive a 2002 civic si off the lot with a like new feel, and putting an A2 in would just be cheating that.


I was also able to find myself a buddy club racing bucket seat this weekend I will be picking that up, cleaning it and my carpets until they look new and ordering the buddy club ultra low down bracket for the seat.

Also waiting to order some cool pre fab'ed wiring resistor including connector ends to "delete" the srs and belt monitor for when the buddy club seat goes in from So Honda Garage!

Also ordered a new serp belt tensioner from work, nothing real fun there, but mine is making a racket and needs attention asap!
Thats all for now, I should be updating soon with some new seat and LED interior kit pics.

 

Last catch up update. (end of summer to current)

Last time I updated I was talking about some led's I recently got for the interior, so far I still like them. Though at times they are a bit to bright when getting into the car in a somewhat sleepy state in the dark. I got one more pic of the map lights, I did not take many because it was bright out when I took this set of pics. (using a cannon digital rebel xti) I also was able to wash and wax up the car this past weekend and install an accord lip (found the diy on here) I always felt the bumper cut off a bit to high up so this was a nice way to add a bit of distance to the bumper with oem honda parts. Install went quite well and you can judge for yourself what the fitment is like. In order to keep something to post for later along with repair items I will not talk much or post pics of my buddy club racing seat I picked up. :whistle: I also do not have the bracket yet for the install, waiting on that from buddy club. As well as time to shampoo the carpets in prep for the seat install. Im super stoaked about it tho, I am really hoping to get a bit better driving feel from it vs the stock seat.













I also had to contact megan racing to get some rebuild parts for one of my front coilovers. Hopefully I can also get that repaired very soon. I am trying to split money between parts for the ep and parts for a winter beater my buddy hooked me up with quite cheap.

 

This past weekend:
I was able the get the following done this past weekend. I had been hearing a noise coming from one of my pulleys, after replacing the shot auto-tensioner pulley, I figured out I also needed an ac clutch/pulley. Since its starting to get cold here I figured I would just remove the compressor and ac system for now and source a new one over winter. I went ahead and ordered a Checkerd Sports AC delete kit which came very quickly in the mail, very happy with this buy. I also got a delivery I was waiting for for a bit. I managed to pick up for a good price a whole RSX S bose sound system, all speakers, spare tire mounted sup, amp, and full interior wiring harness.








I wanted to improve on the sound equipment that was in the car and these new speakers where much bigger, with larger magnets and better over all build. I installed them without amp, sub or wiring, just for the time being to make sure they all worked. They did, and it already sounded much better than before!

Onto the ac delete install, it was quite simple, just install new idler pulley bracket pulley and hardware. My camera battery was about to die so I will have to snap some more pics of the end result with everything installed.







I also cleaned up the trunk and re-installed some factory foam pads on the trunk floor to pad the spare when its tied down so that there will be less chance of a rattle.
Here are a few of the trunk and speaker install.










Cant wait to figure out how to wire in the sub and amp, even tho staring at the pile of wires that makes up the harness is giving me a headache...

 

 

nice!!!

 

when you figure how to wire up the sub, can you post what you did? i have one of those subs laying around too and wanna put it in my 98 hatch. i heard you need a relay or else it will make a popping sound everytime you turn your car on/off

 

Thanks dudes!

I sure will, I will make a mini diy and post it here and in the audio section seeing how I was un-able to find one I don't think there is one out there yet. I am going to try and keep everything stock, including the head unit, but I may need to upgrade that. Since I have the full wiring harness from the rsx I will try to tie the amp and sub in properly... But figuring things out so far has sucked.

 

Nice job. You've rescued it!