So, after I sold my EG to a good friend of mine I said I was done with Hondas for a while. Having been messing with them since around 1997 I had planned on finally moving on to what I really wanted to work with and that was a RWD V8 project. Something with a turbo LS engine is what I had in mind. Since they can be had for cheap, hold a lot of power, and run really well with not a ton invested into them. Well, I found myself a 4 cylinder Mustang and called about it. It was a clean car and a good deal, but someone had moved on it before I found it. The new owner followed through with the deal and I got a little discouraged with that whole idea. For the better part of a year I had no car of my own to tinker with and it was bothering me. So, I did what any logical person would have done and bought an EF hatch from the friend that I had sold my fairly clean K20 swapped EG hatch that I owned for 8 years. It was a car that was found in a guys backyard and had been sitting for a while. My friend was going to clean it up a little and flip it for some extra cash, but I stepped in and sealed the deal with him.

Here is a little rundown of the car and what the setup I have is:

1991 Civic Dx
136k miles.....I think
Had a ZC swap in it when I bought it
Came with a spare transmission and some other parts
The car actually ran, but not well.

Quick rundown of the new setup:

Block
K24A1 (straight K24A1)
Eagle Rods
CP Pistons 87.5mm
Honda main and rod bearings
ARP Headstuds
K20A2 Oil Pump

Head
K24A1 Head
Exhaust rockers on both intake and exhaust
K20A ITR Cams (only running on vtec lobe)
50* Cam gear
Factory dual spring setup (What IPS used to suggest for some of their cams)
New factory retainers
Supertech dual spring seats
New intake and exhaust valve seals

Transmission
Base Model RSX 5 speed
Quaife LSD
Clutchmasters Twin Disc

Turbo
PTE 6765 (vband inlet)
JDL Manifold
Tial 60mm wastegate
Tial 50mm BOV

Fuel
Walbro 255 intank
Bosch 044
ID 1000's
-8 feed line
-6 return

Suspension
KYB Struts
No name coilovers that I pieced together. Hopefully the springrates I am using work fine.
ES Bushings throughout
PCI Spherical bushings in the front lower control arms.
Innovative Traction Bar

Wheels/Tires
949 6UL 15x8"
Front tires undecided but leaning towards 225-50-15" Toyo R888s
Rear tires are Faulken Azenis 205-50-15"


The day I bought it


Right when I started pulling the original engine


These engine bays are hideous in my opinion. Brackets, valves, holes, screws, junk everywhere.


When I started stripping the bay down and removing all the unwanted junk. Notice the pile of stuff that fell out of the driver side fender area when I removed that. At least a pound or two of junk.


Man, that looks nice! The inside of the tank was not really any better.


So I traded the ZC swap that came in the car for this engine. It was replaced by a Honda dealership under warranty after the original owner's kid hydrolocked the engine. It still ran but after the customer brought it back 3 times complaining of problems they finally swapped the engine. The was a K24Z1 with low miles. I think the owner's kid took the family CRV for a swim in some muddy water.


Other than some debris in the oil pan when I removed it, the engine looked brand new. However, I did find the culprit of why the engine may not have ran like it should.


Another K24A1 that I bought from a guy for spare parts. It is one of the 3 K24 engines that I currently own. Actually, I used this block for my engine build. Scooped this up for cheap and could easily part it out for 4 times what I have in it.


Some initial measurements I was recording with equipment that I did not think was as accurate as it needed to be. Consulted with a machinist friend later to remeasure everything. My measurements were pretty good, which was surprising to me.


A little shortblock assembly. Had to go through two sets of rings. Second set I got from CP has no gap to start off with, which is fine with me. Used CP's suggestions for ring gap. Talked with a few more experienced engine builders and went with some clearances for the mains and rods that should work just fine. I used OEM bearings just because I liked getting them pretty consistent across the engine.




What the wife doesn't know wont hurt her.....right?








Subframe after my friend braced some the Hasport mount and boxed in where I need to notch it for the engine/tranny. This was right before I scuffed it up and painted it.


I thought the engine bay was terrible. So after what seemed like a bunch of work getting a friend to weld in holes and me smoothing stuff over. This is is my end result. I used Monstaliner to finish it all up and it turned out really nice in my opinion.


This is pretty much where I am now. Got the engine in there that I am going to use and trying to get the IC piping, downpipe, dumptube, fuel lines, etc to all work.


Brake booster delete and also converted this thing over to a hydraulic clutch. A friend welded up a little contraption on the stock pedal assembly and the hydraulic clutch MC is located up under the dash. Anxious to see if it works or how well it works. In this pick I have not mounted the clutch MC reservoir yet.

I have more pics, but this is just a quick intro to what I have been procrastinating on for a while now. Will upload some more pics and post them up.

 

Just got some new brake lines in today. Good old eBay specials. Had some on my EG that worked as advertised and are still holding in there years later.

 

Im actually digging the bed liner in the engine bay. Nice job so far. In for the updates

 

Thanks man! I like the bed liner too. Saw it on a couple race cars a while back and decided to go for it too.

 

wow that was quick lol, in for updates

 

very neat!

 

Cool build.

 

Dang man this things looking good. Gonna make some great power thats for sure!!

 

I hope it does alright!

 

UPS delivered my radiator yesterday. For the EF chassis someone discovered that if you use a VW Rabbit/Scirocco radiator it tucks in there nicely. I need to do some more trimming to make mine work since I have an intercooler sitting directly in front of it. Also, got to level it all out and mount it so that I can fit a slim fan in there too. In this pic it is just sitting on the cross bar of the traction bar setup. Bought some aluminum from home depot and going to cut some brackets out and get my friend to weld it up on there.

 

i like what i see

 

Thanks man. Thinking about getting off my lazy behind and going out to the garage and well at least looking at it for a minute or two.

 

Got a few new pics of some progress.


Drilled and tapped the intake manifold for the BOV and FPR lines. Trying to use push lock fittings wherever they are necessary.







Bent and flared some brake lines. Luckily these are behind the dash, they are not the prettiest, but hopefully they all hold fluid properly. Should be ordering some more fittings and a few other things before I will be able to finish it all up and leak check them.

 

Differences aside, Thanks for going outside the norm and doing something different. That engine bay wont be chipping anytime soon! HAHAH

You can mop that thing out.

 

Great Build!!!!
Continue the good work!!

 

haha the dishwasher cracked me up

 

lookin good tho

 

Mounted the FPR today and worked on some wiring. Nothing to spectacular. Should be receiving a bunch of parts this week to finish the fuel lines. Got to finish what I was doing to the fuel pump hanger too. Maybe after that I can possibly fire it up for the first time. I will post more pics as I go.

 

Sexy build!

 

Hell yes!

 

hadn't checked on this in a while, but man its looking good! You find that 1/16 pushlock for the FPR?

 

I did, found it on McMaster Carr's website and ordered a couple. I was about to drill and tap the FPR to accept the 1/8"NPT push lock fittings, but found the other. Main reason I wanted to use those is in case I ever part the car out or sell that part I figured it would appeal to some if it were all original and not modified.

 

I really like the engine bay. Looks nice!

 

Got a few things done today once some parts arrived.


I think most of the brake tuck stuff is done. Hopefully all of the flairs hold fluid fine.


Working on trying to hook up the stock fuel pump hanger for the -8 feed line and -6 return. I think what I am doing will work. The next obstacle is getting a feed line from the pump to the fitting. -8 line is a lot bigger than what the pump outlet is. I think I know a way to make it work. Also, go to mount the pump a little lower on the hanger due to the fitting hanging lower in there.

 

Nice work so far! looking forward to more updates