I picked up this 90 Hatch last week and wanted to post a picture of it. So long as the mods don't delete this thread, I plan on using it
to document the work that I plan on doing to it. It's a 90 Civic Hatchback SI with 160k original miles. The car hasn't been modded at
all by anyone, and is in pretty clean condition considering it's damn near 30 years old. I'm 33 years old, and was always really into the
import scene back in the Fast N Furious days of the late 90's, early 2000s. After getting too many tickets, my license was eventually
suspended and I decided to give up the import scene at about 24 years old (10 years ago). In that time frame, I've driven a couple
Ford Explorers, a Ford Taurus, and about a year ago I purchased a 2007 VW Rabbit that's a fun little car to drive. However, I've always
had the itch of wanting to get back into a tuned Honda that's lowered with amazing handling abilities etc. I already wanted to get back
into the scene, but my best friend who owned this Hatchback before me unfortunately took his life a few weeks ago and I decided to
buy his 90 Hatchback from his family for only $1000.00. I can't even find this car on Craigslist anywhere in California, so I feel quite
confident that $1,000.00 for a perfectly running Civic SI with fairly low miles is a steal!? Of course it's a 5 speed as well and still has
the original SI rims.

I purchased the car from his family because I wanted to keep my best friends car in the family. He always loved tuning Hondas and
had plans for this Hatchback, but he'd been dealing with tons of depression which lead to him unfortunately taking his own life on
March 12th 2017. I plan on swapping a B series motor into it, already have plans on suspension, engine, tires, wheels, and want to
completely restore the vehicle to brand new shape as if it were still 1990. The interior is in fantastic shape, aside from the carpet
being pulled out from the cars frame a bit, but that's a very easy fix. LS/VTEC is the game plan, but I do live in California where of
course our smog laws etc. are very strict. I have to be careful and make sure that the parts I use will allow it to still pass smog, and
get bar'd by a ref etc.

Anyways... enough rambling for now... without any further ado... here she is!

 

really nice - a steal at $1000 is an understatement

 

I am sorry to hear the loss of your friend. Keeping that car is wonderful! It's looks to be in great shape. If it were mine, I would just leave her alone. Just maintence and spruce her up. Kind of a restore. How does the engine bay look? There too many of these civics with motor swaps...keeping it stock will turn heads for sure!! Have any more pics?

 

Appreciate the replies. I'll definitely have more pictures of it soon. It's been raining all week since I took over ownership and
I've had it hiding under a car cover in my apartment complex parking lot. The car is very important to me since it's obviously
from a buddy of mine who passed away, so I do my best to keep it hidden til I end my lease and find a place with a garage.
In fact, I even keep all the spark plugs out, as well as the battery (in the rear hatch) disconnected to make it as hard as
possibly in case any punks get sneaky.. The engine bay looks pretty good.. aside from the fact that there's a glass jar
up by the right head light that is clamped in place that holds what looks like radiator fluid? I feel like this was rigged, and
definitely not MEANT to be this way, since it's seriously a mason jar.. but I'll post more pictures soon enough (once we get
some sun out in "sunny California").

PS - He purchased this car about 2 years ago for $4,000 dollars... I only paid $1,000.00 since him and I were practically
brothers his family allowed me to buy it for next to nothing since I told them my plans on keeping it for the rest of my life.
I'd actually like to invest into a lot of parts for it, and even take it out to Hot August Nights eventually since it's practically
a classic car these days.. despite not being an American Muscle car of course..

:D

I hear you on keeping it stock, but if you knew how much him and I were into tuning older Hondas back when we were in
our late teens, you'd understand why I have 0 plans on keeping it stock. I want this Hatchback to be the cornering street
demon that I know it has the potential of being.. The stock SI motor is just too slow.. boring.. /yawn

Know what I mean? I plan to keep the body mostly stock though, if that helps? Aside from lowering it with some good
coilovers and possibly upgrading the SI rims to some BBS black mesh with chrome lip wheels..

 

The rain let up a little bit so I did a lil mini video from inside the hatch.
As my first post stated, the interior is in pretty great shape, just need
to get the axle replaced on my day off so I can drive it around without
needing to baby the **** out of it.. I've pretty much left it parked until
the axle is replaced. The video is on facebook but for some reason
I can't see the link when I post this comment? I can see it prior to
posting it but it vanishes when I post.. :\

https://www.facebook.com/Mista808/videos/10154476083150866/
https://www.facebook.com/Mista808/videos/10154476083150866/

 

Nevermind.. I guess it just took a couple minutes worth of refreshing the page for them to finally show for me lmaoo

 

glad you are back in the scene, see more and more of this happening

sorry about your friend, but at least you will always have him close by when you turn wrenches

 

exactly, appreciate the love. can't wait to get started.. first things first is the front axle.. replacing it Tuesday so I can actually drive it around town without baby'n the **** out of it.

 

replaced the front axle yesterday, no more clicks, seems to turn smoothly, except I ran into what seems to be a completely separate issue..
after replacing the axle, I took it out for a drive to make sure it was turning without any clicking or issues, and I took a right turn at a decent
amount of speed while accelerating hard through the turn and the car felt like it lost about 50% or more of it's power for about 2 seconds..
almost felt like the car was about to die on me.. then it was perfectly fine again as if nothing happened.. No idea what could cause that?
did a search, didn't find anything to match exactly what happened..

think of a stop light that's green and you're making a right.. but rather than make that right like a civil human being, you make that right
like you were in a street course race.. I made the turn while in 2nd gear, and accelerated pretty hard through the turn and that's when
the vehicle suddenly started to bog for 1 to 2 seconds.. almost felt like the car was going to die.. then it suddenly picks up again and
was fine after those couple seconds.. any ideas? when I got home, I didn't find any leaks or anything.. car seemed to drive the rest of
the way home perfectly fine aside from that lil issue..

 

how was the fuel level at the time?

 

wow clean I want it lol

 

My guess is fuel getting pulled away from the pickup in the tank due to the g force. If your tank was low, that would explain it. I f the tank was full, maybe an issue with the pump somehow?

 

The car had about a half tank of gas. Ever since this bogging happened that I explained in my OP, now the car won't start.
It cranks, but won't start. I think something is going on with the spark plugs or possibly wires/dizzy/rotor etc. I have NGK
plugs and wires as well as a Dizzy cap and rotor but I haven't got around to replacing them yet. We've been dealing with
crap weather again in California. Waiting for some sun.. (raining as I type this message)..

 

Are you sure the fuel gauge works? I'm not saying that the problem isnt the dizzy or ignition related, but I have had lots of fuel gauges read too high and the engine was starve for fuel. Try that first, because it's a really easy thing to diagnose. Just fill the tank up.

 

Wow... I guess you COULD be right? That would be ******* NUTS if that's all it was! That would totally explain why it bogged hardcore when I went fast around a turn and then got me home which was only about 1/8th of a mile.
Ever since then, I have not been able to get it to start. It cranks, but won't start. Now that I think about it further.. the symptoms definitely match a car being out of gas? Wow.. going to go to gas station and get a couple gallons
after work and see if you may be onto something.. lmaoo! I would be so happy if that's all it was!

 

Fingers crossed for ya

 

was so eager to find out, I went home on lunch break and put a gallon in the tank..
no luck unfortunately.. going to go ahead and replace the spark plugs, wires, dizzy cap,
rotor, and go from there. I can definitely hear the fuel priming through the fuel rail when
I turn the accessories on.. so I don't think it's due to the fuel pump. frustrated for sure.. :\

 

Main relay?

 

No idea? I don't have much experience with being under the hood.. I'm a computer guy! lmaoo
Could be the main relay.. and I just picked up a smart test light, as well as a multimeter.. but no
idea on how to use either of them right this second.. fml :\

 

If you hear the fuel pump prime then it's not the main relay.

 

is this 100% fact? because I've seen videos on youtube of people with their fuel pumps priming and
crank/no start, as soon as they replace the main relay, the issue is 100% solved. Not saying that it's
the Main Relay for SURE.. but unless you're a expert mechanic, I think your info isn't 100% correct?

 

I am going by what I have experienced and what technicians have told me. Seems like you want to hear replace the main relay. Replace it. If you want an "expert mechanic" diagnosis then take it to one and have them diagnose the non-staring issue.

Good of luck and take care.

 

I wasn't intending on sounding like a dick.. just seen several videos with the fuel priming and still the main relay fixed their issue.
I did finally get around to pulling out the plugs today, and two of the plugs appear to have had black oil/watery on the coils..
The other two looked like they were fine. All 4 of the plugs coils smell like fuel. I have NGK replacements, but now I'm trying to
do some research to determine if I should hold out on putting in the new plugs at this time?

Thanks!

 

replaced the spark plugs (getting spark) replaced the wires (both NGK), replaced the dizzy cap, as well as the rotor for the dizzy..
still no luck unfortunately. exact same thing.. engine cranks like it's trying to start, but does not start. at this point I'm suspecting
either a fuel issue, or possibly main relay? people say to check the battery, but if the moon roof opens without lagging at perfect
speed, the deck powers up for the radio, the lights work etc.. makes me think it's NOT the battery? Or could it still be? I wish I
had a fuel pressure gauge and knew how to use it.. I also wish the battery was not in the trunk, so I could use my test light and/or
multimeter to test other voltages/etc. What's the best way to use the test light when my battery has been relocated to the trunk?
I don't have long enough wires on my test light to reach the battery in the trunk and the ignition coil, and many other things I'd like
to test?

PS - in case you didn't read my original post, the car was running fine about a week ago when I purchased it from my friends family.
My friend owned the car, but he unfortunately passed away. I replaced the front (passenger side) axle.. and I took it for a drive to
test the axle.. took a right turn at a fairly decent speed (maybe 15-20mph) and pushed the gas pedal all the way to the floor as I was
exiting that turn.. the car then bogged and felt like it lost a good 60-80% of it's power.. when it bogged.. I let off the gas and the car
recovered completely about 1.5 to 2 seconds later.. I then drove the car the rest of the way home without any further issues.. but made
sure to baby it the rest of the way. I turned the car off, and the next day I started it up to warm it up.. it ran for about 20-30 seconds
and died on me.. has not started ever since.. only cranks and sounds like it's TRYING to start.. but won't. Hoping this may give you a
little insight to help me diagnose why it's cranking without starting now?

got spark, can hear the fuel prime.. not sure what to do from here.. aside for checking things like fuel pressure etc. that I don't have the
proper tools for.

 

UPDATE

I got the car to finally start, it warmed up, and the idle was fine, everything seems good.
The fix? Well.. I replaced the spark plugs, replaced the spark plug wires, replaced the
dizzy cap, and the dizzy rotor. After all of that though it STILL did not start.. started to
think that maybe me putting in only .9 gallons of gas into the tank was maybe not enough
if the car was truly OUT OF GAS.. so I went up to the gas station, filled up a 2 gallon tank
and also picked up some Purple Royal fuel cleaner... I dumped a couple oz. of the fuel
cleaner into the tank, dumped the 2 gallons of gas into the tank.. tried starting it once..
nothing.. waited a few minutes, tried again.. started right up!

let it warm up completely.. turned the car off again (anxiously thinking it would not start)
waited about 5 minutes.. started right up again first try!

conclusion - I can't say for sure.. but I'm really starting to think that maybe the fuel gauge
is fucked.. it claims that it has half a tank in the car.. but the only thing I did to get it to finally
start was to put 3 gallons of gas in the car.. about 1 gallon a few days ago (wouldn't start)
and another 2 gallons today and it started right up!

here's the thing though.. the car definitely noticed the 3 gallons I put in, because the fuel
gauge did climb a little bit.. but my question is.. could there be a chance that the fuel gauge
thinks it's about half full when it's really empty? and if so.. is there a chance that adding the
fuel to lift the gauge STILL doesn't necessarily mean the gauge works properly? like where
if it's half full, it's actually empty, but if it's a quarter past half full then it really means it only
has a quarter tank? If someone can help me confirm this answer.. then I'll know 100%
whether it's a fuel gauge issue and nothing else..

I'm soooooooooooo happy I got it to start!