I just helped my girlfriend buy an 89 civic dx for grad school next year. We got an excellent deal on the car, but it has a few troubles. It doesn't seem to like to start a whole lot. It turns over and acts like it should be going, but doesn't. The guy at the lot sprayed some "starter fluid" into the intake, and it started then. Is this a fuel delivery problem? Something to do with the injectors, or maybe distributor? Also, passenger CV joint is crap? hard to change on these vehicles? i've done it on my 3000gt and it wasn't too bad, am i in for some fun? thanks for any response.
Jesse

 

I have the same problem with my b16a swap into my crx. It has a lot of trouble starting sometimes so I can't really help you there. However the cv joints are easy to change on these vehicles if you have some wrenching experience. I should know considering how many times I've messed my axles up.

 

Any other thoughts?

 

main relay! the axles are easy as pie, just when you start to pull out of the tranny grab as close to the tranny as possible so you dont seperate the c/v joint

 

if it starts when you spray the tb then it's a fuel delivery problem most likely. i'd run some fuel cleaner through it fist. get some berrymens b12. it works pretty good. if that does'nt work i'd start looking at fuel filter, then main relay. i think at the top of this forum in tha faq thread is a write up on changing the cv's.

 

dx aint got no injectors. its basically a overrated carberator. i have a perfect dx intake with carb off a 89 if you want it ill do cheap for ya. piece o cake ta change and the axles are simple too

 

a dx does have 2 injectors. it has a primary and auxillary. ive got entire dx manifold i will practically give you if you pay for shipping

 

well, i ran some injector cleaner through it and it hasn't failed to start since. i don't trust it farther than i can throw it, but we're good for now.
Also, funny story about the CVs. I started to take the axle off and the nut on the end was rusted like a ****. i unstaked it but still couldn't get it to move. my final solution: w/ breaker bar and socket on the nut, i drove it about 3 feet. popped it loose. probably the dumbest thing i've ever done, but it was a lot of fun after the first 2 hours of frustration (pb blaster, torched it, jumping on breaker bar). so now i have to get the little tie joint off the bottom. it looks to be a bit rusty too......

 

yeah axles nuts are fun if you dont have air tools! if your talking about the ball joint nut, good luck getting it off without air because the entire ball joint turns.. its not so bad taking it off as it is putting it back on. welcome to the fun world of honda mechanics!