My adventures over Thanksgiving week, and last week:
1) Suspension:
Replaced the stock, basically blown suspension with KYB AGX’s 4 way adjustable shocks, some older Eibach Sportlines (1-3/4” drop), front and rear strut tower braces and a rear lower subframe brace. Fairly straight forward work, nothing out of the ordinary caught me off guard. Rented a spring compressor from Pep Boys (they make you pay for it, then refund the entire amount afterwards, pretty sweet!). Took about a day to do it all (first time doing a full suspension, taking my time doing it). I also took a day to help my brother swap out of the springs that we got him for his B-Day on his Geo Storm (don’t ask ….).

2) Interior stuff:
Momo steering wheel and hub. ½ hour job, but the horn button was twisted and stayed on, had to tweak it a little to get it to line up right, works fine now! 320 mm model, so very compact, but doesn’t interfere with view of the gauges.
Put on my Momo pedal covers I’ve had for my last four cars, had to trim the bolts on the bottom of each so they wouldn’t stick into the carpet!
Installed a cheapy DC knock off short shifter and a Momo ****, with cheapy new eurathane bushings. Much better shifting now!
Put in an Si gauge cluster (has a tach, my STD model didn’t), and installed indiglo gauges at the same time. Wiring the indiglos was fairly easy, just needed some advice from H-Tech guys on where they wired the + lead. Everything works fine!!

3) Engine work:
This was the meat of my time (aside from getting the house ready for 16 guests for Thanksgiving!!). Put on the 2000 DX head, ’90 Si intake manifold/ECU/injectors/etc., AEM short ram, cheapy 4-2-1 header. Pulling everything off was not that bad (have a ’90 Honda service manual), made sure I labeled everything I wasn’t clear on (mainly the stock wiring stuff). Spent a good three hours getting the old head gasket crap off the block so it would be smooth and clean …… ughh!!!! The new head bolts worked fine except for the top corner one near the #4 cylinder. The EK head bolts are all flush, the EF head bolt in that corner is raised. So trip #1 to Home Depot for washers.

I had bought an EK valve cover over a month and a half ago, but still hadn’t received it …… so I made an emergency trip to the boards, and bought one there. Of course the day I picked it up, the other one arrived. Go figure!! I also had bought an EK distributor. BZZZZT, wrong answer, another trip to the board to get an Si distributor. Drove down to Rockville and met a guy at 10:00 pm to buy it. Oops, the manifold didn’t come with the injector clips, and the stock two are know good. Trip to the junk yard, guy wanted an injector to make sure the clips would work. I told him exactly what model Tags and Civics that would work, but he was still a dick. F—k him, went to the boards again, got them for half what I would have had to pay at the junk yard!

Finally have all the stuff I need. Did everything but the timing belt (stock one was not going to work, needed to be replaced anyways, so I had already bought the one I would need). Timing belt was a bitch, my electric Impact Wrench ain’t strong enough. Drive to Home Depot again, no pneumatic ones, Pep Boys, same deal, go to God’s store for tools ……. Sears ……. Of course they have 600 ft-lb pneumatic ones! No money in the account, f—k it, write a check for it, borrow $200 from my wife to put in the account so it won’t bounce, and will return it this week to get the money back!! Back to Home Depot, rent a compressor for 4 hours, 30 seconds, the bolt was off!!!!! Return the compressor, impact wrench going back later this week.

Installed everything back on, new intake and header fit fine, had to extend the wire for the 02 sensor, finished all the wiring for the computer. Cross my fingers, prime the fuel pump, triple check everything, crank it. Turns over, doesn’t engage. Stop, wait, try again. More turning over, and some sputtering. Two more times like this, it fires and goes up to 3000 rpm. Let it run, double checking to make sure fluid isn’t flying everywhere, and everything looks fine, no CEL or codes. Turn it off, check again, restart, fires right up, 1,200 idle. Lower the idle down to 800, and it has worked perfect ever since!!!!!!!!!!!

Definitely more oomph, and more throttle response. Can’t get to the track for awhile, and the stock exhaust is still on, and very restrictive. I’m guessing mid 16’s now, which is a big difference from 18.89!!!!! Handling WAY OUTPERFORMS the acceleration and braking now. Very close to the level the Type R was at stock, but still needs sway bars and definitely some wheels/tires! (Still riding on the stock 13” steelies – no cash until after the holidays!)

It all took an extra week, a few more headaches, and a lot more cash than I had wanted to spend, but was well worth it!!

 

ya buddy so u like the STD dont ya i told u are u still usin the 4 speed as well and wut year is ur car i have the 88 like the type R suspesion i was just wondering the 88 has the worst exhasut i got rud of it for the si btu im usin the std manifold (like the HF) for my turbo which is coming soon glad to here everything worked out ok when i did it the first time the injecters leeked that was my only proble, i came accross and it runs lean as hell i need to check the pressure and get a regulator for it i have the 5 sped goin in on tuesday ill let u know how much better it is with a tranny that works and not made for 70 hp

 

I'm still missing the Type R ....... this car will never be able to catch it overall ...... but it will be fun to try!!

I'm thinking about an Si tranny, with a lighter flywheel, and maybe a better final drive. I plan on road racing the car, and need to see the rules and regs for the class I want to be in.

And I'll be doing a custom 2.25" exhaust sooner or later.

Mine's a '90.

 

its no type R but look on the bright side u will be beating new sis with a 5 speed like i said with the 5 speed our cars were running mid 15s and with a little tunning now we should be running low 15s idsay a 5 speed is the final ingreadient to make it a note worthy swap

 

Hey TypeR, just wondering what bone yards are nearby that have goodies left? I'm up by Owings Mills which is fairly close and I just bought my 90 Si HB. It's basically stock and probably will be for a while. Maybe we can hook up so I can check out your mods.

 

Cool.

I went to a few places, but ended up buying everything I needed by asking around on the boards, and meeting people local. That, and EBay!!

Catonsville, is just down the street ...

 

Hey you guys both in maryland? i keep wanting to get a crx/ef meet around here, you guys down?

 

Why not. I got nothing else better to do.
This weekend I'm free and the wife will be working.

 

Seems like laurel would be somewhat close to all 3 of us, what you guys think? You guys up for meeting up Saturday? Any other MD people around?

 

It's gonna be chilly, but that would be cool if I can do something this weekend, gotta check with the wife ......

 

Hey HondaCRX, where are you located? What's down in Laurel besides the horse track and the Redskins stadium?

 

nothing really, i was just thinking we could meet up and just check out the rex's. Im sure we could all use a hand on something or other, im always down to meet some ht peeps. what you guys think? you guys down?

 

I would be, I think I am available.

Need to pick a place and time, and put the word out ASAP. I'm thinking noonish, but I don't know anywhere in Laurel off the top of my head (Redskins stadium is in Raljon, off of MLK blvd. not Laurel).

I'll make a new post OK?


[Modified by TypeR0207, 8:49 AM 12/6/2001]