Squeakyhinge

I'm lucky because I have until my current car chevy cav craps out before I have to rely on the civic. Gonna miss the cav, it's a trooper. I might just bring it back while it's out of commission too.

Thanks for reading my post. I'm a civic newbie and would like to hear opinions on taking this car past 275k. Engine rebuild experiences? First is a trani rebuild. I put an engine in my cav and I'm mech inclined so considering a trani rebuild first. It's an extreme hobby. Wish I had a more active hobby but at least my hands are moving and I'm saving a couple bucks.

Thanks for reading.

ezone

I'd just fix the trans, if it were me.
Except for maintenance, I wouldn't touch the engine unless or until it's necessary.
Check fluids regularly, don't wait for the idiot lights to tell you it's too late.

I think that as long as the body isn't rusted out (unless you can do bodywork too), you can keep the cars going a long time.

We have a customer with over 400k on a 6th gen. Original engine and trans. It's not a perfect car by any means, but he does enough to keep it on the road as his DD.
He does spend some money to keep it going, he bought a set of brake and fuel lines late last year.
(I really hate touching the car, just because I'm in the rust belt and nothing is easy on something that old here.)

Squeakyhinge

Finally found PDF downloadable service manual for 6th gen civic here:
http://ge.tt/m/2VhT2XK

Might do the transmission rebuild. I hear it's easier for a manual trans. Hope I get the correct rebuild kit. Maybe I should only replace the bad parts?

ezone

Depends on what all is wrong with the trans.

Just bearing noise?
Grinds gears?
Leaks?

If there's a whole lot wrong you may want to price a used trans.

Squeakyhinge

Yea, ezone, it seems pretty bad. It won't go into third, and when it's in second, I can hear some grinding and rattling. No leaks. I've no experience with transmission symptoms and would love to be talked into a simple repair at a transmission specialist. The previous owner gave me the car because he wasn't as much of a tinkerer as I. I recently replaced an engine on my cav so have earned some bragging rights. Cautiously approaching the value of bringing this civic back on the road vs trading both clunkers for a more "healthy" vehicle or increasing my mechanical/body repair skills. It's nice having a third car with less pressure. But money concerns remain the same ha ha.

Anyway, I wish I could put pictures on here easier with my phone so you can evaluate. The driver side rear fender should get replaced too I think. Got a little crinkled in a corner bump. Started some rust. Would like to change the skin or do a rust panel on driver door bottom but right now trani is main item. For $300 I could get a used one at wrecker. Noticing the coupes are hard to find body parts for and my beat source seems to be car-parts.com.

Thanks for reading my post.

ezone

I don't place a dollar value on a car the way others do.
I stay away from bodywork too. Doing it RIGHT is an art form I just don't have talent for. The guys that can take a beat up wrinkly old panel and make it mirror image reflection smooth are true artists.
Might be the cheaper option as long as it doesn't need anything. I might expect at least input shaft bearings and axle seals to be needed, but that's probably gonna be cheaper than having to buy gear sets and synchros and a set of bearings for the one you have now.

Squeakyhinge

[QUOTE=ezone;4665566]I don't place a dollar value on a car the way others do.
I stay away from bodywork too. Doing it RIGHT is an art form I just don't have talent for. The guys that can take a beat up wrinkly old panel and make it mirror image reflection smooth are true artists.

I call it a hobby that I'm surfing the autobody forums on how to do some quick, inexpensive body work. Seems there's a million posts on this approach. It says $20 for a blaster at harbor freight tools, and I'm dying to do a butt, tack weld. I want a small mig welder and some rust repair panels to mess with. If I could cut some rust, tack weld, fill the seem with welds, prep and finish paint, and it lasts 5 years , I will change my occupation. It might be a good retirement job.



"I might expect at least input shaft bearings and axle seals to be needed"

Thanks for the suggestion. I will look/research into this. Seems a good time while the trani is out.