skipbarber

iTrader: (34)

ok, after my car was broken into about 2-3 months ago, i decided to go hardcore with an alarm with tons of cool toys to go along with it. I work at circuit city, so the resources were there for me, but you can do this pretty cheap if you DIY too.

The alarm of choice for me was the VIPER 790xv with LCD pager.
Ive hooked it up with: (remote will power)
power locks/alarm
trunk release
street glow
remote start (on stick shift )

anyways, in this DIY i'll show you what i did to hook up the actuators to my locks, but i ran the wires to an actuator controller that interfaces with my alarm. of course, if you dont have an alarm, you can use relays and switches and what not.

ok, first step:
took me a while to figure out what holds the crank in place, cuz you cant remove the panel if you dont remove the crank. well, its held on with a pin and youll need to use a probe to pull it out. do it slowly and put a hand near so when it flies out, you wont lose it like i did.



remove the door panel, its held on with a whopping 5 screws, also remove the trim piece near your mirrors.



now peel back the white lining thats held on with never drying glue that ruins your clothes. the actuator of choice for me was the DEI 524N which is a 2 wire actuator. I went down to a hardware store and bought about 5 feet of flattened aluminum strapping which runs for about 3 dollars. while youre there, pick up about 3 feet of the thinest steel rod you can find and a box of 1/2 inch self taps. a few holes in your door panel and some screws later you have a mounted actuator. place it directly below the lock.




take your steel rod, and loop one end to the actuator and take it to the corner of the plunger closest to the side of the door where the latch is. make a few bends so that it'll have clearance from the other crap in your door. then drill a hole in your plunger (i found this is very vital, if you drill it too close to the bottom, or your rod is too short you can break the plunger, rendering your power lock system useless.) at some point i'll reinforce them with a metal bracket of some sort. after a month of having done my locks, my drivers side is working perfectly, and when i checked on it from when i changed my speakers, the drivers side was perfectly fine. the passangers side broke the plunger, but its because the rod was pulling on it too hard. lube up your rod with some ceramic grease so it wont rub and rust the stuff in your door.





before you put the panel back on, you have to cut off about 6 or 7 inches of foam thats attached to the panel itself. its the big portion in the lower corner, of course, its already been done in the following image. the hardest part is running the wires through the door jamb. if you do this, expect to waste about 4 hours of your life.


ok, im done, have fun, be creative. post any suggestions that may improve the performance of this DIY.

edit: you cant test the sucker without the door panel on because there is nothing holding the plunger straight. but all you need to do is hook it up to a 9v battery or a 12 volt drill battery for a split second to test the actuator.

sexcivic2k1

iTrader: (7)

next DIY for u, power windows LoLz

TiM3

iTrader: (2)

Very interesting. I think I will get an alarm but I don't think I'll install it myself. But thanks for the DIY.

hankscorpio

iTrader: (1)

hey, any DIY on installing the alarm? I'm gonna be getting that system and was thinking of doing it myself, i'm pretty good with wiring stuff but i hear you should really have an alarm professionaly done. How did it go for you?

iluvbritney

iTrader: (3)

nice DIY, lol time to fix up the dxs....lol power them up boi!

skipbarber

iTrader: (34)

damn straight! and as far as the power windows; i may be short, but i can still reach the other crank.

hankscorpio, yes, i did the alarm myself. if you have a stick shift and you want remote start you'll need an extra relay. and i highly recommend a magnetic switch (aka. neutral sensor) so your car wont start while its in gear. if youre going to go the way of added power locks, you'll need a door lock relay module (DEI 451M). and dont forget, our cars have the immobilizer systems. I used the DEI bypass 555U, but i had to sacrifice one of my keys. i think the 555I just memorizes the key frequency. as far as installation goes, it was pretty straight forward. DEI makes great instruction manuals and they hold your hand throughout the entire install. PM me if you need help or would like to know wire colors and locations, you'll need to tap into quite a bit of your cars wiring. they say you should mount the antenna on a window...uh...no, lol. i just tucked mine between my roof lining and ceiling. the shock sensor can go just about anywhere, turn the dial all the way to the right if you want it to be VERY sensitive. you have to run about 5 wires to your engine bay (power, hood pin, siren, tach) i did it without drilling just find a gromet somewhere and push those bad boys through. I placed my brain and bypass under the drivers side dash but you can also put it behind your glove box, be creative. take your time and loom your wires neatly. of course you say "well skipbarber, doesnt it make it easy for a theif to just unplug your wires?!/!!111" just as long as the sucker works and brings attention to my car in a parkinglot is all that matters. no matter how 'pro' your installation is going to be, if they want your car, they'll get it. who actually does anything when an alarm goes of anyways? most people dont even look, but at least the jackass trying to steal your HU will just move on to the next car without an alarm.

hankscorpio

iTrader: (1)

Thanks a lot for the reply man, sounds pretty easy that they give good instructions with it. I'll definitely go for the self install then. Once I get it and try i'm sure i'll have some questions about which wires and such. Thanks for the info.

slystad810

Can you do a DIY/FAQ for installing a remote start on a stick? That would be awesome.

2k1coupe

I DIY'd power windows into my DX from a wrecked lx. I was too lazy to do the door locks though.

onecentJay

thanks!! My wife and I went all over town and nobody would install the power door locks 'cause it was "too hard". I even showed them the pictures from your DIY and most wouldn't try it, or they were going to charge a FORTUNE. We did it this past weekend and saved a ton of $$$. The only thing I haven't figured out yet is how and where to tap in to get the 12 volt power needed for the relay. (We got the DEI 451M to power the DEI 542N actuators... Do you just find any old power wire and connect it, or is there some special place to get your power? I don't want to fry anything...

xtiszx

Any power wire should work for that

onecentJay

Thanks

**Update Note: don't use the cigarette lighter wire for power! I found this out by trial and error... you have to wire the locks to a power source that doesn't rely on the key being in the ignition! I had it all installed, but it only worked when the keys were in the ignition, which was pretty useless! Instead I cut the power wire to the alarm and spliced it on there. ***

By the way, I got the DEI 542N actuators and the DEI 451M relay module from http://www.caraudio-caralarms.com or "auto preservers" they were extremely helpful, and I'd highly recommend them. I think the actuators were $21 each and the relay was $9. I didn't have to buy a rod like skipbarber mentioned, the supplied actuator rod was long enough for me to use. I did have to use the aluminum strap, though.

All in all it was a good weekend. We installed the power door locks, painted the mirrors, door handles, and trunk trim piece body color, installed a nice MD player and took off that incriminating "DX" badge on the trunk.

skipbarber

iTrader: (34)

good job, i just installed power windows (SPAL) and front speakers, pics up shortly. my car is an LX now...lol

XxSoVeReiGNxX

iTrader: (10)

hooray! Installing stuff that really improve the car!

skipbarber

iTrader: (34)

ah, theres my partner in crime...sovereign...we gotta write up a DIY now, i only got to do one door tonight...it took me 2 hours to run the wires, mount the motor and replace the speaker...PLUS make the hole larger for the plug to fit in...not bad timing if you ask me...SPAL makes a great kit.

onecentJay

Yeah, next on the list is AC... I can't believe I bought a car without Air Conditioning in the summer...

Lets hear it for the fake LX's!

We bought this 2001 DX for $8300 a few weeks ago, so with all the work and aftermarket stuff we've been doing, we're still coming out WAY ahead of bluebook... even if we end up spending the $1300 for the dealer to install AC.

I've seen kits for AC for our cars for about $780. Anyone ever tried to install that? It sounds tough. Maybe I'll open up another forum on that topic...

XxSoVeReiGNxX

iTrader: (10)

ok, for all you DX'ers without ac, WHY??? The DX is cheap enough and it's not like we live up in Canada that ACs are not standard. I don't know where you're getting DXs w/o ACs, and why your dealership sells them that way. Mine came with AC.

LoL, but seriously, there are only a few differences between LXs and DXs; including pdoorlocks, pwindows, pmirrors, some painted parts, and a 2 hp more motor (I think). I'm not going to start calling my car an LX after I've made my upgrades, but I know it'll be more enjoyable to drive than that stock DX. And that's what I'm aiming for.

Look at the choice you've made. You bought a DX for $8300. Yeah you got it for real cheap, but are you enjoying it? I don't care if you call my car a "Fake LX", but I know it's already better than what it used to be. Just trying to make my drive every day more enjoyable. Having to crank down the windows or reaching across the car to unlock the other door aren't really hard tasks, but I didn't find that fun to do either.

PS: yes adding an AC will increase the value of your car, but don't get carried away and think that aftermarket upgrades like Intake/Header/Exhaust (I/H/E) will do the same for value. Stock upgrades like pwindows, pdoors, and maybe even an alarm, may increase the value significantly.

onecentJay

I was just joking about the "fake LX" comment. If I really wanted to be cool I'd get a "EX" badge and glue it on the back... or maybe a "type R"... then my car would be faster... lol

We got it used. According to the carfax, it originally came from Utah, where I guess AC isn't standard for some reason? I don't know. We actually just kind of assumed it had AC, and forgot to check, then noticed after we drove off the lot that it indeed was AC-less (bad move on our part).

So regardless of how we got here, we're in need of AC. I think I've already given up on the DIY approach for that, though, so to the dealer we go to fork over SERIOUS cash. The only point I was trying to make by saying we payed $8300 for the car was to say that with the $1300 - $1400 we're going to spend on AC, we're still well below the bluebook value, so I don't feel TOOO ripped off. Just a little stupid. Hence the Ralph character to the left <----

I agree with you, though, theres no reason to add crap like intake/header/exhaust and 2 foot spoilers and ground effects if your trying to increase value. Most likely the next owner will want to take all that junk off. When I said aftermarket stuff I just meant the door locks, alarm, stereo, AC, stuff like that.

Anyway, thanks again you guys for all your help.

XxSoVeReiGNxX

iTrader: (10)

lol we should just steal someone's 'i' from an older honda or chrysler and stick it next to our 'DX' badges! BOOYAH!

"DXi"

Bellz

iTrader: (5)

Ok..i gotta know..what type of paint did you use on the door handles and rear license plate thingie? OEM from honda? or color matched somewhere?

These two things are the only ones that really bug me. The mirrors are staying black. I think they blend in pretty well with my vent visors and tinted windows.

skipbarber

iTrader: (34)

i did my ac myself a week after i got my car. dont try it if you dont have experience....look at the pdf file on www.handaaccessories.com to get an idea on how to install it. i just had to have it charged. and DX/LX share the EXACT same engine. no HP difference. its my first car, and if i sold it the way it is now, id be making a profit. i love my car, wouldnt trade it for another civic...unless it came with like a really hot model or better yet...two really hot models.

skipbarber

iTrader: (34)

plasti-kote IMPORT COLOR 5302 HONDA

onecentJay

My father-in-law went to some auto-body store and they had the OEM paint. He bought a paint sprayer for around $20 and we borrowed an air compressor, set up a little makeshift spray booth with some cardboard, and sprayed away. You have to spray the metallic silver (if you have a silver civic) first, then go over it with a thick clear coat. I think we went a little light on the clear coat, but otherwise, it looks pretty good. The paint looked a little blueish compared to the car, but once we put a thick clear-coat on, it added a yellowish tint and now it matches the car almost perfectly.

We took the mirrors and trunk piece off, but just loosened the door handles and masked all around 'em. It was a full days work, just because of all the setup and the multiple coats.

If I had to do it again, I might go to some autobody shops first to get a quote. It is a lot of work, and we spent about $80 on the paint, so it might be worth it if its not too expensive to just pay someone else to do it who already has all the equipment.

CelCUs

iTrader: (9)

I love my DX, the dealer threw in A/C for me though when I got the car.

Bellz

iTrader: (5)

Thanks..I did my rear trim piece today. It turned out looking pretty good.
I had already taken off the rear emblems, so it's on to the door handles next!

skipbarber

iTrader: (34)

ugh set back...my car was broken into *again* lastnight....lol, the one night i forget to arm it, oh well, live and learn...then program your alarm for passive arming. for $80 i think you can get those parts already painted online, dont know how much door handles are, but rear trim piece is like $27 painted by honda, dont quote me, check out www.hondaautomotiveparts.com and just look up LX or EX coupes.

XxSoVeReiGNxX

iTrader: (10)

Damn man! Put alll your valuable stuff in your car, leave it out front and then go hide behind a bush or up a tree, with a baseball bat! That'll teach those rotten theives. Once is not enough for them? ****

straightgixxen

Remote start on 5sp, thats a great idea......chirp chirp.....vroom vroomm......clunk clunk( sound of 95 neon stalling out)...vroom vroom (sound of neon starting back up).....Oh DAMN me yelling as i watch my neon drive across the parkinglot).....press press press(
me hitting the remote to shut the car down.....boom crash (neon jumping curb and hitting fence)........just remember not to leave it in gear

the_duke

damn you paid that much for a 12 volt selenoid
http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bi...-57&type=store

im sure you could find the relay you need at allelectronics too

RunawaySoul

LMFAO!!!

Say...if you buy a DX and do what was necessary for bring it up to LX standards, how much money would I save buying a DX over the LX and doign the work myself? (Based on the prices at carsdirect.com) I know that sounds dumb but I like hands on stuff like that.