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https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...delCode1=CIVIC
Always wanted one for a daily, this popped up in ATL for $2500, How do you think I did? It's an HX model with a 5 speed and despite the mileage on the odometer everything works, it shifts great and other than the fuel gauge dropping more than I expected it too on the way home from ATL (120mile trip) everything seems good to go, pulled it into my shop to look over more closely tomorrow but I took a flashlight with me and didn't spot any leaks anywhere or anything.
Did I get ripped off or is this a decent deal?
BTW what size is the fuel tank on these things?
P.S. Only thing I have found "wrong" with it is the gauge lights, the right side is out, and well I suspect if their's more than 1 dome light 1 is out because it's pretty dim. No idea what the white wire on the drivers side of the engine bay goes to but it has a female spade connector on it, and goes back through a grommet in the firewall, I'm thinking maybe it had something to do with an aftermarket alarm or the Sony head unit??? I'll have to trace it tomorrow and see what it goes too.
Does it have 325,000 miles on the odometer? Original engine?
If that's the case I would say prospect of decent deal depends if the engine holds up for a couple years.
Otherwise..nice looking car. Remove everything from the trunk including the spare tire and inspect for rust/holes..these cars are susceptible to leak around through the rain channels and sometimes under rear glass. Can climb in the trunk and use a flashlight to inspect while a friend lightly hoses the rear glass down with water.
Last edited by Wankenstein; 12-29-2017 at 09:08 PM.
Does it have 325,000 miles on the odometer? Original engine?
If that's the case I would say prospect of decent deal depends if the engine holds up for a couple years.
Otherwise..nice looking car. Remove everything from the trunk including the spare tire and inspect for rust/holes..these cars are susceptible to leak around through the rain channels and sometimes under rear glass. Can climb in the trunk and use a flashlight to inspect while a friend lightly hoses the rear glass down with water.
Thanks, see that's the kind of **** only you guys would know and why I came here. I'll check tomorrow for signs of leakage and rust. Timing belt was changed 16,000 miles ago, vac hoses look to be in okay shape, idles fine seemed to run fine on the interstate and highway, shifts great too for a car with this mileage, that's the part that I was really paying close attention too but to my surprise it shifted far better than I'd expected it too, never a grind or lockout or anything. Going from the clutch in my Talon to this is taking a little getting used too though I had to remind myself a few times to treat it like well what it is a stock clutch not the grabby stiff one in the Talon...because I slipped it a couple times more than I ought too which then always makes one feel like an idiot.
Also car was surprisingly quite in regards to suspension, no squeaks or anything, comes with a front strut tower brace and a Eibach rear sway bar. (haven't actually seen the rear sway bar with my own eyes yet) but it seemed fairly light and nimble as well as had a tighter turning radius than I expected it too. Overall I'm a bit surprised by it the chaise seems pretty darn good, especially considering it's age. Supposedly the previous owner was a bit OCD with it... *shrug*
Last edited by DSMHondaguy; 12-29-2017 at 09:20 PM.
When the engine is cold check the radiator and reservoir coolant levels for a week or so. These engines are great but known for headgasket issues. The strongest symptom of a headgasket breach with these engines is coolant loss in the radiator combined with coolant gain or overflow in reservoir.
Originally Posted by DSMHondaguy
All I know about the engine is it's a 1.6L? I don't suppose these had any sort of V-Tec?
I've never owned an HX so I'm not sure..if it has a Vtec it would be geared for economy and not power (LOL) like the EX's Vtec.
Cool just found hand written records in the glove box where a LOT of **** was replaced in 2013, struts, bushings, hell the transmission... says K4F trans. I may have scored, this explains why it felt so solid I suppose. Only thing that felt "meh" was I noticed the shift **** would move a little when you gave it some throttle from having completely lifted and been rolling/engine breaking. I know in DSM's this can be a sign of something being lose inside the trans..can't recall what now but anyway that's the only thing I have noticed that caught my attention in a negative way. LOL just noticed even the radiator was replaced in 2014, downstream O2 in 2015... damn this things been practically rebuilt.
Thanks Megalodong I'll keep an eye on the coolant. What's with the odd snorkel like tube going to but not connected to the air box? I'll post a picture in a moment, doesn't look like it can even attach?
See goes to nothing... WTH? (that's the underside of the piece above the pipe/snorkel
Also WTH IS THIS BULL ****! IT MUST GO! *grabs wire cutters and needle nose pliers* There were 3 of those in there, hell one jumped from one port to another port, literally a jumper wire but with both ends fused? And then the wire under the hood I mentioned earlier that went to nothing was plugged in there too, I pulled that as well, wish I had snapped the pic of the port it was plugged into prior I had planned to take the main fuses out of these jumpers and put them back into those ports but in my haste lost track...w00ps... well like I said I haven't noticed anything not working yet... any idea how to find out what ports go to what without the cover?
(hope I didn't need that, cause it's laying in the shop floor now....I started the car and checked the blinkers, radio etc. *shrug* everything still seems to work. There's no cover to know what the hell each fuse is for or what those ports went too, Any references around here?
Also are these the right wheels/tires? Seems the speedometer reads a bit faster than the car's actually going.
Found the engine code.
Wiki tells me it is a VTEC-E (never heard of it) engine that new made 115hp @ 5,600rpm 104ft/lb @ 4,500rpm
9.4:1 compression...that seems sort of low but I guess it is an economy engine so 87oct **** gas.
P2J cyl head.
Last edited by DSMHondaguy; 12-29-2017 at 10:41 PM.
What's with the odd snorkel like tube going to but not connected to the air box?
First section of air intake.
Don't be tempted to add a cold air or short ram intake..won't add power or mileage.
Originally Posted by DSMHondaguy
Also WTH IS THIS BULL ****! IT MUST GO!
I don't know but it's not stock. Did the seller mention anything about a cut-off/kill switch (anti-theft)? Did you notice if the radiator fan was running constantly before you removed that wiring.
Originally Posted by DSMHondaguy
Also are these the right wheels/tires? Seems the speedometer reads a bit faster than the car's actually going.
First section of air intake.
Don't be tempted to add a cold air or short ram intake..won't add power or mileage.
I don't know but it's not stock. Did the seller mention anything about a cut-off/kill switch (anti-theft)? Did you notice if the radiator fan was running constantly before you removed that wiring
Stock is 185/65/14
Trust me, I'm not interested in adding a hot air intake lol. I'm just curious about this piece that seems, almost like it was for another, rather different air box, like maybe for a DOHC equiped Civic.
No the seller didn't say anything about a cutout switch or anything.
Good to hear the tires are a shorter sidewall than stock, explains the speedometer being a little off.
Also thanks for the information on the different VTEC systems.
Last edited by DSMHondaguy; 12-30-2017 at 09:51 AM.
Well found out by removing those jumper wires I had no more interior fan, started plugging in 7.5amp fuses around the areas of the 3 I pulled until it came back. That's the only thing I could find that wasn't working...though I didn't try the A/C since it's was below freezing this morning though I suppose I could listen for the compressor clicking on, I'd be surprised for there to be a fuse in that block for it anyway unless it was just for the switch? Anyway, found a bad brake like and replaced that. Also looked around the weather stripping around the truck and noticed a spot of paint that had faded to where you saw the primer under it (or the factory never got it there) anyway very light rust there, rubbed with some denatured alcohol and grabbed some red spray paint I had mixed to match the Talons so it's actually automotive spray paint, tapped everything off and sprayed that, color is more of a very red orange than this Honda's red but that 1 little spot recessed in the corner doesn't show much and actually sticks out less now compared to the grey primer showing before. Saw no other signs of rust though I didn't pull the whole liner or anything but looking around all the edges and back up under the trunk area around the speakers and what not I didn't see any signs of anything.
I did annoyingly find this huge bundle of wires for accessories and subwoffers etc. from the head unit that came out from the center console next to the drivers seat which was wrapped into a big coiil under the drivers seat. Considering pulling out the center console and tracing it all back, cutting and capping all the unused wiring. Found nothing else wrong yet. Cold start this morning, no smoke or anything idles quite. Window regulators are meh, you can tell they're struggling so those may get replaced this summer just because. Otherwise just did a little much needed cleaning of the windows. Later when it warms up I may go tinker with it some more and see how involving it is to try to loosen a fender and move it around to see if I can get it to line up with the hood better. Also bought a Hayness repair manual that covers the car...
^What's the firewall and windshield frame to the left of the garage door?
^resonator chamber and its inlet tube or snorkel. Yes it's part of the stock intake breather system. The other huge chamber behind the filter box is a muffler.
There's no cover to know what the hell each fuse is for or what those ports went too, Any references around here?
See if it's in the owners manual.
Or google (your year civic or 6th gen civic) fusebox diagram and see what comes up
{read further}
I had no more interior fan
You may want to get some good wiring diagrams to put the car back to stock.....or figure out why someone hacked it to make it work they way they did.
--
Good to hear the tires are a shorter sidewall than stock, explains the speedometer being a little off.
Tire circumference will be damn close to original. Use an online tire size calculator to figure the general differences and % of expected speedo error. Original tire size is on a sticker in the drivers door jamb.
The speedometer can't be factory calibrated to read slower than actual speed, but can read faster than actual. (some % error in that direction is legally acceptable, I forget the actual number now)
Window regulators are meh, you can tell they're struggling
Get a can of spray silicone lubricant, with a red straw.....roll the glass down and liberally hose the exposed vertical glass run channel rubber seals with the lube, front and rear. Run the windows up and down a few times to distribute the lube, repeat as needed.
^What's the firewall and windshield frame to the left of the garage door?
^resonator chamber and its inlet tube or snorkel. Yes it's part of the stock intake breather system. The other huge chamber behind the filter box is a muffler.
See if it's in the owners manual.
Or google (your year civic or 6th gen civic) fusebox diagram and see what comes up
{read further} You may want to get some good wiring diagrams to put the car back to stock.....or figure out why someone hacked it to make it work they way they did.
--
Tire circumference will be damn close to original. Use an online tire size calculator to figure the general differences and % of expected speedo error. Original tire size is on a sticker in the drivers door jamb.
The speedometer can't be factory calibrated to read slower than actual speed, but can read faster than actual. (some % error in that direction is legally acceptable, I forget the actual number now)
Get a can of spray silicone lubricant, with a red straw.....roll the glass down and liberally hose the exposed vertical glass run channel rubber seals with the lube, front and rear. Run the windows up and down a few times to distribute the lube, repeat as needed.
It's a "Cowel" for a 1930 A model, it's off the frame, the frame and drivetrain are off to the left out of view, on it sits a 1966 PMD straight 6 from a 1966 Le Mans Sprint 6. (PMD = Pontiac Motor Division) It was the first mass produced OHC engine, and American made, designed by John DeLorean while he worked for GM. (Yes, that DeLorean) They're fairly rare engines now days.
That's a project I got from my father, he's in his 70's now and doesn't have time for both it and the 53 Chevrolet pickup he's building so he asked if I wanted it....duh. One day when the kids are older and moved out of the house I'll build it. Plan is to tear down the engine (there's nothing wrong with it buuuut) and have some custom rods and pistons made for it, drop the compression as it's 10.5:1 (best I recall) to like 8.5:1 obviously much stronger rods and fabricate a blow through carbed turbo setup for it. then build the rest of body. NA and bone stock the engine makes a little over 200hp and 200 ft/torque. Want to see what the 3.8L straight six does with some boost.
Also thanks for reminding me about the spray silicon for the window tracks.
Last edited by DSMHondaguy; 12-30-2017 at 05:15 PM.
on it sits a 1966 PMD straight 6 from a 1966 Le Mans Sprint 6. (PMD = Pontiac Motor Division) It was the first mass produced OHC engine, and American made, designed by John DeLorean while he worked for GM. (Yes, that DeLorean) They're fairly rare engines now days.
Get a can of spray silicone lubricant, with a red straw.....roll the glass down and liberally hose the exposed vertical glass run channel rubber seals with the lube, front and rear. Run the windows up and down a few times to distribute the lube, repeat as needed.
In addition to this remove the door panels and use sythetic lube (ex: Napa Syl-Gilde) on the inner tracks, rollers and the regulator's moving parts (gear teeth).
OP: did you get a chance to inspect trunk/tire well?
I did inspect the truck area but didn't look at the tire well, I did find one spot just below the glass where the paint had faded badly and was mostly primer showing with a little light rust, I rubbed it down with some denatured alcohol well and sprayed some red automotive paint I had mixed for the Talon on it, it's not a match but don't care it's in a recess in the drivers side corner where no one will ever notice and shows up far less now than the light grey primer did.
Also sob it's hard to properly get some probes on the leads from the coolant temp sensor to check the resistance from it... gauge reads cooler than it ought to (below middle), fan never came on after letting it idle for 15min and holding it at 3,000rpm for probably a solid minute or so. Granted it's pretty cool out side but I'd think that should have had the coolant hot enough for the fan to kick on, which I think is around 200*F? So now I'm wondering if it has to cold of a thermostat in it or if some idiot removed it or maybe the sensors just dieing. Is there another sensor for the ECU or is the gauge sensor the only one? (surely not) The one I was check is under the distributor. Never could get a reading from it due to poor connectivity and hard to get the probes in there from my multimeter.
Also anyone know if the K4F is the correct transmission for this car? The maintenance notes from the previous owner state that's what he replaced the original with. I'm curious due to gearing differences effecting fuel economy. Also found in his notes in 2014 he replaced basically the whole darn ignition. Things been practically rebuilt over the last 5 years.
Also sob it's hard to properly get some probes on the leads from the coolant temp sensor to check the resistance from it... gauge reads cooler than it ought to (below middle),
You've got 3 separate temp sensors to deal with.
Small 1 wire sensor on the end of the head operates the gauge on the dash.
Small 2 wire sensor on the end of the head is for the ECM
Large 2 wire sensor on thermostat housing is for the radiator fan.
fan never came on after letting it idle for 15min and holding it at 3,000rpm for probably a solid minute or so. Granted it's pretty cool out side but I'd think that should have had the coolant hot enough for the fan to kick on, which I think is around 200*F?
Look at the location of the fan switch.....it's at the cold side of the thermostat
Because of this..... It can take a damn long time to make the fan run, and if there's any breeze blowing through the radiator that alone may be enough to not need to run the fan.
Plug in an OBD2 scanner or app so you can read what the ECM is seeing for coolant temperature.
and hard to get the probes in there from my multimeter.
Never try to stuff fat probes into female wiring terminals. Female terminals are easily ruined and will cause no or intermittent connections that can be a real hair puller to figure out later on.
If you don't have correctly sized terminals, use alligators or jumper wires and SMALL paper clips..... I even hammer out the end of paper clips and trim the edges if necessary.
You don't have to stuff it into the female terminal, just make contact with it.
Backprobe on live and connected wiring.
EDIT: I realize you were trying to stuff them into the sensor....just saying
You've got 3 separate temp sensors to deal with.
Small 1 wire sensor on the end of the head operates the gauge on the dash.
Small 2 wire sensor on the end of the head is for the ECM
Large 2 wire sensor on thermostat housing is for the radiator fan.
Well, that's just annoying.
Originally Posted by ezone
Never try to stuff fat probes into female wiring terminals. Female terminals are easily ruined and will cause no or intermittent connections that can be a real hair puller to figure out later on.
If you don't have correctly sized terminals, use alligators or jumper wires and SMALL paper clips..... I even hammer out the end of paper clips and trim the edges if necessary.
You don't have to stuff it into the female terminal, just make contact with it.
Backprobe on live and connected wiring.
EDIT: I realize you were trying to stuff them into the sensor....just saying
You misunderstand, I didn't probe any female terminals. I was probing the leads in the socket to the sensor under the distributor that's screwed into the cyl head, inside the socket to the sensor are 2 male leads. Also yesterday I tried clipping an alligator clip onto one of them and then to the probe so I only had to get the other probe onto the other lead rather than both, still had continuity issues and never got a reading. As I understand it this is the sensor for the dash gauge. They're probably cheap so I may just replace it and the one for the ECU as well, just so I know they're good. Also I didn't notice a sensor on the thermostat housing, but I wasn't paying much attention to it. I'll look for it later today though and make sure the contacts aren't corroded or something causing more resistance than there should be. The sensor I was probing is the one the Hayness manual was leading me too, it gave specs for the ohm reading I should get both cold and warmed up, sort of useless if I can't get a reading though and I wasn't going to breach the insulation on the wiring which surprisingly seems to be in fairly good shape as old at it is.
So in short, I was checking a different sensor, the one to the ECU, thought it was the one for the gauge, which I should have thought it odd being the 2 wire and not a normal 1 wire for the gauge. Oh well, I'll look for it today and see if I can get a reading, I got a small hypodermic needle I clip into an alligator clip if I want to probe a female plug.
Last edited by DSMHondaguy; 12-31-2017 at 08:46 AM.
that radiator hose neck on the front of the engine is not the thermostat housing
That's interesting. I looked further to the rear and found the single wire sensor hidden under the distributor. Used an alligator clip, clipped onto a probe and then probed the female terminal end, yes I know you just told me NOT to do that, but the probe was much smaller than the male pin / what the female terminal accepts. Got nothing, figured maybe the ignition needed to be on to complete the circuit, turned the ignition on, and got some ohm readings but they weren't consistent and all over the place so meh. When it starts to warm up again and not so damn cold (or we have a convenient warm day) I don't like messing with old plugs and wiring when it's around freezing.
Also noticed the air dam/guide/duct/sheild piece under the bumper is split and torn up somewhat, but looks like it's mostly all still there so I'll see what I can do to patch that up. But other than these small few things it seems solid so I'm fairly happy. It's actually sorta fun despite not having much power, just drives so smooth and solid.
probed the female terminal end, yes I know you just told me NOT to do that, but the probe was much smaller than the male pin / what the female terminal accepts. Got nothing, figured maybe the ignition needed to be on to complete the circuit, turned the ignition on, and got some
Coolant gauge reads low, never comes up to the middle, comes up to maybe just over bottom 1/3. Figure there is either a problem with over cooling, or the sensor.
Coolant gauge reads low, never comes up to the middle, comes up to maybe just over bottom 1/3. Figure there is either a problem with over cooling, or the sensor.
There's no law that says a gauge has to stand up in the middle.
Figure out what's normal for THAT CAR and run with it.
Plug in a scanner that can display live data and see what the computer is reading for ECT. Use that until you know what the needle positions are at 180, 190, and 200 F
(or leave one permanently connected?)
A scangauge or ultragauge attaches to the dash, or you can get a bluetooth dongle and phone app pretty dang cheap.
There's no law that says a gauge has to stand up in the middle.
Figure out what's normal for THAT CAR and run with it.
Plug in a scanner that can display live data and see what the computer is reading for ECT. Use that until you know what the needle positions are at 180, 190, and 200 F
(or leave one permanently connected?)
A scangauge or ultragauge attaches to the dash, or you can get a bluetooth dongle and phone app pretty dang cheap.
I'm aware there's no "law" that it has to be dead in the middle. However most manufactures vehicles do, so that fact that it doesn't gets my attention. Which is why I was trying to see if the sensor's resistance was of an expected value for being cold, and fully warmed up. 40-60 ohm @ operating temp, approximately 140ohm cold. But it's being so annoying to try to get a value/reading that I'm just going to swap the gauge temp sensor for a new one, and I'll see what the ECU temp coolant sensor reads via scanner tool.
Last edited by DSMHondaguy; 12-31-2017 at 05:57 PM.
12-29-2017
Good news.
One day when the kids are older and moved out of the house I'll build it. Plan is to tear down the engine (there's nothing wrong with it buuuut) and have some custom rods and pistons made for it, drop the compression as it's 10.5:1 (best I recall) to like 8.5:1 obviously much stronger rods and fabricate a blow through carbed turbo setup for it. then build the rest of body. NA and bone stock the engine makes a little over 200hp and 200 ft/torque. Want to see what the 3.8L straight six does with some boost.
