Shift-E

That's what I'm worried about. I don't know how reputable their mechanic skills either..

Hardcoresteve

Finished extending my o2 sensors last night. I hear people say they dont get much gains from a performance exhaust, but going from the a1 stock exhaust to a2 style custom gave me easily +20hp. Maybe its the combo I have...intake,stg1 cam,full exhaust, lw flywheel... Anyone else have this combo?

SSMCivicCoupe

iTrader: (2)

Gave the civic a full wash, polish, and wax.

CiviStang

do your homework. we had our 01 lx auto rebuilt with new trans cooler and converter for 1100.00 here in the Orlando Fl area. The guy was top notch. called to ask if i wanted to change transmission mounts, i asked how bad they were and he sent me photos to my phone, they were both destroyed, so i told him sure go ahead. he only charged me for the parts and put them in for free since he already had it all torn apart.. finding a mechanic you can trust is not an easy task. i try not to shop hop myself. but my normal mechanic does not do transmissions. So i rolled the dice with the trans guy and won.

Shift-E

Same situation, my mech doesn't do trans. I've asked around on local forums and I seem to have a couple places I might check out.

How is the car with a rebuilt trans? Isn't giving you any trouble is it? I don't see why it would. If I can get around $1000 here in Ottawa, Canada I'll be able to live with it :P

nuxil

Might install foglights in the future

lowlife9

installed new spring bolts which were a pain because of course with an after market header and exhaust nothing lined up perfectly.

Zeferint

iTrader: (2)

I managed to get ahold of an EK4 Wing!! Can't wait to have it painted and thrown on my sedan. Will basically look like this (just in titanium metallic) and of course different rims.

CiviStang

story goes. like this.. we bought the car from my wifes brother. who had the trans rebuilt in Jan 2009.. he was sent to iraq in april of 09 for a 1 year tour.
came home drove the car for a few weeks, then decided to buy a 2010 charger. car sat for another 10 months. So we bought it from him , thinkin ok the trans is good.. welp,, no such luck after a long road trip from orlando to Jax, the trans overheated and started slipping etc.. Keep in mind the car had only 4000 miles since the first trans rebuild... come to find out, the first shop that did the trans for her brother, never flushed or checked the trans cooler after replacing a bad trans.. "not smart" and there was so much crap in the factory trans cooler. the most recent guy said he just tossed in the aftermarket one to assure there would not be a problem. And thus far no problems at all. we just got nailed with the trans rebuild, lower control arms, ball joints,struts,alignment,tires,iridium plugs,cabin filters,window regulator. all at the same time with this thing, since it sat for so long undriven.

also took it to the honda dealer for the headlight and airbag recalls to be fixed as we only had high beams when we got it.

back to your question tho.. so far so good. shifting is positive and firm. no real complaints. I mean im used to a solid mustang trans. so the civic is more like a beer can with wheels to me.

but overall i honestly have to admit, the gas mileage on the civic is phenomenal.. even being an 01. it still meets or even exceeds the gas mileage charts you find for them. 27-35 or 30 combined is what we have calculated during the last few fillups. we find ourselves driving it everywhere on the weekends now. even though the mustang looks better imho.. LOL

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

new custom intake bracket installed, cleaned up misc engine bay stuff, detailed inside and out.

Kennykid2002

iTrader: (1)

Sound deadened the trunk
I think I caused more rattles than solving anything

Sounds great with windows down though

It's when the whole car is sealed it creates a problem

Hardcoresteve

Was givin a cai from an sxt neon. Think itll work perfectly. I cant use the one I got off ebay since it locates the filter behind the radiator fan. The section from the neon intake should locate the filter under the battery tray. thinking about getting the thermal tape to wrap it with. Idk my intake/underhood temps are way too hot. I hope im not running too lean or something.

On a good note I can now say for sure my vp is faster than a stock 02-04 ex coupe w/MT, and pulls on (only from a roll) a 98ish integra(im guessing it was non-vtec....but still)

sl33pyriceboi

iTrader: (3)

Lol I thought I was the only crazy *** one that had that problem. Lol

Shift-E

Picked up an 05 Auto tranny today. Will most likely be putting it in this weekend.

This question is for Gearbox. How do you like the Valvoline Maxlife ATF? I want to drain and fill the tranny with it before I start driving around. Or should I stick with the Honda fluid?

sl33pyriceboi

iTrader: (3)

^gear has tried it alreayd. he recomends the honda stuff

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

i recommend valvoline over honda esp for an older trans. much smoother shifting, lasts longer, and less slip in the cold. just do 3x drain and fills to get as much old stuff out as possible. i was shocked how much better than the honda fluid it is. wish i wouldve switched a long time ago.

Shift-E

Sl33py: I remembered that gear sqwitched over not too long ago and preferred the valvoline, just wanted to make sure he still preferred it lol.

Gear: How long have you been using the Maxlife now? Is it still performing great?

I know I have to drive around between drains so the fluid mixes, but how long do I have to drive before i drain the second and third? Is it like up and down the street, or like 20 km or what? :P

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

couple months now. before with the z1 i had to add in some lc20 additive to fix the rough shifting, and it still slipped like crazy before the fluid warmed up. the maxlife is in there by itself no additives, and shifting is just as good and also little to no cold slipping in the summer. havent tested in winter yet but i expect better performance due to the maxlife's much lower viscosity. the honda stuff was way too thick. both honda and maxlife are semi syn, so no chance of the fluid ruining the trans like many people have reported with full syn trans fluids like mobil and amsoil. i only wish i switched when the car was newer instead of using the crap honda fluid. maybe the trans wouldve been less broke today lol.

as for driving between drain and fills, one driving cycle is enough (defined as a 15-30 min normal drive around town in the summer, maybe longer in winter). you want the trans fluid nice and hot and you want to go thru all the gears several times. then you have to wait a few hrs for everything to cool enough otherwise you will strip the drain bolt threads putting it back on.

Shift-E

I think it was the Castrol stuff that we put in last time that did my engine in. Also we didn't do a 3 time drain and fill :S I wish I had known better earlier.

It's been so hard finding the Valvoline stuff! I only found 1 place that can get me some by special order for tuesday, but the trans is going in sunday/monday.

Is there a better way to drain and fill when the trans is off? or is it best to do it when it's on the car?

mpapers22

I discovered a new non-permanant way to paint sh*t. I dont know if anyone on here has ever messed around with it but its called plasti-dip. Aerosol can same as spray paint. Paint it on, let it dry, see if you like it. If not, peel it off its almost like a rubber coating. Dosent affect paint either. The closest thing I can compare it to is a condom did my spoiler and the lip of my rims because the clear was coming off the chrome. Looks decent. If you want to see you about it look it up on youtube, they have videos peeling it off. Heres pics.

First the spoiler






Now the rims





Sorry for the sketchy lighting, only one I got of the whole car with the rims done...

Kennykid2002

iTrader: (1)

Yep, a lot of people mess around with plastidip, theres good and bad reviews i guess...

Depends what you're really lookin for. Your car looks good

I like how your plates say "Hmm" XD

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

looks like your rims shrunk lol

sl33pyriceboi

iTrader: (3)

Hummm I wasn't aware that gearbox switch to valvoline.

I have a manual and I use 1/2 of the Honda mtf and half GM synchromesh friction modify.

mpapers22

Thanks man, but what are the bad reviews?

haha yeah it does a bit, I think thats just the crappy lighting though its a little better in person

Kennykid2002

iTrader: (1)

I believe that it was that it came off too easily, and didn't seem to want to stay on

-shrugs-
Don't hold me to that, I only glance over threads

derrick1

I am new to this but think that in time I will be able to get help for my 1997 civic si transformation . thanks


derrick1

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

lubed my underhood heater valve in preparation for winter, but could not figure out how to lube the internal motor assembly that seems to be making noises when moving. the gears are greased up and the motor sounds okay but it looks like its getting stuck going from cold to hot and the other way. oh well heat still comes on when turned to hot for now.

pwnsauce

hmmm i might try that on my type r spoiler when i order it...looks good especially with your tails.

but anyways washed her and claybar today...first time ever doing the clay bar and im really impressed with how much of a shine it has afterwards. and all the black stuff it collected in the clay off my paint i didnt even notice was on there lol
i need to wax but wont have time till later this week maybe.

civicchick2001

yesterday i finished a project i have been working on.. i made 2 stoppers i guess you'd call em.. ? its basically to stop my sub box from sliding all over my trunk. and i put matching trunk color carpet on them so they dont stand out. but so far so good. it's stayin where it's supposed to. ill put pics up in my build thread later, and maybe a DIY if anyone is interested..

sl33pyriceboi

iTrader: (3)

flushed my brakes with all new galfer fluid.

flushed my clutch with all new fluid as well. clutch was a bitch.

but man does it feel good now.