EP3 seat swap ain't no thang....
Thread Starter
Yes, it's an Acura EL
iTrader: (23)
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 8,248
Likes: 0
From: 416-905, Ontario, Canada
Rep Power: 368 
EP3 seat swap ain't no thang....
Wahoo!!! I couldn't wait till I had pictures, I just wanted to share cause I was so stressed over this shizznat....
I bought lounge8180's EP3 seats off him last week, and had them in my bedroom for a week till my gf could come over this past Saturday to help me install them. I was stressed cause my EL seats have side airbags, and the Canadian EP3's don't even have it as an option (those crazy Yankees have em though). So if I were to install them as-is, I would definitely get myself an SRS light, and maybe even a Side Airbag Off light....not pretty, and considering the attention I've been getting from the police as of late, something I definitely DON'T need. I was willing to sacrifice the side airbags, ricey and against even my own posted stand on this I know, but damn that red stitch was callin out to me.
So anyhoo, I checked around, even ended up joining a new forum as a result so I could get the SEARCH option to look for articles, and I found out that both airbag plugs (the ones going to the SRS unit under the dash) only require a 2-Ohm resistor plugged in there, just like when putting a non-airbag steering wheel on your car. No probs.....but then I noticed yet another extra plug under the passenger seat, which led to the OPDS unit (Occupant Position Something-or-other System?) and remembered that there are sensors in the passenger seat that turn off that airbag if they sense that a passenger is leaning forward or sideways too much in the seat, thus preventing injury should the bag deploy in a collision. Then I posted up WTB's all over looking for someone's spare RSX or EL seat to rip the OPDS unit out of. No one was able tohelp me out, so I relented and eventually disconnected the battery, took my own passenger seat out and brought it up to my place and dismantled the OPDS and sensor array (airbag was not removed). I then zip-tied the OPDS unit to some of the springs in the back of the new seat, and fastened the 3 sensors (they look like heating pads btw) securely behind it - thanks to my gf Jen for helping me take the seats out and dismantle the passenger one. Brought the seats back down, put the resistor in the airbag plugs, reconnected the seatbelt and tensioner plugs, and connected the OPDS plug in the passenger side, re-zipped the passenger seat neon tube (the driver's side one had cracked and blown, someone give me a new one pls). I then bolted down the seats - I know these were easier to put in than the RSX seats, just from reading the posts on this site, but almost everyone said there was some modding involved anyway. But with Jen's help holding the seat in various positions, all the bolts went in without modification and the seats are held down nice and snug. Full range sliding forward, the rear slide was hampered slightly by my mid floor bar, but more than enough to get a big passenger in, and even if I were to grow 6 inches I'd still be able to pull my seat back too.
So all bolted down and plugged in, all that was left to do was reconnect the battery. This done, I assumed the "paranoid about airbags deploying" pose and hid under the dash while I turned the key to ON. Once the initial beeps were done, I crawled back out of the car and sat in my snazzy new seats, no SRS or Side Airbag lights! Shizzam! As of today (installed on Saturday) absolutely nothing abnormal displaying in my cluster! Hurrah!
Pics coming soon, I took a pic or two of me working on the OPDS relocation...
How much could I get for my stock cloth EL seats? Both airbags are still intact, but the OPDS sensor has been removed from the passenger seat. The passenger seat has since been reassembled, no rips, tears, or stretches in the fabric - you wouldn't know it had been opened unless I told you....
Last edited by TeLLy; Jan 17, 2005 at 09:22 AM.
Thread Starter
Yes, it's an Acura EL
iTrader: (23)
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 8,248
Likes: 0
From: 416-905, Ontario, Canada
Rep Power: 368 Yet another mod I can add to my do-ables....RSX and EL seat swaps without the SRS light coming on.
I do have to give tons and tons of credit to ClubRSX's corso28 - his DIY was dead perfect, no way I would have even thought about attempting this if I hadn't found it. Clicky below:
http://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread.php?t=133724
It was hard without pics cause he had all red X's but his instructions were plenty good....
I do have to give tons and tons of credit to ClubRSX's corso28 - his DIY was dead perfect, no way I would have even thought about attempting this if I hadn't found it. Clicky below:
http://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread.php?t=133724
It was hard without pics cause he had all red X's but his instructions were plenty good....
Thread Starter
Yes, it's an Acura EL
iTrader: (23)
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 8,248
Likes: 0
From: 416-905, Ontario, Canada
Rep Power: 368 You asked, and now you shall receive:
My new seats in my room, just waiting for install (and for me to clean my damn room):
Jen is taking pictures of me reaching into my passenger seat to get at the OPDS sensors:
Just.....a....little....further.....
This is where I decided to tuck the sensors and OPDS module:
From the passenger side:
From the driver's side:
My new seats in my room, just waiting for install (and for me to clean my damn room):
Jen is taking pictures of me reaching into my passenger seat to get at the OPDS sensors:
Just.....a....little....further.....
This is where I decided to tuck the sensors and OPDS module:
From the passenger side:
From the driver's side:
Last time I had this much fun some furniture got broken!
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,839
Likes: 2
From: PA
Rep Power: 360
Originally Posted by TeLLy
matches the seats perfectly. excellent job!
Fitst off awesome work telly, I have a few questions for you though, my srs light is on from installing my racing seats, I want to just try and see if I install one of those resistors will it go off. I've got plenty of them just sitting at the house, but I need to know where to plug it in at????????
Thread Starter
Yes, it's an Acura EL
iTrader: (23)
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 8,248
Likes: 0
From: 416-905, Ontario, Canada
Rep Power: 368 Hey realitycheck, I responded to your pm but I figure I'll post it for everyone's benefit - 2-Ohm resistors (I used 1/4watt) plug into the side airbag harness that sits under my seat. If you don't have side airbags in your car then it sounds like you replaced your seats without disconnecting the battery. Check to make sure the two plugs that come out of the seatbelt buckle are plugged into the ones that run from the car. If you've got racing harnesses then likely those plugs are disconnected, and no matter what you do the car will recognize your SRS system as being incomplete. I don't know what resistor value to put in those two plugs coming from the seatbelt buckle. You should search out the DIY for resetting the SRS light before worrying about resistors - it's on this site somewhere.
Oo oo, one more pic - me and my kitten enjoying our hard work in my brand new seats:
Oo oo, one more pic - me and my kitten enjoying our hard work in my brand new seats:
Last edited by TeLLy; Jan 18, 2005 at 08:48 AM.
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 4,248
Likes: 2
From: Rockville, Maryland
Rep Power: 331 Telly...if i ever ever have a reason to go to canadia...you MUST allow me to check out your kitt....i mean car. 
j/k much <3 telly, good job, they look uber clean.
j/k much <3 telly, good job, they look uber clean. Thread Starter
Yes, it's an Acura EL
iTrader: (23)
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 8,248
Likes: 0
From: 416-905, Ontario, Canada
Rep Power: 368 They're grrrreat. I sit a little higher in these than my stock EL seats, and actually that's compounded by the fact that I'm not slouching in them either like I used to with most other car seats. So comfort level is great, and even without adjustable lumbar or leg support, they hold me perfectly. I took some pretty good corners in the Hamilton area last night, just to test them out. My girl got scared, but we were both held in pretty well for Honda OEM seats, he he. No regrets about these.
Oh and my recurring rocking seat problem has also been solved, obviously.
Oh and my recurring rocking seat problem has also been solved, obviously.
thats pretty fukin sweet, and your girl help you too damn, i wish i had a girl that could help me with my car stuff, oh yeah and your diy on the rsx sway bar install help me alot too i got it done in 20 mins on the first time every doing it. this one will help me out when i put my corbues in later this spring but good job man
The Wierdest and Funniest Mofo 7th Gen Has Ever Seen As Voted
iTrader: (4)
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 7,381
Likes: 0
Rep Power: 340 Hey telly get some pics of your complete interior and trunk please i want to see the whole package dude...
just hold on a bit i gotta find that damn kleenex box again
just hold on a bit i gotta find that damn kleenex box again
Subarus FTW I do NOT miss my civic
iTrader: (9)
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,595
Likes: 0
From: Scottsdale, AZ
Rep Power: 0 Love your car. Wait til my tax return, Im getting some dope interior. Im getting black/grey leather, and dipping a whole bunch of crap in CF. So I figure a couple months it should all be done. I might do something w/my trunk, but not sure. I love your interior though, very clean and matches awesome. The paint onthe interior is so clean, never seen it look that nice. I wish I had a girl to help me with interior, upholstery. I tried my dash myself (in blue 
) and it looks like as* to me. I get compliments on it ALL THE TIME, and nobody believes I did it myself 
, even though it looks crappy to me.
) and it looks like as* to me. I get compliments on it ALL THE TIME, and nobody believes I did it myself , even though it looks crappy to me. 
Fiji Club Member
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,686
Likes: 0
From: Near Tampa, FL
Rep Power: 0
Originally Posted by 2K1Civic17"Gabe
Here is my blue dash, i stopped after the dash so I wouldnt mess more up, and get it professionally done. It is Vinyl.
ur interior is sick..i want that blue in mine..where you located? lol..jk it does look awsome tho man..
Fiji Club Member
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,686
Likes: 0
From: Near Tampa, FL
Rep Power: 0
Originally Posted by TeLLy
A lot of people ask me that....but it's just Duplicolor Metalcast and clear coat. I painted it myself...
damn that metalcast sure does look good..i know a couple people that use that on various things and damn..looks like immah havta start using it.... also....always after i clear coat my paintings....it doesnt hold up..and i put like 3 coats on...what kind of clear do u use?
