Rep Power: 0

Wrecked My pretty little 89 Subaru (heavy sigh, small tear) and a friend of mine gave me a 1 owner 1988 Honda Civic Wagon. Wait, It's Not a wagon It's not a van... It's a WAGOVAN!!! I need to expedite my learning curve on Hondas, Civics, and all these great new terms I'm reading.

So far I have learned after 24 hours on line(not much) and a few minutes reading through this site (thank you God!) is I have a 4th gen civic with a 1500 cc engine. It was built 1-1988.

I see these lists of but they don't tell me where the numbers are found. The number plates on the car are sparse and the "engine plate" is not where the owners manual claims it to be. I ask any use of acronyms be explained at least once in the post they are used in, MIL, CEL, etc are not self-explanatory. (thank you acronym attic)



I need to find a good source for service manuals. Is the "Wagovan" more than a trim package? I gather the rear seat is different but I cannot find a list of specific differences. I need to be able to ID the engine. I need to get a windshield. What vehicles can I get one from? Are all the fourth gen wagon's windshield the same or perhaps any Civic?

I am having a problem with the engine revving to 3500 rpm. Sometimes it will drop to 1000+/-. There doesn't seem to be a vacuum leak. when I remove the vacuum line it revs up, replace vacuum it might slow down. It is sort of like the cable is frayed. But it is not as far as I can tell. It seems the computer is telling it to accelerate and slow down but I don't know why. A caveat: This car sat for months( years?) AND There was two stroke gas put in the tank. (No I don't know why, it wasn't me. Something about HAVING to move the car and it was the ONLY gas around) I am waiting for the tank to get empty to fill it with new gas. I have tied the dashpot back and it seems to have stopped most of the problem until I can find what controls the dash pot and change the gas. Draining the tank is a bit of a pain but it looks like that's on the agenda for tomorrow. What is going to happen to the O2 sensors?

So far this "free" car has cost about $200. Had a caliper that wouldn't release and in the process of fixing it found the rotors were bought for an 1987 wagon. 87 = 9", 88 = 9.5" so I had to get rotors too but it now stops and goes again.

Seats! (almost forgot) This car has 275K+ miles on it so I need front seats. Will any Civic/Honda do?

Guys, This is going to be a saga, a journey of epic proportions and stupendous face-palms. I have no idea what the hell it is about this car, but the wife is already attached. It was supposed to just get us out of the 71 F100 W/302 gas swilling engine until we get insurance settlement and get another car. It is now looking as if it might have found a second long term home. Much like the cats that frequent the yard and the dogs sleeping in the chair next to me, and ON me.

I'm pretty sure I know what became of Christine. We're in the not scary portion of the adventure where I still own the car instead of it owning me.

Dave P This seems appropriate.

 
Rep Power: 518

MIL and CEL and Check Engine light are the same light, different names. Also called "check money light".
Locate the number stamped into the block casting.

Honda generally puts the numbers on a flat pad here





Call a glass company first.

Drain it, start fresh. Hope there isn't damage and goo inside the tank from old gas. You will have to figure out a lot of this stuff on your own, get yourself a good service manual.
This car is far older than my time at the dealer, and there is almost zero service info on Hondas tech site for cars this old.

Don't worry about the sensors right now LOL, you have bigger problems it seems.


Can you weld?

Hope you have plenty more cash where that came from.
And a source for obsolete parts.
OLD cars cost money.

That's YOUR fault/problem!



Oh yeah, welcome to the forum!