Slow 98 EX Build

[Locruid]

Hello all,

I'm starting a Build on a 1998 Civic EX Coupe. I had a previous build:
http://www.clubcivic.com/forum/threads/slow-92-cx-build.225990/

But let me go a little back in history.

I have a friend who bought this car in November. He got it for $150. The Y8 had a hole in the block, but he had a spare Y8 lying around when he dropped a B20 in his 2000 Civic EX. A month after putting in the Y8, it blew up lol. It's salvageable but right now he's building the hell out of his B20 in his other one. This 98 has no dents, decent but not perfect interior.

I loved building up my 92 Hatch with the Beast7 build but lately, as I get older, I been yearning for the "comforts." So my buddy last week made me an offer. Swap everything I can to the Red one and give him the CX. He'll pay for upgraded exhaust just like I did on my CX and later is gonna rebuild the Y8 and swap me around again IF I want to (put the Y8 back in the EX). So 2 days ago I started the Swap.....

The Engine was a stock D15B8 2 years ago. Currently now:
D15B8 Block
D15B7 Head
A6 Cam w/Y7 gear
Z6 Intake
EX transmission
Untuned 112whp (but on the twin loop muffler system)

 

[Locruid]

Since Thursday I have done the following:

Pulled out the Y8

Repainted Engine Bay

Pulled Beast 7 from my CX and Prep it for the EX

Swapped my Wheels over (He had BMW wheels and crappy tires....my tires less than 6 months old

Mounted the Beast7 tonight:

Also Wired in my DVD/Stereo, Speaker Box. Swapped ECU's. Swapped my Short Shifter into the EX.

Tomorrow I'lll finish hooking up the motor and clean the hell out of the car. Ordered my Veteran Plates

 

[Locruid]

Future Projects:

Replace headlights like what I had in my CX (Halo Projectors)
Twin Loop Muffler

FAR Future:
B20 (Already have a LSD Trans just rebuild)

 

[Locruid]

So my buddy stopped by tonight and we hooked everything up. She started on the 3rd rotation. No CEL lights so that's a relief. Ran like she did in the CX. The radiator is slightly leaking but I have a 6 month old one in the CX that I'll transfer over.

Tomorrow I'll put the axles back on, swap the final 2 tires, Clean and Wash then post pics

 

[Locruid]

Mostly done for now. Everything running like it should. Wife is cleaning the interior right now.

 

[Locruid]

SO drove to work today. 3 miles from work the passenger axle slide out of the transmission and I KNOW I had it installed all the way AND one of the Heater hose clamps decided to retire. Fixed both issues grabbing the axle off my CX. Driving it home damn thing was CHUGGING. hardly any power. Took off Cat and yup, it's CLOGGED. Grabbed my test pipe from my CX to use temporarily while hi-flow cat on order.

So coming home AGAIN, started chugging between slight and 1/2 throttle. Got a Cylinder 4 misfire. <Sigh>. This Beast7 is only 6k miles and was running GREAT in the CX before I pulled it. I had transferred the injectors and Dist from the Y8 and my Beast 7 was acting how the Y8 was doing minus the oil smoke. So on a hunch I grabbed the OBD1 injectors, modified the OBD2 injector harness and installed them. Drove it 20 miles running flawless.

No to find out why my Cruise Control won't work. This car was swapped from an Auto and we have the pink wire grounded but still no light on the dash and still nothing working.

Power Locks inoperable too but I'll check into that after I fix meh cruise

 

[Locruid]

Ok....

Got the cruise control working. Adjusted the Brake switch and now works. The Brake lights were working fine but apparently the cruise control is more sensitive. BUT BUT BUT.....found out the clutch switch wasnt hooked up lol. Hit the clutch and BAM Rev Limiter. Hooked it up properly and tested.

Found the G552 wire at the door had come out from the harness so I'll fix that this weekend and should take care of my Power locks not working. Gonna transfer my Twin Loop 2.5" exhaust from the hatch to this. I know I have to extend the Axle portion a few inches to work and slightly bend the mounts. My friend offered me his 2.5" with 4.5" fart can off his 2000. I MIGHT take him up on that instead just for the simplicity.

Also going to fix my door panels this weekend. The fabric is coming off so gonna fix that and the Arm rest.

Before and after pics will follow

 

[Locruid]

Heater core blew on the way to work. Got the power locks working. Changed the stock Manifold to my 4-2-1 and changing the exhaust tomorrow. Found a massive battery drain caused by my stereo so think I need to re-wire something. Heading tomorrow to get some spare stuff from the Salvage yard. Might consider getting a 99-00 Heater system since I have to tear everything out anyways.

Got 2 great shape SI seats I'm picking up for $100 on Tues. Same color as my current seats. Monday, I'll tear apart the Y8 that was in it and get it ready for a rebuild.



The Door panel one looks bright red but it was just the lighting. The red is damn near close to the car

 

[Locruid]

Hey all,
Got the battery drain corrected. Fixed my heater core (that was a royal pain)

Got everything back together and my Power windows quit working lol. Also noticed the Power Lock for the Passenger side only works when I wiggle the Driver door harness. SO new project today is to tear apart and rewire the door harness

 

[Locruid]

Good Day,

Took off door and completely rewired it. Everything working now. Took of the Heater Valve form the CX cause mine broke.

So as off right now everything is working flawlessly. Hopefully it'll keep up lol.

Off to tear down a Y8

 

[Locruid]

Another quick update:

Got my seats installed. These things are not worn at all. VERY firm was quite surprised. paid $100

Also got a clamshell in my color for free since mine was missing

And repaired my tab on the rear defroster.

Now gonna retire my baby for the weekend and head up camping tonight. Be back Sun!

 

[Locruid]

Been a bit but I'll update.

Found out the arms for the rear camber were shot to hell. Hence why I had a bad camber issue in the rear. Replaced with new adjustable. But one of my tires didn't fare so well. 8,000 miles and it's gone thanks to an really bad inside wear. The wife had a second set of tires and they are the exact same as what I use. Worn but not near as bad as what happened to mine. So switched them out. I'll buy new tires in Sept cause we usually take the summers off with limited pay.

Installed a new IAC and couldn't get the idle to settle down. It would idle hunt 3-4x before settling in at 1k. Changed out the FITV but no difference. So cleaned up my old IAC (cause it wouldn't hold an idle cold). Nice solid 750ish but not sure if it will cold idle yet. Find out in the morning.

Got my AC vacuum down to 26". But would like 29.3 at least. My lil compressor won't pull anymore vacuum so gonna try at work where we got a much bigger compressor. It's holding fine at 26 so I know I don't have any leaks. Just need to lower the water boiling point more. If I can draw it to 28.8 I SHOULD be ok. 29 I'll be fine though.

Mileage is averaging 36.7 so far in 70% rural.

More later

 

[Locruid]

Hey friends,

Learned how to do my Air Conditioning stuff. Pulled a 29.5 vaccum and checked it a week later. Was still in the 28" area. Recharged the system.......brrrr....

Finally got around to replacing my Oil Pan. The one on the Beast7 was warped and I had just silicone the spacing when my friend showed up with a new pan and gasket. Figured I'd just wait until it started leaking again which id did this past week. Put the new one on and gap gone woohoo.

Anyways its running really good with no issues. Next I'm gonna start replacing things. My Slide out stereo slides up into the upper vents and cant open even halfway. So gotta replace that. Found some speakers I want in the little tweeter size up by mirror. Gotta find 99-00 Coupe seat rails.

 

[Locruid]

Put the other IAC back on. Still had loping issues when fully warm.

tested the IAC (within normal parameters) and the MAP sensor (same).

FINALLY found the issue though. The throttle cable was a tad too tight. Loosened it up a but and now don't have any issues

 

[Locruid]

Hey all,

Have a funny story to share with you. So my buddy showed up cause he needed his radiator replaced in his van. LONG story short, he also needs a new hose but didnt find out until we got everything out. So I loaned him my car for the night until his hose came in the next day. On the way home he texts me:

"why is your 5th gear messed up?"
"What you mean it works fine...."
"Well I shifted form 4th to 5th and the RPMS went up to like 4500 at 60???"
"Quit shifting to 3rd doofus"
10 seconds later
"Well....don't I feel foolish"

He told me later the short shifter was throwing him off. He wondered why the rpms would go down in the 4th then shoot right back up in "5th" and just kept cruising lol

 

[Locruid]

Not much of a race story but all things considered.....

So went fishing today. Took my Best Friend and her daughter with me. On the way home there was a 2011 Limited Town and Country. I know I know...it's a minivan. Well if you look at the stats, that minivan is a 8 second 0-60, 16 in the 1/4 mile vehicle. The 98 EX with a Y8 was rated about 16.5 in the 1/4 (factory). mind you I'm running a D15Beast7 untuned.

So got to the light and was still rolling at 15-20 in 2nd. He mashed it and spun a tire so I know it was on. My first fears were "Great I have 3 people and fishing gear/chairs." He SLIGHTLY pulled on me up to about 30 (mind you I was still in 2nd)......evened out with him about 40-45 and started pulling it back after 50 (rpms were hitting 5k by this time) and then put a car on him at 75.

I know it isn't a "Big Deal race" (I used to run a 1995 Z28 340 rwhp) but considering I run a modded D15B7 and had 3 people in the car (and fishing gear lol) I was pretty impressed for what it did with the stuff I have.

 

[Diana Nam]

if you was by your self with no fishing gears and chairs you deff be pulling more then just a car over him lol

 

[Locruid]

Indexed my Plugs. Made a little bit of difference. Runs smoother and seems to be a little more responsive.

Oil leak is confirmed fixed.

Got my Sun visors installed (old ones were CRAP). replaced one of my broken dash panels. It's funny.....like 15 EK civics in the Salvage yard and ONLY ONE Dark Grey lol.

Took on a Protege 3. Wasnt a problem. He was single, I had a passenger. had a 2016 Powerstroke F250 jump off the line...I was in second cause I didnt feel like shifting to first. At the next light though was a different story lol. I gotta say them diesels have come a LONG way. I only put a car on him at 60. (BTW this is all on Highway 99 Its a 55 speed limit highway and I mostly hit light to lights.)

A/C is working GREAT. Even with my ......4 expedite to speed limit.... and A/C at other times I got 36.67 MPG this fillup.

Off to Portland tomorrow. First Inerstate run it's had. Cant wait to see the mileage

 

[Locruid]

LOL. I'd say I'm about 75% rural. last tank though I was in town a bit more



The 26.92 my buddy had borrowed my Civic for a day and was getting 3rd and 5th gear confused (earlier post explains)

31.31 I had a bad O2 sensor.

It's mostly around 35 (upper end) but I see 36 a few times. Interesting to see what I'll get on the Interstate. One of these days I'll be careful and see what mpg I can get. And I still need a tune......I

 

[Locruid]

Small things:

Added a "Preventive Theft" device. Alarm? Fuel Cutoff? Pit Bull living in car? Not gonna say but I'm happy with it.

Got the Driver Door switch working for the interior light.

Switching out the Generic 6x9 for some Kenwoods right now .

The B20 fell through I posted awhile back. It turned out to actually be a A20 but guess dude can't read lol.