323 replies to this topic

[3GCVC]

Nice to see you have picked up a tidy CRX now as well.

Try this with the fast idle valve, start the car pull each hose off the idle valve simultaneously to check for water flow if there is water flow it should be good to go if not try another one.

If there is water flow re-affix the hoses again, and remove the two screws and the plate on top, use a large (i mean large) screwdriver, chisel steel ruler whatever to put down there and turn the piston in there clock wise till the idle settles and doesn/t hunt. replace the top and screws should be good to go. that hunting is really annoying lol

Works every time providing the valve isnt gummed up or the piston inside damaged,

Will be keeping my eye out for updates on this,

[OG Wagon]

Nice to see you have picked up a tidy CRX now as well.

Try this with the fast idle valve, start the car pull each hose off the idle valve simultaneously to check for water flow if there is water flow it should be good to go if not try another one.

If there is water flow re-affix the hoses again, and remove the two screws and the plate on top, use a large (i mean large) screwdriver, chisel steel ruler whatever to put down there and turn the piston in there clock wise till the idle settles and doesn/t hunt. replace the top and screws should be good to go. that hunting is really annoying lol

Works every time providing the valve isnt gummed up or the piston inside damaged,

Will be keeping my eye out for updates on this,

Thanks for the advice! However, I replaced the FIV with another junkyard unit, and still same problem. So, would the above advice still apply?

We'll, I've been very busy of late working on this project.

Updates:

(1) Stripped the yellow car down pretty good. My plan was to use all of the body panels from the donor car I had found, and keep this chassis, just tidy it up a bit...









I've got a professional race-chassis engineer/builder helping me to complete this project. I teach his son percussion lessons, and he's a super guy. His son, very mature for his age, races junior stock-cars at 150mph. He's in middle school!!

Anyway, he looked at the yellow rex, and wasn't happy with the condition of the body. It's been in a front end collision at some point, has rust on the A-frame, rust on the floor board in the spare tire area, and most importantly, he REALLY didn't like the racing seat mounting. "Oh, this won't do..." Since the owner before Vince cut out the factory set mounting points in order to lower seat height, it was just an easier overall plan to hope that the parts car was a bit cleaner and usable. The racing seat mounted through the floor with thick washers. Still, he was not pleased. Pic of the bolts/washers used to mount the Momo seat.



After getting the "parts car" home and examining it, the decision was made to use the parts car as the actually chassis, and to transfer the engine/tranny and all of the sweet rare-goodies from the yellow CRX over a NEW red CRX that I just bought for this project this week.

Finding this red CRX was a complete blessing. It's a beautiful chassis. North Carolina car. NO rust, anywhere, and it's even red. Paint is still so fresh on the bay and jams that they do not need repainting, which is a HUGE bonus for me on time and money. Some Super Clean and a lot elbow grease has made a quick job of those areas. All of the exterior panels are great. It will need some plastic welding in a few areas. All of the interior is in-tact and usable. Functioning sunroof, usable carpets and headliner. Basically, I really lucked out.

We spent the good portion of Wednesday cleaning and prepping the bay for the transplant, and removing the fenders and rockers. Man, those rockers took about an hour and a half to remove. They had never been removed, and the litle plastic screw pieces that mount them were a complete biatch. They all rounded off, and I had to be REALLY careful prying the rockers off in order to avoid cracking them. I was NOT going to loose those golden rockers man, NO WAY, LOL!

We then removed the engine that evening from the yellow CRX. Pics on the next post...

[OG Wagon]

Today, I cleaned the heck out of the engine. Used about a half gallon of Super Clean, a pressure washer, a toothbrush, and two wire brushes.

I also cleaned the calipers off. They had MASSIVE amounts of red paint on them. I'm talking, like 4 coats. It took FOREVER, but I'm glad that I didn't leave all of that crap on there. It's amazing they even still work. I'm not repainting them. I'm done painting crap. It certainly doesn't help, and could only hurt on performance.

Rotors were sent off for resurfacing, should be done in the morning. Going to get some more ATE Super Blue brake fluid.

Cleaned the MC and got it all ready to go. Cleaned and re-oiled a soiled K&N filter that Vince threw in for me. Thanks Vince!!

Weather permitting, tomorrow's early-morning agenda: Putting the engine in the bay on the Red CRX. I'll post pics when it's all up and running.

We might have a chance to swap on the front suspension tomorrow too. Yellow Konis, stiffer springs, Goodridge lines, 25mm torsion bar, ST swap bar. A lot to do in one day, we'll see. The parts car has KYB GR-2 shocks all the way around! Good condition as well. PM your offers!

Tuesday, I picked up a local clean set of 88-91 CRX seats . The look great and feel great. Momo seat and VW Recaro seat will be for sale soon. PM your offers if your interested.

I hope to have everything running, body work done, and ready to go to paint by around the middle of next week. My buddy is going to build me a custom harness bar after that. I'll be using the G-Force harnesses from the yellow rex for auto cross and street driving as well, but want to do it safely. His bar will also tighten up the rear of the car as well. I will retain all of the rear interior plastics and carpet for an OEM look. I hope to integrate 6x9 speaker mounts into the bar design as well. I want them facing right at my eardrums, not straight-up like factory mounting points. This is what he does for a living, so it should turn out great!

Cool parts I've accumulated for this car of late:

USDM reflective panel
NOS fog light kit
JDM taillights
JDM sidemarkers
JDM CR-X B-pillar emblems
88-91 CRX seats

Still need the JDM headlights and corners, BAD! PM me if you have a set!!!!!!!!

More to come SOON. Thanks for looking!

[Ghost-One]

does dad have to be shirtless can i edit a shirt back on him

[OG Wagon]

does dad have to be shirtless can i edit a shirt back on him

YOU GOT

a frickin' sweet manly chest.

Hit our goal today. Front brakes and suspension now sit in the red CRX. Engine is now safely bolted in and running as well. Only rear brakes/suspension and exhaust left, and time for body work. Rough road, but we got it done. Still having that stupid idle-surge issue. Really need to get that figured out...

Front Drivers side engine mount was totally shot. The absorber was not in the mount, and caused to much stress on it, so it cracked and everything was just dangling around uselessly inside. Lucky I swapped the engine out of the yellow CRX. I might have seriously screwed some stuff up continuing to run it like that! Went down to Beaver's Honda and got rapped on the price, like always. Anyway, I got it today, and didn't have to wait for it, so I can't complain. I guess it is a good thing to have the Southeast's largest used Honda parts business about 10 minutes from you house.

Progress will continue on Monday. I won't post bay pictures until I'm happy with everything. Today was rushed, and I have some "buttoning up" to do.

[chino101]

Wow can't wait to see the finished car!!! I'm really happy to see that you are able to give it the attention that it needs. I wasn't able to give the CRX the attention it deserved.

If you plan to junk the yellow CRX, remember that the yellow CRX has a newer rear sub-frame. If you can, cut that out carefully; don't cut the metal on the rear sub frame, just cut the welds. The rear sub-frame (pan hard bar mount) is not available from the Honda dealer anymore. Also the horns on the Yellow CRX are Hella Super tones, which is what the previous owner told me.

Keep us updated!!!

Edited by chino101, 18 July 2009 - 10:23 AM.

[kaymo]

hey dorkface, why dont you call me first and make sure I dont have the part for ya before you waste your money at beavers! i think ive got a filled motor mount around here for ya!

lol cant wait to see it. you gonna drive it up here when you're done?

[OG Wagon]

Wow can't wait to see the finished car!!! I'm really happy to see that you are able to give it the attention that it needs. I wasn't able to give the CRX the attention it deserved.

If you plan to junk the yellow CRX, remember that the yellow CRX has a newer rear sub-frame. If you can, cut that out carefully; don't cut the metal on the rear sub frame, just cut the welds. The rear sub-frame (pan hard bar mount) is not available from the Honda dealer anymore. Also the horns on the Yellow CRX are Hella Super tones, which is what the previous owner told me.

Keep us updated!!!

No problem man! You really did maintain it very well though, and the engine runs so strong. It was what it was, a track car. We could have kept working on the yellow rex and used that chassis. However, time being the main factor, it was just quicker to run with the red rex instead. The drivers seat mounts being taken off was the biggest deciding factor. It's safest to mount the seat in those locations, and it was just going to be too much additional work to make those adjustments on the yellow rex. But hey, it sure has all the cool parts, bits, and pieces!

Hella horns: Cool! I was wondering about those. OK, I'll swap them over. I'm going to see if another local pepper might need the yellow rex chassis. It looks like Kaymo might have already helped me to find somebody who could make good use of it. We'll see..

Kaymo and I talked tonight, and he informed me that the thread was a bit confusing, and he's right! Sorry!!

Here's a clearer explanation of what the heck has happened.

(1) Bought Vince's yellow CRX (YELLOW IN COLOR; I call this the "yellow rex"). Mechanically sound car: Great engine and a SERIOUS list of performance goodies; only whack body panels. Also, interior bits were missing here in there, spot-welder sunroof.

(2) Sought out to find and buy a complete CRX with a blown engine, but clean exterior and interior panels that I could swap over to the yellow CRX.

(3) Found one, (RED IN COLOR; I call this the "Red rex"). Bought it and brought it home, and we then looked at both cars. Red rex got the biggest thumbs up. Turns out it is a REALLY REALLY REALLY clean chasis, all over. No rust, near perfect.

(4) Decided that rather than transferring body and interior bits from the Red over to the Yellow rex, we should actually do the OPPOSITE.

(5) So, engine and performance goodies from the Yellow rex are moving over to the Red rex, and Red rex is now going to be the actually car we will run.

(6) My hopeful end result for the Red rex: A really clean OEM-looking CRX with not-so-OEM-ish performance capabilities.

(7) Yellow rex's fate:=Unknown. I'll handle that later.

I hope this clears it up for everyone. Sorry for the confusion. It will all make more sense in the end. Can't wait to get back to work on Monday morning....

[1styearSI]

Kaymo and I talked tonight, and he informed me that the thread was a bit confusing, and he's right! Sorry!!

Here's a clearer explanation of what the heck has happened.

(1) Bought Vince's yellow CRX (YELLOW IN COLOR; I call this the "yellow rex"). Mechanically sound car: Great engine and a SERIOUS list of performance goodies; only whack body panels. Also, interior bits were missing here in there, spot-welder sunroof.

(2) Sought out to find and buy a complete CRX with a blown engine, but clean exterior and interior panels that I could swap over to the yellow CRX.

(3) Found one, (RED IN COLOR; I call this the "Red rex"). Bought it and brought it home, and we then looked at both cars. Red rex got the biggest thumbs up. Turns out it is a REALLY REALLY REALLY clean chasis, all over. No rust, near perfect.

(4) Decided that rather than transferring body and interior bits from the Red over to the Yellow rex, we should actually do the OPPOSITE.

(5) So, engine and performance goodies from the Yellow rex are moving over to the Red rex, and Red rex is now going to be the actually car we will run.

(6) My hopeful end result for the Red rex: A really clean OEM-looking CRX with not-so-OEM-ish performance capabilities.

(7) Yellow rex's fate:=Unknown. I'll handle that later.

I hope this clears it up for everyone. Sorry for the confusion. It will all make more sense in the end. Can't wait to get back to work on Monday morning....

all i can say is i told you so.i'm glad you swaping the motor,and i'm sorry you didn't get the red rex first i would have saved you money in the long run i'm going to get a beown top swap and would have sold you my SWEET running motor for cheapish as you know new head,clutch,t-belt,w-pump,idler pully,and cv's i'll call you about the alarm stuff and the offer you thew at me

[OG Wagon]

Progress: Engine is now completely done. Got the valve cover painted yesterday. Wrinkle black this time around. Keep'n it clean and OEM, Sarge style, lol!

Got the rear suspension (Koni adjustable yellows and 225 springs) transfered over to the Rex.

Transfered over the front sway bar, installed some new bushings. Rob wasn't happy with the original mounting of the bar, so he added a couple more bushings, and had to hit the lathe, and do a bunch of other stuff. He worked about 2 hours on this. Got real engineer-like, not sure what he was doing, but it seemed really important, and the whole set-up looked GREAT when he was done. I was prepping and dremling my panels for plastic welding during this time. Just waiting for the donor ABS to turn in to mush. Taking forever in the Acetone. Hopefully I can paste it on tonight.

Transfered over the rear sway bar, and Rob fabbed up one of the mounts to bolt it up to the frame. It's a slick set-up, and the mounts are removable, should I ever want to take them to another CRX later on down the road.

Drove the car back to my house last night. I'm about to go outside and hit it up pretty hard today. I'll be gutting the interior, cleaning, vacuming, and spray-dying the whole interior black today with the SEM good-stuff, and reinstalling it. Also need to transer the salvaged and rust free sunroof panel from the yellow rex to the red rex during this whole process. Sunroof system on the red rex needs a lot of TLC in order to get it up and running again. I'll try to knock that out today as well.

Plan is to have a complete car today, inside and mechanically done, just ready for exterior bodywork tomorrow. Maaco on Thursday or Friday, and final assembly either this weekend, or first of next week. Thats "the plan", well see...

It's going to be a long day, and hoping for no rain here in Mooresville, NC. Looks like we are in the "safe zone".

I'll try to get some pics up today too.

[OG Wagon]

We'll I had some good momentum going last week. Bit slowed down this week due to an education workshop I'm attending...all week...8-3.

But it's all gravy.

Updates!

Degreased, pressure washed, tooth-brushed the engine from the yellow rex. Put the cleaned-up motor in the red rex. Painted valve cover, drilled holes in stock airbox, installed cleaned and re-oiled K&N filter, painted Pasesetter headers and radiator with high-temp satin paint:









You can see how clean the chassis is on the red rex. Cleaned up like a champ. No need to repaint the bay and jams. Yeah!

Runs like a champ, but needs the exhaust from the yellow rex BAD! After inspection, I'll have my exhaust guy swap them out (no cat )

Updates continued on next post...

[OG Wagon]

Up next, all the interior panels were taken out. Re-DYED (in a spray can, but NOT spray paint) all of the panels with SEM "Laguana Black" vinyl and plastic product. I'm VERY pleased with the outcome.

Pics of the process:





Since my header panel and visors were w/o flaw, no need to wrap them. I just dyed them instead. I think they came out just fine.





more updates next post...

[OG Wagon]

then, I got bad news. My sunroof assembly was shot. Several broken plastic clips. Kaymo came through BIG, with not only a working sunroof assembly (he plastic welded a clip for me that was broken, good guy!), but also all of my needed A/C parts. Crossing my fingers that they work! Thanks Kaymo!!



Sourced my needed Si lip, as well as the much needed rear speaker mounts to match my speaker panels, from the local yard.



I also got a dope Dual headunit, practically brand new, from the same yard. Sweet unit. Can't wait to here it jamming. Ipod input. Good find.

Then, while preparing to put the dash back in, and got to looking at the dash harness prior to install. I noticed a major problem. One of the speaker wires was TOTALLY fried out, from the radio harness, all the way back to the fuse panel. It had melted wires around it too. I opted to switch the dash harness out totally with the good harness from the yellow rex. However, I was a bit sloppy in my removal of the dash on the yellow rex the week before. I cut some harness off, trying to make things go faster. Doh! Yeah, I paid for that, from about 10:00pm until around 12:00ish. Here I am spicing the connectors back on to the "good" harness, and putting it on my nicely dye-d dash. Yeah, I"m an ugly mo' fo. We know this



Got the dash back in yesterday. All is up and working just fine. Mounted the Momo wheel in the red rex. 90-91 CRX Si seats are installed. Easy deal, just took some time. Had to swap the 84-87 seat pans on to the 90-91 seats. No pics sorry. Later on those.

More updates next post...

[OG Wagon]

Then, Saturday morning was plastic welding and fiberglass day.

Got all of the panels "welded" with 5-minute plastic-weld epoxy from Autozone. So far, works like a champ, and EASY!!! Used a drimmel and lightly made groves on both sides of the crack (both sides, on the front AND the back). Then, just mixed up the epoxy, and use an art brush to brush it on. Wait ten minutes for it to cure, then flip and repeat. Watch out, from the time you mix, you have about 2.5 minutes to hit all of your spots before it begins to fix. So, mix in small amounts, or HURRY!

Just in case though, I fiberglass'd behind every weld. For the door skin, which was cracked completely in to two pieces, I actually fiberglassed the whole back of the panel. It should be good to go now.

Man, bees LOVE the smell of fiberglass!

Pics of the process:













Sorry, forgot to take pics of the fiberglassing. I had sticky hands, wife would have killed me if I touched the camera. Note to self: When fiberglassing- wear gloves!

Today, I got the exterior back on. Everything except the door skins and rocker panels. I'll try and get those tomorrow morning. Going to try and have body work done tomorrow evening, and get the car to Maaco on Friday morning. Might not happen. We'll see!

I want to be doing final assembly on Tuesday, and have a complete car when I go to bed that evening.

Parts acquired since last big update:

Dual headunit
F/R Mudflaps- Thanks Billy! (SimplyHonda)
Si lip
ST shifter bushing- Thanks to Carl for the help on the install!
94-97 Accord sideskirts (will mount to bottom of Si rockers)
JDM tails came in (smoked, looking to trade to non-smoked, PM me!)
rear speaker mounts
Si steering wheel (will mount later, with JDM button, maybe)
A/C - complete
mounts for rear hatch cover! Cool find at the junkyard.
CR-X B-pillar emblems
Side marker lights
hood latch puller

Stlll need: JDM headlights and corners

The CRX may be rocking the MR5's. Pretty sure. No one wants to pay good money for them. They're loss! I'll keep flossing...

Thanks for looking.

[simplyhonda]

Coming along good Dan. You are one gung Ho motivated SOB. An entire build in a few weeks. I'd love to see it when you get it all together.