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Red 86 Crx, Last Driven In 91


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#1
Georgeous

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Hello RPR,

I was a member here for quite a while, but mostly inactive. I have registered on RPR when I lived in Eastern Europe and owned a third gen JDM wagon. Many years and Hondas have passed since then. Now I have moved to NJ and have recently bought a first gen CRX (I always had a soft spot for these). This is my seventh Honda vehicle, a spontaneous buy, but I just could not pass this opportunity challenge.

 

So here's what I have as the starting point:

- Red 1986 Honda Civic CRX with no title and 60k miles on the clock. Miles look original to me for many reasons. I will post pics later, I'd say most people will agree after seeing them.

- The original owner stopped driving it sometime before 91, as the registration sticker on the windshield is through 1991.

- The guy I bought it from had it sitting outside for several years and never actually went through the challenge of getting a title for it. He has bought it from the other guy, who is a sibling of the original owner, that ran the "estate sale" and could never find the title. I have such an experience in the past (receiving titles in NJ for the vehicle that was bought without one), which I will use again to get this sexy red vehicle on the road.

 

So, long story short, I got it for 400 bucks, loaded it on Uhaul tow dolly and took off. I tried to think ahead, so... while I had it on the dolly I drained old gas from the tank completely, filled the tank again with 3 gallons of fresh gas, rode around for some more, drained again and then filled up the full tank of fresh gas. I also towed the car to the carwash and vacuumed it and gave it a good wash, as it was all in tree sap and bird poop and God knows what.

 

Me and my friends tried starting it that night, but it would only start and run with carb cleaner sprayed into the carb. So, I went ahead and changed both gas filters (in the back end by the tank, and up front under the carb cover). The car now starts with the key, but still runs weird, smokes and has no idle (engine stops once you take the foot off the gas pedal). I did not run it too long for now, as my next idea is to replace the engine (and transmission oil) and then to try figure out the idle.

 

The car is not all-perfect, as few scuffs and dings here and there, front grill panel (between the headlights) is cracked badly and needs replacement - I was seeing pieces of it flying off the car as I was towing it... Technically, the front caliper is stuck, will take it apart and see if it can be rebuilt quickly with some cleaning and lube. Rear hatch shocks are dead, and the stock Honda radio is missing one button, but it's still hella cool.

 

The short-term plan is to rebuild it to a reliable daily driver while getting the title for it. Then I may think of some swap options and suspension tune-up. If the original engine will be running good, the best idea would probably be to swap it to manual transmission (Si one, if it fits) and bike carbs setup to make it a bit jolly, if I will not succeeed in making the original carbs great again :) I also find cragar louvers and recessed headlights to be very sexy, but this more of a long term stuff, like the wheels, etc...

 

Here are a few quick snaps from the day I got it (with my daily accord sitting next to it):

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Edited by Georgeous, 28 August 2017 - 01:31 PM.


#2
GeezRX

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Welcome to the site! Looks to me like you got yourself a great deal there. Is it relatively rust free? I look forward to following the progress as you go forward with it.


"Old and usually in the way" - Check out my '86 3G build in "VIEW GARAGE"


#3
Georgeous

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Welcome to the site! Looks to me like you got yourself a great deal there. Is it relatively rust free? I look forward to following the progress as you go forward with it.

 

I'd say it is pretty darn close to being rust free. Muffler tip rusted off of the muffler, but this is about the only rust spot I found so far. And some stuff under the hood is dusty-rusty, but not rusted through or anything, just some surface patina from sitting.Floors and etc are very solid from the first look. I am still inspecting the car as I overhaul it, but so far, it's a real survivor.

 

I also want to replace the timing belt (with the tensioner and water pump) and inspect the valve seals to make sure they are not dry-rotted from sitting. Would make sense to replace them, if that can be done without taking the head off. I know this is possible with later d-series, and can probably be done on EW/EV as well... But all of that will be done once I get the title for the car because it makes no sense to invest in the car much until then. For now, I will rebuild and lube the brakes, replace the oil and play with the carb - do the work that will not take much money.


Edited by Georgeous, 28 August 2017 - 11:25 PM.


#4
CRXer87hf

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Great find! Welcome to RPR (again)!  This is a great resource, but please be patient with the community.  Because most of our users have made the switch to Facebook as their primary tool for communication, the responses may take a while here.  I look forward to seeing your progress with the car.


Build thread: "Skittle 2.0" - http://www.redpepper...l=&fromsearch=1
Build thread 2: "Red Daily"http://www.redpepper...topic=55687&hl=

 

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Road & Track magazine: "When they get around to listing the top good-time inventions of the late 20th century, we're willing to bet that right up there with the hang gliders, ultra lights, sailboards and jet skis you'll find the Honda Civic CRX. And we're willing to bet that the CRX won't be at the bottom of the short list--particularly if the CRX in question is an Si."


#5
Acre's Hatch

Great looking car! Hard to stay away from these little cars.


3G Southern Civics


#6
shuttlecraft

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The worst thing for a carbed civic is sitting.  Crank the engine over and watch the glass viewport on the driver's of the carb for signs of the fuel bowl filling.  If you don't see gas, that's trouble.  Turning the float needle valve will likely break any seal you might have had between the o-rings and the bonnet; meaning you'll see gas seeping out of the top of carb.  If that happens, your done.  With only 60K on her, the bottom end will be tight.  Nice!

 

I'd go for a fresh rebuild from National out of Florida.  A well spent $200.00.  plus a new base plate.



#7
Georgeous

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I think I started on servicing the engine after sitting long in the wrong consequence of things...

 

I did replace the fuel filters (and flushed the fuel tank, twice), and since it was cranking/turning freely I thought I'd go ahead and start it to get warm and drain the oil... It was barely starting this time, blowing smoke and there has been gasoline-smelling splatter coming out from the exhaust... It would not run longer than 30-60 seconds I'd say and then died even at wide open throttle.

 

I should have started with draining old oil, taking out the spark plugs to clean them, and then soaking pistons in marvel mystery oil for a few days. Some people say putting sea foam in the crankcase works too, feel a bit skeptical about that... Some suggested putting like 1/2 of the SeaFoam can in the fuel tank and 1/2 in the crankcase...

 

Any other suggestions on starting the crx after sitting long?


Edited by Georgeous, 01 September 2017 - 09:19 AM.


#8
Georgeous

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Well, anyways. I drained the old oil today, and it was a mixture of oil and gas really, about 50% more in volume than it should have been - about 7qts or so came out. Looks like my piston rings are stuck...

I have then put the new filter and oil, and added 20% of marvel mystery oil (mmo) to the crankcase.

Then I took out the spark plugs, cleaned them off the best I could (definitely needs the new ones, but I will replace once I am done with cleaning the engine with mmo/seafoam). Then I poured about 8 oz of mmo into each cylinder through the spark plug opening and put the cleaned up spark plugs back. And let it sit without cranking or turning the engine.

Then I took apart driver side front caliper as it was dead stuck rusted, cleaned with wire brush, lubed the rubber boots on the caliper pins and put it back. Ideally needs overhaul of the piston part, but I didn't have time for this today, for now that will do to roll it around parking lot at the house.

This is how my Friday went. CRX is soaking in mmo for tonight, will see what it does tomorrow or Sunday...

#9
Sinub

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Welcome back! Car looks like a great deal for $400! Maybe you should look into a weber carb and doing a vacuum line delete if your state does not require all the emissions parts for emission testing.



#10
Georgeous

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A quick update:

I visited the car Saturday, unhooked the spark plug wires, gave it a quick turn cranking the starter once or twice. I was hoping that getting mmo in cylinders compressed will push it down past the first ring down to others.

Hooked everything back up, went home. Came back Sunday morning (today) and tried to start it. Still no start :( still gasoline smelling splutter from exhaust :(

I guess a few more attempts to start it, and it will be gasoline mixed with oil again, and I will need to drain it again. Sh*t

#11
Georgeous

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I did the compression test and it shows 150 across cylinders 1-2-3 and 160 in cylinder 4. All spark plugs were wet, so I cleaned them again, and was able to start the engine and rev it close to redline a few times. Car was smoking really bad.

I figured out I can start the engine once I am blocking the fuel line with vise grips to avoid flooding the cylinders with gas from extensive cranking. It would start and run until gas runs out, I'd then release the vise grips and try again, but seems like it gets flooded again, so I'd block with vise grips again.

I will keep trying I guess.

#12
1985 CRX SI

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Float sticking allowing gasoline to continue to flow into carburetor. 



#13
GeezRX

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Get yourself a carburetor rebuild kit from O'Reilly's or such - Walker #15898 for $39.99+tax - if your float IS bad you'll have to repair yours or source one from a salvage yard or ? It's worth a shot before springing for a rebuilt unit.


"Old and usually in the way" - Check out my '86 3G build in "VIEW GARAGE"


#14
Georgeous

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Thank you guys so much, I greatly appreciate the suggestions and clues provided, I have dug further into details using search, this forum has plenty of info. And I was given a link to google doc with factory manual, so I am locked and loaded and ready for anything.

 

I guess my next steps would be to check on the fuel pump for a hole in the diaphragm and to find :) the float in the carb and check it out for needle sticking or other defects. Honestly, I am absolutely fine with playing around with the rebuild kit to restore original carb, but... I would probably not go for buying the rebuilt carb for $200. It is actually surprisingly cheap - I believe $200 is a great price for a rebuilt carb to have. But still, I (personally) would go for the motorcycle carbs or dual carburetors like dellorto's or mikuni's etc. I really like the multiple carbs concept (for looks, sound and direct fuel mix supply to each cylinder).

 

My short-term plan (while waiting for the title work to complete) is:

- get the car running on stock carb, using rebuild kit and fixing the float, if necessary.

- revise the existing brakes system, rubbers seem to be good, things like caliper floating pins and piston areas just need cleanup, lube and reassembly from sitting.

 

My long-term plan (if the title gets worked out and the engine proves to be healthy) is:

- upgrade to motorcycle carbs or dual carbs

- make some upgrades to suspension and brakes setup to finesse the driving experience

- do a manual transmission swap

- minor interior/exterior mods (I'd upgrade a steering wheel to Nardi, slap rear louvers on and possibly go with recessed headlights). I also want to restore and keep the factory stereo, it currently lacks one of the buttons.


Edited by Georgeous, 07 September 2017 - 03:56 PM.


#15
shuttlecraft

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I've seen a number of side-carbed conversions but honestly, everyone that I've talked to has had tuning issues with these set ups.  Too rich.  You see, the primary issues is the head.  Honda calls it a 12 valve head but actually it's 16, including the little auxillary valve that opens in advance of the two primaries intake valves.  What's more, the spark plug is pulled back away from the combustion camber just enough for the auxillary valve and the spark plug to work together in the little pre-combustion chamber before the main event.  BTW, that's why it's so important to use specified spark plug for the cvcc engine because they are the correct length and temperature.  Also know that the crown of the piston is shaped for the cvcc design only.  Everything works together to create a lean burn.  A dual carbed setup sounds cool and everything that goes with it.  Just do a lot of research to find someone who's had great success.  Chances are, they've gone with a different head.