76 replies to this topic

[Jaminak]

I've been meaning to start a project thread for a while now. Well, almost two years. I bought my 84 DX Coupe in 2/07 for a fun project. At the time I already had an 02 Si. I got it for $300. I couldn't see any rust and everything looked in good condition, but it overheated. I drove it home and pulled over a few times to let it cool down.


Here she is when I got her home. First things first - took off the seat covers, chrome wheel trim and 5.0 badge (HUH?!?!)





So then the decision was whether I wanted to put in a different motor or fix the overheating issues and freshen up the EW1. I decided to freshen it up. And for almost the price of the car I bought everything to get it done. I replaced the head gasket. This was the first time I had done something so essential to a car running. Well, it started right up and ran great! But it started smoking. A lot. Turns out the rings were bad. Well, maybe they went bad from getting too much stuff in the cylinders. I duno. Either way it wouldn't pass emissions because of all the smoke. Well, on the way home from emissions testing a 07' BMW 335i rear ended me. The guy was about 20 (I'm 34) and told me his car was a twin turbo super charged version. I just smiled, knowing the twin turbo super charged jump his insurance was going to make. It put a few scratches on his bumper cover. But it pushed in my bumper cover a bit. But it still ran ... still with smoke tho. Long story short; the insurance totaled my car, but gave me $1500!!! Plus let me buy it back for $47. Yeah. Forty Seven Dollars. Heck yes I bought it back.

Here she is before the accident:




I was able to pound out the damage to the rear end. The rear frame rail is a little bent, and maybe someday I'll straiten that out too. So now what to do with the motor. Hindsight is great, and what I chose I wouldn't choose again -at least not how I did it. I decided to take the motor all apart and rebuild it. Maybe put a few tweaks in it. It was my first rebuild and I was excited.

[Jaminak]

Well, that was last summer and the CRX has been on the back burner. However, I've worked on it here and there. I decided to stick with the EW motor and build it up. I got an assembled short block.

I'll add to this soon and try and bring it up to date!

[Old School REX]

Good luck man, looks like you have a good platform to start out with, deff. keep us updated!

[Jaminak]

Well, I pulled the engine out and took everything apart. I researched how much a rebuild kit for the bottom end was going to be and for a little more I could get a remanufactured short block. So I went that route. So much for me and my first engine rebuild. As it sits now the only things I used from my original engine are the oil pump and the water pump I had put in ~20 miles before I pulled the motor. This is a big 'hindsight' moment. I would have left the car together and built the new motor separately. Memory gets fuzzy after too long.

This is the basics of the motor now:
Si PE7 head - cleaned and shaved .040
DX outter\ Si inner springs
Cam is modded somehow. Got it for cheap, but it's a DX
Adj cam gear
Si oil pan
Header - Hedman
TWM type intake manifold
Dual Mikuni 40 carbs
HF valve cover (and every other flavor - if I need change)
Lightened stock flywheel
Si Oil Cooler and accessories

Well, that's about it. Pics:

[Jaminak]

This is how it looked before I put it in the car:

[~zeus~]

Sweet build you got going. Looks like it will be a fun little HF.

[Jaminak]

Sweet build you got going. Looks like it will be a fun little HF.

Thanks! I's been fun to tinker with it. It's a DX BTW.

[Jaminak]

Well, yesterday I got it started!!!! I was pretty amazed that something so complicated that I built actually worked. I realize there are much more complicated things out there, but this is the first engine I've built. So I am way stoked! Since it's just an open header it was incredibly loud. I couldn't rev it over 4k without it hurting my ears. It was great. I had some issues too. First, somehow I forgot the outer ring on the belt pulley on the crank. So, uh, the belt started to come off and carved some lines in the plastic covers. Lame. I caught it before any damage was done. I guess I get to put on a new belt soon. Very soon. The other issue is that it overheats and the fan doesn't come on. I'm sure I can get that sorted out though.

So now I've got a list of things to do:
-put exhaust on
-fix overheating
-push shift rod pin the rest of the way in (sigh)
-finish tuck
-por15 the small amounts of rust
-put body panels back on

I'll get pics of it up soon.


Also, I don't think I lost any parts during the last two years of disassembly except the inner fender mud guard things. So I guess I need some.

[Jaminak]

Also, I almost bought another CRX. I really wanted it. I even went to look at it.

CRX in SLC

It was just like he said. No rust. It had one too many issues. The fenders where cracked (not bad), there was a scuff on the front bumper. I didn't try to start it buy he said the throttle is all gummed up. And he said the brakes don't work.

With all that I was still going to buy it. I mean I have everything else to get it running - most importantly the black interior.

But it had a sunroof!!!!!! Way lame. And it leaked. So I had to pass.



I'll keep looking.

[Jaminak]

[OG Wagon]

This is how it looked before I put it in the car:

REALLY like how you cut the timing cover to allow access to the adj. cam gear. Never seen that done before. But then again, I'm a big-time noob. Either way, very cool! I'll have pics of my own dual-mikuni set-up posted very soon.

[Starvin]

good work fella!! those carbs are gonna sound AWESOME!!

Well, that's about it. Pics:

BTW..where did the cool crank pulley go??? my stock pulley is junked.. PO broke the webbing between two of the holes and i may be in the market for one..so if you end up putting the red one on..what you doing with your stock one??

Edited by Starvin, 23 November 2008 - 02:28 AM.

[Jaminak]

REALLY like how you cut the timing cover to allow access to the adj. cam gear. Never seen that done before. But then again, I'm a big-time noob. Either way, very cool! I'll have pics of my own dual-mikuni set-up posted very soon.

Wish I could take credit, but I saw it in some pictures of others here on the site. I think it looks great too. In fact, in my case, it helped me more quickly see that the belt was coming off so I could fix it. Can wait to see your setup. It may not be the fastest, but I love how they look.

good work fella!! those carbs are gonna sound AWESOME!!


BTW..where did the cool crank pulley go??? my stock pulley is junked.. PO broke the webbing between two of the holes and i may be in the market for one..so if you end up putting the red one on..what you doing with your stock one??

The cool crank pulley will go back on. The timing marks on it were different than what was on the stock pulley. I thought I should get it running with the stock timing marks first. I'll probably hang on to it for that reason as well.

-Jamin

[Jaminak]

Worked on it more today. Changed to the DX valve cover. The HF one was leaking a long most of the front and back. I think I need a choke too. I adjusted the timing so it would idle properly. But when it cools down with the timing adjusted it's very hard to start. I also hooked up vaccume to the distributor. Not sure if that will change anything. I also POR15'ed the exterior rust so I can start putting the body panels on.

I went to the DMV and I have 15 days to get the car saftyed now. I thought I would have longer. So I have to throw a lot of it together just to take it apart again and do it right. At least it will be registered - finally! And ... I put on my JDM tail lights. And the Spoon Ti knob.

[Starvin]

just a quick question..no heat?? i used to live in SLC when i was a wee lad..it gets hella cold up there but its looking good!! hope the safety insp goes well!!