9 replies to this topic

[crxswede]

Backstory

During this summer I looked for a car that would be used simply for fun on back roads and as a car I could learn and see if I would enjoy working on. First I considered a 740 or 940 volvo, rear wheel drive and turbocharged engine and tons of cheap parts since I live in its home country. I felt though that I wanted a smaller more agile car. After getting my license I drove my moms Renault Clio a lot and even if my friends volvos were fast and could slide I had much more fun time in the 75hp clio. So when I started looking I first checked out a CRX 91 vtec, it was damn fast but unfortunately in very bad condition. After that I checked out a Peugeot 205 gti, it was much better condition rust wise but was much much less fun, did not feel like 120hp on 850kg at all and suspension felt not stiff but "locked". Finally I drove a pretty long trip to check out a CRX gen1, I didn't think it looked good or anything but wanted to try it out since I thought I could get down the price since it had a fault with the ebrake. I emailed him back and forth and it seemed pretty legit, but then I had to go on a trip with my parents. A week later I contacted him and the car was left, but he had fixed the problem with the ebrake. I drove to check it out with a friend and when I first saw it I thought it looked like complete crap, boxy ugly car with a completely rusted tailgate. But then we took it for a ride and he let me and my friend drive it without the owner's supervision. Drove around for a bit and hearing the awesome sound from the open air filter and large exhaust both me and my friend got excited like hell, feeling it pull from 4000rpm I realized this was perhaps not such a bad car. We found a open spot with asphalt in an industrial area nearby and cornered the shit out of it and it was fun as hell. Bought the car without bargaining a single dime.

 

Pics

This is how it looked when I got it

Rear: http://i.imgur.com/nz1wPbi.jpg

New seats I got from a friend: http://i.imgur.com/xi80utn.jpg

 

 

Specs

Engine:

d15a3

decked and matchported head

4-2-1 header

more aggressive cam

adjustable cam gear

K/N CAI

2.25/2.5", 2 mufflers no cat

Stock ECU

Stock fuel and ignition system

Chassi:

Stiffer bushings

Stiffer engine mounts

Stiffer shocks

Stiffer (shorter or thicker?) torsion bars

Lowering springs

 

As the previous owner was not the one building/tuning the car but the owner before him he couldn't provide much information what the parts actually were. BUT he said the owner who did build it had a thread in a swedish honda club forum, the problem is that the project subforum in that club is only available for members, and it cost money to join. I do plan joining though next season, if I have the money.

 

Work in progress

[*] = done, [/] = wip, [] = todo

[*] Protect from rust and paint new tailgate

[/] Switch to new tailgate

[*] Swap to CRX gen2 seats

[*] Rust protect and fill up holes in chassi (had a sparco evo1 bolted to the floor)

[*] Debug and fix idling issues

[] Rust protect the rear fenders and decide weather to paint or bolt on fender flares

[] Find and fix weird rattles in the rear

[] Fix rear brakes

 

Future plans

I don't have huge budget and the car is damn fun already but will probably upgrade and mod it as time goes. Next season I hope to get it to track days and such so I can find out its full potential and become better as a driver. I hope I can use this car to learn bit more about engines and how to tune them.

Edited by crxswede, 15 September 2015 - 02:20 PM.

[crxswede]

So this is how the new tailgate looks, the color is correct but much less glossy than the rest. The spoiler had done its work and I can't seem to find a "new" one on the junkyard databases. I am gonna re-paint it once more and paint the top of it as well, then add a small lip spoiler.

 

 

Was gonna check if it could do burnouts last night (which was no problem in first and second gear), to my surprise I also realized it handled much much better with the bigger wheels, will probably go after something in that size in the future if not even wider (they were 15" 195/50, those I have on normally are 13" 185/50).

 

 

Also my yellow front shocks had this text on them: "MP 179 H-04 MADE IN EU"

Picture: http://i.imgur.com/B2bUADI.jpg?1

Anyone have a clue what brand/model this might be?

 

 

[CRXer87hf]

Great car!  I'll just have to ignore the comment... "I thought it looked like complete crap, boxy ugly car"  

[sedanman]

Car looks great

[anjin]

Way better condition than my first one.   Nice specs on the engine as well.

 

On the shocks, no idea at all.

 

On the paint, you do need to buff the surface with a fine abrasive paste and cloth, or a buffing machine, to get a smooth  and gloss finish.

 

Spoiler - not really needed, but they can look good.

[crxswede]

Thanks for the replies guys! I hope I soon enough can get into more interesting stuff but for now I'll mostly post about small fixes till I get the car in good shape.

 

Great car!  I'll just have to ignore the comment... "I thought it looked like complete crap, boxy ugly car"  

 

Maybe I exaggerated a bit for the story-factor, I kinda start to like them more and more though, I especially like the USDM front and the mugen kit looks so raw in dark paints.

 

Today I tried fix the idling issues by changing to a new (borrowed from my other engine) TPS (throttle position sensor, TAS, throttle angle sensor, tags if someone finds this searching).

 

The issue what that on idle the rpms went up and down somewhere between 500-2000 rpm, from what I find searching it's usually this sensor that needs to be switched. You simply disconnect the cable, screw it off and replace it with the new one.

 

 

The only problem was this plastic thing in front of one of the screws, from what I read you need to break it but I actually got it out without ruining it and I could put it back when the new TPS was on.

 

(Anyone got an idea what this plug's function is?)

 

I tested the car by a starting it up a few times, then driving it warm and turn it on and off a few times and the issue seems to be gone!

[OG-TJ]

The plastic plug was to deter tampering - or adjusting - or replacing....

[CRXer87hf]

I probably wouldn't have messed with TPS sensor.  9 times out of 10 when there are idles issues, it has to do with vacuum.  Adjusting the TPS isn't going to really help with idle issues.  Try adjusting the idle screw on the inside of the IACV valve.

[anjin]

Hunting idle is normally air in the cooling system.  At least on the fi engines, you have a water supply to the idle air control valve so that as the engine temperature increases the water supply to the valve hots up and a thrmostat system in the control valve closes off the etra air supply. If there is air in that area you get pulses of hot water and then air which cycles the valve and the air supply, for a hunting idle.  Just bleed the syetem from the highest point you can access.

 

Gen 2 CRX seats are ok, but if you want to track the car a drivers seat with better support at the hips and thighs is needed (I have a Gen 2 with original seats, and they are not good for side support).  Eventually you will need full 4 or 5 point seat harness.  When I got to the stage of holding myself in position by bracing my body through corners via the knee to the steering column I went for a full harness.  Plus 1 g sideways through corners does that to you!  You might be better off staying with the existing seats until you have some experience.

 

I'd also look to upgrade the brakes to say 262 mm rotors and appropriate calipers if you can, or at least go to decent race pads on the car. At my local track normal brakes last about two laps before fading out.  It is a track known for testing brakes (EBC reds and yellows cooked, ferodo DS2500 compound cooked), but not being able to stop takes a lot of fun out of the experience.  Ask the local guys what effect the track you are using has on normal brakes, and upgrade as needed.  It would be my first upgrade when tracking a car.  If you do go for race or semi race pads, check what they do for normal braking.  Some race pads need to be warm to hot, and aren't effective when cold.  In those circumstances you may need to change pads at the track. (Its an easy swap when you are used to it.)  For info, I use hawk HP and they are fine for road use, but I have big brakes on the car so that is not necessarily a good indication. So when asking for info get the context of what the person is using compared to the normal set-up.

 

By the way, track is really good fun.  Just be aware of what you are doing, and ask too many questions rather than not enough. Just about everyone I know who tracks is keen to help new people.

[crxswede]

The plastic plug was to deter tampering - or adjusting - or replacing....

Well, shit =O, I'm new and learning so sorry for spreading misinformation, most likely it have not fixed the problem yet then... hope I didn't break something at least.

 

Thanks a lot for all info anjin, very useful!