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Old 03-16-2018, 06:40 PM   #321 (permalink)
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Beater Echo - '00 Toyota Echo
90 day: 42.67 mpg (US)

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Quote:
Originally Posted by California98Civic View Post
It operates like OEM new now and I needed to expend zero cash.
That's pretty much how I approached fixes in the Echo and continue to on the Civic.

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'97 Honda Civic DX Coupe 5MT - dead 2/23
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Old 03-17-2018, 08:37 AM   #322 (permalink)
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Join Date: Mar 2011
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Black and Green - '98 Honda Civic DX Coupe
Team Honda
90 day: 66.42 mpg (US)

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Quote:
Originally Posted by jcp123 View Post
That's pretty much how I approached fixes in the Echo and continue to on the Civic.
Yes. And I like mending what is there already. I LIKE the old hardware, even when tattered. I just need it tok work.

I repaired my cabin fan last week. I first tried to repair the motor, but it was not possible to get in without drilling, so I tried tok replace with a junkyard replacement because it was a 1998 OEM unit too. That unit was also suffering a bad bearing. In the end, I got an O'Reilly motor. I spent more money that I might have, and more time, but I hoped for an old piece that worked. I was in the junk yard anyway, so WTH.
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See my car's mod & maintenance thread and my electric bicycle's thread for ongoing projects. I will rebuild Black and Green over decades as parts die, until it becomes a different car of roughly the same shape and color. My minimum fuel economy goal is 55 mpg while averaging posted speed limits. I generally top 60 mpg. See also my Honda manual transmission specs thread.



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Old 03-18-2018, 07:24 PM   #323 (permalink)
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Coastal Southern California
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Black and Green - '98 Honda Civic DX Coupe
Team Honda
90 day: 66.42 mpg (US)

Black and Red - '00 Nashbar Custom built eBike
90 day: 3671.43 mpg (US)
Thanks: 2,373
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Mod repair setting up new modding

Seven years ago I was just getting started learning auto mechanics and modding through this car, my daily driver. An early mod was HID headlights to reduce power draw. I goofed the install and ended up with ugly plastic bits inside the headlight fixtures. I tried and failed to fish them out.

Today, to repair a lightbulb and ready a couple bumper cover repairs and mods, I took the bumper cover off, the light fixtures out, and used needle nose pliers to shatter and extract the errant plastics:



They refracted the headlight beams a little. It really has been annoying sometimes.
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See my car's mod & maintenance thread and my electric bicycle's thread for ongoing projects. I will rebuild Black and Green over decades as parts die, until it becomes a different car of roughly the same shape and color. My minimum fuel economy goal is 55 mpg while averaging posted speed limits. I generally top 60 mpg. See also my Honda manual transmission specs thread.



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Old 03-18-2018, 11:26 PM   #324 (permalink)
Just cruisin’ along
 
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 1,183

Beater Echo - '00 Toyota Echo
90 day: 42.67 mpg (US)

Hondizzle - '97 Honda Civic DX
Team Honda
90 day: 46.55 mpg (US)

Shaggin Waggin - '14 Chrysler Town + Country
90 day: 22.56 mpg (US)
Thanks: 66
Thanked 200 Times in 170 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by California98Civic View Post
Yes. And I like mending what is there already. I LIKE the old hardware, even when tattered. I just need it tok work.

I repaired my cabin fan last week. I first tried to repair the motor, but it was not possible to get in without drilling, so I tried tok replace with a junkyard replacement because it was a 1998 OEM unit too. That unit was also suffering a bad bearing. In the end, I got an O'Reilly motor. I spent more money that I might have, and more time, but I hoped for an old piece that worked. I was in the junk yard anyway, so WTH.
Yeah, I'm not above spending money when I have to. I already have a bad O2 sensor heater, so the ~$40 for a new NTK sensor isn't a bother. I had a dirty MAF in the Echo; cleaning did the trick vs. a pretty absurd amount to replace it. Pretty sure the Brakleen was leaving some residue since I had to do it yearly, but I preferred that alternative. Low budget cars get low budget fixes. Excluding only fuel and insurance, I ran that Echo for under $1000 for about 5 years and around 70k miles. It's actually, I think, a good exercise in creativity and to some extent also a decent testament to how these cars will just keep doing their thing.
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'97 Honda Civic DX Coupe 5MT - dead 2/23
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Old 03-19-2018, 03:51 PM   #325 (permalink)
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Black and Green - '98 Honda Civic DX Coupe
Team Honda
90 day: 66.42 mpg (US)

Black and Red - '00 Nashbar Custom built eBike
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SPRING/SUMMER Mods list

Not in any particular order.

15" seven hole MINI rims modded as smooth cover wheels (started)
Flat trunklid spoiler (started)
Bumper cover mounted charge point (started)
Radiator fan switch (started)
Back up light "spotlight" on a switch for night conditions (started)

[But I need to replace the head gasket, too.]
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See my car's mod & maintenance thread and my electric bicycle's thread for ongoing projects. I will rebuild Black and Green over decades as parts die, until it becomes a different car of roughly the same shape and color. My minimum fuel economy goal is 55 mpg while averaging posted speed limits. I generally top 60 mpg. See also my Honda manual transmission specs thread.



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Old 03-20-2018, 02:31 PM   #326 (permalink)
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Coastal Southern California
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Black and Green - '98 Honda Civic DX Coupe
Team Honda
90 day: 66.42 mpg (US)

Black and Red - '00 Nashbar Custom built eBike
90 day: 3671.43 mpg (US)
Thanks: 2,373
Thanked 2,172 Times in 1,469 Posts
MINI 15" rim mods

One of the reasons I bought used 15" MINI seven hole Emola rims recently was for a stealth mod (also because taller than VX Civic rims by far while only about 2 lbs heavier).

I want to block and blackout the seven holes from behind, keeping a kinda OEM exterior look while getting more benefits of a "smooth" wheel face.

FIRST EXPERIMENT, comments welcome:







I want the holes to be black. So the foil tape surface could have a lightweight material, such as black weed block fabric I have on hand. Painting such a surface is also an option.
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See my car's mod & maintenance thread and my electric bicycle's thread for ongoing projects. I will rebuild Black and Green over decades as parts die, until it becomes a different car of roughly the same shape and color. My minimum fuel economy goal is 55 mpg while averaging posted speed limits. I generally top 60 mpg. See also my Honda manual transmission specs thread.



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Old 03-20-2018, 03:44 PM   #327 (permalink)
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Plastidip is the answer to everything.

Maybe cut disks of cardboard to press in from the front and then make a sandwich with aluminum tape on the fronts?
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Old 03-20-2018, 05:52 PM   #328 (permalink)
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Black and Green - '98 Honda Civic DX Coupe
Team Honda
90 day: 66.42 mpg (US)

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Quote:
Originally Posted by freebeard View Post
Plastidip is the answer to everything.

Maybe cut disks of cardboard to press in from the front and then make a sandwich with aluminum tape on the fronts?
Compound curves will put creases in the cardboard. I experimented with paper for a template and it too was problematic. That's why I think soft, black garden weed block fabric might make the best stuff.

Something like this (I already have a roll from last year for the yard):
https://www.lowes.com/pd/ProMat-6-ft...Fabric/3694508

Thin, it could be cut easily from a template and taped in from the back, adhering to the tape and overlapping with the wheel slightly. Then black it could be black plasti-dipped from the front. I figure tape it off the sides of the holes in the rims to keep to prevent over-spray onto the wheel. Then clear dip the whole wheel.

Another thought was using the holes as molds to make inserts that "fill" these holes. Great Stuff and fiberglass came to mind as materials.
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See my car's mod & maintenance thread and my electric bicycle's thread for ongoing projects. I will rebuild Black and Green over decades as parts die, until it becomes a different car of roughly the same shape and color. My minimum fuel economy goal is 55 mpg while averaging posted speed limits. I generally top 60 mpg. See also my Honda manual transmission specs thread.



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Old 03-22-2018, 02:14 AM   #329 (permalink)
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Coastal Southern California
Posts: 6,299

Black and Green - '98 Honda Civic DX Coupe
Team Honda
90 day: 66.42 mpg (US)

Black and Red - '00 Nashbar Custom built eBike
90 day: 3671.43 mpg (US)
Thanks: 2,373
Thanked 2,172 Times in 1,469 Posts
A little more progress

Here you see the weed block fabric adhered to the foil tape and tucked under the lip of the holes. I did a few tonight to test. Next I will plasti-dip black the fabric. Surface should be grainy but without wrinkles and ripples, and dark (like holes).

What does anyone think of the color of that forest green pin stripe againstbthe silver OEM finish? I am still learning to use the tool I bought for applying the tape, so this was done quick and freehand. I think I like the colors, maybe. It is different.



You can also see a bit of my letter painting. I am considering dopey highlights of words and letter on the sidewalls.
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__________________
See my car's mod & maintenance thread and my electric bicycle's thread for ongoing projects. I will rebuild Black and Green over decades as parts die, until it becomes a different car of roughly the same shape and color. My minimum fuel economy goal is 55 mpg while averaging posted speed limits. I generally top 60 mpg. See also my Honda manual transmission specs thread.



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Old 03-23-2018, 10:47 AM   #330 (permalink)
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IGL - '04 Saturn Ion
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I think it looks pretty nice... should give you “most” of the benefits of a smooth wheel cover without the pain of attachment

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