Black & Green modding thread (1998 Civic DX Coupe base)

[California98Civic]

all i meant by rot was not to sweat all the deets, like what's under the wheel cover. My paintjob it slowly fading, and my plan it to let it. I wash an wax now and then. But I'm gonna get that u.g.l.y. patina going like a good rat rod. Paintjobs are expensive vanity, and I can get some great hardware for half that money.

I call it the eco-ratrod now! lol

[pletby]

Looking good California98Civic. I like the under enclosure in the back.

Thanks for posting all you have as I stole most of it and saved a whack of fuel money.

[Xist]

It was weird to read this and see my periodic comments. I do not remember any of that!

Do you remember what difficulty you had removing your oil pan? I had a stuck 14mm nut on the exhaust pipe that goes over it and eventually hammered a 13mm socket onto it, which I still have not figured out how to remove!

It took me a month or two to get to that point. Nobody mentioned these! Irwin BOLT-GRIP 394001 - Bolt Extractor Set | O'Reilly Auto Parts

It is weird to see people with non-lean-burn Civics getting better fuel economy than my HX. Someone once asked me what I was doing wrong that I only got 45 MPG.

Is this that cyberbullying I read about on Facebook?

You listed top three modifications in #261:
CX transmission. Balto always says that is a no-go for an HX.
Injector kill switch: I engine-off whenever I will coast a couple of blocks. Perhaps it would be better to just stay in-gear and rely on DFCO. I understand why the switch is better than wearing out my ignition, just not how it would affect my efficiency.
Power steering delete: I did that two and a half years ago.

Swell...

Next!
Air dam and grill blocking: I did it my way!
Do you show the ducted opening to radiator?
Radical weight reduction.

Oh boy.

In your garage you list replacing stock steel alloy wheels with VX and changing the stock muffler with a thrush one, then linked to another thread where you listed:

Deleted most power steering hardware.
Deleted back seat and linings.
Deleted trunk linings and spare tire equip.
Deleted stock passenger side mirror.
Deleted 6 CD changer & steel brackets.
Deleted wipers (one under seat).
Deleted rear seat belts, brackets, bolting.
Deleted child seat lock hardware
Deleted rear seat release hardware.
Deleted rear deck molding.
Deleted floormats.
Deleted sunvisors.
Deleted center column moldings and brackets.
Deleted A/C.
Deleted front passenger seat (often reinstalled)...
... numerous other small items.

I drive in the Arizona summer without air conditioning, but I turn it on for my passengers, although it gets weird when they cannot decide if they are warm or cold, and they want my car and I to suffer for it.

How do you manage without a defroster, you maniac?!

I have a four-door Accord when I want to use the back seats, but unfortunately, it lacks the child seat hardware, which I like!

Your carpet does not get dirty? Mine does!

Eh. Anyway. I have hardly worked on any projects recently. I finally got to bed at a decent time, but the second time I woke up I took Benadryl for my allergies, and then slept until after 1300. I am supposed to meet up with someone in less than half an hour and I already canceled on her once.

On top of all of my projects, I have progress reports due soon.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by Xist

Do you remember what difficulty you had removing your oil pan? I had a stuck 14mm nut on the exhaust pipe that goes over it and eventually hammered a 13mm socket onto it, which I still have not figured out how to remove!

It took me a month or two to get to that point.

I don't remember having a problem like that. I had two issues. One was that the bolts themselves were of an odd construction. The head was actually a nut and could come off. Weird! It was definitely OEM. So I had worries about stripping the aluminum with the steel bolts because it was hard to judge torque, IIRC. The bigger problem was the 1998-installed oil-pan gasket. It must have been leaking a little, but aince there was also a main seal leak and oil everywhere I could not easily tell if or how much oil it might ave been leaking. The gasket was cracking and impossible to remove. I spent hours scrapping it off, in a hunched over position (stupid move) and ended up with significant and lasting lower back pain. The gasket was the worst part of the task BY FAR.

Originally Posted by Xist

It is weird to see people with non-lean-burn Civics getting better fuel economy than my HX. Someone once asked me what I was doing wrong that I only got 45 MPG.

GThe lean burn cars get driven at steady-speeds more often. They get great FE for little effort in LB. But I can do better with much more effort and pulse and glide. LB, truthfully, is cooler. But I do not like the added complexities (small as they are by current standards) in special O2 sensors to buy and EGR cleaning and such. My car is simple, cheap... a FE champ.

Originally Posted by Xist

Is this that cyberbullying I read about on Facebook?

... no.

Originally Posted by Xist

You listed top three modifications in #261:
CX transmission. Balto always says that is a no-go for an HX.
Injector kill switch: I engine-off whenever I will coast a couple of blocks. Perhaps it would be better to just stay in-gear and rely on DFCO. I understand why the switch is better than wearing out my ignition, just not how it would affect my efficiency.
Power steering delete: I did that two and a half years ago.

I see lots of different claims about what RPM band LB works with. Among them 1800 rpms and up. With my 1993 CX transmission, with 13" VX wheels and 175/70 tires, I am at 2000 by the time I reach 60mph. But you should defer to the experience of dudes who drive the LB engines.

Originally Posted by Xist

Next!
Air dam and grill blocking: I did it my way!
Do you show the ducted opening to radiator?

I don't. I basically just used pipe insulation foam, coroplast sheets, and foil tape and zip ties to close off all awenues around the radiator. Trial and error.

Originally Posted by Xist

I drive in the Arizona summer without air conditioning, but I turn it on for my passengers, although it gets weird when they cannot decide if they are warm or cold, and they want my car and I to suffer for it.

How do you manage without a defroster, you maniac?!

...Your carpet does not get dirty? Mine does!

My carpets do get dirty! And on a few days of the year, I regret the AC delete a little, truth be told. But only a little. Southern Cali is just that mild. Ditto with the defroster. I have a wiper blade in the car that I use to remove condensation and dew in the morning during the winter rainy season. One wipe and I am usually done. Southern Cali is like that.

Originally Posted by Xist

Eh. Anyway. I have hardly worked on any projects recently. I finally got to bed at a decent time, but the second time I woke up I took Benadryl for my allergies, and then slept until after 1300. I am supposed to meet up with someone in less than half an hour and I already canceled on her once.

On top of all of my projects, I have progress reports due soon.

I will look forward to your progress report. I have been stalled since summer. I did a write up for a CAT cleaning technique but then the authorities effed-up my paperwork so badly that I got delayed and messed up. Long story. I'll post updates eventually too. Let's see who updates first! Maniac!

[Xist]

I need to do progress reports for my job, I had planned on working on those this weekend, but as I mentioned, I slept most of New Year's Eve.

Ah nuts. I am already almost three hours into 2017!

The passenger door on my Civic was gouged a couple of times before I bought her. I pulled out one the other day and need to tap down a high spot, while the entire door slightly bulges now! I need to shove the entire thing back!

Some more gouges to pull, though, but I have been trying to focus on the Accord. I just need to straighten one part of the fender, sand, prime, and paint; then see about straightening the bumper. Somehow my sister-in-law creased it from the inside.

There are some issues like that with Chorizo and I plan on working on those first. They are less noticeable on the black plastic under the air dam.

I do not know what I did wrong, but I ordered adhesion promoter, paint, and clear coat for the Accord hubcaps, but the order did not go through, which is okay.

There are always more projects; they are not important, but I want to replace the plastic trim pieces inside the mirrors and the passenger visor on the Civic.

At some point I would like to replace the foam in the driver's seat or at least get a cushion somewhat closer in color.

While I am painting body panels, I should probably tackle the aftermarket fender I bought for my Civic, but it is the driver's side. Who cares about that?

[Baltothewolf]

Xist, have you ever checked your compression? Because I believe that's what caused me getting bad mileage in my HX, I had 135/185/180/185 when I did mine.

[Xist]

Balto, I see one or two other places you mentioned your HX compression, did you ever mention here what you did about it?

[freebeard]

I do not know what I did wrong, but I ordered adhesion promoter, paint, and clear coat for the Accord hubcaps, but the order did not go through, which is okay.

This means you have the opportunity to pick up a rattle can or two of Plastidip.

It sounds like the metal in the door is stretched, if it will pop back and forth and not stay inbetween.

[jcp123]

Man, I'm going to have to sift through this. A few of your listed mods crossed my mind, so this could be very informative. Only had my '97 for about a month though, so it's early days.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by jcp123

Man, I'm going to have to sift through this. A few of your listed mods crossed my mind, so this could be very informative. Only had my '97 for about a month though, so it's early days.

If you have any questions, I'll be happy to try and answer, or maybe the community will have answers. Good luck. Love my 98 DD!