Black Mamba modding and repair thread (1997 Civic HX 5-speed)
 

This is my repair and modding thread to my 1997 Civic HX 5-speed.

Current project:
Trying to figure out why my car 'surges' along with irritating losses of power, more noticeable at cold starts. I think it's the o2 sensor but further research is needed.

Current mod:
HX to VX tranny swap.
P/S disable, removed belt.
Mud flap delete.
5w-20 motor oil.
Ultragauge.
44psi all around.
2.5" lawn edging air dam.
Upper grill block, lower causes overheating.

Repairs done so far:
Timing belt and water pump.
New belts.
Oil and transmission fluid change.
Distributor gasket replaced.
V-tech solenoid gasket replaced, fixed oil leak.
Spark plugs.
Spark plug wires.
EGR chamber cleaning.

Repairs that are still needed:
o2 sensor replacement.
Dipstick replacement (I broke it opps).
A/C recharge.
Interior dome light doesn't come on when door is opened, works when manually enabled.
One of the instrument cluster bulbs is out.
Wiper blades.
Master brake booster is leaking where the brake fluid filler connects to it. Probably just a gasket.
Brakes.
New muffler.
Front end damage.



Planned future mods:
Upper grill block.
WAI
Underbelly pan.
More permanent solution to gap problem (fix front end damage so I can use weather sealing)
Removal of the back seats.
LRR tires.
Rear wheel skirts.
Smooth wheel covers.
Kill switch.
FED ECU, I believe this has a cali ECU, I have to check.
LED lights all around.
Gap sealing.
Boat tail, or at least a kam-back.

This will be the power steering belt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDMWN27pyLg

and from what I remember the back seats in the civic didn't weigh much, I'm sure it will be beneficial if you took out the seats, brackets, seat belts, and the interior panels around them.
When I had my civic i just took the rear seats out so I could put them back in quickly if needed and i remember pulling out 4 large pieces of foam that honda likes to call seats.

I bought varying thicknesses of weather stripping from Lowe's for use under the hood of my Del Sol, and it has worked nicely as a seal. The results haven't really shown up above background noise in my fuel log though, so I wouldn't have it too high on the list. First items I'd probably tackle are the smooth wheel covers and kill switch.

For simplicity, cheapness, and known effectiveness on these cars: airdam, tires pumped 10 psi over sidewall, and power steering belt removal. I have your chassis and I'll tell you I'm not highly athletic or muscular and I do not miss my PS much. Things are a little stiffer in parralel parking, but not different than an old VW bug. The PS delete was worth 1 or 2 mpg and it was free and easy.

An airdam? I thought underbelly pans were more effective, and as for the power steering, I'm gonna rip the entire assembly out for sure and bolt off the holes. I want nothing left of P/S when I'm done with it. I turn sharply from asphalt into my driveway with my engine off and I have absolutely no problem turning the wheel.

Well if you're gonna remove all of the PS hardware anyway, you might start by going out there and cutting the belt before your next drive, could not get simpler to remove that parasitic drain. Then you can remove the rest when time permits. Yes, I think a good bellypan is generally thought better by the experts around here, IIRC. But that's more involved. I'm building one this summer, and I am spending a lot of time finding the right hardware and other materials, plus chasing down leaks, and crawling under the car. My lawn edging airdam was easily cut and mounted and cheap and had immediate effects.

As far as belly plan vs dam, you could do both. Air dams don't divert 100% of air, but the dam is much easier to put on and you can add the pan later.

There are good and bad ways to delete the power steering, I've read. I believe the best way is to connect the hoses in a loop in and out of the steering rack, it offers less resistance than just cutting the belt and leaving the pump in, while also keeping fluid in there and preventing things from drying out/falling apart. As CA98Civic said though, cutting the belt will provide immediate improvement.

Thanks guys, and cacivic, do you have a build log on what exactly you used, where you got it an how you put it on? I didn't know about the airdam and would like to do that within the next could days.

I like manual steering. You guys are giving me ideas...Echo has very light steering even at a dead stop with the engine off. It's almost not really worth engineering a p/s system for it.

I've had the P/S belt off of my car and don't miss it a bit! I plan to swap out for a manual rack (only because of VA vehicle inspections) when the money seems right. :)

So I just replaced the Vtech solenoid gasket and it was definately bad on the right side (when facing the engine). The far right side bold had oil on the threads and all the way up to the head of the bolt, which it shouldn't have any oil on it at all, and the lower bolt was completely covered in oil. The left side bolt however was bone dry. I'm hoping this fixes the main leak but I'm not going to hold my breath.

Guys, is there anyway to remove the P/S belt without cutting it? It's brand new (came with the timing belt kit I just bought) and I would really rather not cut it, selling it would probably be a more favorable option.

Yeah. There's a wing nut on the top of the power steeting pump mounting bracket, and a bolt on the side. Loosen those and you'll let off tension on the PS belt. I can't remember, but it might be the middle belt of 3, so it's possible you may have to take an A/C belt off too.

Uhg, if that's the case forget it. I'm to tired to do it right now, I'll figure out how to loop the lines (well, figure out what lines it is I need to loop) and pull everything off at once. I already know for a fact that I want to take it off, as I have tested all the 'sharp' turns I have to take with the engine off, and coasting so, I know I can handle it. Do any of you know a comprehensive guide on how to loop the lines and take off the p/s pump and everything that goes with it?

I just came across this thread earlier today:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...nes-29111.html

This actually raises more questions then answers but thanks, I just need to get out there and start tearing it apart lolz.

Whenever you get around to removing your power steering... IIRC, the nut that holds the power steering pulley is reverse threaded...meaning

Lefty tighty , right loosey

It took me a good hour of twisting righty righty righty until I realized this :)

Under the brake booster on the firewall

There should be 2 rubber hoses that stick out of the firewall (they should lead into the power steering reservoir). This is where you loop the hoses.

However, before you close the loop, then your wheel all the way to the left and right to releases most if the ps fluid. I say "most" because you still want a little fluid for lubrication.

If you don't do this step, there is no room for the fluid to move, thus steering effort will greatly increase.

Then you can start removing the power steering pump, pulley, and reservoir (optional).

Well I went outside to remove the mud flaps, which I did, but since I was out there, I decided to take a look at the P/S belt. Luckily for me, it is the outside belt, so I pulled it off. While I was under my car looking at the underpart, I noticed the passengers side boot is ripped, how long can I drive it like this? It's a pretty big tear... (pics below).

http://imageshack.com/a/img539/5739/b426c4.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img902/9320/40fcff.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img910/3941/5febd1.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img673/2323/891ba0.jpg

Well via my own research, I'm not going to risk destroying the cv joint so looks like the mamba is out of service until I replace it.... Sigh... I just really hope I can do this myself, I don't fancy the 2-300$ repair.

[Edit]: After seeing how easy it is to just replace the axle, I'm just gonna replace the entire axle instead. That way I'll have a lifetime warranty on it incase it rips again in the future. And with that being said, I'm just gonna keep driving it. I'll replace it on Wednesday or Thursday morning. I don't think it's going to go out on me in 200 miles of driving. It's not making any noise and there is still grease in the boot, so it must have just ripped recently

I think you'll be fine. My experience has been that axles can last months or years after the boot tears. Maybe wrap it in tape to slow dirt from getting in and grease from getting out.

Agreed. Also, replacing the boot means replacing the whole half axle because they only come as a unit. That means that your concern about damage to the CV joint is moot. If it were my car, I would drive it (and I did for a long time when my outer CV boot looked like this). But you have to be your own judge, of course.

i've driven thousands and thousands of miles before i realized my cv boot was torn :)

that explains why the inside of my rims were always so goopy

Agreed. It's fine until it starts making popping noises.

Here's a great how-to for replacing the axle. FAQ: Axle Replacement Tutorial With PICS! - Honda-Tech I unbolted the back end of the lower A arm in 3 places rather than messing with removing the ball joint. I needed a 4-ft extension bar to break the axle nut loose.

Thanks guys, I'll just put my special tape I get from work on it to protect it, you gotta remember where I live. There is so much dirt and dust out here, I will get literal rocks inside that torn boot if I don't at least patch it with tape :P. Also an axle only costs 57$ at O'Reillys so I'm not worried about it. And from what I seen it's pretty Strait forward repair.

Anyway, update today, after removing the P/S belt it's really not that hard to steer. If looping the lines makes it any easier that will be amazing.

For what its worth with your power steering belt.. theyre about $5-$15 and really hard to sell. It wouldn't even be worth the time or effort of keeping it to sell it. I say just keep your PS components as a kit and resell that way or hold onto it if you even decide to sell the car.

I know for a fact I won't be selling the car, so I think ill just pull all the P/S off and sell it as a whole. I might be able to get 30$ for it or so.

Well the oil leak is fixed, it was the v-tech solenoid gasket, put over 250 miles on it since the replacement and no oil anywhere on the tranny or back of the motor. Only leak left that I can see is the oil pan bolt, but I'm gonna replace that with one of those drains with a lever so it's all good.

Congrats! That was a pretty quick 250 miles.

I know what you mean about not wanting to ever sell it. I've found my car too. :D :turtle:

Me three, and I have been driving it for 190,000 miles and 13 years!

Yea I had to drive to l.a and back which is a 200 mile round trip, then I had to drive to work today. I'm happy about it. Last major thing that needs to be done is the axle replacement.

Cacivic, is there a comprehensive guide around here somewhere on how to make an airdam exactly like yours? If so can you link me to it? That's the next big mod I want to do before the wheel skirts and wheel covers.

This page usually has everything Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - Search Forums

I already tried searching and didn't really find anything useful. Mainly trucks..

When I used that page a while back, it eventually lead me to http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post372986 where I ran with darcanes use of paver edging. Unless you find exactly what someone else did to a car just like yours, and they documented the heck out of it, you will be doing some engineering / figuring it out as you go

Well first fill up is here, 350.3 miles and 9.360 gallons used, 37.4mpg. I'm actually satisfied with this, as I did smog and a bunch of idle time when working on my car. I'm hoping to get 45+ next tank, we will see.

Full tune up complete! Well more like 15 hours ago, but anyway, I replaced the following...

Spark plugs and wires, it had the original that came with the car in 1997!!!
Manual transmission oil.
Normal oil.

After changing the manual tranny oil 3rd gear is grinding... This worries me greatly... I don't have the money to rebuild the tranny, why would just changing the oil cause it to start grinding??

Anyway, with all that being said, I got new record going to work today at 51.2MPG on UG! I was able to hold 5th gear where I normally had to drop into 4th, that tune up made a huge difference.

Did you use factory oil or does your use motor oil. Some transmissions are particular about what you use.

Some discussion here.
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...n-oil-856.html

My transmission calls for GL-4 so I got some Lucas full synthetic 75-90w and used that. It's spec'd for a bunch of different types types of trannies, GL-4, GL-5, etc etc.

Here is what I got, not from that place but from O'Reilly, same stuff though:http://www.4wheelparts.com/Performan...K6qxoCfKDw_wcB

So is that stuff GL4 or GL5. According to what I have read is is ok to use GL5 in a differential that is spec for GL4 but not a transmission. If the transmission requires for GL4 use GL4.

Some light reading.
http://www.widman.biz/uploads/Transaxle_oil.pdf

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/..._Gear_Oil.aspx

On the back of the bottle it said its for GL-4 transmissions so yea..