Hello from Colorado (97 Civic DX)

[poomanchu]

Hello all! I've been lurking for awhile now. Thanks everyone for all the insight you have added to this forum, it has been helpful!

I just got a 97 Civic DX, a lady ran a light and took my poor crv out so I got this. I swapped over the floormats, steering wheel (I like the stippled look) and cluster from the CRV (tach and amber lighting). I just got new tires which are stock size, sort of lamenting that I did not get 175/ instead of 185/.

I am shooting for 45 mpg long term goal. I found a EG CX trans that has the super tall gearing and final drive and will be swapping that in. I plan on picking up some hx wheels and going a tire size smaller in width. I will be ordering one of those Ebay airdams (bumper lip) and making a grill block off plate.

Right now I think she is getting about 33mpg, but that is with check engine light on. I haven't had time to lookup and clear the code, which I will do tomorrow. Car runs and drives fine so I suspect an o2 sensor or something silly. I am hoping to see a good mpg increase when I get rid of that pesky light.

I do very basic hypermiling techniques but I cannot bring myself to shut off the car while in motion. Maybe soon, I've thought about it while coasting in neutral xD

I can get pics if you want, if you want to see a bone stock 97 dx down to the hubcaps lol. My Gs-R is another story, but I don't think anyone here is interested in that also

Anyways, thanks for having me! And thanks for being a part of this forum, oh the ideas and knowledge you have given me to be more eco friendly!

[elhigh]

Welcome! I'm certain one of the mods will be along to say it with more authority.

33 in this weather? You're doing pretty well, esp. if the CEL is holding your car in open-loop operation.

The first time I tried engine-off coasting was the result of an ignition failure. Since I was able to operate the vehicle safely, albeit unable to add any speed, I extended that experience to a deliberate shutoff. One click to turn off the ignition but keep the steering free. No worries.

If you continue to worry about the steering, you can either open up your column, remove the keyswitch and file off that little ear that extends to lock up the column, or you can install a kill switch. Lots of guys here have done that and it doesn't act on the steering at all. Problem solved. My column lock has eroded away under the tide of years, but the result is exactly the same.

[poomanchu]

Thanks for the welcome and advice

Yeah I think is car is doing pretty well. It's my first full fill-up since I have purchased the car. Right now it is sitting a little above the 1/4 mark at 295 miles this tank. I looked it up and my DX sedan has a 11 gallon tank, please correct me if I'm wrong. So by my math I think its about 33mpg and probably way optimistic

My commute is 75% highway, and much of that is 55mph construction zone which I take full advantage of. With this little dx I shift no later than 2k rpm unless merging, I am usually in 5th by 30-35. This is so new to me and fun!

I did turn off the car while driving for the first time (intentionally, well since I was a teen sneaking out of my parents house anyways). I coasted for perhaps 20 blocks then got caught at a light with the car off until it turned green. This is sort of addictive, at least when thinking these are free miles.

I removed my power steering belt at lunch today, car is a breeze to turn still. I'm going to leave it like this just in case I sell, all I have to do is put a new belt on.

[California98Civic]

Cluster and steering wheel, eh? What else from the interoir swaps from the CRV to the Civic? Chairs? My wife hates the Civic chairs.

[poomanchu]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

Cluster and steering wheel, eh? What else from the interoir swaps from the CRV to the Civic? Chairs? My wife hates the Civic chairs.

I think it may be possible to swap seats. You may have to swap the seat rails, as they are quite a bit taller, ie vanlike. The passenger seat has a neat slide out storage tray, I miss that already lol. My buddy sold my CRV as a parts car for me so it's no longer available My CRV interior was clean, wish I would have thought of it. Cluster and steering wheel is plug and play, all 96-00 civic and 97-01 crv clusters are compatible. Has a tach and looks awesome too!

I got 36 mpg this tank so I took a pic. 366 miles and took 9.982 to fill. Only pics I have, it just snowed a couple days ago so car is extremely dirty. Looks like the amber hvac bulbs I pulled out of the CRV will also work for the hvac controls in the civic so should have everything the same color soon.

EDIT: Can't post pics my post count is too low lol. Awww well. Maybe next time after the next 2 times.

I installed the driver mod today. Did about 4 miles combined of EOC. Hehe injector kill switch is needed.

[poomanchu]

Here's my CRV cluster! Just snapped a pic since I just got all the havc and dash lights working (some were burnt out when I purchased), converted everything to amber. CRV cluster is unmodded, they come orange I like it.


And the original DX cluster, only pic I have took it to document mileage