My vx - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

Dave's Civic Duty · 12-15-2009, 05:45 AM

Hi guys,

I had no idea what was given to me until I searched the net & found this site. I've owned many Honda's over the years but knew nothing about the vx.

Mine was given to me by a friend last Aug. I went up & loaded it up on my 16' utility trailer & brought it home. I was planning on using it as a winter car so it sat in my back driveway until the first threat of snow. I didn't even bother w/ getting the tittle changed over until a few weeks ago.

When I brought it home it needed a new battery & I had the alternator checked. Got a used alt coming from Ebay. Got 37.67 on my first tank. It's not running right. Has the hesitation problem, I'm sure I keep kicking the vtec in to try & maintain a steady speed. Don't know for sure, but was told that a weak alternator w/ an open diode can cause that.

I've been reading about 02 sensor problems & TPS as a cause for this. How would I know for sure? BTW, mine is a red rust bucket. I've been thinking about new quarter panels, both sides on Ebay 80 bucks. I'd install them w/ 3M's panel adhesive instead of mig welding. I saw a bodywork buddy of mine use this method on a 10 yr old Dodge Ram & achieved factory looking results. I'd have to do something w/ the inner panels too. The good thing is that the car has been owned by the same family since 95 & I just turned over 115,000 miles a few days ago.

Five or six years ago I was looking to buy an Insight but new nothing about the legendary vx or I would have bought one of those years ago. At the moment I'm thinking about doing a rebuild on the panels next year when I put my del Sol back on the road. I get 40-42 on my S & I thought that was the non-hybrid Honda mileage champ. I'm very excited to see a 47/57 EPA rating for a 94. This car has potential, we car rebuild!

Dave

TomO · 12-15-2009, 10:42 AM

Congrats on getting a great deal on a VX!

Search around here and you'll be able to find your answers for checking TPS and the O2. I'd post threads for you but don't have the time right now, sorry.

Edit: Do a Thread title search for "VX Info" and you'll find a thread that'll give you nearly all your answers.

MetroMPG · 12-15-2009, 10:46 AM

Welcome to the site, Dave.

The VX is legendary around here.

Even the Aerocivic now has a VX motor

Good luck with your maintenance items.

mcrews · 12-15-2009, 11:01 AM

Dave,
Welcome!
and congrads.

zero base line cost is always a great place to start on a project.!

but zero cost on a vv is like starting with a credit.......nice!

TomO · 12-15-2009, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Welcome to the site, Dave.

The VX is legendary around here.

Even the Aerocivic now has a VX motor

Good luck with your maintenance items.

<Darth Vader> There is no denying the power of the VX side! </Darth Vader>

Dave's Civic Duty · 12-16-2009, 08:30 AM

Hi TomO, MetroMPG, mcrews,

Thanks for rolling out the Red Carpet for me, much appreciated.

I did a search on Civic VX hesitation & uncovered a world I never new, much to my delight. I had no idea Honda made a car this thrifty. I always admired the shape of the Civic hatchback. When I saw ecomodder, I had to check it out.

This Civic must have never run right. My friend that gave it to me told me that it had a special ordered 1.6. & I saw vtec on the valve cover but didn't notice the e. But did notice a single cam. He said he got about 30MPG. His brother drove down to NC to get it when it was a year old. 14,000 then. The brother drove it for 3 years, sold it to his mom, she drove for 2, & then maybe even gave it to my friend. So other then the one year in NC, it saw every Cleveland winter.

The car did have regular maintanence on it. I see a new exhaust & both front half-shafts. Shocks/struts are still cool, tires Firestone front, Goodyear rear are OK. The shifter is like in neutral in every gear, luckily I've had many years of Honda shift like butta 5speeds, so I know where the gears are by second nature. The seats have great support with normal wear. I do have a water leak somewhere left front carpet was wet when I vacuumed it out a few weeks ago. I had to reattach all the bumper side ends, no metal to hang it on in the rear :-) & off in the front. So it does run quiet, doesn't smoke & no unusual noises. It's a Honda after all!

I took my wife for a ride in it the other night & she likes it even with all it's faults & gave me her blessing on fixing it up next year. With the foam hanging out the holes in the rear quarters she teases that it looks like a rabid dog! :-)

I'm messing with trying to get the bottom alternator bolt out, it's like it's welded in. Working on that & what to get rid of the hesitation, not being able to maintain constant speed. I probably have people following me asking themselves, what it this guy doing?

Thanks for welcoming me into your community,
Dave