My Civic modding thread (2000 Civic Dx Coupe)

[OG VX]

Thanks man! And I agree with Metro MPG, car looks great. Have thought of some covers for the fog hole intentions on the bumper?

[pletby]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Looks OK in the pics, and on the internet, that's all that matters.

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Have I asked you this already: did you by chance test the side skirt/sill extensions?

Ha ha. Looks good from afar but far from good? Yep.

No testing done by me. Just relying on the work of others for now. No cruise control installed at this point so I don't think I'd have usable results in any case. It's even harder to detect any difference as I've done these mods as the weather has really taken a turn towards winter on the prairie. The wind really is my enemy right now. Wheel skirts next! (Wife says no boat tail. Boo.)

[pletby]

Originally Posted by OG VX

Thanks man! And I agree with Metro MPG, car looks great. Have thought of some covers for the fog hole intentions on the bumper?

You're welcome. Hope that helps. And thanks!

I've been looking at those fog light dents for a while and they do bother me. I think I'll fill them in before I do anything else. Won't take long. Then it's the skirts!

[pletby]

Hey Gang! We had some unseasonably warm weather today so I headed out to the car with a new oil pan heater and went to work. And work it was...

To get this thing to stick properly I had to remove the paint from where it was to stick to the oil pan. I started with a piece of sandpaper and elbow grease. After five minutes and a sore arm and precious little results I went inside and got the belt sander. Much faster! Still it took quite a while in cramped quarters with a heavy tool over my head. I'm going to be sore tomorrow...

Paint removed I read the directions: Do not install sideways, install cord to front or back. Sorry Proheat, it doesn't fit on my oil pan that way, so sideways it goes. Cord was secured carefully to keep it out of the belts. I didn't want it going the other way so close to the exhaust.

Plugged it in and the smells of baking silicone and whatever else filled the air. Warm and toasty!

[MetroMPG]

Nice! Does that say 250 watts?

Any plans for data collection? (Time plugged in vs. coolant temperature rise?)

[pletby]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Nice! Does that say 250 watts?

Any plans for data collection? (Time plugged in vs. coolant temperature rise?)

Yes it is 250 watts. Got it from Partsource, Canadian tire version is 125 watts.

I think I can do data collection on this mod. I have disconnected my block heater for the time being.

[pletby]

My car has gotten to the point where it looks different enough that people ask questions. I have finally decided to apply the sticker I got over a year ago. Today I installed my ecomodder sticker behind the driver's door on the window. Pic to follow when it's daylight.

[pletby]

Ok Sports Fans! Was listening to the Western Conference Final while I worked on the car this afternoon. Calgary's stomping Edmonton and it's the end of the first half.

I cleaned up the oil pan and painted the exposed metal with rust paint to protect it from the salty roads. I also took a pic of the newly installed ecomodder sticker! It's under a layer of ice. We've had freezing drizzle all day. The roads and sidewalks are just murder.

Data logging so far has been funny. The temp has gone down since I plugged in during the first fifteen minutes. It's not a cold soak start however. I might have to wait til next Saturday morning to do this test. That's about the only time I don't need the car first thing in the morning. I think that the temp sensor is located so far above the oil pan that the heat just isn't getting that far up.

This morning after being plugged in all night the engine was reading twenty F above ambient. Much lower than when my block heater is plugged in. When I started the engine however my ears could tell the engine was much happier than normal. It revved higher due to lower coolant temp but quieter. I think that's the result of nice warm flowing oil available to the engine.

I'm installing an on board timer to control the block and oil pan heaters. I'll set them for 2 hours before leave time unless my data logging suggests I should do otherwise. My on board charger and battery blanket I want powered at all times.

[pletby]

Ok, so with a less than ideal start to data logging today (engine temp quite warm to start) temperature dropped until it reached equilibrium at 25.2F above ambient. 41F engine temp at 15.8F ambient temp. Considering how far away the heat source is from the coolant sensor I'm using to measure I think that's a pretty decent result.

I'd like to do a few cold soak tests next. First one with oil pan heater only, then with block heater only, then with oil pan heater and block heater together.

Since I only have one morning a week to do these tests, it will take me 3 weeks to complete. Ha! Delayed gratification.

[pletby]

Installed a timer yesterday in the car to control my block heater and oil pan heater. Now they'll be on for 2 hours before I leave for work and 2 hours before I leave for home. Much less electricity used.

Especially good since I didn't have enough power outlets on board to plug in both block heater and oil pan heater along with all the other goodies (battery charger, battery blanket) before I set this up.