Project IRX: CRX-Insight Renaissance Experiment

[SVOboy]

I might end up drilling through, I just don't want to ruin the bits I just spent a bunch of money on. Anyway, I'll update with pictures my plans for the next two mounts so you can tell me why I am misguided and stupid.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

I might end up drilling through, I just don't want to ruin the bits I just spent a bunch of money on. Anyway, I'll update with pictures my plans for the next two mounts so you can tell me why I am misguided and stupid.

Project jitters?

[Christ]

These are the step drills I use. If I get around to it, I'll be using them to remove the brow bar and A-pillar reinforcement on my Tacoma to finally finish straightening the cab before I get a windshield put in.

Pic is link.

[SVOboy]

Today was wiring day! I spent a long time fuddling with the ignition and ended up sort of breaking it, but in the end I somehow got the cluster to turn on. Oh happy day.

Anyway, I was lucky enough that the ignition switches honda made were the same for about 20 years, so despite the gears from the lock itself being different, they were identical. So, I decided just to swap the crx gear into the housing/wiring for the insight switch, that way I could plug directly into the fuse box without chopping up those thick wires and soldering them nastily.

However, I put the gear in wrong the first time and broke it a little bit, so even though I can key on well enough, sometimes the key is a little reluctant for keying off. Hopefully just a cheap piece of junk from honda which I can replace at my leisure later, but it works and the wiring is good with the other insight wiring in the car.

As I said before, I could only get the door warning working. At first, I wasn't sure why, so I just went through with the manual checking all the power and ground to the cluster. Evidently I'd depinned the key on power to the cluster and was missing one of the grounds, once I had that set up, the cluster fired right up! I was quite excited. So far, I can't really do anything with the cluster, so meh.

I also couldn't get anything plugged into the obd2 port to do anything, even though there is power to it. However, I honestly haven't done any of the grounds properly, so we'll see once I get a little more on top of the fine details.

Anyway, good progress, all the harness in the car, just need to finish up a few plugs and such. Tomorrow is ignoring the wiring and welding up the last mounts.

Pictures!

[SVOboy]

Originally Posted by Christ

These are the step drills I use. If I get around to it, I'll be using them to remove the brow bar and A-pillar reinforcement on my Tacoma to finally finish straightening the cab before I get a windshield put in.

Pic is link.

What's the advantage of using a step bit over a normal bit if I'm just gonna drill through anyway?

[Christ]

The step bit is easier to feel "pop" through without going in too far or tweaking it sideways.

I used to drill them out with normal bits, but lots of times, I'd be putting pressure on it, and it would finally pop through the weld, and I'd end up pushing the bit down in, usually mashing it into something else and denting/scratching it, or I'd end up tweaking the bit sideways in the hole and either break the bit or bend/warble the hole.

I guess it's mostly a personal preference, though.

[Wonderboy]

Nice to see you today Ben. This is quite the project and I'm really proud of you. I'm sure I'm not the only one with this sentiment. I have faith that you will be able to get this done before Sunday. If you find out you actually do need something special from that steel place, between now and 11am is the time to tell me, and I'll bring it to you. Good luck man.

[SVOboy]

Sent you a message will. Also, I'll post my bad sketches of the prospective mounts tomorrow, since I'm too tired right now. Furthermore, I don't think honda sells the ignition part I broke, so I'll call tomorrow and see if they really really don't sell it, in which case I'll try to scrounge one out of a junkyard or have topher do it

[Christ]

I'd break out the switch from the CRX and send you whatever part you need, if you toss up a pic of it. I just don't have the key to the CRX anymore that I know of, so I'll have to pull/hack the steering column (which is fine, I need it for another project anyway, if I ever get to it.)

I've just never pulled a Honda ignition switch apart and paid any real attention to it, so I'm not sure what part you're talking about.

If you can get a cell phone pic, you can get my number from Will and txt it to me if that's easier for you.

[SVOboy]

I'll post one tomorrow, but a quick description is this: when you remove the ignition switch there is a plastic cap on the non-soldered end that is held on with 5 clips. If you pop that (probably white) cone off you'll find inside it a little gear looking john that rests in there that's about three pieces of plastic/metal contacts stuck together. If you need to know how to take about the ignition I can tell you, but you should be able to remove the switch to get to this part by just backing out the two screws, no need to remove the actual key stuff.