Repepping the CRX (plans and advice thread)

[SVOboy]

So, I've been rolling these ideas over and over in my head for quite a while now and I thought I would finally put them out there so I could get some comments and advice where advice is needed.

The CRX is good, but it has some problems, and I would like to fix as many of them as I can because I quite like it and don't want to regret my choice of car.

Here we go:

Visibility Issues [COMPLETE]: Visibility in the rain, and especially when it gets foggy inside, has always been a sore point for this car. Eventually I realize I just needed to replace the blades. At the same time I realized Rain X existed. Though I've not driven the car in the rain yet, preliminary hose tests suggest the Rain X treatment I gave the car to be a big success, and I give the product a big thumbs up for all of the 3 bucks it cost me. It's given me the confidence to go from here to buy some Fog X for the inside of the glass. I hope it works as well as their other products. Also, I've gone ahead and gotten some Rain X blades for cheap on Ebay, though I haven't gotten to test them out yet.

See this thread for details: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ions-9364.html

Rear wiper delete [COMPLETE]: Been meaning to do this for ages. With the rear glass Rain X'd I plan to do the delete soon. First I will have to get a plug from Honda, but eventually I hope to weld the hole shut. Heading to Honda for a grommet tomorrow, so more on that soon. This should do a decent bit cutting down on some drag.

See this thread for details: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...oval-9495.html

Alignment: Since I rather unscrupulously lowered the car a few years back, I've never gotten an alignment down. Stupid me. I'm beginning to think that's why I always feel such rolling resistance. Thoughts?

Hopefully I can give it a quick and dirty DIY alignment, but I plan to get some progressive lowering springs, sit the car on those, and have it aligned for real. Any recommendations for decent springs that won't cost me a ton? I've been slowed on this by a partially damaged thread on one of my rear shocks. Perhaps I will photograph for thoughts before I go ahead and screw myself by destroying the (expensive) tokico illumina shock I've got on there.

Brakes: I've got an intermittent vacuum leak somewhere in the master cylinder, brake booster area. I've got a spare I will throw on, hoping that it will #1 firm up the brakes and #2 stop leaking air and presumably harming fuel economy. Perhaps I will upgrade the BB/MC with integra parts so I get a bit better brake response, since I'm not very confident about mine right now. Thoughts? Anyone have a spare bb/mc from a teg laying around?

Passenger halfshaft: It sounds like it wants to blow up soon, I need to replace it. Hopefully christ is helping me out with this one soon.

Passenger mirror/camera: The camera has been taped on for too long. I need to get a stock block off plate and move the camera somewhere else so the car stops looking like crap. Anyone seen one in a junkyard or where they can be bought online reasonably? Dang things are hard to find.

LRRs: Hoping to get some soon. Secret plans, for now!

Moon discs: Need to get some steelies to mount the LRRs on, then I will drill some moondiscs on. Moon discs or pizza pans.

Other aero stuff: You can imagine.

Full hybrid insight guts swap: Exactly what it sounds like. Working on finding the guts now. When this happens it will merit it's own epic thread. Once this gets done I will be running MIMA as well, I hope.

Fluids: I've had issues with the oil light coming on intermittently with the 5w20 synthetic I've got in there. Any suggestions/ideas what I should do about it?

Water leaks: Damn thing leaks water in three places: around one of the tailights, through the open wheel well during driving, and evidently some new mystery place while sitting in the rain. GRR!

That's it. What am I missing? I've done very little but I hope to get most of this done by summer's end.

[Piwoslaw]

Would it be easier/cheaper to get a used hybrid?

But then there is the fun factor...

[SVOboy]

Recycling! I plan on getting a wrecked insight headed for the junker's and harvesting the parents. Reuse!

Besides the fun factor, the CRX has a bit more space, is well liked by me, and it would be a unique sort of beast.

[Tygen1]

If you need local help, give me a ring.

[SVOboy]

Will do! I'm sure it would help at several points

[SVOboy]

Went to Honda, they didn't have the rear wiper plug, bummer. Will call around and see. Anyone know anything else that'll fit? I can buy one for $15 on ebay but it seems like it should be lots cheaper.

However, they did put a passenger side mirror block off (I hope) on order for me, so maybe I can actually get one. Woo

[SVOboy]

Talked to the second local honda dealership, no luck on the plug. So, I went and bought the japanese part from a seller on ebay for $15. More than I wanted to pay for a bit of rubber but worth the hours I'll spend tracking it down in junkyards or somewhere else

[SVOboy]

Updated the original post with a question about fluids for the car.

Also, removed the rear wiper just now. Haven't done the the motor inside yet though.

[hamsterpower]

I miss my little 'rex!

I know you already bought the plug but have you tried the parts bins at Home Depot?
I know they have standard round plugs that might fit. That and some caulk maybe.

Rain-x: Works great. My wiper motor died a while back and Rain-x got me through. I did not like the fog-x. It seemed to fog worse. Don't use Fog-x when its cold out. I had to scrape ice off the inside.. Not kidding.

Brakes: I did the Integra MC swap with rear disks. Works great!! Also consider EBC green stuff pads. There is a MC that fits your booster so no need to change that. if you change to rear disks you will need a proportioning valve.

Oil light: you might want to have the oil pump checked.

[Christ]

Yeah, I'm helping you out with that axle, if you want to cross ship, I'll send it out like Wednesday.

Rear wiper - I've got a clean hatch with no wiper on it, I'd trade you even up, but you'd have to come here to get it.

Rear brakes - Screw drums - unless you like them. Get my rear discs
If you like the rear drums, see if you can't find some drums from an early HF CRX - they're aluminum with steel friction inserts, so they're lighter and cool off faster.

Alignment - The only spec that's adjustable on the front is toe... none are adjustable on the rears. Check your trailing arm bushings, if they're good, and if your rears are off a bit on camber, put a couple washers behind the two bolts that hold the rear trailing arm's compensator to get it as close as you can. For the front, You go camber out a bit when you lower the car, but the funny tire wear comes from Toe adjustments being out, because the tires "scrub" instead of rolling.

Oil light - Install an oil pressure gauge, don't trust that light. I've got a D-series oil pump, if you need one, unless your oil dipstick goes in through the pump, then I can't help you with that.

Booster problems - Just do a booster delete... The car's not that heavy.
I have the largest OEM ED Civic Master Cylinder, sitting around somewhere, but I'd have to dig it out. It's 15/16", from a Civic EX. (You have an ED CRX, not an EF, in case you didn't know.) The 'teg's MC is only 1", and you'd have to use the booster and MC.