Lude Generation

Alright chaps.

Have been looking at this site a bit and I thought I better get my project thread up.

The posts are copied from another forums so if some posts look a bit odd thats why!

Well as some of you know I chucked all my BMW toys out of the pram because I couldn't afford a 330d like I wanted

I bought this beast instead!

£750, 11 months MOT, 5 months Tax, 4 new tyres!

A bit rough around the edges, but thats ok, its quite liberating to have a car you don't have to worry about in the supermarket carpark.

Well here is it:









2.2VTEC 185bhp lump:




Like I said its no trophy queen, few dents and the interior is grubby.

Picked it up from Worcester Thursday night, 85 miles back down the M5 no problem. It really is a good little car to cruise in, I was pleasantly surprised. Managed to get 30mpg, but hoping this will improve.
Got it into the workshop today for a look around and some fluid checks ect. I changed the clutch and brake fluids, topped up the coolant and its only recently had a oil filter and oil by the looks of it. I took the cam cover off to check the belt as its 2 years overdue in time for a replacement, but still 45,000 miles "under". Looks OK and should be fine to go up to Nhamps next weekend for the meet. I will change all the stuff in there soon after I get back if all goes well.
While I was there I checked the spark plugs and the centre electrode has worn away abit so for the sake of a tenner I changed the plugs. Once the belt is done I will look into the fuel filter(supposedly lifetime ), HT leads and dizzy cap and arm.
As you can see from the above picture, some nutter decided heatsoak and partly filtered air would increase performance so chucked the stock airintake/box. While I look for a replacement I bodged a CAI from some hose I had about.
I hope the "CAI" and plugs will show a slight improvement in MPG...

New vs Old:



"CAI"



This car does have 4 wheel steering, but its inoperative at the moment. I pulled the code and it looks like its the angle sensor inside the main unit at the back, which is a £500 new part, or second hand complete unit. I will just remove the dash bulb for now and maybe look into replacing it at a later date. Its very odd looking under the car at the 4WS system....

The SRS light is on as well, the code for this indicates the passenger airbag has a short. I was going to check the bag and if I couldn't see anything, bypass it with a 2ohm resistor on the vehicle loom, but Ronnie tells me that they have changed the rules for MOT again and as long as the light isn't on they cannot fail it(doesn't have to come on with the ignition then go off). So with that new info I will prob just pull the bulb while I am in there with the 4WS light.

It does go pretty well for a 2.2, VTEC doesn't cut in until 5,000rpm, and it sounds goooood Revs all the way to 7,500 Someone has already fitted an aftermarket exhaust which isn't too loud and doesn't drone inside so I think I will leave that alone.
I am not sure how long I will keep this, might run it till the tax or MOT is out then maybe get a cheap diesel runaround, will have to see how things pan out. I fear its going to be a while before I can afford my BMW E46 or E90 330 diesel

I know this isn't everyones cup of tea(I have broken my own rules of no; sideways engines, timing belts, FWD vehicles buying it) so comments and criticisms welcome

Well I can hardly contain my excitment, just did a couple of impressive mods!

Changed the front sidelight 501 bulbs to blue coated ones for a whiter light.
Fitted my Sony radio so I can plug my MP3 player in:



Exciting eh!?!

Hopefully can get into work on Wednesday, have a bit of a list:
Wire centre brake lamp back in
Fit my FLI speakers in the doors and rear shelf
Check gearbox oil level
Make washer jets work
Have a look at the passenger airbag
Check the clutch pedal return spring
Give it a blow over with the steam clean

Oh and I ordered the first part of the timing belt parts tonight, manual tensioner bits. Will get some prices for the belts and WP tomorrow at work.

Changed the gearbox oil today, reckon it had been in there from the factory, same with my BMW. Am I the only one who changes it?
Fixed the washer jets, had to nick a T-piece from the waiting to be scrapped "type-r".
All my brake lights are working now.
My small speakers wont fit in the doors(to deep) and its already got 6x9's upgraded in the back.
I took the bulbs out of the dash for the SRS and 4WS so they don't drive me mad at the weekend.
Should be all set for the trip this weekend now.....

Some '55 Civic attacked me on the duel carrageway on the way home, had to see him off with the VTEC

Laughing you two Laughing

Well just got back from my weekend away and the car did well, quite impressed.(despite me bouncing it off the limiter leaving the meet like a total noob )
Did mostly motorway miles, but with some ragging and got this:

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Pretty good I think.

Got some very heavy rain on the M6, first time I have been in the rain with it and no leaks!


Going to get it into work tomorrow and hopefully start on the cambelt.

Started my cambelt today!
My pile of bits:


Approved Honda Workshop:


Decided to loose this as I didn't want crap falling into the engine:
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Might not go back on perfectly....
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PAS pump, Alt, cover, leads ect removed:


Also had to loose the N/S wheel, undertray, dipstick and engine mount.
All that is left to do to get at the belts is remove the crank pulley and lower belt cover.
Therein lies the problem, I cannot get the muffin crank pulley bolt to undo The 1/2" gun wouldn't do it and you need a special spanner to hold the pulley to use a strong arm. I am going to see if I can find said spanner tomorrow, but I reckon its unlikey that anyone will have one..... I might have to get the inch drive gun on there, but that puts out drokk knows what torque, about 800nm I reckon, don't want to do that unless I have to.

I might also loose the aircon compressor while I am in there as it gets in the way of the alternator/belt slack adjustment and it doesn't work, not much point into looking at fixing it as the condenser is totally drokked.....

Cracked into it tonight again. Managed to get the pulley off, belts off, and old tensioner parts off. Just the water pump to remove and then I get to put stuff back on! I also need to find a 100x6mm bar/bolt to lock the balance shaft on one side.
The balance shaft belt was slack as drokk, its tensioner was thrown its oil/grease out of the bearings and it gumbles, don't think this is being changed to soon. The timing belt auto tensioner is jammed out and was putting alot of force on the belt, glad I decided to go with the manual tensioner.
The camshaft seals are a bit damp, so I might get a price for some tomorrow, main dealer only unfortunately though....

This big thing to undo that little bolt......
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My homemade pulley spanner:
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View of the belts with the covers off:


Old tensioner parts:
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Old Balance Shaft belt:


Old belts:


Work shop cleared for tomorrow:



Its really pissing me off that I have to be out of work by 7pm. By the time I am ready to start its 5:15, and I have to leave 15 mins to tidy up. Just as I start to get going and make some progress I have to stop. Going to take forever to get it sorted at this rate

If it all goes well I might get the front bumper resprayed as it does look rough as f?*k. If I can get it done for circa £60 I would be happy.
I think it needs a bit more than T-Cut! Cheap machine polisher maybe....

No work tonight as I didn't really have much to do, just the water pump.

I decided to do the camshaft seals as they are fairly reasonable at £6 each and they are damp. I also asked for a price for the timing belt and it is the same as the one I already bought. So I have ordered it and send the after-market one back. Got to pick the bits up tomorrow from Taunton(nearest dealer).
Still got to find a locking pin for the balance shaft, but apart from that hopefully I can get started putting stuff back together tomorrow night.
If all goes well I hope I will be able to finish it on Saturday *crosses fingers*

I am paranoid about fecking timing belts Watty, things give me the heebeejebies!

Didn't get anything done tonight as my Boss was picking my bits up from Honda and he didn't get back till 6 so...
Took the old waterpump out at lunch, came out fine after I undid all the bolts.... you it was a bit damp around it, which I thought was oil, but the seal as gone on it so it was anti-freeze. The bearing has a little noise from the bearing, but not to bad. Also my new air con delete belt came along with the PAS belt.
Hopefully I can crack on tomorrow after work(depending on if a lorry comes in or not) and might even get it finished on Saturday(still got to leave the yard by 1pm =/ )

New vs Old:


Seal is pretty far gone......


New PAS and Alternator belts:





As I said in an above post, I accidentaly lost some of the engine oil. The seller said he changed the oil and the filter does look new, but I will top it up with 10-40 mineral oil and do a few miles in it. Then I will change the filter and drop the oil for some 5w-30 semi synthetic. Just ordered a Bosch filter from ECP for a fiver

Got a fair bit done today: water pump, camshaft seals, timing belt and balance belt, manual tensioner bits on and engine mount back on. The timing belt was a real drokking pain to get onto the tensioner, took at least 30 minutes I reckon. I reckon the tension is good almost "at rest" on the stops. The balance belt was nice and easy to fit, made sure it was tensioned up properly not like it was before.
Now its just putting the bits back together, going to remove as much as the aircon system as possible(pump, pipes condensor), don't think I can remove the aircon rad with the water rad still in so will leave that for now, I will also leave the one in the cab alone for now.
Bad news: I hit the bottom tank of the rad and I think I might have bad it leak, not sure as there was already water there from draining it. A rad is about £50....

Honda bits:


Camshaft sprockets removed(note the seals leaking worse than expected)


New vs old seals:


New water pump fitted:


Everything fitted, ready for belts:


Belts fitted after a struggle:



I just hope I have done everything right and the drokking thing doesn't fly off as soon as I start it =/