Engine Out and Refresh!

I just didn't want to deal with this right now. Part of me whats to say fcuk it and go buy something new to me. I should probably stop being a pussy and just drop the 1100 its going to be and then keep riding my civic into the ground.

 

Haha, yeah, my C230 is worth about $9k maybe so i'm at the point where i'm going to drive it until anything expensive pops up and then dump it.

Took off my spark plug wires (also took off the distributor cap and marked it's orientation with painting tape and each cylinder location) and measured all the lengths from distributor terminal tip to tip of spark plug boot. I'm going to go ahead and make my own set of wires. About $130 for all the material (2-30 ft rolls since you need about 52 ft of cable being overly cautious with measurements, 50 pack of 180 degree orientation terminals to cover 2 per cylinder (24), 2 per coil wire (4) and spares, and I bought 2 8 packs of high temp silicon 180 degree (straight) orientation spark plug boots. I'm going with some blue 8mm wire and the spark plug boots are also blue. I will reuse the distributor and coil boots since those look to be in good condition. Some of the spark plug boots had tiny cracks at the tips so I wasn't going to reuse those.

 

For anyone curious, those measurements are: (Cyl/Length in IN) 1-58", 2-55", 3-53", 4-47", 5-44", 6-42", 7-36", 8-36", 9-40", 10-44", 11-48", 12-50". NOTE that for instance some of the differences between length of adjacent cylinders are different because of the bank and the location on the distributor.

 

Also went ahead and ordered a replacement solenoid for the starter. I don't think the starter was failing, I think the solenoid needed replacement and I cleaned off the starter and the terminals. I will of course do a test run before installing the engine back in. The replacement I found on ebay searching the solenoid number. In the listing it was listed as a direct replacement for our solenoid, HOWEVER in the applicable starters, our starter was not listed. It looks identical and has the same 3 screw mount pattern at the base. It was only about $36 but i'll comment on any issues once I get it in to compare it.

 

Also went ahead and ordered the Denso IX27 spark plugs.

 

Cleaned off the block with some degreaser this morning as well and wiped it down some but will let it sit.

 

Probably going to ship the injectors off to a place in the near future to get cleaned, tested, and new orings.

 

Next weekend I think I will try to get the transmission off and look at the clutch and maybe pull the heads off. I need to figure out what machine shop I'm going to take them to.

It is recommended to Establish TDC (top dead center) before removing the heads. Also check the piston sleeves while the heads are off.

It is recommended to Establish TDC (top dead center) before removing the heads. Also check the piston sleeves while the heads are off.

 

Thanks! I will be extra cautious when I do that step to be sure i'm prepared!

if you a detailing the engine compartment, servicing the relay box on the drivers side will me much easier now,

the female socket board should be closely inspected

if you a detailing the engine compartment, servicing the relay box on the drivers side will me much easier now,

the female socket board should be closely inspected

 

Haha, it is roomy in there! I have been in there a few times since I pulled the coil relay to be safe when doing the compression test. Everything seemed to be functioning well. While the engine is out, I will hook up the new big power cables. Also need to fix the vent line to the alternator and probably do a new exciter wire circuit.

 

I ended up having some carbon fiber wrap leftover from back when I wrapped some of the rear stuff so i'm going to wrap the instrument panel and see what I have left for the center console/dash area. Those should be relatively easy.

 

Just reading up on TDC articles and head removal and all that in the meantime.

Well I decided to pop off the instrument panel and use the remaining carbon fiber wrap I had. Not sure why I didn't do this sooner. Bit of a pain to do a wrap on a piece like this with sooooooo many holes but I think it turned out decent. Also, since the shifter gate was already off the car and I had enough, I figured I would wrap that as well. We will see how they hold up!

 

 

Need a snap ring plier or just the attachment. Kind of an angled fit for the upper 2 screws holding the instrument panel on so be careful not to scratch the leather.

 

 

Once you pull it out, it's helpful to set it on a towel on the steering column. There are 5 little 8mm nuts and washers on the rear. 2 on the top toward the sides, 2 on the bottom toward the sides, and 1 closer to the top but underneath the temperature gauge area.

 

 

Once those are out, just lift the gauges and wires plate off and you'll be left with just the face plate. It was a little dark and I picked that up and flipped it and forgot about the 5 plastic spacers that separate the plates so I had to take a few minutes to find all of those.

 

 

Brought the plate and shifter gate inside and did the wrapping, using a heat gun occasionally around the holes.

 

 

Also the new solenoid arrived so I installed that in the starter. Kind of a bitch to compress that spring and try to mate those tiny little screws into the holes on the solenoid but that seems good now. Definitely going to test that before it goes back in the car!!

 

Wires, terminals, tool arrived, but still waiting for the spark plug boots to arrive. Might build the wires this weekend but it is supposed to be warm so I may finish up the painting I need to do instead.

Damn it looks good!

Damn it looks good!

 

Thank you Sir!

Today's update....

 

Built the spark plug cables today. I can definitely see why people charge what they do to make these. I would say I probably spent about 4-5 hours doing it, including a trip out to buy some dielectric grease after I realized there was no way I was getting the wires into the boots far enough without it. The new terminals I got did not end up fitting in the distributor so I reused all the terminals at the distributor and with the coil cables (both ends). Spark plug side was good. Also reused the valve cover plugs to keep debris out. Here are a few pics.

 

 

 

I will end up using some different looms, which may or may not attach to the block like the old ones but i'll figure that out later.

 

Lastly, I figured the radiator grills could use a freshening so I painted those black as well as the crossbar with the cable routing clips that sits just in front of the coolant pipes. Going to do the calipers soon and then that will probably be it with the painting!

 

Going to take the transmission and bell housing assembly off tomorrow and have a looksee.

You are doing great! Thanks for all of the pictures. Even with the cost of the parts for the wires and the time you spent on them you are still money ahead.

You are doing great! Thanks for all of the pictures. Even with the cost of the parts for the wires and the time you spent on them you are still money ahead.

 

Thanks! Yeah, definitely saved some money and it was a good learning experience. There were some how to videos on YouTube by MSD ignitions but the process was the same. I got into a rhythm after the first couple. Bought 2 30ft packs of wire. Was able to do 1-6 and some of the coil wires on a 30ft roll and then the other coil wire and 7-12 with about 7ft left over. 7-12 is shorter altogether since the distributor is on that side.

It is going to feel very good to get this all put back together and see how it looks! Also not planning to buy the full gasket set since I don't need to pull it all the way apart so that is going to save me some money too. Assuming I don't need to do anything with the clutch, I will have spent only about $2k for everything involved.

Does anyone have recommendations for transmission and rear differential oil? Manual says AGIP 85W90 but I will probably go synthetic. I have some royal purple but it has been sitting in the garage for over a year so I'm thinking I should just buy some new stuff.

Does anyone have recommendations for transmission and rear differential oil? Manual says AGIP 85W90 but I will probably go synthetic. I have some royal purple but it has been sitting in the garage for over a year so I'm thinking I should just buy some new stuff.

 

I believe I am running Redline ... but I don't know which blend.

The wrap looks great.

I believe I am running Redline ... but I don't know which blend.

 

Yeah I'm thinking either redline or royal purple but curious what weight. I know some people use 75W90 but looking for some opinion. Thanks!

 

 

 

The wrap looks great.

 

Thanks Nick. The shifter gate will be interesting because that does tend to get some heat so I don't know if that will last. That's an easy fix if it doesn't though. Still tinkering with some wiring ideas I have behind the dash before I put the panel back on.

Kudos on the CF wrap and ignition wires.

Kudos on the CF wrap and ignition wires.

 

Thanks!

 

Just ordered new HPS silicon coolant pipe hoses. Four 1.5" ID, 4" length straight coupler for the radiator connections, One 1.75" ID 4" length straight coupler for the coolant return connection to engine, and one 2" hump coupler 3" length for the coolant outflow (water pump) connection. Then some new silicon vacuum hoses for the air boxes to valve covers box thing and box thing to valve cover (0.75" ID - got 6 ft for all of it) and then 2ft of 0.75" silicon heater hose for the rear engine coolant line. The rest of the hoses should be good. I will need to get some new clamps for most of that.

 

Brake caliper paint kit arrives Thursday so i'll get started on that. I've already removed the wheels and cleaned everything off (actually sprayed off the control arms and suspension while I was in there). Ordered a second kit just to make sure I have enough but that won't arrive till next week. I will also use that same color to hand brush the lines and Lamborghini script on the intake manifold. Lips of wheels are going to be painted too.

 

Lastly, I pulled off the rear center frame piece and grill that I had previously done in carbon wrap. Well it was my first time wrapping about a year ago and it was ok but due to the heat it bubbled up in some places and then had cracked from temperature changes and being stretched. So I pulled that off and and plastidipped it flat black along with the Diablo emblem. Similar to the intake manifold, I may hand paint the emblem with some blue or just leave it black. The center piece looks cleaner now though.

More pics less words. Seriously impressive work so far. Can't wait to see the finished project!!!

Here are some pics. Starter with the new solenoid. The radiator grills looked a little dirty so I painted those black (picture of the year!). The rear brakes cleaned off....the paint had faded some but also some of it rubbed off after using the brake cleaner. I painted in the engine bay with some gray since it was already gray. And the rear center piece with the blacked out emblem (for now). The new spark plugs. The distributor cap clearly marked. Not in any particular order....

 

 

 

I loosened some of the nuts on the bellhousing but it is too damn cold. Supposed to warm up this weekend so i'll get that off then. And I'll try to paint the lips of the wheels too. Then that will probably be it for a few weeks until I get all the gaskets I need since I want to do that all at once for a one day job.

 

 

Looking great

Awesome job Chipster!!! Keep up the good work in the new year.

If you want to go over-the-top while the engine is out. Get some foil-gold heat reflective tape and wrap the tunnel and rear firewall.

It will 1. keep cabin temps down and 2. look freaking awesome.

 

Carbon wrap does look great!

Looking awesome Chip!! Love the gold foil idea. Looks badfreakingass.