98 Hatch slow motion build.

[Killa_CiViC]

Quick update... I've been busy on eBay. I have a 24mm front sway bar, GSR steering rack and DC/EG shock forks on their way.... The rack will need a rebuild and then everything will be getting powder coated. I haven't yet decided whether to do them in dark purple or dark blue.
Also picked up a Toyota MR2 power steering pump for electric/hydraulic power steering.

A new guy I'm training at work has a friend at a local parts importer business that says he can get me stuff at a discount... I'm going to pick up a K24A2 soon... trying to figure out if there's any difference in the TSX K24A2 and the Odyssey Absolute K24A2 (anyone know? a lot of engine importers have them both grouped together), and I need to decide on a transmission.... thinking of using an RSX base 5 speed transmission because the gearing and final drive are much taller than any of the 6 speed transmissions.

I'm getting ready to fast track my engine swap. I'm tired of slow automatic, and I'm looking at picking up some side work, but don't have anything in the drive way or to take to meets anymore to showcase my abilities. Hopefully I'll have an engine in by the end of this year.

 

[Killa_CiViC]

Yes, I know my garage is messy.
I just don't have the time to work on my car like I used to... I've spent a lot of time doting on my daughter and even more time at work.
I pulled the interior out of my car 3 months ago to start installing the power door locks and alarm system, and then I discovered the hatch area filled with water every time it rained. so over the last 3 months, I've stripped the interior, resealed the leaking body seams, removed the tar sound deadening stuff, painted the interior hatch area and the roof, installed aftermarket power door locks and hatch lock, installed the alarm and some extras, installed new sound deadening stuff, disassembled and painted a seat, mounted and amp and reinstalled all the interior.
I haven't had time to do anything mechanical. I have some body work and painting to start on next... by far the most frustrating thing, as I'm not a paint and body guy... learning on youtube as I go.

 

[mymmeryloss]

Looks like you are doing a great job. Very thorough!

 

[young_]

^^ what he said.

Talk about attention to detail. This thing is gonna be CLEAN!

 

[AlaskaB16]

Cleeean!!

 

[CHILD]

Did you rattle can the roof? Looks like some of it dried before you made full passes across it.

 

[Killa_CiViC]

Cleeean!!

Looks like you are doing a great job. Very thorough!

^^ what he said.

Talk about attention to detail. This thing is gonna be CLEAN!

Thanks much .... I wish I could show off the alarm install.. by far the most tedious, detail oriented thing I've ever done. Ironic that it's something that can't be showed off online.
I kept changing my mind and coming up with better ideas, even up to the point that I was putting the interior back in, I went to radioshack to look for something else I wanted to change... fortunately they didn't have what I wanted in the store, so I had to call it finished.

Did you rattle can the roof? Looks like some of it dried before you made full passes across it.

Yes, Rustoleum automotive white. Which was a last minute choice, and is only temporary. When I was removing the cracked seam sealer from the roof, it didn't want to come without a fight, so I wire wheeled the seams... screwed up the already flaking paint, but did the job... rust forms fast in this Texas humidity though (like within a few minutes), so I ran to home depot at 7pm on a Saturday night, grabbed some epoxy primer and some white paint, sanded the roof and painted. It's not really as bad as it looks on the picture. All it would take is a little wet sanding and polishing to look good, but there's hail damage on the roof that needs to be addressed before I care about what the paint really looks like..... and the rest of the paint on the car is crap anyways....


Cheapest I've been quoted for paint and body work is $5,000 for the same color, $8,000 for a color change (from reputable shops). Not in the budget right now. So many other things to address first. And I may attempt it myself anyways.

And pay no attention to my post at the top of this page... that dude had no idea what he'd be getting himself into, or how much free time his daughter would be taking away from car stuff.

 

[Killa_CiViC]

Ran across a deal on this S2000 steering wheel, and it finally came. No more old steering wheel crumbling in my hands.

Yes, I edited the lighting and color of the picture because the florescent lighting at work yellowed everything out.

 

[mymmeryloss]

Looks great

 

[Killa_CiViC]

Finally took some days during my birthday weekend to install some parts I've been collecting. Progress on this thing would be going much quicker, if only I had any spare time to work on her.

All in all,
Integra trailing arms, calipers, Centric Rotors, EBC Ultimax pads, HardRace bushings, GoodRidge brake lines, Tein S.Tech springs, Tokico HP shocks, BuddyClub front and rear adjustable upper control arms.

The clutch is for a D-series transmission, because I'm thinking my '07 Si is going to get a new motor long before this car, but I've decided to, at the very least, convert it to manual... have not had the time to do so yet. I'm waiting for another free weekend.

Also in the mail but not pictured... 15x8 Enkei 92's in Silver.... thinking probably going to be wrapped in BFGoodrich g-Force SuperSport 205/50/15

I've also been buying paint and body tools, as some paint work I did on the hatch came out beautifully, and boosted my confidence in my own work way up. So I'll be tackling the rest of the car this summer. Taffeta White, Lexus Star Gazer Black accents.

There's just not enough time in the day/week.

 

[R3dline]

 

[young_]

Doin it right!

How many hours do you work each week on average? Just curious.

 

[Killa_CiViC]

Doin it right!

How many hours do you work each week on average? Just curious.

I average 11 hours at work and about 1.5-2 hours per day drive time. And I work every other Saturday.

 

[Killa_CiViC]

Slight change of plans, maybe... I've found someone selling a K24A1 for $350... me and a buddy from work are going to check it out in the morning, and if it's not just total crap, I'm probably going to cart it home. Stay tuned.

 

[endo617]

Nice parts bro, good to see quality parts going in.

 

[Killa_CiViC]

Well I got there to buy the motor, and it wasn't a CRV motor as the ad said. It was an RSX K20A3 from an automatic car. Edit... don't know why somebody didn't catch me on this motor being from a Civic Si. Found a VIN# on the block. 2002 Civic Si. I assumed because there was a torque converter and flex plate laying next to the motor it was from an auto RSX. I didn't realize the base RSX's came with plastic intake manifolds, and this one has a metal PRB manifold.
I ended up talking him down to $300, and bought it anyways, because it turned over by hand nice, felt like it had good compression, the oil on the dipstick was in good shape, nothing smelled burnt or overheated, and there was no sludge under the valve cover.

This will still make for a good/fun build.

 

[Killa_CiViC]

During my days off, stuff happens.

Defective cam lobe... NOT a sign of major engine damage. Replacement cam already sourced.

Overall, I bought a good engine. Except for the cam lobe, I could have dropped it straight in a car, and it probably would have fired straight up and ran fine. No marks or signs of abuse or oil starvation. The cylinder walls all still have good crosshatch showing, and even the rings didn't look in horrible shape.

Everything then went in our industrial parts washers and are now sparkling clean for the ride home.

This engine is going to get a refresh/rebuild though. While I have it apart, I'm doing new main and rod bearings, new top end seals, new rings, etc. I'm hoping to have it put back together and ready to stick in my car by this time next year..... in the mean time, I still need a few items to collect. And I have to start doing body work over the summer.
After that, I'm going to start looking into engine options for my '07 Si. She's at 170k miles now and burning a lot of oil. That's if I don't talk the wife into trading it for a Lexus.

In addition, I had another water leak problem that I didn't even notice until it started causing me electrical issues. Found the leaking area finally... now I just have to dry out the water and get the electrics back working normally. Currently, when I unlock my doors, the radio turns on. It's quite frustrating, but that's part of having an older car. See leaking point below.
Leaking into the driver and passenger floorboards and along the firewall.

That rust was under the body seam sealer, which just peeled away by hand. I wire brushed the loose stuff, and treated the rest with naval jelly before resealing and primering.

 

[endo617]

Did you ever think of replacing the head? EP3 has that funky VTC.

 

[Killa_CiViC]

Did you ever think of replacing the head? EP3 has that funky VTC.

I've thought about many things over the past few days. I don't want to sink money in this motor though. I want to make it reliable, on tight budget. I even have a stock EP3 ecu already, that I could run without kpro in the mean time if I so chose to.
Then it will depend on what I do with my '07 as to where the '98 progresses from there.
If the '07 gets a K24, the Z3 will then be torn down and built for the '98. If I rebuild the Z3 and leave it in the '07, the '98 will get a K24 sometime down the line.
Either way, unless I come across a killer deal, this A3 will be it for a while, in stock form.

 

[jameswanser]

I admit I'm a little jealous of guys that have access to a shop lift. Can't wait to see the new wheels on the car. Think they'll look great with that body color. But, 205/50/15 with 8 inch wheels? I guess you're going for that stretched tire look?