Jeff's new beater project

[TyphoonFiST]

Saw a Isuzu Vehi-cross today with some bigger wheels on it. looked like it would be fun vehicle here in Mn ...especially during the winter!

Here is one up forsale....weird but intriguing....

https://www.carsforsale.com/vehicle/details/55370859#

 

[MKVIIST]

Nice find Jeff, loving the build project.

 

[jeff]

Thanks for the kind words guys.

Hey Jeff! As always, love watching your progression with your cars. This one looks like a great pickup.

Question, if you don't mind... I've been contemplating buying a $3-4k "beater" to daily instead of my ST, since I've put 16k miles on it in the last 9 months just driving to work every day. I was really interested in a fiesta sfe for the 3cyl turbo manual combo, but I like the idea of branching out and getting a non-fiesta. Since you did so much research before you found this, and you have a civic... would you recommend any particular year(s) of civic for me to be scrounging craigslist for? Or any other suggestions that you considered before buying this?

Thanks!

Thanks man. Yeah I love having a beater, I tend to drive my beater about half the time and my Fiesta the other half, so each car only gets about 4500 miles per year (we use our van for long trips). It's fun to change up the experience for sure. My Fiesta only has 34001 miles and is still on stock brakes...lots of savings there on wear and tear and mileage.

Yeah the sFe is a great car, I was serious about getting one but my budget was $2-$5k and a decent sFe is a bit over that. Plus I love the old Hondas so I ended up looking at a bunch of them. If you're in the $3-$4k range you could get a really nice Civic. For that price you could find a decent 7th gen (01-05). I'd get an EX if I were shopping....that's the nicer trim. I've seen 7th gen Si's for sale for that price but that car is universally hated and considered the worst Si they've ever made. But an EX trim is still nice, finding a 5 speed in decent shape will be hard but it can be done, and should be right in that price range. The car will last forever and have some fun factor.

When it comes to Civics the "best" drivers cars that really were special, according to most enthusiasts, were the 5th, 6th, and 8th gen. 8th gen are real nice cars but will run you $6-$8k depending on condition and trim and mileage. So in our price range you might have to settle for a 7th gen. I'd prefer a 6th gen (that's what I have in the background pictures) to a 7th gen but finding a 6th gen in good shape is nearly impossible, they are almost all neglected or beat on. 7th gen much less so, I saw a bunch of those for sale and they are less a tuner ricer car and more a commuter car and have much less aftermarket support.

In any case I hope that's helpful. You're about in the same budget as I was...I was looking at sFe Fiestas, Preludes, CRXs, Civics, and even Corollas. Can't go wrong with any of those though the Civic and Corolla are much more plentiful.

To me it comes down to what car is in good shape...if I find something I'm less interested in that's in great condition I'll scoop it up because it's so hard to find one these days that's been well maintained....I'd take a car with a pile of receipts that's clean with lots of miles over a lower mileage car that's dirty and neglected anyday. People are scared of high mileage cars and for good reason but (knock on wood) if you get one that's solid it might last forever. My Civic and Prelude both have lots of miles (Civic, 217k, $1450...Prelude, 210k, $2900). I've owned the Civic for 5 years now and maybe spent $400 on repairs in that time. The Prelude is yet to be determined but it runs like a sewing machine and has been babied so I have high hopes.

OK that was quite a long rant....good luck with your search!!!

 

[danbfree]

Saw a Isuzu Vehi-cross today with some bigger wheels on it. looked like it would be fun vehicle here in Mn ...especially during the winter!

Here is one up forsale....weird but intriguing....

https://www.carsforsale.com/vehicle/details/55370859#

LOL! WTF are they thinking with that price! WOW...

 

[danbfree]

I've read up on it, they can be removed but it's a PITA. 4 wheel steering was the earlier Preludes, the 5th gen has the "SH" tech which is still happening on other new Acuras. It's a torque transfer system that works via a little transmission attached to the engine.

I'm convinced that the issue with the lights is the circuit board on the gauge cluster. My Honda mechanic said when they get to this age the solder joints crack and cause random lights to pop on and off. I pulled the two wires coming off the brake fluid reservoir (at his recommendation, old Honda trick) and the ABS nor ATTS light hasn't come on in 2 days.

*****
A few updates...since my last post I've:
- changed ATTS fluid
- fixed a number of small things
- removed outer balance weights/had tires rebalanced with inside weights
- clay barred the car 3 times

It's looking really great!

Also while at my Honda mechanic's shop I got a good look underneath...the oil cooler O-ring isn't leaking, nor is the VTEC solenoid gasket, nor is the distributor O-ring (all common leaks on this car)....but the valve cover is certainly leaking in the back side so it will be replaced. Hopefully that will take care of my leaks....if not, the car is getting a new timing belt and all associated parts due to the only other possible leak which would be the seals. Hopefully it won't come to that.

Next up:
- getting it aligned tomorrow
- getting a new windshield Friday
- replacing the valve cover gasket and spark plug seals next week

Beyond that I have a few more things I'm looking into...a possible intake, a bra for the front (paint at the front H is horrible), a few other little ideas I have.
I wish there was a short shifter for this car, the throws are so long and ropey it's killing me, but I can't find much aftermarket support for these...if anyone knows of anything please holler at me.

With all the above done so far I'm $2900 + $70 service manual + ~$500 parts/windshield/fluids/alignment so that's about $3500 invested.

Hoping the clutch and A/C and ATTS system remain strong, aside from those needing repair I don't see much on this car that could give me trouble going forward.

Thanks for looking! This is a fun car to own for sure, gets lots of comments too I've noticed!

Absolutely fantastic progress and just so cool! Great work as always Jeff, you're easily one of the top 5 members on this entire forum! Thanks for sharing, it's been so cool to follow all your progress!

 

[jeff]

Absolutely fantastic progress and just so cool! Great work as always Jeff, you're easily one of the top 5 members on this entire forum! Thanks for sharing, it's been so cool to follow all your progress!

Thanks for the kind words Dan!

About done with the Prelude...in the last few days I've done a few more things:

- alignment
- new windshield
- new stickers @ rear
- organized all my paperwork, found the window sticker from 2001

I also have a cheap intake (why not) and a car cover on the way. Thinking about putting another alternator on the car, the one on it is only about 2 years old but it's whining. It works fine but it's loud and the noise is driving me crazy. At least I think it's the alternator, need to do some more research.

On that note to anyone reading - you can crank a car and pull the alternator plug while it's running without ill effect, right? Never done this but I'm pretty sure that would be the way to diagnose my noise, if it's the alternator it will get quite once I unplug it...

 

[KnockOff]

The car can run of the battery for a short time only if the battery is good afaik.

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[Ford ST]

Thanks for the kind words Dan!

About done with the Prelude...in the last few days I've done a few more things:

- alignment
- new windshield
- new stickers @ rear
- organized all my paperwork, found the window sticker from 2001

I also have a cheap intake (why not) and a car cover on the way. Thinking about putting another alternator on the car, the one on it is only about 2 years old but it's whining. It works fine but it's loud and the noise is driving me crazy. At least I think it's the alternator, need to do some more research.

On that note to anyone reading - you can crank a car and pull the alternator plug while it's running without ill effect, right? Never done this but I'm pretty sure that would be the way to diagnose my noise, if it's the alternator it will get quite once I unplug it...

Please Jeff do not do that. That was an old school way of testing alternators before computers and such. It's not worth possibly damaging the PCM. All you need is a simple multimeter. A good alternator should be getting about 14 volts at the battery with no accessories on. With all accessories on you should be able to still get at least 13 volts at idle. As the load on the alternator increases from the accessories running the noise should increase. A long screwdriver to your ear works great for magnifying sounds.

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[jeff]

Please Jeff do not do that. That was an old school way of testing alternators before computers and such. It's not worth possibly damaging the PCM. All you need is a simple multimeter. A good alternator should be getting about 14 volts at the battery with no accessories on. With all accessories on you should be able to still get at least 13 volts at idle. As the load on the alternator increases from the accessories running the noise should increase. A long screwdriver to your ear works great for magnifying sounds.

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Ok thanks man I’ll do that next time I’m under the hood.

 

[jeff]

Quick update I thought I'd share...opened up the valve cover today to replace the gasket and plug seals, as they were leaking...very good news...this car has 211k on the odo but not a single oil deposit anywhere under the valve cover. 150k of the miles were highway and the oil was changed religiously and it shows! I also got a look at all the timing belt pulleys and bearings/seals and everything is tight, not a drop of oil leaking anywhere.

This was super encouraging and gives me faith in this engine lasting a long time as is.

Also found this critter on the car this morning before I started:

 

[our guile]

I'm an econ nerd so I looked at the BLS' CPI Calculator, and the $26,540 total vehicle price in July 2001 (just a ballpark estimate date) would be $38,291.16 today.

 

[our guile]

Sweet car btw!

 

[Ford ST]

I'm an econ nerd so I looked at the BLS' CPI Calculator, and the $26,540 total vehicle price in July 2001 (just a ballpark estimate date) would be $38,291.16 today.

That's crazy inflation sure has outpaced wage increases at least in my life. My parents made more money 20 years ago. My poor mom went back to school in her 50s, and still can't make what she made in the 90s.

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[MRX330]

That's crazy inflation sure has outpaced wage increases at least in my life. My parents made more money 20 years ago. My poor mom went back to school in her 50s, and still can't make what she made in the 90s.

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Why did that happen?

 

[Ford ST]

Why did that happen?

She was a medical transcriptionist and the industry went bust.

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[Ford ST]

That engine looks fantastic very clean.

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[MRX330]

Don’t jump start it Jefe. Ask me how I know 😃

 

[TyphoonFiST]

Jeff you have a gem find ! Its a great car for a fantastic price! Good call!

 

[jeff]

Thanks for all the kind words guys!

This morning I threw my $30 Amazon throwaway intake on there, I’ve got to say the engine makes a nice Honda roar now!

So fun having a cheap car to throw pennies at and I must say this car gets far more compliments or notices than my Fiesta.

 

[danbfree]

Thanks for all the kind words guys!

This morning I threw my $30 Amazon throwaway intake on there, I’ve got to say the engine makes a nice Honda roar now!

So fun having a cheap car to throw pennies at and I must say this car gets far more compliments or notices than my Fiesta.

OK, gotta see a pic of this intake, LOL... but congrats man, that engine does look spectacular! You really lucked out!