1990 EF Sedan Project: Engine in. Pg 11 (Page 1 of 12)
Posted: 9/21/2025 11:03:28 AM EDT
[Last Edit: ToledoXJ][Edited]
|
After wrapping up my son's 1992 EG hatch project I was left wanting more. I decided that I would build my own car of some sort in the future with the idea of using the knowledge I learned K swapping his car. Somehow, I landed on the idea of a DA Integra Sedan. Example  I looked at a lot of pictures and went back-and-forth on buying one of those or finding another e.g. hatch or possibly an EK over the last few months. I discovered that the Integra's are scarce especially in four-door. Conversely the four-door civic from the 90s is fairly available in quantity if not quality. They all suffer from rust and age so I was shopping around down south hoping to find something rust free that was not flooded in a hurricane. It wasn't long before I realized that I did not have time to drive down and get one now that my job was picking up I tabled the idea of buying a car that I did not need nor, could I really afford. My kid's and my wallets were still smoking hot from getting the EG Civic wrapped up. Last Thursday , I was looking at Facebook marketplace and I saw a car pop-up in Detroit, an hour away. A North Carolina car that had been B 20 swapped listed at $5k. Lots of new parts and minimal rust. Just a lot of wear and tear on some huge, but brand new eBay tires. I also had my eye on a Civic hatch near my wife's workplace. It was parked in a backyard in South Toledo. I decided I would go over and knock on the door and see if the guy would be willing to sell it. The guy came out and we talked about the car for a little while. It was his only source of transportation, and unfortunately, the car was rusty in the back. More work that I wanted to do. I think he would've sold it, but he would need to replace it and I wouldn't feel too good about what he would be in for in looking for a replacement car. The market is pretty terrible and everything is expensive and this guy did not look like he had a ton of cash. After finally putting to bed the idea of buying another hatchback, I rolled up to Detroit to take a look at this car. My son and I combed the car over and we were a put off by the quality of the swap because the guy did some terrible wiring work. It needs to be gone through completely and redone, which I was not really interested in, but then I drove the car. The shifter is terrible and sloppy and feels like it has five neutrals but the clutch engages very well and it does row through the gears nicely. The CRV donated B20 pulls really hard and the guy had the paperwork indicating it was from a 65k mile CRV. I have been looking at these cars for a while and the Indonesians do some really cool builds on them and I thought maybe I could put a spin on their aesthetic so I grabbed it when the guy came down to a price I was willing to pay. Day 1: some deets     Shitbox      3   5   7    B series, non vtec Attached File All the bad stuff. It was hit in the front driver's side and all that needs straightened along with some rust and bad bad wiring Attached File Attached File Attached File 1   Gave it a bath and scraped a TON of glue off the windows from a prior tint job. Today I'll climb up under it   Stay tuned for incremental progress. I dipped into money I should not have on impulse so I can only do free stuff for a while unless I score some side work. No big tear down for a few months, maybe next summer. |
Strength Determination Merciless Forever
Joined:
Oct 2009
Posts:
28079
EE: 100% (234)
PA, USA
|
Originally Posted By Into_the_Void: Dude your kid's car turned out beautiful |
Member
Joined:
Jun 2022
Posts:
10038
EE: 100% (3)
IA, USA
|
Originally Posted By Piranhas: 4 doors for more whores I miss my EF. https://i.imgur.com/IVXY99k.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/59Lopl8.jpeg |
Joined:
May 2025
Posts:
1063
EE: 0% (0)
TX, USA
|
Originally Posted By SnotBubble: that was a wonderful part of Detroit on the map .... even if I had 2 friends with rifles with me I wouldn't drive there. There was a huge motorcycle cruise in going on. Whole area was hopping |
|
refurbished the shift linkage as best I could and drove the improperly seated bitchpin back in. Still has some play but its 80% better and only has one neutral instead of 5 I also chopped out the stereo wiring and added a battery hold-down. This week I'll add some heavier cable than the lamp cord looking shit the PO hacked in. Attached File \\ Note the tail lamp "wiring" job. i cannot believe how fearful I was about not getting the right gauge power cable in the EG and this guy just slapped in some coax or something. I also found out the rear seats fold down. Neato. i can haul plywood My buddy Chris gave me a muffler and a resonator he's been sitting on because the exhaust is so shitty. It has like 15 seams wrapped in furnace tape. The muffler is the size of a suitcase and the cat rattles inside like a maraca. The ride is like one of those horseys with the big spring under it. It rocks back and forth with shifts and the body roll is crazy bad but it runs up to 7K rpm and will bark the tires in 3rd. I'd guess 150hp? Exhaust will help a lot. |
|
Nice! Looks mostly solid. Any car that old around here would have massive rust. That rust looks very manageable. I hope this one is more enjoyable since you already have the stuff that made the last one more difficult figured out. I love the fact your building something you love. These kinds of projects I operate with the YOLO mentality with zero crap given about what others think. Can't wait for updates! |
|
The only popular (car) import we really ever had was a black 2 door v6 accord. I'm told it was a pretty sought after car. She loved it and we road tripped a hell of a lot in it. I think it really got over shadowed by the 03 Cobra we had tho and was kind of just our train station car. From that she went to a black 4runner limited. You sons hatch came out AMAZING! ETA the fast and furious movies absolutely ruined imports for me and I think really corrupted the car scene with retarded shit...old guy yells at clouds lololol |
|
Originally Posted By Badlatitude: The only popular (car) import we really ever had was a black 2 door v6 accord. I'm told it was a pretty sought after car. She loved it and we road tripped a hell of a lot in it. I think it really got over shadowed by the 03 Cobra we had tho and was kind of just our train station car. From that she went to a black 4runner limited. You sons hatch came out AMAZING! ETA the fast and furious movies absolutely ruined imports for me and I think really corrupted the car scene with retarded shit...old guy yells at clouds lololol |
|
Following. Damn. Jealous. That's a clean start to work with. I'll probably spend a whole year gathering missing parts losing an arm and a leg in cash before I even get my crx running and ready for bodywork probably should have spent more on the start |
¯\_(?)_/¯
|
Originally Posted By victorgonzales: Following. Damn. Jealous. That's a clean start to work with. I'll probably spend a whole year gathering missing parts losing an arm and a leg in cash before I even get my crx running and ready for bodywork probably should have spent more on the start Pretty much my playbook too. Hey any tips on getting that dimple out of the hood |
|
Not much to report but I have been working on the car, I had a pretty bad axle seal leak. I also was noticing what I thought was spark knock. I did the seal and had to fill through the speedo sensor hole as the fill plug was fused to the housing and the bolt rounded off. The gear driven sensor was held in with one screw and the plastic sensor housing was broken and electrical taped together, I fixed that with some JB weld and wrapped up the job and filled the trans. Turns out the spark knock is actually something with the trans and now it's worse. Clutch chatter should go away when you push in the clutch but this does not and its gone when driving. I plan to get the stuck fill plug out somehow and then see if the level is correct hoping it is fluid related. Also the speedo no longer works, I think I have a spare sensor and I plan to try that tomorrow. I also fucked up and spent money I don't really have and bought a 2.25 ebay exhaust for $151 because the existing one is a hacked up mess that rattles inside from a blown up cat. I wanted 2.5 but this was cheap enough that I will get rid of it when I finally K swap it. I also hit the JY to work over a CRV B20 for its timing cover but the bolts were stripped and it was chewed up. I grabbed the valve cover for fun and picked up a console from a 2000 civic hoping I could make it fit. The auto retracting belt retractor housings are too big and it won't. Those belts are going in a bonfire for normal belts as soon as I can make that happen I do have one pic. I grabbed some tranny juice off a buddy who keeps it in stock for his EK coupe. I snapped a pic of the engine while i was thereAttached File |
|
Working on replacing the bad exhaust. reusing the old setup's resonator and adding a used Vibrant muffler. I stripped the paint that the PO sprayed on it and may have poisoned myself with the fumes. Felt like hell all day. Had the garage opened up the whole time but my wife came out after a couple hours and was like WOAH. That or I am getting sick but I am done stripping paint I can tell you that. Got as far as my capability could get me with the pipes I have so tomorrow it goes to my buddy's shop to get welded up. Open header run at 7AM should make me real popular Worked on fixing a busted grill piece and bought a wire crimp tool so I don't have to borrow. I may order a $75 aftermarket harness and try to sort out the horror show the PO made Attached File |
|
My buddy peeled back the carpet and is now sending me FBMP ads for harneses for sale. I still haven't looked because I am afraid. my kid said the whole harness is de-loomed and wadded up under it. I go between wanting to get some pipes under it and drive it until I figure out a couple nagging mechanical things OR absolutely tearing it down to nothing and painting the body before it gets cold. I have been putting off posting cars that inspire the build because I haven;t decided what I am going for. I have a few key things i want to have: JDM trunk spoiler. Advans or Toyo Proxis on some kind of 15x8 wheels and yes I intend to paint the logo on the tires. Recaros. Maybe in red depending on my final color choice Tint Clear corners Paint matched bumpers. Delete the auto retracting seatbelts Black headliner Good or at least decent suspension wire tuck possibly brake line tuck heat wipers Things I don't want: Stance/cambered out black plastic bumpers Things I am deciding: Color. 90% settled on black Interior - gutted with cage and harness bar or keep the OE stuff but maybe dye it black Carpet. if I gut the car I'll toss the carpet brake line tuck K20 VS the B20. I like the sound of the B and its already in the car but I miss V tec and my kids hybrid racing shifter is fantastic. B 20 fits under the hood though Wheel choice. I want some dish but these cars don't takle a wide wheel easily Cars I like for inspiration.      |
|
Originally Posted By Ivan1: I have the perfect wheels for you. I bought them as a project to repolish the lips but I have no time at all right now. I paid 600 for them. 600 bucks and they are yours. They are enkei j speeds. |
|
Originally Posted By ToledoXJ: Those are sweet, a good price and period correct but I 99% think I will be sticking with dekagrams. Let me tempt you even further, lol. Attached File |
|
Originally Posted By ToledoXJ: My buddy peeled back the carpet and is now sending me FBMP ads for harneses for sale. I still haven't looked because I am afraid. my kid said the whole harness is de-loomed and wadded up under it. I go between wanting to get some pipes under it and drive it until I figure out a couple nagging mechanical things OR absolutely tearing it down to nothing and painting the body before it gets cold. I have been putting off posting cars that inspire the build because I haven;t decided what I am going for. I have a few key things i want to have: JDM trunk spoiler. Advans or Toyo Proxis on some kind of 15x8 wheels and yes I intend to paint the logo on the tires. Recaros. Maybe in red depending on my final color choice Tint Clear corners Paint matched bumpers. Delete the auto retracting seatbelts Black headliner Good or at least decent suspension wire tuck possibly brake line tuck heat wipers Things I don't want: Stance/cambered out black plastic bumpers Things I am deciding: Color. 90% settled on black Interior - gutted with cage and harness bar or keep the OE stuff but maybe dye it black Carpet. if I gut the car I'll toss the carpet brake line tuck K20 VS the B20. I like the sound of the B and its already in the car but I miss V tec and my kids hybrid racing shifter is fantastic. B 20 fits under the hood though Wheel choice. I want some dish but these cars don't takle a wide wheel easily Cars I like for inspiration. https://i.postimg.cc/Wb5LfngR/Screen-Shot-2025-09-29-at-12-14-24-AM.png https://i.postimg.cc/tCBQm5P8/Screen-Shot-2025-09-29-at-12-15-48-AM.png https://i.postimg.cc/zXxZPjWM/Screen-Shot-2025-09-29-at-12-16-48-AM.png https://i.postimg.cc/kXT3hcK3/Screen-Shot-2025-09-29-at-12-17-36-AM.png https://i.postimg.cc/65Wx0S7m/Screen-Shot-2025-09-29-at-12-18-05-AM.png That last car is giving off some serious E30 BMW vibes…I dig it! 
|
|
Originally Posted By Piranhas: 4 doors for more whores I miss my EF. https://i.imgur.com/IVXY99k.jpeg https://i.imgur.com/59Lopl8.jpeg So much yes.. |
|
Originally Posted By EFB16ACRX: Hey if anyone needs one, i have a NIB dc header for whatever the fuck 4-2-1 header fits an b series ef swap. Yours for shipping. Del sol maybe? I’ll pm you. I do need a new one since the one on my swap in the ek is old and I just sanded it. |
Member
Joined:
Jun 2023
Posts:
4548
EE: 0% (0)
WA, USA
Member
Joined:
Jun 2023
Posts:
4549
EE: 0% (0)
WA, USA
|
Originally Posted By ToledoXJ: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/285969/IMG_6452_jpeg-3627893.JPG Someone needs to be beat, severely. |
|
Exhaust mocked up. Fart can is getting replaced by a Vibrant muffler my buddy had in his stash. Attached File Attached File |
|
Exhaust is done. It sounds pretty good if not a little bit louder than I expected. It's raspy, but it's not terrible. My friend found loose engine mount bolts, including a missing one. He took care of that and it fixed a weird transmission problem I had. I'm pretty excited by the fact that he looked it over and found those issues because it helped. He also put a wheel stud on where there was one broken off. My son finally peeled back the carpet and showed me the horrible wiring under the dash. Everything is twisted together and then taped using blue painters tape. I guess I know what I'm doing this weekend |
|
Originally Posted By ToledoXJ: Exhaust is done. It sounds pretty good if not a little bit louder than I expected. It's raspy, but it's not terrible. My friend found loose engine mount bolts, including a missing one. He took care of that and it fixed a weird transmission problem I had. I'm pretty excited by the fact that he looked it over and found those issues because it helped. He also put a wheel stud on where there was one broken off. My son finally peeled back the carpet and showed me the horrible wiring under the dash. Everything is twisted together and then taped using blue painters tape. I guess I know what I'm doing this weekend |
¯\_(?)_/¯
|
Kinda regret using these as rollers while painting my kids car. Been wire brushing off the yellow all night Snow tires on them at the moment but I just wanted to see what they look like (horrible- but better!) Attached File |
|
Got up this morning and took the car to a local shop to have my good tires mounted to the black wheels. I cleaned up the wheels and hit them with some semi gloss black. My son came home from work and I asked him if he wanted to drive to Cleveland to pick up a bumper. I found it on marketplace and it was in good shape compared to mine which was all cut up. After I got home, I took off the front of the car and found even more hacked up sheet metal. Luckily, the bumper guy also gave me the bumper support And a foam insert. The bumper Support was pretty rusty so I wire wheeled it as clean as I could get it and then applied a coat of POR 15. I don't really like the stuff but for things that remain unseen it's not a bad way to slow down the rust until I find another part. I may go to the junkyard tomorrow and look for a car with a similar core support that I can hack off and weld in. Luckily, the previous owner installed a torsion bar and that is serving as the bottom structure of the front end. Attached File While waiting for the POR 15 to dry, I am cleaning up a couple of sheet metal parts and trying to refinish the door bump strips. Attached File Attached File |