Cheap and easy tricks

[mike91]

Gee, thanks for posting that stupid article.....

It kinda makes me rethink about wanting to purchase an Si. The funny thing is that I was also considering a Mustang GT also. There are three things that the articles fail to mention
(1) The civic si can be found for $16,500 easily, not the $18,000 that they mention.
(2) The article completely steers clear about adding a turbo and intercooler to the civic.... why, b/c the moron that wrote the article knows that it would then be a more than formitable opponent for the mustang and would cost about the same price as a new mustang. Well maybe several hundred more.
Instead he delves into the discussion that you need to swap an engine, tranny, etc. What a load of crap - take the cheap way, not the expensive way.
(3) Don't compare the NSX to the Mustang GT - its like comparing the Stang to a Ferrari. Yeah the Mustang would be only 0.7 secs behind in the quarter mile, but what about after that? Those cars are all about top end performance.

Anyway, I have to visit the Ford site know and rethink the Mustang!

 

[mhskeeper]

Try changing your thermostat

I changed my stock thermo(not shure of the temp) to a heavy duty 160 degree. I was having problems with the engine running hot (texas summers) and sometimes couldnt use the A/C. I had the coolant flushed and that worked for all of maybe three days. After i installed the new thermo the needle hasnt moved from the far left hash on normal. I can notice some difference in the power with the cooler engine.


My advice, 1. go for a 180 thermo, you dont need to run as cool as i am. 2. use lots and lots of that gooey gasket stuff, the more the better, it doesnt hurt the coolant system.

 

[Big E]

The gooey stuff you are taking about is silicone. And it can hurt your collant system. It can get in the sysytem and plug it up then you will have more problems.
Just a tought.

Eric

 

[zensius]

Hey Mike91 the problem with the turbo arguement is that it will not really create low end torque which is the Civic's biggest problem.
By the way, this is a really eclectic thread!

 

[flyguy]

Alright guys... if they give you a choice between an import or a mustang. You have to take the Mustang. Keep it American! Plus.. Mustangs are fun!

Nick

 

[Rhett]

Well Mike91, if you are going to get a sports car, you might look at the 3000GT twin turbo, if you can find the right one. I am not the biggest fan of the looks of the 94+ Ford Mustangs. The newest bodystyle is an improvement over the 94-98? Mustangs but still they are too girly and rounded looking for my taste.

If you are looking at a Civic-type car, you could also consider the new Eclipse. You can also get 3-class BMW's which can be sport tuned. But if the choice was between a Civic and a Mustang, I think I personally would get a Mustang.

 

[Mudbug]

I'll stop by Lowes tommorow and check the part number on those $11.00 shackels. I didnt have to trim my bumper guard thing but that might be a good idea. Mine got a little bent when I first used the shackle to pull that chevy out. Why is everyone talking about import cars? This is an Explorer site, right. Anyway, my 67 VW bug can eat most of those little things for lunch.

 

[mhskeeper]

Gasket Maker

Big E, the stuff I used is called gasket maker and it says on the tube that it will not hurt any moving parts in your engine, in any system. Its really thick and black, but it dissolves, if its still wet, when it comes into contact with coolant. You can also just use this stuff to make a gasket around the thermo rather than that round rubber ring. Just make sure its dry before you add coolant.

 

[mike91]

Rhett & Zenius -
I would rather purchase a V-8 like the Mustang or Camaro Z-28. The only problem that I have with them is pretty much similar to all cars out there - they are becoming harder and harder to work on. You don't know where to start anymore. Some of the car come with so much plastic bullcrap that you honestly don't need in the engine compartment just to discourage guys like us to work on them. This equals higher trips to the dealer and more money out of our pockets - the flow of money never ends. The Civic has a modest engine compartment that is still easy to work on and their motors/tranny have proven their durability on the road - 220k.

In addition, I am 22 1/2 years old and personally speaking, I would rather spend the money on a house now, and get a nicer car later. If I had to get a car though, I would go a little cheaper and maybe get a 4 banger. There are not really a 4cyl. that compare to the civic, w/the exception of the integra, prelude, celica Gt-s, eclipse, etc. (sorry if I left any out), but they are reasonably $4k more than the civic at least.

The torque of the civic really doesn't kill me b/c after all, its a sports car. Someone mentioned that when there are 4 people in the car, you'll feel the difference. I totally agree and thats why I "was" totally against 4 cyls. The only thing is that its a sports car - not ment to be racing or going fast with four passengers. Thats what the Impala SS was made for a couple years back.

Mom says, get rid of the Explorer and use the money to get an Accord V-6...... NOT! My baby is staying with me b/c they aren't making trucks like they used to anymore - not rugged. I'll use my Explorer for when I have 4 passengers!

This is a great tread - It started out with cheap and easy "tricks" and now I made it into cheap and realiable cars!

 

[flyguy]

I hate camaros. Evil people drive them.

 

[rock883]

Yeah I guess I could get some pics, it looks kinda cool. Didn't really notice any HP gains, but the MPG seems to be up a tiny bit. I am going to be putting the body lift on this weekend, and my neighbor has a digital camera, and I will be taking pics of all my mods (mot many, but...) and before and after pics of my truck, w/ and w/o the new tires. I will then have those pics on Chad Nixdorf's web page Tennessee Exploring, don't have the address on this browser, so I don't know the address right now. I will keep ya posted.

 

[William Schumacher]

I went through a post not long ago about someone that had run a length of hose from the holes in the airdam(using some kind of vac. atchmt.) then he ran that up to his kkm intake. he spoke of good results with this setup,I am planning to do this as well,since I have a kkm ,and am told this thing likes to suck the under hood heat,and that's not
good for performance or mpg in the summer.
good luck,and at any rate....this wont cost much

 

[flyguy]

I thought of this too.. but how would it work? I kept my original air intake tube there so it should be pushing some cool air by the KKM.. although I dont know if it really helps... To work I think it would have to almost cover the KKM... let me try and draw it.. heh.
/-----
---- -----
intake |KKM |
---- -----
\-----

Wow thats lame... but anyone see what Im thinking? hmmm

Nick

 

[flyguy]

Okay... that looks worse that what I acually drew. It messed it all up! Hours of work! Ruined! anyways... it should of looked like a tube with U on the end.. with the KKM at the end of it.. sigh..

Nick

 

[William Schumacher]

Nick: I'm not sure ,but I would bet that we would not have to cover the kkm filter. if we can just direct the cooler airflow to the cone with the force of driving,it should semi- inject it.at least it would help flush the heat from under the hood.......
what do you think,

 

[flyguy]

I dunno... Im thinking that that it will have some trouble with all the engine heat. In order to make it work well... I think a heat shield is in order, such as those found on the higher priced K&N kits. However they dont make them for 94 and earlier. Hmmm... ideas?

Nick

 

[Keach]

Cooler Air

Hey guys, I went to HomeDepot and bought 4" aluminum duct tubing. Its flexable and expandable, cost 4.98. I ran the tube up to my KKM. It starts on the inlet in your lower spoiler next to the fog light and runs right up to the filter. There is a small metal bracket that the stock airbox used to sit in and I removed it and attached the small box in another location using zip ties. I put one on the driver side to just to bring more cool air under the hood. According to the temp gauge its slightly cooler. Here in SA in June everything is hot. The aluminum is bright but won't melt. The SOHC really puts out the heat. Hope this gives you another option.

Keach

 

[Rhett]

I too read about the ram air modification. I am interested in it, but not yet as I have other things to do first...

The way he did it was to take a shop-vac tube and the plastic scooper thing that goes on the end. Run it from the inlet in the bumper (91-94 models) and the tube up and into the _stock_ airbox.

KKM's on an Explorer suck in a lot of hot underhood air to begin with, so maybe they would be helped more by the ram air.

 

[flyguy]

A more expensive but cooler option would be to buy a ram air hood and then run the pipe. I was looking at one from US Body Source... perty cool. Its 2 inchs higher I think than the stock hood and has two ram air inlets at the front and a cowl (is that the right term?) in the back... of course I dont know how cool the air would be coming from over the engine... maybe if could be run around the engine... hmmm..

Nick

 

[zavetsky]

Lowe's?

Where at lowe's did you find the large shackles? I went there and found only the really small ones (like 2")........??