Civic – importnut.net

Honda Civic Budget Short shifter

importnut — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 23:30:49 +0000

Saving a few bucks on a performance upgrade is always a great idea as long as you aren’t buying cheap knock-offs or impacting safety or reliability. I managed to stumble upon this idea during a botched ebay transaction. You maybe thinking, “this doesn’t sound like a good idea. Why are you writing about it?” Stick with me for a moment and you’ll understand.

I had been running a B&M shifter on my Civic for quite a few years and I had grown weary of the corrosion issues that cause the sleeve to bind. I decided to switch to an OEM Integra shifter. I found one on ebay for a reasonable price and bought it. The problem I had with the shifter is that the bottom pivot had been cut, presumably to allow it to fit into stock Civic linkage. This detail was never mentioned in the description and the pictures hid the modification. After a brief dispute, I was able to return it and get a full refund.

The shifter was useless to me however I realized that it was worth pointing out the inexpensive factory like upgrade for Civics.

From top to bottom: B&M, OEM Integra, OEM Civic. The chromed OEM shifter came in later versions of the Integra. Earlier versions of the shifter were black. It’s clear that the B&M offers the greatest change in shift throw. The increased length below the fulcrum point along with the shorter length above generate a dramatically decreased throw. Comparing the Integra shifter to the Civic, although not as dramatic, you will notice that there would be a decreased throw with the Integra shifter.

A view from the side of each shifter shows the difference of where the shift knob will reside. B&M’s offering is nice, but you will be reaching further forward. This picture also shows more clearly the difference in the length below the fulcrum between the Civic and Integra.

The only difference in how the shifter is installed between the Civic and the Integra is the length of the tube on the bottom. Cutting this tube on the Integra shifter will allow it to fit in Civic shifter linkage. The shifter in this picture was cut correctly however I would never have cut and used the pivot sleeve in this condition.

The easiest way to cut down the tube is to use the original Civic shifter and mark off the section that need to be cut with a marker or masking tape. Then, use a band saw, hack saw, or reciprocating saw and do your best to keep the cut as square as possible. Use a file to clean off any burs.

I don’t have a picture of this modification with the proper sleeve, so I’ll have to use this as an illustration. Once the cut is complete and burs have been removed, transfer all of the hardware from the original shifter. The plastic inserts, metal sleeve with o-rings and dust seals.

With everything complete, the shifter is ready for installation.

If you need any help with installing the shifter, check out my short shifter install page.

Civic Steering Rack Swap

importnut — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 00:00:58 +0000

(Originally Posted December 2004)

If you are into auto crossing, road racing, or would just like to have a more responsive civic, you need to swap in the Integra’s faster ratio steering rack. This article specifies the ’92-’95 Civic platform. This is the only platform that the ’94-’01 Integra steering rack will fit. There is no steering rack compatible with the ’96-’00 Civics.

If you want to swap the steering rack from your 4th gen civic, I believe the 2nd gen Integra rack will fit. Also, the 1st gen Integra rack will fit in the 3rd gen civic.

This operation is a bit involved, but with some patience, you will reap some fantastic benefits. The platform that benefits the most, is the hatchback. The shorter wheel base of the 5th gen hatch allows for quicker turn-in.

For an even faster steering ratio, the Integra Type R has the fasted rack!

Tools Necessary:

socket set
box wrenches
jack and stands
Ball joint popper
scrap 2×4’s

Parts Necessary:

Steering Rack
Every hose and line (Even if you have power steering, all of the lines are different)
Reservoir and mounting bracket (if you did not have power steering)
Power steering pump and correct mounting hardware
Integra weather seal
Integra steering universal joint

I’ve found that the easiest way to swap out the rack, is to drop the front sub frame. This sounds like a big project, but it really isn’t. This is the ONLY way you can swap the rack if you have a civic equipped with ABS.

As you can see. the pump doesn’t allow enough room to maneuver the rack if you don’t remove the sub frame.

I did the rack swap when I was doing my engine swap, but it is possible to do the work with the engine in the car.

Start by disassembling the coupler between the steering rack and the steering column. You will need to remove the black cover around the column. Once you remove the column, you will need to remove the two small bolts that clamp down the universal joint. Slide the universal out and move on to raising and securing the vehicle.

This is what you should see once you’ve removed the cover and the universal joint.

When raising the front of the vehicle, you will need to support it by using the front jack points.

After you remove the front wheels, you will need to use some form of ball joint popping tool to remove the tie rod ends and the lower ball joint.

Drop the exhaust and shift linkage as well as remove the header or exhaust manifold. You will need the clearance to remove the sub frame.

Using a jack and some scrap wood, support the sub frame while you remove all of the bolts. There are 6 huge bolts per side that need to be removed.

Once you have removed all of the bolts, the rack is free to come out of the car. If you already have power steering, you will need to remove the lines.

Even with the jack and the wood blocks, this process can be a shaky. You may want to consider another pair of hands to help guide the sub-frame down (and then back up).

With everything out, this ends up being a very easy project.

Once you have the sub frame out of the vehicle, you can swap the rack. If you are swapping to power steering from a non-power steering rack, you will notice that the sub frame doesn’t have the correct holes for the new bracket on the passenger side. If you enlarge or notch the holes on your original bracket, you can get it to work without any trouble. The other side is a bolt on affair. If you are going from a power steering rack to power steering, it is far more straight forward.

With the sub-frame on the ground, swapping out the rack is quite easy.

Comparing PS rack to PS rack they don’t seem that much different. The stock Civic rack is on top and the Integra rack, with new bushings, on bottom. If you look carefully, you can see how much larger the shaft is on the Integra rack.

Note: If you are converting to power steering you will need all of the lines that are equipped with the new rack. The Civic’s lines are different than the Integra’s lines. You can use the Integra lines on a civic PS pump if you have not swapped the engine.

This is also a great opportunity to install poly urethane bushing in place of the stock rubber bushings.

I can’t stress how much easier it is to swap the bushings with the rack out of the car.

Do the best that you can to center the steering rack before you slide everything back into place.

Slide the sub frame back onto the jack and scrap wood. Use the jack to raise the sub frame back into place.

Once the sub frame is bolted, along with all of the other reassembly, you can run the new power steering lines to the new reservoir. Reattach the ball joints and tie rod ends. Finally attach the coupler to the steering rack and steering column. You will probably need to center the steering wheel by trial and error. Understand that the universal joint can slide up the steering column shaft far enough to allow it to come off of the rack itself. This makes it easier to make fine adjustments to center the steering wheel.

Take the car out for an alignment and enjoy the benefits of the faster ratio rack!

Alternative process:

You can try to swap out the rack without dropping the sub frame. It is much more difficult on standard civics and impossible with ABS equipped civics. You will need to undo all of the lines and bolts from under the car. You will still need to drop the exhaust and shift linkage. Once everything is free, you can try to maneuver the rack out of the car. I’ve seen it done and it’s not pretty.

Importnut’s 2007 Honda Civic Si Coupe

importnut — Tue, 17 Sep 2013 01:08:06 +0000

After having a catastrophic engine failure in the hatchback…my wife and I decided that I needed a reliable everyday car. All my efforts to make my hatchback the dual duty track/work car were not well met. Not to worry, I have no intention of releasing my hatch from the stable…

Not sure what I would like, I set out to find a car to suit my needs. I drove an RX8, Mazda 6 v6 5spd, Mini Cooper S, Subaru Sti, Subaru Legacy, VW GTi, Audi A3 and probably some other cars that I have already forgotten.

When I drove the Si, I wasn’t necessarily blown away by the car. I would say that it fit right around the middle of the pack for driving experience. However, bang for the buck, the civic has hardware that most cars could only dream of that go for substantially more money. Also, insurance rates play against more intense cars like the STi, 350z, or even the WRX.

The equipment list includes a factory LSD, vehicle stability control and traction control, very fast 13.6:1 ratio electrically assisted steering rack, 11.8″ front brakes and an upgraded suspension. It even has cruise control! (take that evo!) The list of standard options on this civic reads like my typical wish list! Add to that Honda’s famous reliability, my decision was set.

Modifications:

JDM Red Stitched Shift Boot
Factory Fog Lights
2007, S2000 Horns
SPC Adjustable upper rear control arms
Hybrid Racing Clutch fluid line
2000 Civic Si clutch master cylinder
Skunk 2 Shifter Adapter
Goodridge braided SS brake lines
Hawk HPS Pads
ATE Super Blue Racing brake fluid

The modifications that I’ve done over the years have been to improve driveability, safety and reliability.

Future Plans:

I don’t have anything really serious planned. Being my daily driver, I need to keep it as reliable as I can. Most of the modifications that would make a difference would either compromise reliability or drivability.

Rather than a list of potential future mods, I’ll just throw together a fantasy wish list!

Rotrex Supercharger
Honda ECU
Suspension goodies
Brake goodies

Civic-Integra MSD External Coil Conversion

importnut — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 03:38:12 +0000

This write-up will work with virtually all Honda Civics and Acura Integras (Preludes and Accords already have an external coil).

Theory

Obviously, bigger is usually better, but why is this upgrade important? On a stock engine, this upgrade will probably not do much. In a boosted, sprayed, or high compression application, the extra voltage along with the capacity of the larger coil will yield more consistent power output.

The larger coil will allow for better recovery after a discharge. After the coil discharges, it has to build it’s electric field back up for the next spark. High rpm applications will definitely need a bigger coil to ensure that the spark is steady and consistent. Ideally, having separate coils for each plug is the most advantageous, but for the sake of a good, low cost upgrade, the external coil conversion will work very well.

Tools Necessary:

socket set
screw drivers
wire cutters
wire crimper
soldering iron

The first part of the process is to remove the distributor for easier access to the components. However, you do not need to remove it. If you can do the work while the distributor is on the engine, you can avoid having to set the timing once it’s finished.

If you plan to remove the distributor, take the time to remove the coil first. Start by removing the cap, the rotor and the cover under the rotor. Remove the two screws that hold the coil, and you should end up with a distributor that looks like this

Here is a shot with the coil back in the distributor. Please note the wires you have to remove from the coil

Cut the original connectors to the coil and strip back the insulation.

The polarity of the wiring is very important. The Black/Yellow wire is the positive wire. The Yellow/Green wire is negative. I chose to solder the wiring for a solid connection.

You can use tape or shrink tubing to cover the joint. I fished the wire through the rubber grommet on the bottom of the distributor. I used a pair of small side cutters to carefully cut a section between wires, and pushed the new wiring through.

Once the wires are solder (or crimped) and tucked, install the cover.

Install the new supplied rotor.

Install the new cap.

If you’ve removed the distributor, install it on the engine. Attach the new wiring to the new coil. I used crimp ring terminals to attach the wires.

Install the coil where it is most convenient for you and connect the plug wire to the cap and coil.

Make sure to set the timing on the distributor (if you removed it) and enjoy the new spark!

Finished Product!

8th Gen (FG/FA) Honda Civic Short Shifter Adapter Install

importnut — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:23:03 +0000

Installing a short shifter has always been a modification that I considered a relatively simple and low cost upgrade you can enjoy on a regular basis. In my opinion, the 8th gen Civic has a decent shifter with an unusually long throw. The 8th gen Civic uses a unique shifter setup as compared to the shifters used by almost every other cable shifter equipped Honda. Until recently, there hasn’t been a great deal of aftermarket support. The most common upgrade is the shifter adapter.

I wasn’t looking for an aggressive improvement but I did want to tighten up the shift. If I understand correctly, the 2009-2011 Civics have an updated shifter that shortens the throw which leaves no room for the adapter. The only alternative is a complete replacement.

As much as I would love one of the full replacement options, I didn’t want to spend a great deal of money. I chose Skunk2’s adapter because the price was fair and they have earned a great reputation. Skunk2’s adapter is made for the 2006-2008 Civic Si.

Skunk2’s shifter adapter for the 2006-2008 Civic Si

Tools Necessary

14 mm open ended box wrench
Needle nose pliers
2 mm allen driver
Thread lock compound
Phillips screwdriver

When I did the install, I removed the entire center console. I realized that I only needed to remove the shifter bezel and top trim piece with the storage pocket. Removing it will improve access but isn’t necessary. I will illustrate the complete removal.

Before you start, block your wheels in case you release the parking brake or pull the shifter out of gear. A run-away car is never fun.

Using the 14 mm open ended box wrench, loosen the keeper nut on the bottom of the shifter.

With the shifter and nut out of the way, you can pop the bezel with your fingers

The top trim piece can also be removed by hand. Pull up and the clips will release. Keep an eye on the white clips. They can pop off and need to be reinstalled before you put everything back together.

If you are pulling the entire console, you will need to remove the two bolts in the arm rest storage bin

Remove the cover under the glove box

Remove the small clips on the passenger side of the console

Remove the small clips on the driver’s side of the console

Remove the two Phillips head screws located near the shifter

Unplug the small harness on the passenger side of the console

Finally, slide the console out of the way.

Before you remove the linkage from the shifter, put it in 3rd gear. This will allow for better access.

Use a small screw driver to pull the spring clip retainer off of the linkage.

Remove the pivot bushing with needle nose pliers by carefully prying it off

Prepare the adapter by putting a drop or two of thread locking compound on the threads of the allen screws. Start the screws and get ready to install it on the shifter

Installing the adapter onto the shifter does take a small amount of persuasion to make sure it is fully seated. Using the allen driver, tighten the two allen screws. Start with one until it makes contact with the shifter then tighten the other. Once both allen screws have made contact with the shifter, tighten both snugly.

At this point, you can start the reassembly process. Install the pivot bushing and the shift linkage. Make sure the wire retainer is properly seated

Slide the end of the shift cable onto the pivot bushing. Make sure the metal retainer clicks into place

Finish installing the center console, bezels and clips. Thread the shift knob retaining nut and shift knob and tighten the nut

The overall improvement isn’t significant, but it does make a difference in the feel of the shifter. I always felt that the throw was just a little too long and this install makes up the difference. For the money, I definitely recommend this upgrade!