what to check for?

aight here is the dealio, my friend is looking into getting a 88 crx hf, with a b18c in it, it also has N2O hooked up, i think the guy said it was a 80 shot but not 100% sure, we will be taking a trip to check it out, it's several hundred miles away so it'll prolly be one trip, what should i look for to make sure its in good condition with the N2O? what questions should i ask before we even go. i already asked what kit he put on it but didn't get a reply as of yet. the guy actually seems to be knowledgable so thats a plus. um also when i take it out for a test drive( i will prolly be doin all of that as he has no licience and isn't too fam. with honda's, he's used to big ol' cars, like camaros) what should i look for in the way the engine responds to the nitrous if its all hooked up and i can give it a crack :devil: what should i look for and becafe i don't do? never drove, or even rode in a car with it. i know only at wot, but do i necessary have to be in any specific gear? i know not to try it in first as it goes by really quick. how long will the burst last?
what should i look for when the engine kicks into V-TEC, it does have a V-TEC controller i know of, uh i know what to look for in general when looking to buy a car, but i've never bought a hybrid before or rode in a V-TEC equiped car so i don't know what to expect. anything i should really look for?

sorry for the novel just wanna get some info

Keep in mind...someone like us has owned this car. He has probably beat on it. I would tell your friend to buy a car that has NOT been modified and then modify it himself.

This guy may be asking way to much for the car (although you didn't say how much...alot of people like to whore out Hondas...especially equipped with B series engines). How many miles does it have? (or for that matter, can he prove how many miles the engine has?) You say that he seems knowledgable...be sure that he doesn't start feeding you a bunch of technical bullshit (meaning things that are not true...but he makes you believe).

Nitrous is great if it is installed properly and installed with the proper components. It is important that timing is adjusted properly. Cams should be replaced (not sure if this is a rule...but is defineately my opinion). Air/fuel ratios are very important. And many other factors. (try checking in the Turbo/NOS/Superchargers forums).

The only way to PROPERLY check vtec is to check the 'lost motion assemblies', which requires removing the valve cover, lost motion assembly holder, and the lost motion assemblies themselves. Basically, you push on the plungers and see if they move smoothly. You would also want to check the solenoid for proper resistance, oil pressure, and since this car did not come stock with vtec...make sure that he wired it in. (I know that this can cause a problem...when I swapped my engine, the harness from the fender to ecu wasn't wired for vtec...I drove around for 2 weeks without vtec and never knew it.)

As far as driving it to check that everything is working...I would drive it directly to someone that specializes in NOS to have them check it out (don't go to the shop that he recommends...it may be the same shop that installed and they may be on HIS side).

Sorry that this sounds like paranoia but that's what happens when...:smoker:

before you worry about if the nos is hooked up right you should definately be sure to see if the engine is put in right. i've seen some people really mess up their engines and then just sell it to get it off their hands. Always be skeptical. Ask him where he got the swap done or where he got the engine from. dont be fooled.

he's asking 5,500 for it, i'm def. planning on checking out the swap before i let him purchase it, they guy is selling the car in order to start a new project. i'm def gonna give it a through check though

Before finalizing the buy, I would very highly recommend that you do a compression and leakdown test for every cylinder. This should very quickly tell you how badly the engine has been abused.

You can do the tests yourself if you know how (and buy a $30 gauge) or any competent mechanic will probably do it for $40 or less.

Find out what the acceptable numbers are beforehand (try asking around the crx forum). If the engine doesn't push those numbers, do not buy it, even if you plan a full rebuild - too much other damage may have been done that you can't see.
:cool:

ah thanks for the advice fritz, if we go to see it i'll get my hands on a compression tester