yea i know i am dumb. just answer please

Whats the oil capacity on my car? I need to change the oil?? Its the 1.5 l 1989 civic 4 speed??

4 qts. i would strongly advise you to go to your local auto parts store and pick up a $20 service manual by hayes or chilton

Yea, what he said^. Seriously like 90% of the questions youve asked us would best be answered in one of those service manuals

very very true. I got one of those mauals and it has answered numerous of my questions.

Or you can look on Ebay for an original '89 Honda Civic manual.

Does your shift knob show you have 5 gears (+reverse)?

You can test it when the car is not running. Just push (parking brake on if the car is not sitting level) in the clutch and go through all the gears.

From Neutral:
1st: Left and up
2nd: Left and down
3rd: Up
4th: Down
5th: Right and up
Reverse: Right and down

If it won't go into reverse right away go back to neutral, release the clutch, press the clutch again and try again.

What model Civic do you have:

STD: 1.5 DPFI, 4-speed (no rear wiper, no tachometer, very basic)
DX: 1.5 DPFI, 5-speed
SI: 1.6 MPFI, 5-speed

sometimes i go into first or second or just about into them, then go into reverse, works for me.

4 qts? damn i always use to put 3 into my 1.5 and had a recommended amount required on my dipstick.. i didnt know i needed 4 lol by the way its always a good idear to add a lil oil into ur oil filter..hopefully ur changing that too there poopehead :) if u dont go out and buy a haynes or chilton anytime soon.. dont refrain from asking us any dumb questions cause we will still help ya out :icon16:

eh...most D-series motors take 3.5 qts including filter, the ones that dont take 3.8 qts.