Noob! Just bought 88 hatch..lots of questions

Synthetic_6 · #1 10-20-2004, 01:11 PM

Noob! I just signed up and have been reading posts for a couple of hours, this seems like a great place for help and fun. So, I just bought an 88 hatch. It has several small dents in various places on the body, missing the left headlight assembly, hatch window is smashed to bits, no fenders, new hood but no cable, worked for an hour to try to figure out how to pop the damn hood..still can't. (I know..stupid, first car also) Lots of interior issues, cluster is good but must not be connected as none of the gauges display a damn thing. The engine is great, very clean, sounds great, no sputtering or any RPM jumps when idle. And the guy I bought it from took apart the entire left door..so..lots to do on this. BUT..it was only $60. So..basically..where should I start? I know that's a lot of information..and im sure a lot needs to be done as it has sat for a year in a garage. I REALLY appreciate any help here, as no one I know knows anything about Honda's. Thank you!

Synthetic_6 · #2 10-20-2004, 01:13 PM

Note: I'm not a total noob with Honda's. Used to have a good friend that taught me a lot. Just no hands on..I know basics.

Synthetic_6 · #3 10-20-2004, 01:18 PM

Just thought of something I should do first...what are some good cleaners? I would like to clean the entire engine(external), inside of car, outside of car, etc.

2ndb18 · #4 10-20-2004, 01:27 PM

idk about cleaners, but if i were you i would first of all figure out how to open your hood. Is the car a 5 speed? Then u should go into the FAQ thread and look for places to get body parts or look in the classifieds for body and interior pieces. Also check your local junkyards for fenders and such. Welcome to the Forum man.

-JJ

Synthetic_6 · #5 10-20-2004, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2ndb18

idk about cleaners, but if i were you i would first of all figure out how to open your hood. Is the car a 5 speed? Then u should go into the FAQ thread and look for places to get body parts or look in the classifieds for body and interior pieces. Also check your local junkyards for fenders and such. Welcome to the Forum man.

-JJ

Yeah, still trying to figure out the damn hood..hoping someone here might have some good ideas. I believe it's a 4 speed. Which seemed odd to me. But I would like to do an engine swap as soon as im done with the body. Definitely going to look into junkyards, that is a very good idea. Thanks for the ideas and the welcome.

turtlecrxsi · #6 10-20-2004, 01:42 PM

4 speed is the STD (standard) model with 70hp DPFI (dual point fuel injection)... to get the hood up, I've heard that you can push down on it and it'll pop enough to squeeze something thin like a screwdriver (if your finger doesn't fit) in the crevice to bump the latch sideways to unlock it... but if it's closed super tight then I doubt that would work. I believe there's a way to get it open from the bottom of the car too.

Synthetic_6 · #7 10-20-2004, 01:45 PM

Thanks for the info, ugh..70hp.. *cough new engine cough* The hood is on tight, I am able to get a screwdriver in though, just can't seem to hit the latch to get the damn thing open. I will try again when I get home though. Hadn't tried from below. I will check that too. Thanks again!

bigwally9876 · #8 10-20-2004, 01:51 PM

love project cars so much fun in the begining

Synthetic_6 · #9 10-20-2004, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigwally9876

love project cars so much fun in the begining

Yeah, that's one of the reasons I bought it. I wanted a project and shit..it was only $60. It's just crazy how much I need to learn and a little overwhelming at first. But im still excited as hell.

Shaguar47 · #10 10-20-2004, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Synthetic_6

Thanks for the info, ugh..70hp.. *cough new engine cough*

The 70 hp isn't all that bad (40 MPG regular) but still extremely slow compared to other hondas on the road. I still have my 70hp beast in mine and all my friends make fun of me but this is what I tell them. "Even though it's slow, I like to call it an ECONO-Racer. I can beat Priuis's, Insights & Scions and still get 40 MPG." Just keep that with you till you can get a swap going. I crack myself up when I say that

But it's true.

Synthetic_6 · #11 10-20-2004, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaguar47

The 70 hp isn't all that bad (40 MPG regular) but still extremely slow compared to other hondas on the road. I still have my 70hp beast in mine and all my friends make fun of me but this is what I tell them. "Even though it's slow, I like to call it an ECONO-Racer. I can beat Priuis's, Insights & Scions and still get 40 MPG." Just keep that with you till you can get a swap going. I crack myself up when I say that

But it's true.

Very true. lol I like that. Not sure what swap to do. I could do the "popular" B16, or B18, but im not sure what would fit without serious mod and im not sure what would be rdiculous. Any ideas?

crx91 · #12 10-20-2004, 07:59 PM

if your looking for a bolt in engine, i would recomend the jdm d15b vtec. its off the eg4 vti. not expenssive at all, compared to the b's. they can give them a run for the money. other people in here are gonna say, y not the d16a6 or the d16z6. the reason i would chose the jdm angine is that its faster and has way less miles.
just my

.

travagliante · #13 10-20-2004, 11:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaguar47

The 70 hp isn't all that bad (40 MPG regular) but still extremely slow compared to other hondas on the road. I still have my 70hp beast in mine and all my friends make fun of me but this is what I tell them. "Even though it's slow, I like to call it an ECONO-Racer. I can beat Priuis's, Insights & Scions and still get 40 MPG." Just keep that with you till you can get a swap going. I crack myself up when I say that

But it's true.

Hey you could upgrade to a d15b2 yes the b2 not the d15b1 like you have. You would have a enormous 92HP!!!!that will destroy older escorts tempos, 626's, new sicons(except Tc) def. Insights, older sentras(non-seR).. Yep well at least with 4th gens you have a major weight advantage.

Plus shaguar47 is right. You can beat the hell out of the car and still maintain GREAT GAS mileage.

Synthetic_6 · #14 10-21-2004, 10:54 AM

Awesome, I will start looking into pricing for that. Sounds good to me. I'm guessing it uses the same mounts so I don't need to buy new motor mounts? But this means I need to find someone to install it that won't charge me up the ass..that or find a cherry picker for the motor swap. Oh, also. Got the damn hood open FINALLY last night. The oil is a little low and for some damn reason the guy that sold me this car disconnected a pipe that connects to a box that says something like "computer controlled fuel injection". It looks like the air intake, but im not certain. I still have all the parts he has removed in the trunk area. I just need a Hanes manual and a little direction to figure out if that is actually what I think.

Synthetic_6 · #15 10-21-2004, 10:56 AM

I have a question I just thought of, since this is my first car, and im not sure what needs to be done first. What would be some good things to check for? How can I make sure my timing is correct, spark plugs are good, injectors are clean, etc? The exaust smells like it isn't burning efficiently, smells a lot like gas, not normal exaust.

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