Just got an 89 LXi Coupe...for FREE!

Just wanted to say hey, I'm looking forward to picking up a ton of things off this forum to get the most out of my car and hopefully see that odometer roll past 300k (210k now). I do have a couple questions for you guys, though. I skimmed the FAQ and didin't see anything on it, so hopefully you won't kill me if I missed it. Either way, I am a newbie, and quite stupid on this stuff, so hopefully you guys can bear with me.

First off - The transmission. (Automatic. I'd rather have MT, but free is free) When turning onto a street, or in a parking lot...basically anywhere where it'd drop from 3rd to 2nd, it seems like it drops down into 1st for a split second and then goes into 2nd. I'm usually going anywhere from 15-25 mph when it does this, with minimal pressure on the gas. Is this a problem, or something normal? My uncle, who I got the car from, said he thinks it's always done that for him, but he doesn't remember.

Second - Is there any kind of cheap aftermarket air filter that might let the engine breathe a bit better and possibly give me a bit better gas mileage, possibly even a tiny bit more power? I'm a cheap bastard, so I'm not really looking to spend too much, ideally under $50, but I could go under $100 if it was warranted. I'm not expecting too much... maybe a 1-2 MPG increase in mileage and maybe a 3-5 HP jump...is this attainable, and what brand/type of intake should I be looking at?

Third - For minor parts and such (door handles, switches, etc), will they fit from any 3rd gen Accord? I plan on going to the junkyard soon and grabbing a few minor parts just in case, and I'm wondering if it's all interchangeable from 86-89.

And just in case you're interested, pics of the car. I'll have engine pics soon, but I'm sure you guys have all seen it before.

And just some side comments, this is by far the best car I've ever owned. Not too much competition (88 Jetta, 86 Camry), but still. I also think it handles much better than my dad's car (03 Lancer), and might even be a tad quicker, even with the AT. Also, one of the best sounding engines I've ever heard. Better than any other Honda engine I've ever heard besides the F20C.

I never had any idea that the 3g's had such a cult following, but I'm definitely glad I stumbled upon these boards.

Thanks in advance for hopefully some answers to my questions.

Wow...one smart newbie, I'm glad to see you're not putting up a stupid post like "u gotta nice str8 pipe out that back yo" That was the thread, Free LXI? Where? That's pretty cool, on 4 G interiors, from what I can tell, they share alot of similarity, should work, if it looks the same, it probably is. And if you're looking for an intake, try going to performance, and there's a search button in the top right, type in whatever you need. I'm carbed so I wouldn't know, but I do hear a lot of B16A intake manifold talk.

yeah, most switches and such are the same part number between all models... there may be an exception or two here and there, though, as the wiring harnesses changed a bit in 88

My transmission does that too, especially when I'm slowing to make a turn, then coming out of it. I wouldn't worry about it. I'm gonna check my tranny fluid here soon. I'd suggest the same, just for your info. The dipstick is down to the passenger side of the header.

As far as a cheap filter goes, I'd suggest either getting a 92-96 Civic short ram intake, a 90-93 Integra cold air intake, or I think a 5th generation Accord cold air intake would work too. You can find all those on eBay for decent prices. You'll have to do custom work to all of them to get them to fit, but it's well worth it. My recommendation is don't waste your time with a short ram uness you live where it's EXTREMELY wet and you think water will be pouring into your bumper. Cold air, all the way baby!! :)

And by the way, welcome to the board!! :wave: It's our little niche in the car world :)

1st) Its the transfer of fluid in and out of your torque convertor durring cornering that causes the shift in gears.

2nd) It's best to run a search

3rd) Yes door handles swap between the years.