Work on it or find a new one?

[Mars]

I have an 86 Lx, automatic.

Im debating on how much i want to work on this car, and weather itd be worth attempting to fix/tune this car as opposed to buying another 3 g.

If i bought a new one, id go EFI and stick, leme get that out fo the way.

My current Lx needs a new cv joint, possibly new alternator, carb overhual sometime in the future, the tranny is shifting a tad hard, and the shocks are soft... ~BUT~ its in beautiful shape cosmeticly.

If i decided to keep my 3g, what kind of perofrmance benifits would i get form upgrading carbs? And is tuning a carb even worth debate...

Also, how hard are auto-manual swaps? I understand the process, but i havnt talked to anyone who has acually done it.

[1ajs]

keep it and keep all your receats and keep a tally of every peny you put into fixing her i say its worth fixing her there should a be a how to on how to do the trany swap

[NastyNate]

i just got done with my a/t to m/t and i think that it was well worth it!
there are so many 3 gen hondas in the junk yard near me that getting parts is easy! with the swap the only thing that will kick you in the ars is the pedles there the only thing i had a time with other than that the rest was a breaze once i bought a tranny jack. and i did the swap alone no help tolk me 3 days. that is i had to repair a motor mount and god knows what else. i payed:
120$ for the new axils
60$ for all new brakes
and for the ECU, Stick, tranny, and pedles i payed 225$ "i bought a m/t 2 door accord with a broken rod in the engine.


now i'm thinking of rebuilding the Fi engine outa the car i bought for parts to sell it and make all my money back.

my thoughts are fix it man!

[88Accord-DX]

If your going to rebuild the motor. Look forward to paying cash in machine work. Depending if you have spun bearings, line bored, reconditioned rods, balancing crank. Pistons will need to pressed on rods. Not counting the price for rebuild kit. Rebuilding isn't cheap. I know all the ends & outs what your looking at.

[NastyNate]

o i know but i get bored and my buddy works at a mechine shop so lol i got a lot free

[88Accord-DX]

o i know but i get bored and my buddy works at a mechine shop so lol i got a lot free

That is good, but does he specialize in cylinder head valve grinding, along with seats. Special equiptment to line bore engines & bore cylinders to tolerances. From what I know, there is a difference along with equiptment to do the right job intended for it.

[NastyNate]

he did my 84 bronco II block and its fine.. thats all they do at there shop. so i guess they got the stuff not poitive though never realy been in it.

[88Accord-DX]

Well, if he knows what he is doing. Have him pressure test your head, check it for straightness. Replace springs if out of tolerances. Lap the valves to seat properly. Replace any valve that looks like it has pits on it. Press new pistons on. Recondition the rods. Balance the crankshaft & have it turned & polished. Lube the bearings with assembly lube before installing. Allways check your clearances on rod & main bearings to specs. before assembly.
Measure end gap on piston rings. Oil ring expander goes on first, then oil ring rails. Lower compression ring next, then top ring. Make sure the top is up on the rings. Space lower & top compression rings 180 degrees apart. 45 degree apart on oil rings. Don't let the expander rail line up with the oil rings.

[A20A1]

Yeah, keep it, but do the Manual swap since you'll be better off that way.

Oh and I have some parts left over from when I was going to do the manual swap... so remind me some time and I'll make a lis of what I have.

[Mars]

Cool, ill do that.

[Mars]

Ah, one more question.
What kind of performance gains do you get out of swapping carbs, etc?

I know theres about a 30 hp difference between carb and efi stock, is it worth it to keep the carb?