May get 2gee back soon, have questions

[LXiHatch88]

For a little back story and pics of this car specifically, you can check out this post. Anyway, prior to that car I had an '84 Accord. I bought that '85 because I was missing my '84, and it was really cheap. I drove it a few months and loved it, then my cousin who's in college came up needing a cheap car, and being that I have several cars and a truck, only seemed right to just sign it over to her. I've regretted it ever since.

She's had it for a while and I guess the engine is running rough and she said 5th gear has gone out and 3rd gear is only working intermittently. At nearly 400,000 miles, I guess that's understandable. It was hard shifting when I had it, and the clutch is slipping. I'm thinking about straight across trading her my '88 LXI for the '85 back. I think it would serve her well for a couple of more years until she gets out of college.

If I get my 2gee back, I'll probably see if I can go to 500,000 and beyond with it. Swapping the turd brown interior out for blue or gray that's common in junkyards around here would definitely be in order, and I'd like to repaint it graphite gray, with some Integra wheels or something like that on it. Just clean and stock-ish looking.

First order of business though would be making sure it's dead on reliable so I can use it for a daily driver. I'd like to do an EFI A20A3 swap in it like what mustardcat did to his. I already have an excellent running A20A3 that came out of a totaled '89 LXi. My question is mainly about the transmission. I've been reading the FAQ's and what not, and if I'm understanding this correctly, I can use my recently rebuilt 5 speed from the '89 in the '85 by simply using '85 SE-I CV axles. Is this right? Or would I be better off to rebuild the 5 speed that's already in the '85 and use it behind the A20? If I do reuse the 2gee transmission, will the nearly new '89 clutch still work?

Thanks. Sorry for the long ass post.

[2ndGenGuy]

Well if you want to use the A20A3 transmission, you basically have two options.

1, you can use the A20 inner cups on the 2gee axles.
2, you can use the SEi axles, but you need SEi/2g Prelude wheel bearings and hubs to go along with them fit into your spindles.

And if you reuse the 2gee transmission, the I don't think the clutch / pressure plate will fit inside the bellhousing.

[Civic Accord Honda]

1, you can use the A20 inner cups on the 2gee axles.

do that ^


but man im excited to the cars progress after reading this thread you better post lots of pics!

[LXiHatch88]

Wow, so I can take the cups off the axles and just swap around like that. That's awesome. When I was dropping a new engine and trans into my brother's '92 Nissan Sentra last year, the shop manual sternly stated for that car not to overextend the assembly and allow the cup to come off the end of the axle, or else the unit would be "permanently damaged" for some reason. I just ASSumed all FWD cars were like that. How do you go about reattaching the dust boot after taking it apart?

I will definitely post pics as I go should I decide to take this on. I'm just researching and pondering it right now. But it's very likely I'll actually get the car back and get started on it within the next 3-6 months.

[Civic Accord Honda]

with theses http://www.amazon.com/Beck-Arnley-10.../dp/B000EOJ238
i paid $2.50 for a pack of 2 at kragen (shucks orileys checker etc)

[2ndGenGuy]

Yeah they come apart and are rebuild-able. I prefer to stay out of the CV joint mess myself. I'm not 100% sure that they will go together, but I'm pretty sure they will. It's been discussed often.

[Ichiban]

I wouldn't do the CV cup swap myself, the larger splined axles actually have larger cups, which causes the bearings to ride in weird places once it's actually assembled. I mocked one up a few years ago without grease and it looked pretty wrong inside.

You also have a third option. You can swap the 3rd member between transmissions, giving you the large bellhousing for the A20 clutch, and the smaller splines to match the car.