Terry’s EM1 project

[terry_em1]

I think i did say before the battery issue, could be ignitor or something else dizzy related.

We did a timing belt replacement on a customers car. started the car and after 5 mins the car cut out and wouldn't start, checked everything then after hours we started taking the dizzy apart and tested the ohms the ignitor was giving and was not enough need for the car to work. replaced it with an euros one as we needed the car running and the car still works perfect now

I'm buying an OEM one. I had a Hitachi one and my car was misfiring the whole time it was installed.

My whole distributer is off a 96 spec Integra, so big cap with older style igniter. Was getting wrong parts when using chassis number.

 

[terry_em1]

The Civic has been testing my patience. I did get a lend of another distributor, which I was told was working. First I swapped the igniters and that didn't work. Decided to fit the whole distributor after and the car still wouldn't start. I pulled one of the spark plugs out, grounded it on the block and cranked the car over. Still wasn't seeing spark.

I'm fed up at this point and someone messages me to try replacing the main relay. I thought it'd be no harm since its a quick job and I happen to have an old spare. The spare actually caused my car to sputter in the past, hence why I replaced it, but it will run the car. Plugged the spare relay in and the car started on the second crank. I was surprised, but I'm not gonna question it. Just happy the car is running again.

I turn off the car to clean out my tools and mount parts back in, so they're not rattling around as I'm driving. Go to turn the key and nothing. Car's dead again. Theres a difference and its the fact that the car is cranking over faster.

Look up a Civic manual I have and checked the main relay diagram. Confirmed it has no influence on spark. I even had a friend bench test it, to make sure its not broken. Main relay is fine. The conclusion is it has to be the distributor or something spark related. The car starting that one time was coincidence... I have a new coil and igniter on the way from Japan. Both Honda items. I made sure to buy the ones that'll match the Type R distributor I have.

Anything you guys suggest I check? I cleaned the thermostat housing ground with some 500 grit sandpaper. Maybe not clean enough? The plug for the distributor doesn't look damaged in any way. Neither does the wiring harness. I hate chasing ignition issues... It would be easy to upgrade ECU and coils, but thats not in the budget right now and I've no interest in upgrading my Civic to that level.

 

[terry_em1]

Car is fixed. Wouldn't have thought to check, but turns out the immobiliser unit was bad. Swapped to a spare I had and car started right up. Props to the lad who messaged me on Instagram.

I'm using UDSM Si clocks and they don't have the key indicator like the UK spec clocks do. Would have been handy though. I'll dissect the faulty unit and see how it exactly works. Figure out if its repairable because these are discontinued.

 

[terry_em1]

Had the door's wiring harness labelled, so I know what's what. Took a good few pictures, so I know how it's suppose to go back in. Been putting off transferring all the bits onto the replacement door because it's the glass part that worries me.

My parts from Japan arrived last week. As I mentioned before, I ordered a brand new igniter. For peace of mind, I swapped out my old one. You can see visually they're different. Colour, manufacturer name and part number. I think it's for EF9 or EG6... But the Japanese forums and even Honda owners in Japan on Twitter said it'll work no problem.

Good bit of oxidation on the old one.

Two new bolts are provided to bolt the heatsink down. Good thing too because the old ones are chewed up bad (I didn't do it ). I used a socket instead of a driver anyway, to prevent stripping.

That's her in. I do have a brand new coil too there, from Honda, but the NGK unit is still working. No point in changing it, so I'll have a spare there for when it goes bad.

The car drives fine. Took the Civic out for a lengthy spin. No bad noises or vibrations. The steering wheel is pointing slightly to the right, so I'll get that sorted when the car goes for alignment. I've some Hardrace arms to go on.

The accelerator pedal is sticking at the top, so I can't ease the car from a stop. Doesn't seem to be the pedal itself or the throttle cable. I'll have to clean out the throttle body perhaps. Also theres a few rusty bolts in the interior that needs addressing. Condensation from sitting up really didn't do the car any good. Slowly get the Civic to a better place Paint will be this month!

 

[terry_em1]

Stripped the door today. Mostly anyway.

Rust hiding underneath the rubbers.

Here you can see where the door is split apart. Me and my friend tried pulling the door as much as we could before, but we're not getting any more movement. Theres no saving it.

There's some clips I can't remove from the inside. I'll try finessing them out with a trim removal tool. I have those left, the latch and the actual door handle.

I managed to unclip the entire wiring harness without cutting anything. Does this white coupler disconnect? If so, how?

 

[terry_em1]

Figured it out on my own. I'll start cleaning up the harness with some tesa tape. Get it all neat before it goes onto the new door.

Stripped the new door of everything.

The moulding is glued on, so I'll leave it alone for now. Most fiddly bit was taking the handle off. I couldn't detach it from the latch, so I removed both and wiggled them out together. Door needs a good clean. Heaps of dust and bugs.

 

[terry_em1]

Bit of a process, but harness is properly wrapped up. I replaced any damaged clips too.

Still trying to figure out how to wire my alarm to the door locks. I've seen everyone tapping into this harness and then running the wires from the door into the cabin. But they always end up drilling a hole on the door, in order to make an entry point for the wires. I don't want to do that because it doesn't look clean.

How do you guys hook up your alarm? That can't be the only way to do it. I'm currently thinking of crimping some terminals and using the existing white coupler. I've checked and there's like 4 or 5 unused spaces on that coupler. If there's a way to wire door locks on the cabin side, let me know. Can even private message me.

 

[terry_em1]

Picked up some brake cleaner and a plastic spreader from a motor factors, to scrape off the butyl residue on the door.

Once that was done, I used some grime remover and snow foam, to clean the door. Same stuff I used on the bootlid.

Looks well. I'm waiting for the sun to dry the door now. It'll probably be completely dry tomorrow, which I can then start installing all the good parts from my original door.

 

[terry_em1]

Mostly everything is bolted back on. This is a JDM door, so there are some subtle differences with parts. I opted to use the JDM latch because the EM1's original latch is a bit damaged. No idea how, but it's gone now. Because I'm using the JDM latch, I have to use the rods related to it. I couldn't reuse the white plastic cover because the rods laid differently. The harness plug is the same though. So are the wire colours.

I routed the wiring harness exactly how it was before. Thankfully I took reference photos. I used the best looking hardware too. To be honest, I didn't use much parts from the JDM door. Most of them are from my original UK spec door.

There's another difference. The JDM door has 1 brace going across, on the inside. Meanwhile the UK spec door has 2. Not sure if it depends on which market the car was produced for, or if it's a coupe only thing. Forgot to say the orange door is from a hatchback. Anyway, some weight shaved there. I doubt it'll make a difference in a crash because its an EK Civic

The rubbers were a bit fiddly, but I managed. I do have that piece of trim, along the bottom of the glass, brand new from Honda. Have for both sides, but I'll wait to throw them on after paint.

Used my green handle just because it's in better condition. It was annoying trying to refit it. Taking apart stuff is easy. I've serious respect now for painters that reassemble cars after a colour change.

 

[JustForFun]

There's another difference. The JDM door has 1 brace going across, on the inside. Meanwhile the UK spec door has 2. Not sure if it depends on which market the car was produced for, or if it's a coupe only thing.

I'm pretty sure this isn't a JDM or EDM thing, but more of a difference between pre-facelift and facelift. Facelifts have two braces and pre-facelift just one. I don't know if the same applies to the EK9's though.

 

[terry_em1]

Started late in the day, but I got the wing and skirt off fairly quick. The door had nothing left on it, apart from the two rubber stoppers, so all that needed to be done was unbolt the door from the car.

I used one of my dad's toolboxes to prop the door up on the left side, along with some wood boards. Had to wait on a friend to come over because a near complete door is heavy Too heavy for myself to hold AND bolt on at the same time.

With some good amount of adjustment, the door closes good. Sags ever so slightly when it's open, but I'll leave it up to the painter to correct it. Wing and skirt went back on.

The most nerve-racking bit was putting the glass back in. Me and my friend were both afraid to drop it. I had him hold it up while I positioned it on the inside, trying to get it to sit into the rubbers.

Took her for a spin down to the shops.

It's a good feeling having her back out on the road properly.

 

[Teggymun]

Good to see all the wrongs being put right on this car now! Be sick to see it all in one colour too.

 

[terry_em1]

Good to see all the wrongs being put right on this car now! Be sick to see it all in one colour too.

Some time this month lad. Will be painted one colour and few new aero bits.

 

[terry_em1]

Finished up on reinstalling the interior today.

The correct steering column plastic fits way better than the last one, which is broken anyway by the thieves. Old one is from USDM car I think because the top half is USDM.