Civic 4th Gen (EF)

what are your guys (professional....well, I guess not haha I guess just grm'ers) opinion/view on these. An article in the newest Import Tuner really got me looking for one. I came across a great deal for a '90, many things replaced, 187K, NO RUST, 1000 obo Just curious on the what to look for/ wrong? right? just overall on them, I realize, well it's a Honda so yeah it's good!

Is it a std, Dx, or Si?

Four or five speed transaxle?

What (exactly) has been replaced?

With any PA-car, rust is a major concern. Check the car carefully and pay a lot of attention to the chassis and the body around the wheel arches. The 1.5L's are known to wear-out the valve spring seats/seals - lots of smoke under acceleration. Ask me how I know.

You're looking at a 20yr old car so expect it to need maintenance. Being a Honda, it just makes fixing things a little cheaper and easier than some other choices. And, you can upgrade from other Honda/Acura sources to make the car even better.

For the record, I'm biased. I'm the original and only owner of a '90 Dx hatchback.

ask if the main relay and ignition switch have been replaced. both can cause the car to not start. easy fixes but it's a pain to learn that they've gone bad the hard way and get stranded somewhere. ask me how i know.

the tabs that hold the intake snorkel to the plastic radiator top are prone to break, usually from idiots resting their weight on the snorkel while messing with the motor. look for cracks on the top of the rad. i've pulled the snorkel on both 4th gens i've owned just to prevent this from happening.

other than that just the usual 20 year old car stuff.

Well I figured on the usual stuff as my 85 GTI needed the usual, but i'll ask for both of your above experiences, how do you know??

It is a DX, unsure on the trans, most likely 5 spd. The no rust is also a surprise to me also. He also has an 89 that he'd also like to sell with it, it's more of a project, but he also has a B16b and other stuff to swap in. It's all stock too, he replaced the timing belt, tensioner and water pump in the last 1500.

They are like Lego sets, anyone can figure them out and build something really cool. Go for it.

I had an 89 Si that I drove for 300,000 miles. Best car ever, but rusted out, in spite all preventative efforts from the day it was new.

Check the rockers and rear fenders. Rear bumper mounts rust and fall off.

Pull hard on the front wheels, if you hear clicking it's likely the upper A-arm bushing. Simple and cheap to fix.

Rear trailing arm bushings are garbage but are reasonable to replace.

same as others say, look seriously hard for rust, bring a jack to look at rockers, fenders, and rear bumper mounts from the underside (you will be able to see all those places), and the bushings will definitely be shot.

Mostly, though, be prepared for NO ONE to understand/believe that it is a good car for anything sporting, and for outright ridicule from your vw buddies. Also be prepared to not care, because you'll be too busy running circles around vws at the autox that you were able to go to to because you weren't working on your car...

<----- reformed vw person.

Jamesc2123 wrote: Mostly, though, be prepared for NO ONE to understand/believe that it is a good car for anything sporting, and for outright ridicule from your vw buddies. Also be prepared to not care, because you'll be too busy running circles around vws at the autox that you were able to go to to because you weren't working on your car... <----- reformed vw person.

hahaha, your good! Yeah they'll most likely do that but yeah, I don't care, I love the cars for what they are, not for the "scene" but that's what I hope to do! I love VW's but i'm exactly like you lol

oldsaw wrote: The 1.5L's are known to wear-out the valve spring seats/seals - lots of smoke under acceleration. Ask me how I know.

I know this is both an ancient resurrection and a bit of a thread jack, but it seemed better than starting a new thread. I'm going to look at this '91 Civic DX Hatch this afternoon and was wondering if the problem he describes in it may be due to those worn out valve seats/springs you mentioned and, if so, how difficult is that to remedy? Also, what is the general opinion of what I'm looking at here?

Woody wrote: I had an 89 Si that I drove for 300,000 miles. Best car ever, but rusted out, in spite all preventative efforts from the day it was new.

Rust...Their one big flaw...

Rear sub frame can fatigue on these models, I had the issue on mine and have seen others, mine was repaired twice.

In reply to DustoffDave:

Hard to say as the seller doesn't give any indication as to why he thinks that. With that many miles on it, any major repair probably wouldn't be worth it compared to just dropping in a new engine.

Okay, I went and looked at it and here is the rundown. First of all, it is absolutely rust free. There is a 12 inch ding on the driver side rear quarter panel, but that's not a big deal. The reason he thinks a piston ring is gone is because when he changed the spark plugs one of them came out oily. But, he said it doesn't smoke when it drives. I can witness that as I saw it running. So probably just a valve cover gasket or something. My hangup is the left front curb collision. It wobbles so badly, that I just took it down the block and turned around and came back. Also I had to take my foot completely off of the clutch pedal before I got any engagement. I asked him if it was like that before the incident with the curb and he said no. I've never owned a front wheel drive car, so I'm thinking transaxle? He said if he can't sell it, he's going to send it to the scrap yard, so I'm going to offer him $350, assuming you all think that that is worth it. My guess is he'll probably end up taking 450 or 500. Thoughts?

That car has a cable clutch, so it may be stretched or need adjustment. I changed my original clutch at 212,000 miles, and that was as a precaution. It was still moving under it's own power.

So, then, it's probably just a bent axle shaft that I'll be dealing with from the collision (and a cable adjustment)?

pinchvalve wrote: They are like Lego sets, anyone can figure them out and build something really cool. Go for it.

Spec Civic: So easy, even a Caveman can do it.

Up here in the great white rust belt I'd JUMP at the chance for a rust free EF even if its needing some mechanical lovin'.

My SI went from winning its ice race class and overall points champ to being in the hunt for FTD at the local autox with stock engine and a very basic suspension upgrade.

Basically a fwd miata on many levels.

I just got my 91 DX back from the shop
(Mongoose doesn't 'do' electrical gremlins)
and I'm curious to drive her around briskly for a little bit before I sell it
(Probably to one of you people from places where rust is a problem)
(or sell the Nova, haven't made up my mind)

I'm in under a grand for mine, came with low end coilover sleeves, 'JDM' HIDs, arguably too large of an exhaust, new tires on beat up enkies and a pile of stock wheels.
The hard part will be resisting the urge to make it faster than the miata
(since all it 'needs' is new control arm bushings)
(well, quicker, faster isn't impressive)

Got it for $475. Pictures and project car thread forthcoming.

You win!

If I can get it together for the Challenge that will be great. And I'll probably win the award for furthest travelled. It couldn't be much farther away and still be in the continental US.

In reply to DustoffDave:
Did you buy it?
I ask because the ad has been deleted.
And because I'm on the other side of the mountains from it and presumably you.

Yeah, I got it for $475.

How did I miss this thread when it was new? Back then my wife was in a '91. Good car, but the auto sucked the fun out of it.