what to check for?

[mel_and_his_rex]

aight here is the dealio, my friend is looking into getting a 88 crx hf, with a b18c in it, it also has N2O hooked up, i think the guy said it was a 80 shot but not 100% sure, we will be taking a trip to check it out, it's several hundred miles away so it'll prolly be one trip, what should i look for to make sure its in good condition with the N2O? what questions should i ask before we even go. i already asked what kit he put on it but didn't get a reply as of yet. the guy actually seems to be knowledgable so thats a plus. um also when i take it out for a test drive( i will prolly be doin all of that as he has no licience and isn't too fam. with honda's, he's used to big ol' cars, like camaros) what should i look for in the way the engine responds to the nitrous if its all hooked up and i can give it a crack :devil: what should i look for and becafe i don't do? never drove, or even rode in a car with it. i know only at wot, but do i necessary have to be in any specific gear? i know not to try it in first as it goes by really quick. how long will the burst last?
what should i look for when the engine kicks into V-TEC, it does have a V-TEC controller i know of, uh i know what to look for in general when looking to buy a car, but i've never bought a hybrid before or rode in a V-TEC equiped car so i don't know what to expect. anything i should really look for?

sorry for the novel just wanna get some info

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89 CRX Si
and a 89 CRX Dx(winter beater)

[Ben L]

um, i'd check to make sure the swap was done RIGHT..no wires hanging out or anything like that. definately let the car run and idle for awhile and watch for smoke or wierd smells. watch for leaks. BE CAREFUL not to get ripped off. good luck dude

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-Ben L.
1989 Civic Si
1990 300ZX TT Stage III

[chris B]

Well check the oil......make sure there is no water in it. Check for gas leaks form where the noz it hooked up, and just make sure the swap was done well.......

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[sastanley]

Do you know why this guy is selling this car? His motivation to sell can help make a judgement call on the condition of the vehicle.
A b18c with NOS may be ragged out. Ask the guy some questions, not to interrogate him, but to find out where the swap was done, how many miles the car & engine have on it, what type of driving is typically done with the car, how many times the bottle has been filled, etcetc..everyone always sugar-coats things when trying to sell something, but his candor and general attitude will help you determine his trustworthiness and how truthful he is being.
As for the car....hopefully your inspection will be with a cold motor...check the dipstick, inspect for any signs of water or milky residue, cleanliness/condition of the oil itself, etc..etc. How often does he change the oil? Check the radiator for creamy oil looking stuff, and the general health of the coolant. All these will help determine if the car was cared for...a car can be driven hard, but still be in good condition if it has been taken care of. When it starts up, it shouldn't take anything special...Turn the key, it should run right, idle up for a little bit etc.etc. Sniff and look at the exhaust for oil at startup (blue smoke at startup can indicate bad valve guides.) While the motor warms up (don't rev it right after you start it, revving a cold motor is bad, and can also hide problems with it running on its own while cold.) You can look around at other stuff (any body work, body panel screws that have been taken out and put back in, etcetc, do door panels, door jambs, hood, fenders and stuff line up??), give the motor and ECU a chance to do their thing to see how it runs just sitting there. When you go for a drive, check the rearview mirror when you do a WOT acceleration, blue smoke at WOT can mean bad rings.
I don't know anything about NOS, but as with any inspection, use common sense...Like everyone else said make sure the engine swap looks like it was done right, the NOS was properly installed, and not a bunch of stuff all welded and hacked together and wires hanging and stuff.

OK..sorry for my novel, and good luck..And remember, as cool as the car may seem (a b18 + NOS in an 88 HF should be wicked fast!!! ) if your gut tells you something isn't right, don't let you buddy get it. There are plenty of other cars out there...don't buy a lemon

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-Shawn
91 DX 4-door
AEM CAI & other mods which only add weight
4-doors kick butt & I am patiently waiting for 91zc to pull that ZC!! I hope it is not fried!! Oh well..i did say I was willing to rebuild in my old sig didn't I? I guess here is my chance

[This message has been edited by sastanley (edited January 04, 2002).]

[Ben L]

well said man. there are plenty lemons out there, just like there's plenty of legit cars. if it sounds too good to be true, yada yada yada.

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-Ben L.
1989 Civic Si
1990 300ZX TT Stage III

[mel_and_his_rex]

i had already asked why he was selling it, we was gonna turbo the car, but instead decided to start a new project to kick off the new year so he's selling it. he claims it ran a 12 sec time w/o the juice and 11 with, i do believe that was on slicks though, it has a 6pt. roll cage installed in it, it looks like he takes care of it, the told me of various other swaps he's done, but of course it could be BS or it could just be a guy like vince who gets bored with stuff really quick.

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89 CRX Si
and a 89 CRX Dx(winter beater)

[sastanley]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by mel_and_his_rex:
...it could be BS or it could just be a guy like vince who gets bored with stuff really quick. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
lol - yeah..well that's cool. I wish I had the connections and such Vince seems to have so I could play with my Civic so much.
So, maybe it is a great car. Good luck with it dude and keep us informed!


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-Shawn
91 DX 4-door
AEM CAI & other mods which only add weight
4-doors kick butt & I am patiently waiting for 91zc to pull that ZC!! I hope it is not fried!! Oh well..i did say I was willing to rebuild in my old sig didn't I? I guess here is my chance

[gotatight92si]

what tranny is the car using? Y1, or hydro conversion?

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[13secondcivic]

also, if you are worried about the body, CRX's have a funny habbit of rusting under those body cladding panels on the doors and such....and the rear quarters are like swiss cheese in waiting

as for the motor....what sstanley said. but also check the radiator for oil!!!! take the cap off...anything look funny AT ALL! run! the radiator is a good sign as to weather a car has been maintained or not, and an easy check...

if you see 'butt connected' wires and alot of electrical tape, also run any conversions SHOULD be soldered and wire loomed, but maybe that's just me

and NOS is dangerous stuff....I wouldn't be surprised if the motor was bad. run it hard and see how much blue smoke comes out the back

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PERFORMANCE REFINISHING, Inc.
Home to all your High Peformance Honda needs!

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[13secondcivic]

p.s. pull a wire or two, or all of them as well...check for oil.

and your bud might be better off finding a cheaper CRX and doing it himself at least you KNOW what your getting.....how much are they asking?

11 seconds??? lol....ask for timeslips

and the VTEC....hmmm....you'll hear a pitch change in the motor....you'll be going, then at about 5000 rpm or so, it'll get a bit louder and you'll 'feel' the pull....you'll know


------------------
PERFORMANCE REFINISHING, Inc.
Home to all your High Peformance Honda needs!

visit us at http://www.pri-racing.com