The white-mess, my EM1 Si with a d16y8.

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Is it just me or shouldn't the axles be in before filling the trans with oil?
Especially if you need to lean the motor assembly back when hoisting/mounting it in the front elevated car?
Lol, yeah I figured that out... So, I have a 3d print of some axle hole plugs coming out. 1.40" diameter. Because damn I'm not gonna let any more of that $15/qt fluid drain onto the floor.

Last night I replaced the mounts only to determine that the mounts I have are absolute garbage. Maybe they'll work, but man they're poor quality. So hopefully I don't have to replace the rear mount again, but the right and left are going to need to be "worked" a bit to get in.

I need to clean the AC compressor mounting bracket and probably find a dozen other things wrong along the way.

Got the PTFE/Steel clutch line run from the master cylinder, ran a bit of hose from the tank vent, got the fuel line run a bit better. Now I get to figure out how to get the ethanol content sensor plumbed into the return line.
 
i love being able to print parametric plugs for stuff like that :) i would recommend printing a groove on the OD of the thing where it exits the trans and putting an o-ring on as well. that should help since as you know plastic isn't always amazing at holding fluid back on it's own.
 
So if my memory serves me correctly, you can pull the axles with the car flat and not have much mess, but as soon as the front goes up it starts to come out the axle holes, so the plugs that you are suggesting will work, but eventually you need to pull the plugs to install the axles, and the front needs to be up for you to be under the car.
I always filled the trans when we were buttoning up and filling coolant, etc.
 
So, lots of progress. Engine is in the car. I used this mount to get it lifted up and into the chassis.

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And these:
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And it's in.

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In case anyone wonders, eBay engine mounts are still garbage, and yeah.

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So I picked up a set of these innovative mounts someone was selling locally on FB Marketplace (literally the only reason to keep FB anymore.)

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So, now I just have to get the new mounts in, axles in, and literally every bit of electrical and plumbing done, lol.


14 days until the Street Wars event.
 
yeesh is all that black stuff by the large mount from a belt or oil?


also, that piston and rod set for under $500. holy shit!
 
Damn right lower ball joint is gonna make me buy the tool. :/

I tried getting the axles in tonight. No bueno. I can't get the ball joint stud out of the LCA, so, Amazon to the rescue and I'll have the ball joint separator tomorrow evening, and I don't have to tell AutoZone what year, make, model, and trim of car it's for.
 
Ball joint trick.
Screw castle nut on a few threads to prevent messed up threads.
Turn the wheel all the way to one side to give yourself room. Usually best to swing from the front on a honda.
Apply slight downward pressure on the LCA with a pry bar.
Beat the ever loving shit out of the lower spindle area with as big of a hammer as you can get in there. You don't want to hit the LCA, or the ball joint, your goal is to shock the spindle to release the ball joint.
I usually use a 2-3 lb hammer.

The vibration from the hammer, combined with the slight pressure on the LCA will ALMOST always get the ball joint to pop free.
Much easier than using the tool in my experience, and saves your boot (usually unless you mangle it with the hammer).

I think I only had one that absolutely would not move and we ended up having to use a pickle fork.

Apologies if you already know this trick, but you did try to fill the trans with no axles, so not sure your level of expertise LOL.:)
Slight pressure on LCA was usually was a 3-6 foot bar wedged under the "frame rail", depending on what was closest.
 
luckily i've never had to worry about the boot since i replace the whole control arm at the same time.
 
Lol. I bought the correct tool, and it took like 20 minutes per axle.
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Now it's just fixing this mess of wiring...
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we would drop them in with the alternator and engine harness already in place.
seemed easier to wire them out of the bay as well.
live and learn
 
All the sensors and accessories are installed, except the AC. Coolant lines, brake lines, and fuel lines are plumbed. All factory sensors and wiring is connected.

To go:
Wideband, boost, oil pressure, oil temp gauges
Ethanol content sensor wiring
Boost solenoid (which needs to find a new home somewhere)
Turbo+manifold+downpipe
Upper charge pipe
Catch can hoses, two minimum (moar = bettar)
Battery relocation
seat reinstall
bleed clutch
shift linkage remove
short throw shifter
shift linkage reinstall
coolant
fresh gas

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I just have to get the lower front engine mount (torque mount) on, after I get the AC compressor belt installed, lol. I might have forgotten that before...
 
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I dunno. I've put five tanks of gas in it. So, 600-ish miles? The last few tanks were like 12mpg because I like hearing turbo noises...

i estimate I've got about 300 hours of labor in it?
 
A/C is installed, and pre-charged to check for leaks. Power steering is connected, all belts are installed. :D

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It really is 51°F in my shop right now, I had to check the thermometer to make sure, lol. I was like "uh, that shouldn't be that high, it's not even on..." Then I realized it was.

Because people always ask, here's how I got functional A/C in this car:

I mounted the Condenser as far forward as possible, and got creative with mounts. It's standing on rubber pads, and affixed relatively solidly through rubber hoses over the zip ties so it doesn't rub on the steel chassis.
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As you can see, it's been pulled out of the factory shroud, moved forward significantly, and the fan has been converted into a pusher fan instead of puller. If I made some custom AC lines for it, I could make more room, but it's got more than enough without throwing money away only to gain more complexity. Benefit is that it uses a cheap Amazon fan, all the factory AC parts, and factory condenser.
 
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