Project Steph's 1978 Honda Civic 1200

[EvoCivic]

Many of the Honda geared starters up to at least the early 90s will fit. You just need to check that the mounting holes line up. I melted 3 ordinary starters trying to turn over a 14:1 engine. A reduction drive starter cranked it over without even thinking about it. I never use an original starter any more - chucked them all out.

[Steph]

Gear reduction starters weigh less and have much more power than the direct drive one that came on the car originally. If you start raising the engines compression the difference in cranking speed is really dramatic. Civics didn't get the good starters until 1980 and the years though 1983 will work on a 1st gen Civic. First gen Accord had gear reduction starters that bolt to the Civic. I am not sure if there was a difference between the the auto and stick versions, as I always sourced mine for a manual transmission.

Many of the Honda geared starters up to at least the early 90s will fit. You just need to check that the mounting holes line up. I melted 3 ordinary starters trying to turn over a 14:1 engine. A reduction drive starter cranked it over without even thinking about it. I never use an original starter any more - chucked them all out.

cheers for the info guys... I was planning on reasonably high compression (12:1ish)... so there would have been some smoke had I tried to use it.

I had a look on the box, and it's a World Parts (Beck Arnley) which has Imported Replacement Parts on the side, and sure enough, when I looked inside, everything was brand new, as in, not a reconditioned starter, but a NOS starter, no doubt from back when Japanese starters cost as much as a Chinese one would today... well not that cheap, but you know what I mean...

Beck/Arnley Part Number 187-0053

I looked through the compatibility list and it suits the early 1600 Accord, so for all future 'narrative' I'll be referring to it as a 1600 Accord starter :P

here's a link that will open a current search for the identical starter... at the moment the same guy I bought mine from is showing one for sale... on line auctions Seller - billbuntonauto

http://stores.shop.on line auctions.links/_si.html?_k ... y+187+0053" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

this is one that's for sale at present... http://www.on line auctions.links/itm/Beck-Arnley-187 ... 1276181449" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I remember Jay saying that World Parts often sourced their parts from the original Japanese suppliers (Honda doesn't make every single piece).

[ac1]

With all that eye candy I hope you also polish up a 9mm...

Always best to have a gun and not need it, then to need a gun and not have it.

[Bill]

Have you been to Arizona again?

[Steph]

If I had anything, it would be a H&K G36C, a flak jacket, and a helmet, so I could really make an impression... well, just about anybody, I guess. :shock:

[ac1]

[Kurt]

The new one you have there looks the same as my EL Accord one. With those long bolts that attached the solenoid.

[Steph]

The new one you have there looks the same as my EL Accord one. With those long bolts that attached the solenoid.

Cheers for that Kurt

The long bolts are on the motor, with the solenoid being contained within the main casting. It's the reverse of the original 1st gen Civic starter, which was 'direct drive', as opposed to a reduction gear on the newer starters which requires the motor be offset. I definitely had a WT F-moment when I first compared the two. :?

I did a bit more research, and it turns out these starters were manufactured for Honda by Denso.

[Steph]

I finished sanding and polishing the inspection plate before sending it off to chrome this morning...

I'm running low on engine related tasks to do now... re-polish the header and I'll be finally finished, I think?

[Kurt]

So you're polishing the bare steel to smooth it all out for chrome? Are those small pieces like that costly to chrome there? They would be stupid expensive here.