Project Steph's 1978 Honda Civic 1200

[winterfox13]

Stick around and you'll see them pop up here from time to time. That's how I got mine. I'll let you know when I see the next set. I know Gusto (August) found a set of RS carburetor locally just a few weeks back. I prefer the later model EN4 set, as they come with velocity stacks as standard fitment, which makes all the difference to bottom end power. Still, a lot of people are happy enough with a 2 barrel Weber, but there's no doubt injection is the way to go. These were an engine built by a company that specialised (still does) in high revving 4-stroke motorcycle engines. They were built to breathe, but Honda strangled them with the stock exhaust and carburetor. They're a bit like those 'Learners Approved' motorcycles, where they restrict the intake to ensure they don't make too much power, yet underneath lies an engine eager to perform. I can't wait to see how mine goes with the new exhaust. God knows it's been a long time coming :P :D

That's why I'll say now, don't hold your breath on the FI project. I can say one thing, all my projects do get finished eventually. The trick is to buy all the parts and materials up front, then there's nothing to get in your way whenever you get the urge to pick it up again. That's my theory anyway, and it works for me... so far.

really! man he lucked out. either im not looking or there just isn't anything over here =/
would a carburetor change effect anything in my 4spd? was thinking of upgrading but had my worries of the repercussions.. =[ (is still learning)
truthfully that sounds like the way to go! i no i drop projects all the time and stumble on them every now and then =P

[Steph]

The only thing you'd need to change in your gearbox is gears... as in shift them as you drive! :P

The carburetor makes a big difference to the performance on these, and the right exhaust reportedly does the same, but I'm still waiting to experience that one. The motors have a lot to offer, mainly because the car's so light and they work together really well. Of course they're not as powerful as some of the later engines, but they still have a lot of power 'locked up' inside, restricted from the factory. The one other big mod is raising compression, as these motors pick up a lot in bottom-end power from this alone. However that's a mod to think about when rebuilding, like shaving the head, and fitting higher dome pistons, like the ones out of the 2nd gen EN engines, or custom pistons.

[Gusto]

Stick around and you'll see them pop up here from time to time. That's how I got mine. I'll let you know when I see the next set. I know Gusto (August) found a set of RS carburetor locally just a few weeks back. I prefer the later model EN4 set, as they come with velocity stacks as standard fitment, which makes all the difference to bottom end power. Still, a lot of people are happy enough with a 2 barrel Weber, but there's no doubt injection is the way to go. These were an engine built by a company that specialised (still does) in high revving 4-stroke motorcycle engines. They were built to breathe, but Honda strangled them with the stock exhaust and carburetor. They're a bit like those 'Learners Approved' motorcycles, where they restrict the intake to ensure they don't make too much power, yet underneath lies an engine eager to perform. I can't wait to see how mine goes with the new exhaust. God knows it's been a long time coming :P :D

That's why I'll say now, don't hold your breath on the FI project. I can say one thing, all my projects do get finished eventually. The trick is to buy all the parts and materials up front, then there's nothing to get in your way whenever you get the urge to pick it up again. That's my theory anyway, and it works for me... so far.

really! man he lucked out. either im not looking or there just isn't anything over here =/
would a carburetor change effect anything in my 4spd? was thinking of upgrading but had my worries of the repercussions.. =[ (is still learning)
truthfully that sounds like the way to go! i no i drop projects all the time and stumble on them every now and then =P

The ones I got (received them yesterday) were actually posted on this forum back in November (thread deleted as older than 6 months in wanted/for sale section).

[Steph]

I fitted an MSD Streetfire ignition today. I bought it with an MSD Blaster 2 coil on line auctions for a good price from someone who bought it new, but never used it. I spent ages fitting it, making sure the wires were the perfect length, and covering them with wiring loom outer tubing (black plastic with round ribbing and a slit along the length). I bought a couple of sizes so I could keep the wiring looking really tidy. I used it in a few places elsewhere on the motor to tidy things up a bit further. Once I had it all fitted I started the engine with great apprehension, but sure enough it fired to life immediately. Tomorrow I'll fit a new distributor cap and rotor, and take it for a drive. I didn't notice any difference when I started it, but maybe I'll notice it when I take it for a drive. Either way, the multi-spark feature is supposed to keep the spark plugs cleaner, so that's something in itself... I guess. I have to say, the Street Fire looks really cool mounted on the firewall, and I mounted it with 3M double sided tape, so it won't come off, and I didn't have to drill a single hole. I'll take a photo tomorrow. It's late now, and I need some sleep. Oh well, that's one less 'project' I'll have laying around. Now I need to get the exhaust and header fitted. Hopefully this week, if I can find the time.

[Steph]

A couple of photos as promised...

MSD

MSD2.jpg (147.66 KiB) Viewed 987 times

MSD

MSD1.jpg (107.12 KiB) Viewed 987 times

[Vulcan]

That's one heck of an ignition system!

[Thor]

That's one heck of an ignition system!

Don't try it without seriously upgraded leads, otherwise they will leak all over the place, causing peculiar misfires, particularly in damp conditions.
I think Steph has fitted competition leads on there. I hope so, you'll need them, particularly with the wider plug gaps that you can run now.

I have had trouble with 1mm plug bgaps and 2ndgen system beating the original leads and also making short work of a new set of premium grade leads, so I hate to think what that would do to what I had, probably melt them :shock:

[Steph]

I have 8mm Bosch leads. They're the same leads I fitted when I bought the car 6 years ago. I also have 1mm plug gaps, but that's a good point, Pete, I'll be sure to increase the gap next time I change them, as the wider you can get away with the better. Still... with those leads and plug gap I'm having no problems... yet.

I have a new set of MSD Super Conductor 8.5mm leads that I haven't fitted yet, mainly because I think the black leads look better than the red ones would. The Super Conductors also come in black, but mine were about $10 with delivery, so I couldn't help but bid on them. They weren't listed as MSD or Super Conductor, just as performance 'wires', and I'm not sure how I even found the listing, but nobody bid on them except me. I love it when people are lazy with their on line auctions listings!

Bosch make good leads, but I've heard their plugs aren't the best, that's why I've always bought NGK. My leads are still really soft and flexible, whereas poor quality leads are supposed to go hard after about 12 months of use.

[amifsud]

Yeah I've had it happen where bosch plugs would foul up with black sooty deposits and then changed to NGK and no problems at all. Ever since I've always bought NGK plugs. Champion plugs are also just as good.

[Bill]

NGK or ND (Denso) plugs are preferred plugs, American Honda told us that there were the plugs to use... unofficially and that's what they put in the parts boxes!
I would personally recommend against the Champion plugs, I've just seen too many towed in where the correction was replacing the plugs with NGK. There is really no 'good' reason that Bosch or Champion plugs don't work, it's just read from experience. Honda 'unofficially' told us to recommend that the owners use Chevron gas, Toyota also kept to that philosophy around the same time. They said it was real simple just make sure you buy your gas from a Blue station, at that point there were only 2-3 that were Blue. No 'good' reason for this and yet it always worked... We even added Techron to the major services when it became available, following Chevrons label instructions.
On My driver I found that 1.1mm (.050") was the optimum gap, but that was on plugs that were made in the 80's... but it might be a good place to start.
I have heard good things locally of running E3 plugs with MSD but I don't have any experience with them ...yet.