Just out of interest, is it much different to do a conversion with a fully auto? I have a (3 speed?) accord tranny here that came with my EL, ive been wondering if i should do anything with it...

By Christoph (209.89.90.251) on Wednesday, September 01, 2004 - 09:20 pm:

dipstick removal/reading is a pain in the @$*&% but it can be done without doing anything to the battery tray. Have fun!

By Randy (199.243.98.218) on Monday, August 30, 2004 - 12:44 pm:

Thanks Christoph
I will get some stuff togeater for this week end get these things out of the way.

BTW did you take out your battery tray to access the transmission dip stick?

By Christoph (216.123.208.8) on Monday, August 30, 2004 - 12:11 pm:

Randy
1) The speedo cable from the first gen, will it fit the second gen transmission?
2) How do you wire in the shifter from a second gen (3speed OD)
3) Last one, the gas in the tank has been in there about three years, do think it would hurt to half fill the tank and dilute it, or take the tank off and empty the few cups of gas that are left.


1) speedo cable fits
2) can't remember the details (I used a multi meter and spliced it all up on the spot)
3) I'd fill it and run it. your choice really..

By Randy (66.185.85.79) on Sunday, August 29, 2004 - 03:15 pm:

Wrong post too
Try again
Last time I posted I moved my car to storage after running out of energy and too much back pain.
Well I cannot belive I did not even turn the key after I did the tranny and motor swap, But I guess I did not want to be frustrated when it did not start.
I was doing some cat sitting for my inlays this weekend and decided to take some tools on the trip and tinker with the car if I had time.
I got the biggest shock after I poured gas down the throat of the webber and hit the key, shit it finally started after all these years. One of the fuel lines was spurting gas, (the new fuel pump works). And the tranny is good too Colin, I just drove down the street and back. Another problem I have is the dip stick for the transmission is right under the battery tray, Dont know how I am going to top up the transmission fluid now, should have done it before I put it in.
I had not planned on doing any serious work, but now I have some questions if some one can help me out.
The speedo cable from the first gen, will it fit the second gen transmission?
How do you wire in the shifter from a second gen (3speed OD)
Last one, the gas in the tank has been in there about three years, do think it would hurt to half fill the tank and dilute it, or take the tank off and empty the few cups of gas that are left.

Here some pics, one is the motor mont I made to bolt onto the head since the one on the block is broken right off.

Second gen shifter and cover installed

Weber 28DCD installed

By Norm (161.184.204.175) on Sunday, June 27, 2004 - 09:46 pm:

I did not notch the rear frame rail, it looked like it wouldn't be a problem. Hopefully it won't be!

By Randy (24.112.121.191) on Sunday, June 27, 2004 - 07:54 pm:

Did you notch the rear frame rail Norm? I figure if the motor mounts are good it should not be a problem with the space in the back.
Let me know how you make out. Thanks

I put mine away for the summer and might not get back to it until the fall. That Plate really makes it a lot easier.

By Norm (161.184.182.210) on Sunday, June 27, 2004 - 07:46 pm:

Thanks Randy!
I'm glad you took all those pictures, they help out a lot!
I'm also glad that I have a 2nd gen floor plate, I will try that. It didn't quite seem right with the original.

By Randy (24.112.121.191) on Sunday, June 27, 2004 - 07:40 pm:

Norm

I used the floor plate from the second gen and had to slightly modified it to bolt in where the 1 gen was. When I hooked up the (2nd gen) cable inside the car it fit perfect.

By Norm (161.184.182.210) on Sunday, June 27, 2004 - 05:16 pm:

I am reading this with great interest because I am doing a hondamatic to 3speed as well. I've run into the same problems with the flex plate cover, the transmission being too long, and the extra wire on the shifter. Right now it's almost done and I'm hooking up the shifter cable. The cable is the one that came with the transmission (2ng gen). When I compare this cable to the original (2sp hondamatic), the portion of it which connects to the shifter inside the car seems shorter than the original. Will I have to modify it or will it work?

By Shea Laking (Sheaman71) (66.185.85.79) on Thursday, June 24, 2004 - 05:51 pm:

Are the US full automatics fairly expensive? I did a quick web search last night, prices (for wrecking yard units) ranged from about $45US up to around $200US.

Dunno if those would come with all the extra bits you'd need for the swap, either.

Shea

By jms (68.107.182.165) on Monday, June 21, 2004 - 10:14 am:

That sucks you should source the US full auto, there are a ton around.

By CVCC x 2 (64.229.13.135) on Monday, June 21, 2004 - 03:16 am:

Civics in Canada didn't get a fully automatic transmission until 1988, up until then they were all Hondamatics.

By Jonathan (68.193.10.141) on Sunday, June 20, 2004 - 07:57 pm:

I think the US got fully automatic 3-speeds after 1980. Canada had the manually shifted three speed.

By Randy (24.112.121.191) on Sunday, June 20, 2004 - 07:53 pm:

Jms, it is a manual shift like the Hondamatic so I have been told by Shea, I hope If I get the time to have it running by the fall. But I am not going to get my hopes up.

By jms (68.107.182.165) on Sunday, June 20, 2004 - 05:06 pm:

So is the 3 spd a nice driver? Is it manual shift like the hondamatic or fully auto?

By Randy (24.112.121.191) on Sunday, June 20, 2004 - 11:25 am:

Thanks Christhoph

Thanks for the info on the wiring; J I will check it out if I have time while I am on holidays in July. The car is not running yet, as I ran out of steam. I had put the car away for a while as I have been neglecting things around the house for the last couple of years. Hopefully when I go to see my in laws I can sneak out to the garage to tinker to get it ready for the grand key turning.

Here is the link to moving day Click here

By Christoph (205.206.106.88) on Saturday, June 19, 2004 - 11:24 pm:

Hey Randy,
Sorry for the late reply. If memory serves me correctly the extra wire is an “in gear” indicator for the extra gear you have now acquired. Yup, this tranny is a tight squeeze and I found myself trimming a bit off the front and rear crossmember just to make it easier to get it in and out. Have you got yours on the road yet?

By Randy (24.112.121.191) on Sunday, May 23, 2004 - 03:23 pm:

Christhoph

Do you know what the extra wire is for on the connector for the second gen shifter?
Here is a picture of how close it is to the side, it is also this close at the rear crossmember.

By Shea Laking (Sheaman71) (66.185.85.79) on Monday, May 10, 2004 - 10:23 pm:

Thank you kindly for your response, Christoph! I appreciate the extra information.

Regards,
Shea

By Christoph (209.167.52.158) on Monday, May 10, 2004 - 12:45 pm:

Shea,
Even when I was running my tired out EB3 it did not feel as if the engine was being "lugged" or over worked. My engine speed at 110 KPH dropped from 4600 RPM to 3900 RPM after the swap. The two 2nd gears of the transmissions are very close in ratio so you have the option of running in 2nd gear if need be. I wouldn't say the car is a "joy" to drive on the highway now but it sure has improved.

By Shea Laking (Sheaman71) (66.185.85.79) on Sunday, May 09, 2004 - 11:35 pm:

Christoph,

Do you find that the engine feels overworked running the 3-speed hondamatic? I'm kind of curious now.

Regards,
Shea

By Randy (199.243.98.218) on Friday, May 07, 2004 - 08:36 am:

I noticed that the cable is buried behind the torq converter, not a easy to get at as the first gens and I used the origional cable that came with the transmission to.

By Chridtoph (205.206.106.88) on Friday, May 07, 2004 - 06:26 am:

I used the second gen shifter, console and cable. In hindsite I think you can use the first gen cable but make sure you install the cable on the tranny before the tranny gets bolted in!

By Randy (199.243.98.218) on Friday, May 07, 2004 - 04:58 am:

I have to weld some in a bit of metal to close that opening in the rail this weekend, I might get to the linkage by Sunday. Did you have any problems in that area? I have the origional shifer and a 2 piece console for it. I prefer the 1st gen console but the shifter looks too tall for it.

By Christoph (205.206.106.88) on Thursday, May 06, 2004 - 08:09 pm:

Looks good Randy, no prob with the help. Have you got to your shift linkage yet? You will find that highway trips are a whack more relaxing with the three speed.

By Randy (24.112.121.191) on Thursday, May 06, 2004 - 06:31 pm:

Well I cut the frame rail and it fits pretty good, there is very little space at the back though, I am sure it will be fine as long as I have good motor mounts.

Thanks for your help Cristoph

By Randy (199.243.98.218) on Thursday, May 06, 2004 - 05:05 am:

Thanks Cristoph

I'll pull it back out tonight and nibble away at the rail. One more question, how thick is the metal through there? Can I use a nibbler?

By Shea Laking (Sheaman71) (66.185.85.79) on Wednesday, May 05, 2004 - 11:18 pm:

Wow!

Just goes to show that sometimes "bolt in" conversions aren't exactly "just bolt-in."

Now I'm glad I've decided to run a manual tranny in mine.

Thanks for posting the pics, Randy. Thanks also Cristoph for sharing your information and experience.

Regards,
Shea

By Christoph (205.206.106.88) on Wednesday, May 05, 2004 - 08:14 pm:

I cut a 1/2 moon chunk out of the frame rail then welded in a patch to follow the contour of the hole. Make sure you have a at least 3/4 " clearance around the perimeter of the end of the transmission. Even with good engine mounts I was surprised how much the engine/tranny moves around. No problems with the extra weight. The weight difference is surprising though isn't it!

By Randy (24.112.121.191) on Wednesday, May 05, 2004 - 06:31 pm:

Christhoph
How much of the frame did you have to cut away to fit the transmission and with the extra weight will it cause any problems.

Thanks

By Shea Laking (Sheaman71) (66.185.85.79) on Tuesday, May 04, 2004 - 11:06 pm:

Randy,

That tranny you have is a semi-automatic. It did in fact come out of Colin's '82 wagon-only 22,000 original km on it!

Christoph-U.S. market actually got fully automatic Gen II Civics? Wow! Must be nice!

Regards,
Shea

By Randy (24.112.121.191) on Tuesday, May 04, 2004 - 08:45 pm:

I belive it is fully automatic, says overdrive on the selector. I think is cam out of one of Colins cars, maybe the wagon.
I bent the tabs on the torq converter plate to clear the motor mount and it didn't take much to clear it though.
This sucker weights alot. Any ideas how much? And will the extra weight in the front cause any problems?
I am putting it in tomorrow without the plate as I can put it on after since I don't have one. I tried to use the old one but it is too small.

Thanks Christhoph

By christoph (209.167.52.158) on Tuesday, May 04, 2004 - 04:44 pm:

+/- on the flexplate are timing marks, no spacer required. you will have to "clearance" the flexplate inspection cover to bolt up the lower engine mount. You will also have to clearance the pass side framehorn. Are you using a Canadian or American tranny? IE: semi automatic or fully automatic. Your old starter will work.

By Randy (24.112.121.191) on Monday, May 03, 2004 - 06:13 pm:

I am doing a three speed automatic swap from the old hondamatic 2 speed and this tranny is from a second gen.
I see a problem with the lower motor mount. Do I need to use spacers to clear the tabs on the torq converter plate. Oh and what is the + - 10 on the edge mean?
Will my eb2 starter fit the 3 speed tanny.

Thanks