A few questions on a 90 Accord.

[JavelinSST390]

I just got this car for free from a friend. I'm planning on putting a set of Neuspeed drop springs on it, a few "modest" body mods, and I would like to do an H22 swap someday, as this thing is just GUTLESS!

I'm a musclecar/old-skool hotrod guy. I have a '69 AMC javelin, 390, 400hp, 12.9@107 on street tires. I also have a '62 Chevy truck that has been chopped 4", Channeled, has suicide doors and reverse-opening hood, with a built Chevy 283, with flame-thrower exhaust.
This is the first Honda I've owned, but Im an ASE mechanic and havebeen for 7 years, so I've worked on quite a few of them over the years.

My questions are:
#1: It has a nasty misfire right above idle, under light-load conditions. If I step on it, it clears out and goes like stink. I'm thinking that Either the IAC is dirty, or I've heard that Honda's have problems with wearing out the bushings/bearings in the distributor. Is there any good way to test this without taking it off the car?

#2 The tach bounces all over the place. This just started recently. Also the tranny doesn't always want to shift. I have heard that these two things may be related.

#3 It's got the auto tranny. I hate auto trannies. What would it take to swap to a five-speed (there's a wrecked one in a local yard, with the complete 5-speed setup. i was told I could get the whole car for $400.)

And for sure, what power levels can i get out of the stock motor? This thing is just WAY too slow...

Thanks, guys.

[JavelinSST390]

And one more question. It needs an exhaust. i want to do a cat-back system, but I am pretty low on funds (my wife and I just had a baby. MAN, these things are expensive!) But I want something with a nice tone to it, not like the cars that run around here, where they sound like a continuous wet fart.

Thanks,
Chris

[mahBLACKaccord]

well if you wanna do an h22 swap bro. leave that car in tha junk and look for an h22 w/tranny. i say you should do that first and then go wit the catback...i'm not sure but tha h22 people here will let you know if tha catbacks bolt on the same to either engine or if they differ...becuz if they are not why spend twice as much on a cat back, and not to mention the trannies, especially after having a baby (congratulations by the way).

sounds like there is quite a few stuff wrong with the motor and tranny anyway...i say skip the springs and "modest" mods and get tha h22. it would be best in your condition becuz...if you were to work on that f22 motor, you would have to boost to get high power, or serious build that thing up, and you cant do that with a dying motor becuz you would have to fix it *money* :thumbdown

[mahBLACKaccord]

take pictures of it yes? so we can see what a free accord looks like. =D

[Quicksilvercord]

since your a mechanic you know more then we do about the engines. But I agree with Adrain skip the body mods and the 5 speed swap ans go right for the H22. H22 should run you at about 2000 dollers or so,you can install it yourself...for your cat back exhaust you can get one to fit your car for right now and keep it when you do the H22 swap, but you will need to custom fit some pipeing from your H22 header to the exhaust that will be on your car.


I still think you should do the H22 first that way you will have a very nice sleeper.

As for a cheap cat back, you might want to look into a Custom made one as your cheapist best sounding route. It will prob run you at about 300 dollers or so for a full catback. Magnaflow muffler, with 2.5 inch pipeing from the cat back would be what you would get, or something similar.


BTW congrats on the kid, give us pics of the car, and welcome to the site.