I love me some wagons! 90 rt4wd - Supercharged
jasnall
Wagonist
Just picked up this beautiful wagon a few days ago, I'm really pumped to finally own a Civic wagon rt4wd. Here's some quick pics of everything. It really is in outstanding shape, the last two owners were older gentlemen and really kept good care of it. It's stock besides the DC strut brace, 15 inch wheels, and the powder coated valve cover. I kinda wish it still had the stock white rims, maybe I'll track some down someday.
It also came with a DC header but as I found out today the bottom piece doesn't fit because of the xfer case and stuff. After searching the web I see this is a common issue. I guess I need to visit and exhaust shop and have a piece made, doesn't seem like it would be too complicated. Any suggestion on the matter?
It also came with a DC header but as I found out today the bottom piece doesn't fit because of the xfer case and stuff. After searching the web I see this is a common issue. I guess I need to visit and exhaust shop and have a piece made, doesn't seem like it would be too complicated. Any suggestion on the matter?
Comments
to answer your header dilemma. no stock header will fit on the RT due to the transfer case. you just have to extend the tubes down a bit until it will clear the transfercase. any exhaust shop should be able to do it for you no problem. I havn't gotten around to doing mine simply because i've been too busy!
I guess I just need to do what this guy did http://www.d-series.org/forums/naturally-aspirated/112425-my-rt4wd-civic-wagon-build-mild-3.html
Does that stand for somthing...I'm a noob! :?
Im sure youll come across the stock rims.
Like this? 60 bucks
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1988-2000-Honda ... 61&vxp=mtr
Also picked up a set of stock RT wheels and wrapped them in some Michellins that were on sale. I'll get some picktures up when I get the car back.
I was concerned about my gas mileage, 24ish mpg moslty freeway, and got a recomendation to change the fuel filter and O2 sensor. After the change I got 29 mpg!
I think I'm going to delete the cat and replace the rest of the exhaust with 2" and some muffler. Trying to find something that doesn't sound all buzzy or fart can like. After that, with the AEM SRI, the car should have much better air flow. I should notice some top end gains right?
Wonderful car - contact me if you ever want to sell it!
BTW, the rear drive of your car is un-hookable, for a bit more mileage on the highway. All that stuff in the rear still spins, but not having to drive "all that stuff" saved me a bit of mpg. How to do it is in the big manual, contact me if you can't find it.
- Rob
annnndd my cupholders, they were there when I bought it. I think it's one of those fold up styles held down with velcro.
header work looks good. if your doing the rest of the exhaust, do it in 2.25. to keep it from being buzzy, I put the biggest inline resonator that would fit, and used a 4x9 maganflow or same style straight through muffler in the stock location that was about 24" wide. also used some magnaflow tips that were the closest to stock that I could find. its louder than stock, but not annoying and it doesnt drone on freeway.
if it were me, id get some oem wires to replace those yellows ones. and when its time to replace cap & rotor, use oem only. honda electronics in dist are finiky. the extra price the oem parts are will save you the hassle of blown coils and ignitors down the road.
your car looks to be in awesome shape, good luck with build!
Your exhaust sounds like it's exactly what I'm trying to do. Did you keep the cat? if so was it just any cat or did you use a "high flow" or somthing? Can you post here or pm some more specific info on your exhaust like part numbers for what you used? What effect would running no resonater have?
The wires and dist came on the car, I figured they were yellow and huge so they must be good
ive been using the same exhaust setup on all my cars since around 2002. I get a lot of compliments, especially at the local races. the most common being "I like your exhaust, it doesnt sound like all the other fartcan hondas around here", which is exactly what I like to hear. its loud from 5500 to 9500 rpms, but nice and tame under 5500. with the parts listed below, I can do a "stock configuration" exhaust. So if a cop is trying to hassle me for some bs, I can win in court if they decide to ticket me for an illegal exhaust. exhuast laws are often misinterpeted by officers. i have a copy of the law from beggining to end so they cant pull that bullshit on me anymore. our local laws eventually state (most officers only read the first few parts of the law, which states all aftermarket exhausts are illegal) that a exhaust can be altered, but must retain the stock configuration. Meaning it has to have the same amount of sound retention devices that came on the car stock. no mention of pipe diameter
I use these tips: http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/shop ... n&id=10333
i use these mufflers: http://www.magnaflow.com/02product/shop ... in&id=9947
i always use a resonator though. sometimes I install them backwards if I want a little more umph, but for a dd, I always put them in correctly. usually a cherry bomb style resonator, but a no name brand so its cheap.
as for wires, youd be suprised how well old oem honda wires work. I used to put aftermarket wires on every car, then i started testing resistance in them and the stocker oems usually had less resistance then wires much bigger and a LOT mroe even across teh board from one wire to another. resistance is what kills the electronics in honda dists. keep that down to a minimun with new cap and rotor and stocker ngk plugs and youll rarely have issues with dist internals. unfortunatly, all that stuff wont keep your main realy from failing, lol.
mapped on the road with TurboEdit, Moates emulator and LC-1 wideband lambda
Show us what you have of the kit, I'll help if I can.
I'll snap some pics tonight of what I have but I can tell you know it's just the SC and throttle body with what seems like all of the barbs and fittings attached to it. I'm sure I'll need to make some vacuum lines and custom coolant hoses.
I guess my main question is should I continue with the motor still in the car or will that be a losing battle?
Working on transferring the easy pieces over and trying to make heads or tails of where all the hoses go.