1990 2WD wagon with 377,000 kms on the clock

Hi guys !

I've owned my wagon for 2 years now and it has 377,000 kms on the clock (that's about 235,625 miles). It's 16 years old and the interior and exterior are in decent shape.

I've changed the axle shafts, the front and rear brakes, the tires and gave it a homemade paint job which my mechanic thinks looks awesome for a brush job with rust paint.

Anyhow, here's the rub... my wagon leaks oil, probably from the rear main seal (that's the one between the engine and the tranny).

My mechanic tells me it will cost me about a 1K CDN for labor just to figure out what's wrong. He's not even going to speculate on what might be needed parts-wise once he get's inside.

His advice to me is this - keep adding oil.

When the engine craps out, or I have the dough, drop in a reconditioned engine.

Advice anyone??

Comments



  • you should get a swap in there and forget dealing with the oil and paying some fool to figure out where your leak is coming from. sounds like he won't lay a finger on it anyways without some of your $crilla in his hands.

    you live in Canada, are there super strict smog laws up there?
    If I lived around a place with lax smog laws, I'd go twin turbo-supercharger-blower-nos in a new york minute.

    in the US we're fucked thanks to the smog laws*. we have to keep everything on the downlow because most of the things we do isn't exactly street legal.


    *unless your car is pre-1976, like those old school american muscle cars. i'm thinking about getting a 7.0 liter 68' chevy..run some dual exhaust and flowmaster straight pipe.

  • mrwagovan wrote:



    *unless your car is pre-1976, like those old school american muscle cars. i'm thinking about getting a 7.0 liter 68' chevy..run some dual exhaust and flowmaster straight pipe.


    Is there even room for all that under the hood of a wagon??

    Thx for the advice.

    I think I'm going to see what my options are, save up some dinero during winter and see what I can do come spring.

    I'm also going to be renovating a house during the winter so nothing can happen until spring anyway...
  • sic944tsic944t Wagonist
    hahha
    ok well if its a leak you should be able to find it easy just talk with honda guys around you dont seem to know what is up totally so im sure any friendly guru can point you in the right direction your mechanic seems way high on price ...
  • HaydzHaydz Moderator
    Keep topping up the oil and save for a swap.
  • davensdavens familEE
    There are a ton of inexpensive engine swap options. The best bet is an imported, used JDM engine.
    A vtec D15b does 128hp and can be ordered from hmotorsonline for $450. Or a sohc zc, which makes 118hp and runs $390.
    Figure on spending another $150-200 on maintenance items.

    And anybody wanting more than $600 to remove/install an engine(these two engines are bolt-in, btw) is getting greedy. Unless you're 2wd and there's a little bit of additional labor for the mpfi swap. But if you ask me, the mpfi swap is a helluva lot easier when the engine is out of the car.
    You could rent an engine hoist and do it yourself.
  • Guess what a local shop wants for a rebuild???

    "To remove, rebuild and reinstall the engine in your 1990 Honda
    Civic Wagon, which I assume is the 1.6L 16 valve OHC, would be $3786.00. (That's CDN $$ BTW)

    This engine rebuild estimate is for the internal parts of the engine only, on condition that the components are not damaged and are normally rebuildable.

    (AND NOW FOR THE SECOND KICK IN THE JEWELS)

    The estimate does not include any externally attached parts such
    as manifolds, radiators, belts, hoses, water pumps, motor mounts, spark
    plugs, switches, valves, sensors fuel injection, electrical components,
    fluids, etc. Evacuation and recharge of A/C system (if necessary) is extra.
    Conditional warranty on engine is 2 years or 20,000 kms, whichever occurs first."

    HIGHWAY ROBBERY !!!!

    I think I've done the math... at $2 a litre for oil... I'm going to keep adding oil !!
  • davensdavens familEE
    A good chunk of that expense is in the parts/labor for the actual rebuild...not the removal/installation.
    So now that you understand how expensive it is to rebuild an engine, you can appreciate the price of a used jdm engine.

    The trick to pulling this off on a budget is finding either unprofessional (but qualified) help or a mechanic who will do the work on the side. There are plenty of Canadian CRX owners that would be willing to help you out for little more than beer.
  • HaydzHaydz Moderator
    Box of beers works a treat. Maybe a fiddy bag if thats their thing. LOL
  • akiraboyakiraboy HondaCivicWagon.com Founder
    Pacifier wrote:
    Box of beers works a treat. Maybe a fiddy bag if thats their thing. LOL
    :roll:
    you so crazee :wink:
  • quartersquarters Council Member
    davens wrote:
    A good chunk of that expense is in the parts/labor for the actual rebuild...not the removal/installation.
    So now that you understand how expensive it is to rebuild an engine, you can appreciate the price of a used jdm engine.

    The trick to pulling this off on a budget is finding either unprofessional (but qualified) help or a mechanic who will do the work on the side. There are plenty of Canadian CRX owners that would be willing to help you out for little more than beer.

    HEY! lalunette you are the only other wagon member from Winnipeg. If you need parts/motors/rebuilds/installs ... anything... let me know my brother and I have done more engine swaps in 88-91 Civics/Crx's/Wagons than i can count. He's a mechanic at winnipeg honda as well. Beeeeeeeeeer. mmmmmmm. fitty bag... even better.

    oh, my wagon has 404,000+kms and rolling.
  • There is your hookup...
  • quarters wrote:

    HEY! lalunette you are the only other wagon member from Winnipeg. If you need parts/motors/rebuilds/installs ... anything... let me know my brother and I have done more engine swaps in 88-91 Civics/Crx's/Wagons than i can count. He's a mechanic at winnipeg honda as well. Beeeeeeeeeer. mmmmmmm. fitty bag... even better.

    oh, my wagon has 404,000+kms and rolling.

    Wow, what an offer!!

    Okay, well need to hook up for an engine exam, as well as discussing the timeline, costs, etc...

    This autumn and winter I'm renovating a house in downtown Winnipeg so nothing can happen until spring... which should give me enough time to put some $$ aside.

    P.S. What exactly is a fitty/fiddy bag?

    P.P.S. I was on AutoTrader today and there's an 88 wagon selling for $1,900 CDN. Anyone interested?

    Here's the link.

    http://www.canadatrader.com/result/deta ... no=1&srt=1

    That's curious... earlier today there was picture posted... it looked to be gold and in decent shape.
  • quartersquarters Council Member
    a fiddy/fitty bag would be a $50 bag of refer... i have a cousin who smokes. heh.

    yes, we should have a winnipeg wagon meet. i'd like to see yours anyway, is it brown? there is a nice brown one i saw the other day.

    i'm moving to BC in November, permanentaly this time.

    however, we should still meet, i could atleast introduce you to my brother. he has a few evenings a week where he can work on peoples cars at honda. and he would have access to my wagon parts cars.
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