HenRoc: 1992 Accord EX Wagon

[HenRoc]

Well almost 3 years after my last update, I got the swap completed in the Summer of 2021, got it tuned in early 2022 and this year finally got the set of wheels I've always wanted: Desmond Regamaster Evos. I'll have to post up images later since I'm having issues trying to upload from my PC directly to the forums.

[i-07]

You going to post the updated suspension pics?

[HenRoc]

Eh I wouldn't say toys. The wagon will always stay with me. But the Tribeca I wanted to keep around since kids are on the way and being that I've been laid off for 5 months, I don't want to sink myself further in debt with a car payment so I opted to just fix it.

Aside from that, I am also about to embark on a 6 week course to get my CDL here in Massachusetts, they offer state funded programs for train to work jobs, so if I can land a decent job afterwards I'll save up and buy a minivan next fall and get rid of this car when I can.

It was only worth $150 at the local yard.

[Straight Success]

Damn, man. You stay busy with your toys. Good to see you don't half @ss anything. I'm taking notes.

[HenRoc]

Welp. More work was done the last few days. Before I installed my Denso compressor. I took out my old unit. Turns out that the EXs and SEs came equipped with the Hadsys unit and it wasn't entirely plug and play.

Fact is, I knew about this but I overlooked one minor part: The hoses are different as well as the attachment points and I was missing the plate that I needed. So I took a trip to a local yard where I knew of two LXs that they had in stock.

I ended up just buying a seized unit for $20 and used the one part I needed. But in my defence , all 3 but one bolt came off and it was humid as hell and also I didn't have all my heavy duty tools to free up the frozen ones that is until I got home and used my air compressor on the one bolt.

All 3 lined up together..the new unit with the old junked one and my original Hadsys compressor with the original discharge and suction lines:



After some de-greaser and a little wire brush action I cleaned up the plate from the spare compressor. This thing was caked in oil and dirt.



In the midst of it I also forgot that I needed the proper bracket for the compressor...so I went back and picked up the correct one and cleaned it up.

Pic for comparison:



And here's a picture of the completed install. I admit with the suction hose it's a just a bit longer on the LXs because off the differences in rest of suction pipe going to the evaporator core. With the ABS pump it has that weird step down design vs the LXs which don't but it fits. My ABS is still fully functional so I don't want to mess with it unless it actually fails. And I already have the lines and 40/40 valve readily available in case it does fail.



And yesterday I was finally able to bring it to a shop to get the system properly evacuated and filled but about 3 hours later (I left it at the shop) I went back and was told that there was a blockage in the system causing the high side to spike up and as a fail safe the system would shut itself off.



Overnight-ed a brand new Denso receiver drier so it should be here today and I'm just going to use my compressor to blow out the lines and hopefully that will solve my issue.

Luckily for me the shop won't charge me for a second re-fill but they were cool enough to draw out all the refrigerant for me as well.



And another part I finally scored last week was a full OE rack from one of the old forum members in down in TN. I found this complete piece by chance via car-part.com called the junkyard where the car was located and they only charged $25 for it.

With the help of another member from Alabama (StretchJDM) he put me in contact with another old member and we exchanged info via FB and he had one of his friends pick up the entire rack for me. Shipped it to me for a good price but I slid him extra for really helping me out.

I need to cut my roof trim to size but I'm happy with how it looks on the car.

Also I know the engine bay is filthy but at some point I'll clean it up. I just need a pressure washer to be able to clean the grease and grime on it. After 3 years with almost all the little issues sorted it out, it's starting to feel like a good daily again.

Speaking of daily driver..I two days ago I started ripping into the Tribeca. It's been sitting for nearly two months after the old motor just tired itself out. It still ran but the engine was definitely showing it's age. Misfiring due to worn timing chain guides.

So since I decided I'm going to keep it for awhile, I elected to pick up a JDM long block from an engine importer down in Queens, which will happen next week. I don't want a car payment and if I can get away with fixing it and re-selling it down the road, it should not be an issue.



It's my first time working a Subaru on such a massive scale that I think I'd learn more about the car as I go along. The great thing is I don't have to pull the transmission with it.

The engine is just bolted to the bell housing and obviously the torque converter as well. I'll try and re-sell the old block to someone who can use it for a re-build to re-coop a little bit of money.

[HenRoc]

Henry, for some reason, the PM window is not allowing me to type, so I'll write you back here.

For the H23 Blue Top, I'm not sure that a P13 is going to run it well. While the head of the H23 is identical to the H22 head of the same year, the block is not. The 95mm stroke of the H23A is much larger than the H22 90.7mm stroke. H22 rods are 1.5mm longer than the H23A rods, and the compression ratio is different, since the piston dome heights are different for every H22 piston vs. the H23A piston (dome height 0.00). H23A compression ratio is 10.83:1, the H22A4 is 9.89:1, the H22A is 10.47:1, and the H22 Type S is 10.85:1. Since the P13 runs the H22A1, I would not use it. I would recommend a P06 or P28 if you don't want IAB's with Hondata S300 and tuned.

What is nice is that the external timing components and water pumps are transferable between the H22xx and H23A. Definitely do ALL seals, don't be dumb like me and have a balance shaft seal leaking and oil coming out of the timing hole due to a rear main seal leaking.

Thanks for the reply man! And yeah I've done H22 swaps in the past. Just not famiilar with the bluetop although it's similar to an H22 in someways. I read a break down in differences between the PDE and P13 blue tops. It seems doable too and I already have a virgin p28 I could always put Hondata on.

I saw your YT vid on how you got yours remotely tuned..that was very interesting to me.

If I do decide to get one, I'll be sure to hit you up for more tips on it.

On the H, don't forget to pick up a balance shaft seal retainer if the engine didn't come with one! I'm sure it's something that could be DIY'd pretty easily with some scrap metal, a drill, and a 10mm bolt that any Honda owner has laying around; but the OEM part number is 06923-P0A-306. Sounds like it's common for that seal to pop out on pre-recall engines.

Yeah for sure. If I do decided to get one I'm going through it like a fine tooth comb before dropping it in the engine bay.

The original motor just hit 235k a few days ago and it does have some pep but Id like something with motor torque and hp.

Just got my new Denso a/c compressor along with the discharge line in the mail yesterday.



Other pipe comes tomorrow. Hopefully this new unit will make this car ice cold. I can't stand the humidity out here in New England...the other day it was so bad that even being outside for 5 mins you could just feel the humidity in the air.

[af_1132]

Oh, yeah! I definitely did that when I got mine, but I think my other one is now leaking. I wonder why they didn't just create a retainer for both balance shaft seals?

[CyborgGT]

Definitely do ALL seals, don't be dumb like me and have a balance shaft seal leaking and oil coming out of the timing hole due to a rear main seal leaking.

On the H, don't forget to pick up a balance shaft seal retainer if the engine didn't come with one! I'm sure it's something that could be DIY'd pretty easily with some scrap metal, a drill, and a 10mm bolt that any Honda owner has laying around; but the OEM part number is 06923-P0A-306. Sounds like it's common for that seal to pop out on pre-recall engines.

[af_1132]

Henry, for some reason, the PM window is not allowing me to type, so I'll write you back here.

For the H23 Blue Top, I'm not sure that a P13 is going to run it well. While the head of the H23 is identical to the H22 head of the same year, the block is not. The 95mm stroke of the H23A is much larger than the H22 90.7mm stroke. H22 rods are 1.5mm longer than the H23A rods, and the compression ratio is different, since the piston dome heights are different for every H22 piston vs. the H23A piston (dome height 0.00). H23A compression ratio is 10.83:1, the H22A4 is 9.89:1, the H22A is 10.47:1, and the H22 Type S is 10.85:1. Since the P13 runs the H22A1, I would not use it. I would recommend a P06 or P28 if you don't want IAB's with Hondata S300 and tuned.

What is nice is that the external timing components and water pumps are transferable between the H22xx and H23A. Definitely do ALL seals, don't be dumb like me and have a balance shaft seal leaking and oil coming out of the timing hole due to a rear main seal leaking.

[PakaloloHonda]

Got the axle ...

[HenRoc]

I think the compressors can last a long time. To the best of my knowledge, Ruby's is still the original at 386,000.

Yeah looking back on it, the clutch kit isn't too hard to service. I could tell that it was on it's way out because every time the compressor kicked on you could feel it as well as hear it. It'll be nice to have a newer unit though.

[Fleetw00d]

I think the compressors can last a long time. To the best of my knowledge, Ruby's is still the original at 386,000.

[HenRoc]

Niice ... I've always wondered about the amount of work in replacing the head-liner.
And I don't have the sunroof ...
Not that I want to replace mine, but I'd like to do a double LED over-head light upgrade ...
+ the speakers in the head- liner, etc ...

It only made sense to do the mod since the headliner was out. Speakers in the roof were upgraded by the previous owner (MtnBikaah). I might redo it if I can find another grey headliner but we'll see if another one pops up. Another guy from the forums just sent me the OEM roof rack that I've been searching for and those should be here in a few days.

Found them on a wagon in TN through car-part.com

Yesterday the a/c completely crapped out, I suspect one of the old suction or discharge hoses sprung a leak because when I jumped the pressure switch terminal to power the a/c compressor, it took the freon but I could hear it rushing out because of the leak.

Ordered a brand new Denso unit and hoses from rockauto.

Good excuse to replace the 235k mile compressor.

[PakaloloHonda]

Also I finally installed the grey headliner I had sitting since winter but I wired the map lights in wrong so they only come on when the doors open up..at some point I'll redo that and the visor lights but I'm not about to tear down the headliner..again. It was such a pain to do it in the first place and with the humidity, it just makes working on the interior just much more tough.

Niice ... I've always wondered about the amount of work in replacing the head-liner.
And I dont have the sunroof ...
Not that I want to replace mine, but I'd like to do a double LED over-head light upgrade ...
+ the speakers in the head- liner, etc ...

[HenRoc]

Is that a universal shroud and fans, or OEM Honda?

Its not an OEM piece but it fits the aluminum radiators for the Accord and Prelude.