First buy of year, Spaceshit Civic.

[High Jetter]

  On 07/05/2023 at 22:41, Dobloseven said:

Well, got it started.Had phoned RAC, we haven't got home start.Woman said we could  add it there and then, but Mrs D would have to do it as it's in her name.She was too busy to ring up, so carried on playing with it. It would srart randomly and run for a few seconds. Embarrassing really,eventually found there wasn't enough fuel or it had air in the system. Fuel gauge was reading and light not on after I had put a canful in. But priming bulb kept going soft.Apparently there isn't a separate fuel pump, but lift pump is built into high pressure pump which seems a bit odd, but sort of makes sense with it sucking rather than pushing the juice. Put another canful in, bit more priming, jump leads off a slave battery, lots of easy start and eventually coughed into life. Seems fine now. Lad stuck it on his insurance and used it to drive us into town to play pool. Well impressed with it. Quite lively, but with 2.2 litres in a small car, suppose it should be. It's funny little thing, sort of a vision of a future that never happened. 

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So, ran out of fuel?

[RoverFolkUs]

I was going to say it didn't have a lift pump but I thought these actually did and it's the earlier CDTI Hondas that didn't? 

A lot of diesels don't have in tank pumps, and rely on the injection pump to pull it through, an air tight system to keep fuel to the pump and a priming bulb for when the system gets opened up. 

Anyway, you've solved it now! 

[Noel Tidybeard]

i looked in the haynes book of lies- the low pressure pump is in one unit with high pressure pump

[Noel Tidybeard]

  On 07/05/2023 at 22:41, Dobloseven said:

 Well impressed with it. Quite lively, but with 2.2 litres in a small car, suppose it should be. It's funny little thing, sort of a vision of a future that never happened. 

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yes there was a lot of friendly* banter on civinfo with the diseasel guys winding the type-r boys up about the 2.2 wasting the 2.0!

[Dobloseven]

  On 07/05/2023 at 23:55, High Jetter said:

So, ran out of fuel?

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Well, yes, or what fuel there was wasn't in the right place due to parking on a slope. Guessing the fuel tank is very shallow under the car somewhere.Suppose if I'd stopped and put some fuel in on the way back, there wouldn't have been a problem. It was very low, but didn't want to risk it not starting again. 

[Split_Pin]

You are right about the fuel tank, as its under the front seats so very shallow. This is so you get a low, flat floor under the rear seat squab which as you may know lifts up and folds against the backrest. You can actually walk (kind of) through from one side to the other.

Glad it was a simple solution, these are great cars and you're right about the vision of the future that never happened. Enjoy the torque of the diesel.

[Billy - Medhurst]

This is the 1st car I have sold and the other half has said "Will he sell it you back when he's finished with it". Blimey! 

[Dobloseven]

Started instantly this morning, battery was well down last night when we finally got it running. So all must be good on the alternator front. Been running round in it all day, and it really is lively. Apart from the alternator repair, the fuel issue and cleaning, all I've done is to plastic weld a damaged boot trim and fit new fasteners to the plastic slam panel cover. Tested the towbar electrics and they even work. A gratuitous "what were the designers thinking?" photo. 

[SiC]

Owners manual does warn that if you run it empty then you'll need to use the priming bulb to get it going again. Even tells you how to do it. Also why it has a priming bulb fitted. 

[Joey spud]

When I was on the RAC i was always surprised just how many non starts were due to low fuel.

Volvo V70's were a sod for refusing to start if low on fuel and parked on a slope.

[Dobloseven]

  On 08/05/2023 at 18:34, SiC said:

Owners manual does warn that if you run it empty then you'll need to use the priming bulb to get it going again. Even tells you how to do it. Also why it has a priming bulb fitted. 

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I ppppppumped the ppppprimer till I was blue in the face! Needed that second canful to reach the pickup. Was starting to run erratically when I parked it up, which I put down to low battery. All experience.

 

  On 08/05/2023 at 10:10, Billy - Medhurst said:

This is the 1st car I have sold and the other half has said "Will he sell it you back when he's finished with it". Blimey! 

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I'll have a word with the lad. He's in on it with me. Partners in shite, if you will. 

[Billy - Medhurst]

  On 08/05/2023 at 19:12, Dobloseven said:

I ppppppumped the ppppprimer till I was blue in the face! Needed that second canful to reach the pickup. Was starting to run erratically when I parked it up, which I put down to low battery. All experience.

 

I'll have a word with the lad. He's in on it with me. Partners in shite, if you will. 

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LOL - It's OK but it's rare for the other half to say as such as she only likes Fiestas or Fiat 500's. Will definitely have another Civic in the future but possibly a Type R or S  model or Executive with leather. 

[SiC]

  On 08/05/2023 at 19:12, Dobloseven said:

ppppppumped the ppppprimer till I was blue in the face! Needed that second canful to reach the pickup. Was starting to run erratically when I parked it up, which I put down to low battery. All experience.

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Did you crack open the bleed valve on the fuel filter lid too? That needs to be letting out fuel before it's ready. But yeah if there is no fuel at the pickup it's not going to work!

Tbh providing you don't get low enough to cause this, having no pickup pump is one less thing to fail. Not uncommon (especially VAG) for those electric pickup pumps to fail. 

[RoverFolkUs]

  On 08/05/2023 at 19:45, SiC said:

Not uncommon (especially VAG)

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I think "especially VAG" can be used in just about any context of any fault to be honest 🤣

[Noel Tidybeard]

  On 08/05/2023 at 19:21, Billy - Medhurst said:

LOL - It's OK but it's rare for the other half to say as such as she only likes Fiestas or Fiat 500's. Will definitely have another Civic in the future but possibly a Type R or S  model or Executive with leather. 

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ex with alcantara is nice

[Noel Tidybeard]

they say real alcantara doesn't fade in sunlight- my seats were still black as can be at 14 years old

[Dobloseven]

Think ours is an SE, which I'm guessing is one up from Base. It's got alloys, leccy windows (4)and mirrors, climate, cd and that's about it. There is a basic one that parks round the corner. No exhaust through bumper, steel wheels with a trim missing, odd coloured door.... 

[Noel Tidybeard]

no exhausts in bumper is 1.4

S, SE, ES, EX 5 dr were the main models

type-s & type-r 3 dr

the TI, SI, sport, executive, EX GT type-R GT specs were also around at various times

[Dobloseven]

Had a run out in it last night and it really seems a good motor. Everything seems to work as it should, climate control included. The dashboard is quite impressive in the dark.Quite lively too, and seems good on fuel. There's not much further I can go with it really. We're going to change the oil at the weekend and son and myself will decide what to do with it. He might run it for himself and put his BMW on a classic insurance  policy. 

[Dobloseven]

Got the oil changed this weekend. using the Lidl oil pump. Son has taken it back to Derby with him. Going to run it for a bit alongside his 325Ci.Planning to borrow the Combi Camp trailer tent and take it for a weekend in the Lakes, as it's got a towbar. Been a nice little project for us, really. Needed very little doing to it, once we'd sorted the alternator and lack of fuel.Shows there's decent cheap stuff out there if you think outside the box a bit. Quite a strange car in some ways. A five door identifying as a three door. Roomy on the inside, but not easy to get in and out of. A friend couldn't find the door handle and banged her head getting in the back.My elderly cousin struggled to get in the front as well. Seems the steeply sloping windscreen is the issue. Certainly goes well, but again, a small car with a big engine. Decent boot though, and clever how it can be made bigger by losing the spare wheel. Drove his BMW back for him. Difficult to say which I prefer. Probably the BM. Be interesting to see how the Civic pans out, though. Certainly doesn't show any signs of dying,despite the 177k mileage. Wonder if he'll let his sister use it when she comes back for the summer? Probably be better with something automatic, as they don't do gears in Dubai. He doesn't fancy letting her loose in the BMW either and don't think she'd take to the Renault 25.

[Dobloseven]

Well, the lad has taken it on a road trip  with the trailer tent on the back. He's even gone and bought a proper numberplate for it. 

[Dobloseven]

It's come home for a few weeks. Son has gone to America for work, and left it for his sister who's back from Dubai for the holidays, to use. He's had to change the rear discs and pads and a sunvisor clip had broken. Apart from that, it's been great, and he's done a couple of thousand miles in it. 

[Dobloseven]

Daughter's finally sorted the insurance and been using it. Says she quite likes driving it, preferring it to the 66reg Peugeot 208 she owned from new till last year when she went to Dubai. She drives a rented Ford Eco Sport out there, auto obviously. Son is in America at the moment working on the project to fit. the USAF B52s with Rolls Royce engines. Should be back for the weekend to take the Combi Camp to Wales for our annual family get together. 

[Dobloseven]

Poor thing passed MOT today after being off the road since failing back in March.He wants to use it to take the trailer tent to Wales for our annual family get together and probably move it on after that as he says he doesn't want to be running two cars and prefers to keep his BMW.Personally , I'd say having two old cars isn't such a bad idea so long as one is working.Gives you a bit of breathing space to sort something out if things go wrong on one.Will probably offer it up on here when the time comes.Not a bad old car really and would clean up nicely with a bit of love.

 

[Billy - Medhurst]

Glad to see its back on the road again - Did see on net it had failed and feared it was toast.

[Dobloseven]

  On 29/07/2024 at 20:29, Billy - Medhurst said:

Glad to see its back on the road again - Did see on net it had failed and feared it was toast.

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He's been working in America a lot and just not had the time unfortunately and had been getting a bit despondent.Plus having another car removes the urgency a bit.I went over and spent a day on it with him on Saturday which spurred him on a bit.

[Dobloseven]

Back in use! The MOT pass wasn't the end of the matter.The tester had mentioned the brake "lagging" on one rear wheel,both foot and hand.Also corrosion one rear disc, despite both discs and pads being changed last year.So he changed the lot again.Calipers were changed this year and seemed fine.All seems good now.Also,we polished the headlights,as also advised.Anyway, he's used it to tow the trailer tent to Wales for our annual family camp and all seems good.Even the climate control works.Started cleaning it up last week.Will probably offer it up on here if nobody in the family wants it.

[Billy - Medhurst]

  On 04/08/2024 at 15:56, Dobloseven said:

Back in use! The MOT pass wasn't the end of the matter.The tester had mentioned the brake "lagging" on one rear wheel,both foot and hand.Also corrosion one rear disc, despite both discs and pads being changed last year.So he changed the lot again.Calipers were changed this year and seemed fine.All seems good now.Also,we polished the headlights,as also advised.Anyway, he's used it to tow the trailer tent to Wales for our annual family camp and all seems good.Even the climate control works.Started cleaning it up last week.Will probably offer it up on here if nobody in the family wants it.

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Still looking good - I did buy another one. Same model but newer and lower mileage. I do advise that anyone who has not tried one of these out to do so. Surprisingly good cars.

[Dobloseven]

Yes,well and truly back in use.In Anglesey at the moment,back to Leicester with the trailer tent tonight.Then who knows? Says he wants to sell it and just keep the BMW.I think he'd do better to keep both,but what do I know?