Install VDO Gauges and
VTEC Indicator Lamp
Install VDO Gauges and
VTEC Indicator Lamp
Install Denji Projector
Headlamps With a review of JamnAcura's Eurolights.
Wires for Installation of an Alarm
System
Install an Alpine CD Changer
Adjust CHMSL (So it doesn't
strike rear glass)
Install Daytime Running Lamps
Install Headlight Warning
Beeper
Install Headlight Warning
Beeper (Using existing beeper). Contributed by A. R. Teitlebaum.
Install an Ignition Kill
Switch
Install a Flashing Dashboard
LED. Contributed by Dan Kelly.
Install a Brake Light
Flasher
Install a Shock Tower
Bar
Install a Valentine One Radar
Detector power supply
Install a Passenger's Side Power
Door Lock Switch
Install a Rear Fog Lamp
Install Driver's and Passenger's Side Courtesy
Lamps
Install an Aftermarket Cruise
Control. Contributed by Bob Neidoff.
Install a Self-made Intake
System. Contributed by Roni.
Install Driver's Door Switch
Override
Please feel free to E-mail
us...
Click to enlarge: 
First, the source of VDO gauges is any NAPA auto parts store. Consult your phone book to find one in your location (they are a nation-wide chain).
I used Cockpit Series gauges, simply because I liked the design. It is easy to read and a wide array of gauges are available in the 2-1/16" size that I used.
First, pick out and order the gauges that you would like. I picked out gauges that did not duplicate gauges that already existed on the car (i.e. I did'nt order a water temperature gauge). Note that I chose a Voltmeter, an Oil Pressure gauge, and an Oil Temperature gauge. Both the oil pressure and oil temperature gauges required a separate sending unit. Be sure to get the right kind. Here's the gauge and sender parts list, with an approximate price:
310 012 Cockpit Series 300deg.F Oil Temperature Gauge $24.99 350 040 Cockpit Series 80psi Oil Pressure Gauge $24.99 332 041 Cockpit Series Voltmeter $30.54 323 055 Oil Temperature Sender, 300deg.F, M14x1.5 $9.99 360 082 Pressure Sender (w/5.7 psi warning), 1/8x28BSP $79.75
You will then need to order the audio console from either your local Honda dealer or one of the discount OEM parts suppliers mentioned in the FAQ. I used Manchester Honda, and found their service to be very good and significantly below the local dealer. Along with the audio console, you will need a plate of some sort to install the gauges in. Visit an audio install shop, where they should be able to sell you a piece of ABS plastic that they use to do custom installs. You won't need much (maybe 3" by 8").
If you want to place additional indicator lights in the gauge cluster as I did, I found Radio Shack's 500mA LED lamps to be a very nice fit. You may also want to pick up a spring-loaded wire connector (used mostly to connect speaker wires to stereos) as shown in the pictures.
Click to see a wide shot of the new console.
Click to see a close-up shot of the new console.
First, you will need to install the sending units. The oil pressure sending unit replaces the stock oil pressure light sending unit (located just above the oil filter-remove the filter to get to it), and has a terminal to reconnect the warning light lead to so that it remains functional, as well as a terminal to connect the lead to the gauge. Be sure to use some sealant on the threads-for some reason, my sending unit wouldn't screw all the way in, and this sealant keeps it from leaking. A note: because of the sending unit's larger diameter, a Fram oil filter (with a slightly smaller outside diameter) must be used after the new pressure sender is installed. The oil temperature gauge replaces the stock oil drain plug, and has a terminal for a wire that runs back to the gauge. The wiring is up to you--I ran the wires along a harness that runs along the bottom of the intake manifold (just above the alternator), then up and over to the driver's side wiring harness that runs along the shock tower. The wiring is taped to the exising wiring harness. Run these wires back to the firewall, where you will find a plastic plug to the outboard side of the clutch master cylinder that can be drilled through to get the wires into the passenger compartment.
Now for the wiring inside the passenger compartment. The wires the gauges need are as follows (with the source):
Switched power
(Oil Temp, Press)
(ignition switch at "ON") : See below--Options terminal 1 on fuse block
Switched power
(Voltmeter)
(ignition switch at "ACC"): See below--Options terminal 3 on fuse block
Negative ground : Screw at bottom of dashboard center bracket
Illumination : Two wires, both from back of defogger switch
Wire colors on back of defogger are RED and RED/BLK
VTEC Indicator lamp : From ORN/WHT wire coming off of ECU--be careful not to shock the ECU!
Alarm warning light : From alarm unit (if applicable)
OPTIONS TERMINAL LOCATIONS ON UNDER-DASH FUSE BLOCK:
+-------+-----------------------------------------+
| +---+ | +-------------------------+ +------+|
| |- -| | | Big wiring harness | | ||
+--| |- -| | | connector | | | | ||--+
| | +---+ | +-------------------------+ | || |
|()| _____ +---------------------------------| -- ||()|
| |(- - -) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) | || |
+--| ----- 5 4 1 2 3 +------+|--+
|-------------------------------------------------+
| |
| { Here There Are Fuses } |
| |
With the above connections, the Oil Temperature and Pressure gauges will function when the ignition key is turned to the "ON" position, and the Voltmeter will operature when the ignition key is turned to either the "ACC" or the "ON" position (to monitor the battery while playing the radio, etc. while the car is off). I chose to purchase a 12-pin connector from Radio Shack so that the entire center console can be removed without removing the wires from the back of each individual gauge. I also chose to branch off the voltmeter's power supply (and the ground wire) to power the auxillary power supply pictured on the right-hand side of the audio console. This for the numerous times where I need to have a source of power in the car and a good ground...now I simply have to plug a pair of wires into these outlets.
A tip: the gauges are illuminated with an ordinary incandescent bulb, and thus have a yellowish appearance when compared with the blue-white illumination elsewhere. A little experimentation with a blue permanent magic marker on the glass bulb surface cured this--the gauges' illumination now perfectly matches the others! A note of caution, though...don't coat the entire bulb surface with the blue marker, or the illumination will become too dim. Simply paint portions (maybe 60-70%) of the bulb, then turn on the parking lights and compare it to the main dash gauge cluster. You can then wipe some off if it is too dark, or add more if it is too "yellow".
Now that the electrical connections are made, lets work on the case the gauges fit into. You will start with the stock Honda Audio Console. Install the supporting hardware, but before installing any of the plastic pieces, you'll need to make some modifications. First, you will need to remove the top edge off the plastic frame that holds the ashtray/coin box and pocket, in order that the gauge panel will fit. This edge is hidden beneath the top edge of the plastic outer casing, so removing it doesn't mar anything. Then, you will need to fashion a gauge panel from the ABS plastic. This is simply a trial and error fit. You will need to use several thicknesses on both edges (use 2-part epoxy to glue it together) in order to bring the gauge panel to the same thickness as the side of the storage pocket. In the middle, I drilled three 2" holes with a large drill bit, then sanded it out slowly until the gauges fit. In my case, I left a little extra distance between the second and third gauges to place the indicator lamps.
Then the storage pocket (see the picture to see what I'm talking about) needs to have plastic trimmed off both it's top and bottom edges in order that the gauge panel will fit. How much? That's up to you. Just make sure that both the pocket and the gauge panel fit in the modified plastic holder. Once everything fits, I simply epoxyied both the gauge panel and the storage pocket into the plastic holder. I then brushed a little black model paint into the cracks to cover up the areas where the grey epoxy was visible. Install all but the outer shell (the plastic holder and the lighter). If you wish to add the auxillary power outlet, the shell will have to modified to accept this holder. The outer shell is actually composed of two pieces. Remove the front and rear sections, and cut a slot in the rear section in order that the power outlet can be epoxied into place.
I've received several questions about how exactly the green VTEC lamp is wired, so here goes... As stated above, it connects to the ORN/WHT white coming out of the bottom of the ECU. The ECU is located behind the passenger's kick panel. Peel back the passenger's side footwell caperting to expose the unit. The ORG/WHT wire is located (as I recall) towards the front of the car. Ground everything that will touch the ORG/WHT wire or the ECU by running a wire from the tool to a good ground. Then, strip the wire and solder (ground the soldering iron and solder) your wire to the ORG/WHT one and tape securely. I ran my wire under the passenger's footwell and into the center console. One note, though, be sure to use a low-current LED, or there is a possibility that the amount of current going to the VTEC solenoid will be reduced enough to inactivate the VTEC system! I used a 500mA unit and it has worked just fine.
All in all, this project turned out even a little better than I expected. I especially enjoy knowing exactly when the VTEC kicks in. The green light is visible in the corner of your eye, and is not distracting or disconcerting at all.
The headlamps were advertised in Performance Techniques' advertisement in Sport Compact Car, and I went ahead and ordered them.
Installation was fairly straightforward, although there was absolutely no installation documentation to be had along with the lights. The box I received from Performance Techniques contained the following:
Let's get right into the installation and I'll comment as we go along. The headlight units completely replace the stock units, so I consulted the service manual on how to install/remove the headlights. This is more involved than you might think. First, the front bumper must be removed. This was not as bad as it first seemed to be, and required that nine screws be removed: five on top (just ahead of the radiator), two beneath the car, and one in each wheel well (you must peel back the black lining to get to these). Once this is done, find a friend to get one side while you get on the other and pull the bumper straight forward. Watch out for a 1" x 18" steel reinforcing piece that sits right under the five top screws--don't let this fall and scratch the paint. Also, I was sure to coat the surrounding pavement with towels so that if the bumper rolled over (it didn't), it would not be scratched. In any case, just set the bumper down on the spoiler, and move on to the turn signals. The turn signal lights are removed by removing a small philips head screw located just inside the body of the car behind the headlights. The screw is angled down and actually connects the body of the turn signal to the body of the headlight. Once both left and right turn signals are unscrewed, each slides directly forward, out of a slot that does most of the work of holding it in. Be sure to unplug the connector before ripping the turn signal completely off the car.
You will now need to remove a small (8" long) L-bracket that is located just in front of each headlight. Two 10mm bolts hold each one on. While I could get the old headlights out without removing these, the new ones wouldn't fit over these L-brackets to get into the headlamp "slot". Now you are ready to unbolt the headlamp unit itself and remove it. In addition to the two obvious 10mm bolts that attach the headlamp units on top, there is one behind where the turn signal was. These bolts point directly in to the middle of the car. Another 10mm nut is located just inboard of both headlamps, and is loosened through a round access hole in the top of the (near the radiator) body--this bolt is black. Once loosened, though, you will need needle-nosed pliers to extract the nut from the top of the post it screws onto.
Now, unplug each headlamp from its three-pronged connector and the headlamp should pull straight forward and out (with a little effort). I made sure to transfer the metal inserts from the two top bolt holes in the old headlight units to the new units, but other than that, the new headlamps go straight in and bolt up just as the old ones came out. I found the new headlamps to be very close in tolerance (as in no tolerance) to the body of the car on the outside edges... I leaned on each outside edge of the headlamps as I tightened up the bolts behind each turn signal, and the result was a flush fit with the turn signal. Now, just tighten up the remaining bolts (the key ones were the inboard and outboard screws, the two on the top don't seem to do anything), being sure to flush up each headlamp with the bumper on the inboard edge. Then the rest goes back on in reverse order of removal.
OK, we now head on to the electrical side of things. I did not use the supplied relay, as it seemed to repeat what was being done already. It looked to use one of the three-pronged headlight connectors as a trigger, so I don't really know what the point of it was. I was also reluctant to use it because the connectors that accept the three pronged headlight connectors were each uninsulated at the back edge, where the wire connected to each prong. By using the factory wiring as much as possible, I reduced this risk. Note that if you are simply looking to make your existing headlights brighter, a pair of relays (one for low beam, one for high beam) might do the job. The relays would supply power direct from the battery to the headlights, by-passing the combination switch altogether. Anyways, start by removing the T-shaped resonator that is located between the airbox and the right headlight--it pulls straight up and out. While the three-pronged connector plug directly into the back of the factory headlights, the Denji units have wires coming out of the back, with the aforementioned connector. These plug directly into the factory connector, and I wrapped this whole connection thoroughly with electrical tape to re-assure myself about the connectors shorting out in the future. I tucked the connectors into whatever little space I could find where it would not move. Be especially careful with the left headlight's connector, as the P/S belt is not far away... That does it for the electrical part of things (sort of--keep reading...). Now, on to aiming the new lights.
Each headlight has four adjustment screws: up/down low beam, left/right low beam, up/down high beam, and left/right low beam. In general, the left/right screws are located below the up/down adjustment screws, and of course, the two high beam screws are inside of the two low beam screws. Each adjustment screw looks like a big yellow chromate cog, and you put a philips-head screwdriver inbetween the gray plastic case and the toothed cog to turn the screw--there is a small slot near each cog to accept the screwdriver. I used a wall to aim mine, but you may feel more comfortable (or the law may demand) taking it to a shop and having each light aimed with the correct tool for the job. In any case, as I was adjusting the left low-beam to the outside, it went out. I figured out that it was the fuse (located in the under-dash fuse box), and proceeded to go through about ten fuses before I realized that the projector unit must have been pinching a wire or grounding against the case at the adjustment I was at. I turned the cog a few turns the other way and the problem cleared up. I also had trouble with turning the adjustment cogs too far and having the screw actually fall out of its hole inside the light (so that you could just pull the adjustment screw out of its hole)-- this happened with both high beams, and you must remove a round access hole and pull the high-beam assembly back towards the screw while screwing the cog back in.
To summarize, these low-beams are like the old high beams, but are more focused. I actually had to check if I had my high-beams on several times while people were passing me on the interstate. In fact, the only difference between the high and low beams with the lights is that the low beams are tightly focused, while the high beams give a wider range of light--the distance you can see with each is the same, but you can see only the road with the low beams, and the road plus the surrounding area with the high beams. I also like the blue/purple light that is emitted from the right headlamp if you look at it from just the right angle--a very beautiful, intense, solid blue/purple color...
I don't like the lower build quality of these lamps. The short while adjusting them, the popping out of the adjustment cog at the end of its travel, the flexible plastic the housing is made of (especially noticeable in the two straps that hold the top of the headlight in place), and the sub-par fit and finish of the edge of the reflectors on the projector beam. Honda wouldn't put these on it's cars from the factory.
All in all, though, if you aren't a perfectionist like I am, you will probably overlook these details, and, the fact is, that the lights do work 100% better than the stock units--that's hard to argue with.
The glass has also now separated from the plastic case to the degree that the inside of the glass fogged up because moisture got inside during a rainstorm. I have fixed this problem by simply filling in the crack with a clear, flexible gasket/adhesive material, but still, these lights are hardly OEM-quality (as they are advertised). Still, though, they look great and work great.
Review of EuroLights
When your headlights burn out, the Eurolights from JamnAcura are a distinctive alternative and are worth a look. These bulbs (available in all popular styles--including those to fit all Civic models) have a special blue coating on them so that they give off a bluish light. Mind you, this isn't quite xenon-arc type intense blue light, but it is distinctive enough to set you apart from the pack. I know that people have commented on mine. One caution, though. For your headlights (but not your foglamps), I'd recommend using the 85W "EuroLights-Plus" high output bulbs. The blue color tends to reduce the contrast you see, and the 55W standard wattage just doesn't seem to be enough. These bulbs may melt the plastics used in foglamps, though, so watch out!
To order the bulbs, see http://member.aol.com/eurolights/home.html.
For '92-'95 Civics:
WIRE Color/Trace Location
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
STARTER BLACK/WHITE STEERING COLUMN
IGNITION BLACK/YELLOW STEERING COLUMN
HEATER/AC YELLOW STEERING COLUMN
INTERIOR LIGHT (US MODELS) GREEN/RED ABOVE FUSE PANEL
INTERIOR LIGHT (CANADIAN) WHITE/BLUE PILLAR/INTERIOR LIGHT
TRUNK/HATCH TRIGGER (US MODELS) GREEN/BLACK DRIVERS KICK PANEL
TRUNK/HATCH TRIGGER (CAN) GREEN (W/ 2 DOTS) DRIVERS KICK PANEL
PARKING LIGHT FLASH RED/BLACK STEERING COLUMN
POWER DOOR LOCK GREEN/WHITE DRIVERS KICK PANEL
- (Grounded when activated)
POWER DOOR UNLOCK GREEN/RED DRIVERS KICK PANEL
- (Grounded when activated)
HEADLIGHTS RED/WHITE BEHIND FUSE PANEL
BRAKE LIGHT GREEN/WHITE BRAKE SWITCH
REVERSE LIGHT GREEN/BLACK DRIVERS KICK PANEL
Our deepest thanks to Tom Borowski for investigating this and sharing his results with us. Tom notes that a good place to mount the control unit of the alarm is behind the glove box (the place for the stock Honda alarm).
For '96-'99 Civics:
WIRE COLOR/TRACE LOCATION
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Starter Black/White Steering Column
Ignition Black/Yellow Steering Column
Interior Light/US Lt. Green/Red (-) Left Fuse Panel*
Parking Light Flash Red/Green (+) Steering Column
Power Door Lock Green/White Driver's Kick Panel*
- (Grounded when activated)
Power Door Unlock Green/Orange Driver's Kick Panel*
- (Grounded when activated)
Headlights Red/White (+) Behind Fuse Panel
Brake Lights White/Green (+) Brake Switch
Reverse Lights Green/Black (+) Driver's Kick Panel
Trunk Protection Wire Blue/White Driver's Kick Panel**
* Greg Umbay notes that on Keyless entry vehicles, these wire can be found coming out of the green connector at the back of the radio. ** Thanks to Mr. Umbay for this wire location!
Our deepest thanks go out to Bill O'Hair and Dino Gutierrez for the information on the Sixth generation models. They also suggest that an alternate location for the control unit would be the metal bracket behind the mirror control switch or left of the steering column.
Click to enlarge: 
Installation of an Alpine CD Changer in your Civic couldn't be easier. Actually, it could, but that's not the point... Just be certain that your stock head unit has a CD/AM button (along with an FM1/FM2 button). The fact that you have such a button indicates that your head unit comes from the factory CD Changer ready.
Also, I would recommend either posting to the Honda Listserv or checking with someone who has already done this to find out if your specific model is Alpine CD Changer ready. Those I know of are: Honda Civic EX (those with a CD/AM button), and the Acura Integra GS-R.
To begin, you need to buy the changer and mounting brackets. Compatible units include the Alpine 5952z, 5960, CHA-S604, CHA-S601, and CHA-S603. It is important that the changer is a recent-model Alpine, because Alpine manufactures many of Honda's head units. As for the mounting brackets, for the Coupe and Sedan, the Changer mounts beneath the rear shelf-- this means that the changer must be mounted in such a way that it clears the torsion rods that help open the trunk as it is lifted. In order to get this clearance, you will need to purchase the Honda mounting kit. If you buy a 5952z, the fit is a perfect one using the mounting kit (the Honda CD Changer uses exactly the same cabinet), but even if you buy one of the smaller, newer, Alpine models (the ones with a blue-gray plastic body), you should be able to use the plastic brackets supplied with the Changer with the metal mounting kit brackets (it is a force fit, and you must drill out the holes). Where exactly does the Changer mounting bracket locate underneath the shelf? Well, I can't describe it, but if you ask for the Honda CD Changer installation instructions when you buy the mounting kit, you will see where it goes. This picture shows the approximate location of the unit... The mounting instructions also show the correct wire routing.
The following is contributed by Mark Diglio:
Velcro is the time saver. A couple of one inch sticky backed velcro hook strips on the base of the CD Changer and the unit locked in place on the carpet. The corner closest to the center of the trunk dipped a bit at first because of the depression for the cardboard floor that covers the spare tire. I used velcro again (hook and pile strips this time) to attach the right floor mounting base plastic plate provided (normally only used if going through the floor carpet for floor mountings) to the corner of the changer. It is perfectly level now. ...and on the extremely rare event I need that space for something else, its simple enough to remove.
The beauty of the Alpine-built changer is that it uses only one wire--this makes installation (relatively) easy. The installation instructions give the pictorial, but the basic route of the wire is straight down from the radio, to the right (passenger's) side of the center console (where the shifter is located), back over the center "hump" in front of the rear seats, under the rear seat (which is removed via a hidden 10mm bolt just left (driver's side) of center, and between the backrest and seat cushion) (follow this link for a picture of the back seat and the bolt's location), then over to the right side of the car, and behind the trim in the front-right hand corner of trunk. This is where the excess wire is secured, and from here you can simply use the padded tape supplied to tape the wire to the underside of the shelf.
Also note that an adapter is required to flip two of the wires in the cable. This adapter connects to the output wire of the CD Changer, between it and the long extension cable, and may be ordered by contacting:
Jeff Patterson
Sounds of SW FL
(941)939-7878
Alternatively, click here for a diagram of how to make one yourself. The raw materials are a simple 8-pin DIN cord, a male connector and a female connector.
To plug in the wire at the rear of the head unit, first remove the lower center part of the dashboard (the ashtray and coin box are in this piece). This is held in by four screws, two on either side of the console, near the carpeting, and two near the rear of the piece, just under the face of the radio (these screws point straight up). Then give it a tug, and when it has come loose, reach in and disconnect the sole electrical connector, which is located just behind the ashtray. This console now will come all the way out, and if you look up into the dash, you will now be able to see the underside of the radio. Loosen the bolts that hold the radio to its bracket, and the radio should then slide out toward the read of the car. Removing the radio is the only sure-fire way that I could find to attach the DIN plug to the rear of the radio--it's just too tight of a fit to try to plug the cable in otherwise.
One more thing-- Probably the most time consuming part of the job was trying to get the seat belt buckles back through the holes in the seat cushion. To prevent this, I've learned to buckle all the seat belts before removing the rear seat cushion... this way all you need to do to get the buckles back through is to give the seat belts a tug...
Well, I felt that if the CHMSL (short for Center High Mounted Stop Lamp) were moved away from the glass just a little bit that I would hear less cacophonous noise from the rear shelf area when the music was turned up. To my surprise, the modification has helped quite a bit, proving that much of the noise coming from the rear shelf (assuming that you don't call my music "noise") was due to the shelf vibrating and causing the CHMSL to strike the rear glass.
All that is required for this job is to take a wrench and to loosen up the two yellow chromate nuts that hold the CHMSL in place. These two nuts are even with each other (the same distance from the front of the car), and are located under the rear shelf, directly under the CHMSL (surprise, surprise!).
In any case, once they are loose, slide each bolt toward the front of the car about 1/8" to 1/4". Make sure that the two bolts are still even (so that the CHMSL's "thin" edge appears to be even with the bottom edge of the rear glass), and then carefully tighten up the two nuts, taking care not to move the assembly as you do. That's all there is to it.
The stock Honda Daytime Running Lamps package (DRL for short) comes in two sections: the control box, which is mounted above the cruise control unit on the driver's kick panel, and the resistor, which is mounted on the left shock tower, under the hood. The resistor reduces the power send to the bulb in order to lengthen bulb life and ease the "impact" of your DRLs on the eyes of fellow motorists. Unfortunately, I could not locate either the Honda control unit or the resistor in the U.S., and I was forced to pursue different options. Pep Boys sells a DRL unit, and so does GM. I chose the GM unit (am I going insane?), because it included a decent warranty and an additional wire that kills the DRLs when the parking brake is set (thus, the DRLs are not on when warming up the car, etc.). The GM part number is: GM 12370131, and it is officially a "Goodwrench Daytime Running Lamp (DRL) Module". The module contains both the control unit and resistor in one unit (which probably reduces reliability, but remember, we're talking GM here).
Here are the wires that come out of the GM unit: Black: Ground Red: 12V, unswitched power Pink: 12V, switched on when ignition is in "ON" position Tan: Output (to headlamps) Brown: 12V, switched on when parking or headlamps are on White: Connects to parking brake for disable feature (optional)
Here is where you need to connect the wires: Black: Any good body ground Red: The terminal marked "4" below Pink: The terminal marked "1" below Tan: To the low-beam headlamps wire which is (RED/WHITE)?, and is located in the wire bundle coming down from the steering column Brown: The terminal marked "2" below White: To the wire coming off the parking brake switch-you'll need to run a wire back to the handbrake area, then splice into the wire.
The diagram below is an ASCII representation of the under-dash fuse box of fifth-generation Civics. A slick design element are the five options terminals located just above the fuses. These terminals accept regular blade-type connectors found at any Radio Shack, etc., and make many wiring projects a breeze (including this one).
+-------+-----------------------------------------+
| +---+ | +-------------------------+ +------+|
| |- -| | | Big wiring harness | | ||
+--| |- -| | | connector | | | | ||--+
| | +---+ | +-------------------------+ | || |
|()| _____ +---------------------------------| -- ||()|
| |(- - -) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) | || |
+--| ----- 5 4 1 2 3 +------+|--+
|-------------------------------------------------+
| |
| { Here There Are Fuses } |
| |
I actually hooked my output (TAN) wire to my OEM fog lights. It is important to note that both the Pep Boys and GM DRL units are designed to work with 55 watt low-beam/fog lamps only, and are not designed to work with the more powerful high beam bulbs. Out of curiousity, I hooked the the DRL unit to the high beams, and the DRLs were blinding due to the brighter bulbs.
The unit can either be mounted under the hood or under the dash, and chose the latter due to the fact that all the connections I needed to make were also under the dash. I made the connections first, running each wire from my mounting location to the location where the connector was located, then trimming the wires for length (only the white, disable signal required additional length to get back to the parking brake area). I then tested the unit for proper operation, and mounted the unit up under the dash, just to the right side of the steering column, where I found an open hole. I had to supply my own bolt and nut because they supplied only self-tapping screws.
To get the white wire back to the parking brake, first solder on an additional length (give yourself plenty of extra). Tape your connection, then remove the lower center console (the panel with the ashtray and lighter in it), the shifter console, and the piece around the handbrake. The lower center console comes out with four screws, two on either side, towards the bottom, and two just under the edge of the dash, below the radio. The shifter console comes out with two screws on either side near the front (below the cup holder), and two more screws hidden beneath a small access panel under the parking brake handle, and parallel with the floor. The piece surrounding the handbrake now slides back and off.
Simply route the wire towards the center of the car, then down behind the metal framing that supports the lower center console, and under the carpeting along the "tunnel" down the center of the car. You'll want to keep left of center, as the wire coming off the parking brake switch (it's at the base of the mechanism) comes off to the the left. Splice into this wire and solder your connection.
Well, this one is where I had the raw knowledge but not the technical knowledge to figure out the problem.
Near the top edge of the under-dash fusebox, right above the fuses, there are five "options terminals". Look closely and you will see that they are numbered (non-sequentially). Through playing around with a light bulb connected to each terminal, I found that terminal 2 was hot when the lights were turned on, and that terminal 3 was hot when the ignition was on. Now, I just needed to find a way to get a buzzer hooked up to the two terminals such that it turned on when terminal 2 was hot and terminal 3 wasn't.
Glenn McMillen helped me immensely when he summarized the situation as follows:
It's simple logic. You have:
Terminal + Terminal = Result
2 3 (buzzer)
----------------------------------------
1 1 0
1 0 1
0 1 0
0 0 0
Now let's do 2 + NOT(3)
Terminal && NOT(Terminal = Result
2 3) (buzzer)
----------------------------------------
1 0 0
1 1 1
0 0 0
0 1 0
So if you took the opposite of 3 and did a simple AND, then it
works out
correctly. So look how to do the opposite of 3. It can be done
many
ways, through an inverter, etc. What's the volts and amps coming
out of 3?
There's got to be something to invert it. Post on rec.autos or
someplace
like that. Messing around with a relay can do it. It's just been
so long
since I did it.
Glenn
Well, Glenn summarized what I needed to do very well, but the solution to the problem was not a relay, but rather was more simple and elegant. Craig Everhart suggested that if the buzzer were simply connected between terminals two and three with a diode in series, the problem would be solved.
Parts: (Radio Shack Part # and prices from 12-May-1996)
273-055 2.59 Mini 12v Buzzer
64-3046 1.49 Female Connectors (pictured as [[[ below)
276-1114 1.49 PK3 2.4A 1kv Diode (pictured as o---[ |]---o
below)
278-1627 + 1.99 Heat shrink tubing (Optional)
------
$ 7.56 (Better than the $50 + $25 installation Honda
charges!)
Buzzer Wiring:
+----+
| + |-----------------------S S---[[[
| |
| - |-------o---[ |]---o----S S---[[[
+----+ Diode Connectors
Buzz.
Connections for '93 del Sol Si (Tested, JP 13-May-1996)
+-------+-----------------------------------------+
| +---+ | +-------------------------+ +------+|
| |- -| | | Big wiring harness | | ||
+--| |- -| | | connector | | | | ||--+
| | +---+ | +-------------------------+ | || |
|()| _____ +---------------------------------| -- ||()|
| |(- - -) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) | || |
+--| ----- 5 4 1 2 3 +------+|--+
|-------------------------------------------------+
| |
| { Here There Be Fuses } |
| |
Connect + side of buzzer to Option Terminal #2
Connect - side of buzzer to anode (not stripped) end of diode
Connect Cathode (stripped) end of diode to Option Terminal #3
Headlight buzzer will sound until key is turned from OFF to ACCS.
Connections for '94 Civic DX Coupe (Tested, JP 14-May-1996)
Note: this should work for all Fifth Generation Civics...
+-------+-----------------------------------------+
| +---+ | +-------------------------+ +------+|
| |- -| | | Big wiring harness | | ||
+--| |- -| | | connector | | | | ||--+
| | +---+ | +-------------------------+ | || |
|()| _____ +---------------------------------| -- ||()|
| |(- - -) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) ( - ) | || |
+--| ----- 5 4 1 2 3 +------+|--+
|-------------------------------------------------+
| |
| { Here There Are Fuses } |
| |
Connect + side of buzzer to Option Terminal #2
Connect - side of buzzer to anode (not stripped) end of diode
Connect Cathode (stripped) end of diode to Option Terminal #3
Headlight buzzer will sound until key is turned from OFF to ON.
My thanks to JP Vossen for the above illustrations and testing: vossenjp@netaxs.com http://www.netaxs.com/~vossenjp http://www.netaxs.com/~vossenjp/clubwin.html A headlight buzzer that others have tried is also for sale by J.C. Whitney for $5.99. Ask for part number "73BX4756N".
After leaving the headlights on several times in my "new" '93 Civic EX, I realized how much the car needed a headlight warning beeper. I tried the most common modification, which involves connecting a buzzer and diode between two options terminals of the fusebox, and though my wiring was correct and double-checked, the buzzer I had chosen refused to work. Consequently, I came up with a different modification, using the preexisting beeper within the car's integrated control unit.
Normally, the ICU beeper will activate for several seconds when the car is started with the seatbelt unfastened, or when the ignition key is inserted with the ignition turned off and the driver's door open. I figured the easiest modification would be to trick the ICU into thinking that the key was in whenever the headlights were turned on. To do this, I used a 12VDC reed relay, Radio Shack part 275-233. The relay coil energizes whenever the headlights are on, closing the relay switch and connecting the "key in" line of the ICU to ground.
Connection to the ICU is through the 7-pin ignition switch connector under the dashboard. To access it, you must first remove the driver's side dashboard lower cover (three screws) and knee bolster (two bolts). Two large, black cable bundles from the bottom of the steering column lead to connectors under the dash: a 5-pin connector plugged into the fuse panel, and a 7-pin connector plugged into its own socket.
7-pin ignition switch wiring plug diagram (from wire side):
________---________ KEY and GND are blue/white wires
| ST | KEY | BAT | STart is a black/white wire
+----+-+--+--+-+----+ BATtery is a white wire
| GND| | | | NOTE: diagram shows pins as configured
+----+----+----+----+ in my car; my service manual shows
the GND and ST positions swapped.
Relay wiring diagram (bottom view):
COIL +
(to option
terminal 2)
(
) /
COM ---(--------o o--- N.O.
(to GND) ) (to KEY)
(
COIL -
(to GND)
Mike Timm notes that this modification also works for fourth generation models:
Viewing harness from the rear, GND is on the far right and KEY is in the middle (on the top row of wires). The positive to coil goes into option terminal 2 as does in the later models.
The positive COIL pin (marked with a dot of paint on my relay) is connected to option terminal 2 on the under-dash fuse panel using a spade connector. The COIL - and COM pins are tied together, and wired to the GND pin of the ignition switch connector. The N.O. pin is wired to the KEY pin of the ignition switch connector. I made the connections to the wiring connector by simply jamming the ends of thin, solid copper wire segments into the backs of the pin receptacles. Crude but effective. If the wires between the relay and the wiring connector are short and stiff enough, the relay can simply be left free, supported only by the wires.
With the modification completed, the usual "key in" warning beeper will beep when these conditions are true:
The relay coil draws a scant 11 mA from the battery while energized, a negligible power drain compared to the headlights themselves.
Contributed by:
Aaron Teitlebaum
arteitle@engin.umich.edu
If you're like me, you are always looking for ways to make your car safer from theft. One way I came up with is the ignition kill switch.
I first thought of the idea after finding out on the HONDA-L listserv group that it is possible to render your car unstartable simply by pulling a fuse out of your underhood fusebox (specifically the PGM-FI fuse). Well, pulling a fuse to me is the same as opening a circuit, so I wondered why a switch couldn't be used instead of pulling a fuse. In short, after consulting my service manual's wiring diagrams, I was able to deduce that the wire that runs the fuse is one of the wires that connects to the PGM-FI main relay under the left side of the dash, near the fusebox.
It should be noted at this point that due to the nature of the wiring
involved, and your skill at wiring, I cannot take
The first hurdle to overcome is locating the PGM-FI main relay. It is found near the underdash fusebox, nearer to the outside of the car (described by the service menual as being located "behind hood opener"). Once this has been found, you will need to find the correct wire to insert the switch into. This wire is colored yellow with a white stripe, and the connector that it runs into (connecting with the relay) has seven cavities. Cut the wire (make sure the battery is unplugged first), and then attach a long enough wire to both ends so that you can mount the switch in a hidden location. I will not disclose the location I used, but just make sure that it is both easily accessible and well hidden, and mount the switch there.
A great way to deter theives is to install a flashing LED. Once they see a red flashing LED, the thought of an alarm will deter most theives.
What is needed is the LED to flash when the car is not running. This is to ensure that there is no annoying LED flashing while you drive. The materials are 1 flashing LED, one 150 ohm resistor and one grommet (for the LED mount). Honda's come prewired for almost everything. The clock is prewired even if is not being used. Above the fan controls is the central venting unit with a clock unit. This venting unit can be removed with the help of a screwdriver. On the reverse side you will find a connector for the clock. Remove this connect and there should be 4 wires. The black wire is ground. Look for two wires: A-One that is hot all the time (note that this is also Option terminal #5, the far left terminal), and B-One that is hot when the ignition at "ACC" (note that this is also Option terminal #3, the far right terminal).
Connect the positive end of the LED (with 150 ohm resistor in series) to wire A and negative side to wire B. Check that the LED flashes when the ignition is off and stops flashing when the key is turned (ignition on).
What you have is a professional looking alarm system. To make it more authentic, get some alarm stickers from Radio Shack.
This mod may also apply to the other generations of Civics as long as there is a clock wire that is hot when then ignition is on. The LED could be placed anywhere on the dash or even the center console.
Have you ever been going down the road and have someone tailgating you? This modification will allow you to flash your brake lights at this person without necessitating that you remove your foot from the gas pedal.
This is a relatively simple modification. First, go to Radio Shack and get a momentary switch that is normally open (a push button switch). The one I bought is about 1 cm square and has a red switch with a black fairing. I mounted the switch on the side of the hand brake console, requiring that a hole be drilled. The hand brake console is removed by popping out the rectangular cover just under the hand brake, removing the two philips-head screws, and sliding the console slightly backwards. The switch covers the hole perfectly, though, so all turned out well. The switch was placed about halfway down the side of the console, and just a little behind the seat belt socket with the seat positioned where I feel comfortable. The idea here was to have the switch accessible, but not too easily mistakenly hit. Take notice that the switch I bought needed about 1/2 inch clearance behind it, so don't mount it anywhere where this clearance doesn't exist.
In any case, I ran two wires forward from the switch (after soldering the wires to the two poles of the switch). This required removal of the trim covering the shifter (on the five-speed, remove the shifter knob (it simply unscrews)) by removal of the two screws just left and right of the cup holder. I also removed the lower center console (the one that includes the ashtray) by removal of the two screws under the radio and the two screws on the left and right hand sides. I then fed the wires up through the dashboard into the general area of the base (pivot point) of the brake pedal, then replaced all the trim pieces-be sure to lock in the back edge of the hand brake console by starting about one-quarter inch back and sliding it forward until the holes line up in the front.
The electrical connections were difficult only because of the lack of space to splice into the wires. Find the switch near the base (pivot point) of the brake pedal (if you have a 5-speed, make sure you aren't looking at the clutch pedal). There should be two wires coming off this switch: a green wire with a white stripe and a white wire with a green stripe. You will want to connect one of the wires from the momentary switch to the green/white wire and the other to the white/green wire. I found it easier to trace the wires from the actual switch, over the steering shaft, and solder into the wires where they seem to join up with another, larger wiring harness. There was simply more room to work with at this point. That's all there is to it.
Click to enlarge: 
First, a description: The shock towers on your car are the two things under your hood (actually there are two more in the rear) that rise nearly to the hood on both the left and right of the engine, about halfway between the grille and the firewall. Attached to these (on the underside) are your shock absorbers (seen as two yellow chromium bolts from the top side). Also notice that this is the one area on the car that has no connecting member from left to right, yet the bumps of the road and the stresses of cornering are absorbed by it! We are going to fix this by connecting the two shock towers together with a shock tower bar.
As for installation, the first step is to go under your hood and see if you have pre-drilled holes that will allow you to simply bolt in a shock tower bar. Look just outside of the strut mounting points, on the part that slopes downward from the outside of the car. Follow this link or this link for a front view to look at where mine mounts. If you have pre-drilled holes, there should be two black plugs covering them, about 3-4" apart, one in front of the other. If you have these holes, you're in business and can jump ahead.
If not, then you will need to drill your own (this was the case for me). To do this, remove both front wheels and look on the underside of where the holes should be. You should see an area where the sheetmetal is double-thick, and goes down to single thickness where the holes should be drilled. I think I used a 3/8" bit, but had to start with a smaller bit to drill a pilot hole due to the large amount of material that needs to be removed. In any case, the double layer of sheetmetal around the area that needs to be drilled helps you control the bit. The upper suspension also gets in your way a little, but I just worked around it the best I could. Immediately after drilling each hole (as in within a minute), I masked one side of the hole and sprayed it with gray anti-rust primer (this color matched the primer color I found in my wheel well). I then masked the other side and did the same.
The most challenging part of the job for me (aside from mustering up the will to cut drill 3/8" holes in a three-month old car) was to find a suitable gasket material to separate the bar from the shock tower itself. This gasket will prevent any movement there might be from scraping off the paint and creating rust. I finally found some thin (1/16") rubbery material at a carpeting store that has done the job. The bar itself is the bar that comes standard on the DelSol Si, used to strengthen the car up due to the fact that it has no roof (at times). Ask your dealer for the shock tower brace from the Del Sol Si and he should know what you mean. If he doesn't, ask for part number 74300-SR3-010. It should be around $39.39.
To connect everything together, I used yellow chromate bolts that I had to go all over to find (they match all the other bolts under the hood, and have a yellow sheen to them)... I eventually found them at a hardware store--don't ask the dealer. I think I used about a 1-1/2" long by 3/8" wide bolt, and had to settle on stainless steel washers and locknuts. Here's how I bolted the whole thing together:
BBBBBB Nut (yellow chromate)
++++++++++ Lockwasher (St. Steel)
----------- Washer (Slightly bent)
00000000000000000000000000000 Shock tower bar endbracket
########################## Gasket material
======================== The car's shock tower
------------ Washer (straight)
BBBBBB Bolt head (yellow chromate)
The top washer had to be pre-bent a little on a chord in order to fit within the top area of the shock tower bar end bracket. And, of course the bolt shaft runs through the whole thing. You also might find it helpful to remove the wiring harness on the passenger's side and the windshield washer hose holder on the driver's side before installation (by the way there is a cutout in the hose holder that fits the bar perfectly, so the car in my mind was "meant" to have one of these). That's all there is to it... I think I used about 50-60 lb-ft of torque on all four bolts...I had the car sitting on the ground when I tightened it, as opposed to having the car jacked into the air. Just turn the wheel all the way one way to be able to get a back-up wrench to the bottom nut while you turn the bolt head on top. I think I also torqued the four bolts in several stages.
The Valentine One radar detector requires a special (RJ-11) plug for its power supply (the same connector used to plug your phone into the wall). The detector includes both a cigarette lighter adaptor for this and a wiring kit to hard-wire the detector into your power supply.
The wiring itself is not hard. The detector comes with a direct-wiring system where the power wire splits through the insulation of the wire you choose to connect it to, and the ground comes with a C-clip on the end (the kind you put under a bolt head). I connected the power cord to the cigarette lighter power wire--splice in directly to the wire--do not use the device that splits the insulation--I have had problems with power loss when using this)...so, splice directly into the yellow wire with the red stripe (the red wire with the black stripe is for the ashtray light and is not to be used as it can be dimmed)...so I now have a switched power supply. I then connected the ground to a black bolt that is located right behind the coin box (although this whole lower console must be removed for installation).
The wire that ran from the cigarette lighter wire to the output jack for the detector was then itself spliced, and a wire run back to a simple black on/off switch located next to the handbrake lever (together with the rear fog lamp switch, this fills up my "blanks"). That takes care of the power requirements. Now, where to mount the output jack?
There is a metal (aluminum?) tube that runs right behind, and around the edges of the lower console. I mounted the output jack (the part the phone cord plugs into) on this metal rod, near the floor on the passenger's side. I had to use some high powered glue to connect the two halves of the velcro-like material provided with the radar detector because they didn't want to stick together due to the curved surface of the tubing. I chose this location because the labels on the box just peek out from behind the lower console in this location. Now, for the new and improved portion. Instead of simply running the coiled cord up from the power socket, I decided to clean things up a little. Summary: I now have mounted the radar detector centered just over the rear view mirror. Because the Valentine One uses an RJ-11 cable (same as any standard phone), I used a long (maybe 8 foot) telephone cord and started above the rear view mirror, stuffing the cord just inside the black plastic lip of the headliner, leaving just enough excess to reach the power jack on the detector. I took the cord to the passenger side of the car, threaded it down the passenger's A-pillar, next to the windshield--this is a very tight fit, so use something dull to carefully press the cord back behind the interior trim. From here, I threaded the cord down into the dash by putting the cord between the side of the dash and the side of the car. From here, it was simply threading the wire down next to the firewall, then back up the center of the car (next to the SRS unit), taping up the slack, and plugging the other end into the socket. Just be sure to mount the radar detector so that it does not touch the mirror (to avoid vibrations), and so that it can "see" out the back window. This location seemed OK to me (look forward from behind the car to determine this).
This was probably the most difficult modification that I've done yet. Conceptually, this was not difficult, but the hard part was threading the wires through the rubber grommet that runs between the door and the body.
First, the concept... I have always wondered why the driver's door has a power door lock switch, yet the passenger's door has none. Many times, I have unlocked the passenger's door to load stuff in, only to have to walk around to the other side and use the key again. My idea was to simply pull the driver's door apart, splice into the wires that run into that switch, then run the wires across the car and into the other door.
The power door lock has three wires coming out of it: Black, Green w/ a white stripe, and green with a red stripe. The black wire is ground, and the switch grounds the green/white wire to lock, and the green/red wire to unlock.
As it turns out, the green/white and green/red wires can also be found under the dash, at the connector used normally for the optional keyless entry system. Look for the two-cavity connector taped to a large wiring harness about halfway between the steering column and the fusebox.
You will first need to purchase the power door lock switch from a parts dealer. It comes in two pieces: the switch itself, and the black plastic "LOCK" trim piece. These two pieces sandwich the assembly in, and I recommend that you pull apart the driver's door to see how the hole you need to cut will need to be shaped.
In any case, to remove the inner trim from either door, first remove the grab handle by removing the one phillips-head screw at the bottom of the cavity. Then, remove the door handle trim by holding the handle open and unscrewing the one screw. Remove the one trim screw toward the front of the door, and remove the plastic ring it sits in by pulling on its edges. Then, pull the inner mirror trim piece by pulling it straight out, and then up and out. The service manual then recommends using a tool to remove the plastic fasteners that hold the door edges. I was able to simply pull hard on the edges and get the inner door trim to come off-just be sure not to bend anything too much. Lift the door trim up and off the window sill.
First, cut the hole, but don't mount the switch yet (again, look at the driver's door for hole shape and location). Remove the four bolts holding the speaker and speaker basket to the door. Then, with the windows up, you should have good access to the inside of the door through this cavity. Start by running a three wires up from the speaker cavity, through the slit in the plastic liner (do not remove or damage this liner), and up to the area of the switch. Be sure to use electrical tape to tape all your wires to the outside of the existing wire harness. You do not want these wires to get caught in the window mechanism. One wire (the ground) should get grounded on one of the speaker mounting bolts (once things are re-assembled). Leave the other two wires very long (about five extra feet).
Now, remove the pin holding the door stop onto the frame of the car. You should be able to gently tap this out with a hammer. The door should then swing out slightly wider than usual. Now, pull back the rubber cover at the bottom, where it connects to the door. Underneath, right where it hits the door, there should be a connector. Reach though the speaker cavity with one hand, and pull the connector apart. Pull the door-side of the connector though the speaker cavity. You will need to drill out one of the empty (unused) slots in the connector to run the wire through (it shouldn't need to be expanded too much). In any case, put the wire through both sides of the connector this way, then re-connect the connectors, being sure that the door-side connector re-mounts in the hole in the door.
Now, you will need to pull the rubber cover of the top (body) side as well. I was able to thread a stiff wire through the rubber cover, then pull the actual wire up through the rubber cover. Be patient, as it is a tight fit, and I had to really stretch, pull, and deform the rubber cover to get the two wires through in this manner. Once you get both wires coming out the top side of the rubber cover, you will need remove the glove compartment to get to the wires when they come through the hole in the body. There are two bolts (with a phillips-head screw pattern in them) at the bottom, then a dampener on the side of the glove box to remove (on the right side; remove one philips-head screw). Now, feed a good length of wire through the hole from the outside and grab it. It is also a good time to re-install both end of the rubber cover and the pin holding the door stop.
I routed the wire straight down to the floor, then ran it around the front of the passenger's footwell, under the carpeting. Connect the two wires to the aformentioned green/white and green/red wires.
Now, go back to the door ensure that all three wires (remember, on the door there is a ground wire as well) are well taped to the factory wires. I taped the three wires to the wires running up to the tweeter and power mirror once the wires were threaded through the slit in the plastic cover. Install the speaker and speaker basket, pinching the ground wire to the door with one of the bolts. Solder the ground wire to the middle pin (I had to cut the back off the connector socket to get wires soldered to the pins-I couldn't find the connector that fit into the 3-pinned socket anywhere), then dry test the other two wires to make sure they are not reversed. When the switch is pushed up, the doors should unlock. Solder the remaining two wires once you have established their correct positions.
Now, attach the switch to the door panel, and reinstall the door panel in the reverse order of disassembly.
Well, theoretically speaking this is a very simple project. Find a wire that is hot only when the headlights are on (use the same wire as you used for the headlight warning beeper). I have factory fog lamps, so I used this pre-fused circuit, but if you don't have fog lamps, you'll need to use some sort of fuse. Now, run a wire from here to a switch mounted in one the blanks to the left or right of the handbrake lever. From here, run a wire back to the foglamp.
Practically speaking, though, this project was a nightmare. First, the blank must be cut to fit a switch (I used an orange illuminated plastic rocker switch, available from an auto parts store). This switch also needed a ground, due to its illumination, so I ran a wire back up behind the lower console to a good ground point. From the switch back, I ran a heavy guage wire under the carpeting down the "hump" in the middle of the car, under the back seats, and down the left (driver's) side of the trunk.
Now, you'll need to un-tape the factory tubing that runs down the left trunk hinge. I found this easiest if the tubing was first unclipped from the hinge (using a bottle opener from a swiss army knife worked for me). The tape first comes off from each two inch plastic clip, then you can unwrap the whole tube. Now, run two heavy gauge wires from the inside of the trunk lid (around the area of the driver's side taillight assembly), down the split tubing, and leave plenty of wire hanging down from the lower section (which will be under the rear shelf with the trunk lid open). Connect one wire to the wire coming from the switch, and the other to a good ground (very hard to find in this part of the car--I used one of the outer left taillight's mounting bolts). Now, shut the trunk lid and look at the left inboard taillight--the one mounted on the trunk lid. Focus your attention on the red section. The fog lamp will be mounted on the inner portion of this red part (there is a taillight bulb occupying the outer portion). Now, re-open the trunk lid and remove the gray bulb holder behind the lens you just examined--there is a wire harness which clips off, and then two phillips-head screws.
Now, examine the area of the the bulb holder that is just inside the
bulb with two filaments in it (the taillight/stoplight). This is where
the rear fog lamp will be mounted. First, the plastic that bridges this
area must be removed (good luck on this one--any suggestions on an easy
way to do this?). Then,
I also fashioned a heat shield to fit below the bulb, cutting it from the same sheet metal, and fashioning it into a shape similar to a flashlight reflector. I punched a hole in the center that would just accept (and hold tightly) the bulb that I used (a very small halogen #891 brake light bulb--around $11). The peripheral heat shield (the one running around the edges) was shaped well enough that it held itself in place, and a small air gap was left behind it (air is an excellent insulator). The conical reflector that holds the bulb was then soldered in two places to the peripheral shield. This completed the bulb holder/heat shield assembly.
Now, solder two wires to the two wire terminals on the bulb (the bulb is glass, about 2cm long and 5mm in diameter with two terminals out the bottom) and run them out the slot where the others exit. Be sure not to route the wire too close to any bulb (especially the halogen bulb). Once on the "outside" of the bulb holder, I used two blade-type wire connectors to connect the two wires from the bulb to the two wires coming up the trunk hinge, in order that the plastic bulb holder remains removable.
Another modification that increased the brightness of the lamp was to turn on the brake lamp bulb in this one bulb holder along with the halogen lamp. Note that none of the other four brake lamp bulbs are affected by this modification, and do not come on unless the brake circuit is activated. This is done through the creative use of diodes.
Current--->> I--------------------I ----------------------I I I---------------------- (+) I--------------------I (-)
Where the "I" in the middle of the diode represents the stripe on the body of the diode. A diode is inserted into a circuit to ensure that current flows the correct way through a circuit. Assuming that current is produced at the (+) terminal of the battery, and "ends" at a body ground, I was able to wire up this selective use of the brake light bulb using two diodes.
First, in the gray plastic bulb holder, find the green wire with the white stripe. Splice into this wire (do not cut the wire) a diode allowing the current to pass from the fog lamp's hot wire into this green/white wire. Note that this means the stripe on the diode should on the side of the diode that connects to the green/white wire.
As I found out, without the second diode, all five brake light bulbs will now light when you turn on your rear fog lamp, as the current goes back down the trunk lid hinge and illuminates the others. The solution: install a diode in the green/white wire going to the driver's side inboard brake light, this one installed so that no current is allowed to pass from the lamp back into the other lamps, but only from the brake circuit into the lamp. I chose a location under the rear shelf, just after the wire tubing leaves the trunk hinge to install the diode, as I had no more room to work in the bulb holder itself. I cut open the electrical tape that holds the split tubing together and cut the green/white wire completely, then installed a diode. Note that here the diode should be oriented with the stripe facing the bulb holder side of the wire, so that current can flow only into the bulb in this wire, and not from it.
Well, it's a mess, but it's an excellent safety device. One disclaimer, though: Halogen bulbs do get very hot, and I claim no responsibility for melted bulb holders/lenses or any other damage of any sort. The fog lamp, Mark II, has the sheet metal shielding described above and it has not destroyed a good portion of the bulb holder as the fog lamp , Mark I did, so just be sure to be better safe than sorry on your shielding and you should be okay.
The toughest part of this job is finding the wire that is hot when the door is open, and off when the door is closed. As it turns out, you will need to splice into some the hardest wires to get to in the entire car. The same wires that run into the dome light appear under the dashboard. These are the ones that need to be tapped into. There is a two cavity (or two contact) connector mounted above the under-dash fusebox on the side wall of the car. This connector, as best as I can describe, would be on the other side of the dashboard from where the VIN plate is riveted in (you can imagine how hard to get to this is). I'll check on the correct wire colors, but I'll tell you that the only way to get to this connector is to remove the fusebox from its mounts (there are two bolts on either side) and push it toward the back of the car a few inches. Then, get on your back under the steering wheel (with your head near the gas pedal), and use a flashlight to illuminate the part of the dash that I describe.
Once you have found the connector/wires, you will need to splice into both wires...you will be able to use only one hand, so have fun... (I recommend soldering the connections), and run the wires down behind the ashtray area of the dashboard. Two hints: I found it easier to disconnect the connector in order to bring the two wires that get spliced closer to me...Re-connecting is much more difficult than getting the connector disconnected, however. Also, be sure to snake the two wires that you connect enough that they will not fall out from under the dash.
At this point, I tested the quality of my working by holding the bulb from the dome light between the two wires and checking for proper operation. You cannot use ground as one wire--due to the way the circuit is designed, this makes the bulb stay on constantly rather than going off when doors are shut.
I found two cheap "utility lights" at a local auto parts store and used Velcro mounting to attach them to the left and right sides of the plastic housing over the SRS (Airbag) sensor, which is located on the center "hump" right next to the firewall. My results were not good, however. The utility lights were plastic, and the clear lenses melted under the heat of their own bulbs! The built-in ON/OFF switch on one of the two was also defective.
My solution: Well, my thanks to Mark Colatosti on this one, someone who thinks exactly as I do. The solution is to use a fuse block for glass-type fuses, but instead of putting in fuses, use the regular dome light bulbs. I could only find a fuse block with four slots, but I cut it in half, and epoxied half to a location under the dash, right near the door opening (picture the part of the dash, right near the bottom outside corners...). There are two small locations on either side here that will accept something like this. The only problem now is that it borders on being slightly too bright, but a resistor will fix that. Oh, yeah, and to run the wire over to the passenger side, I pulled off the glove box and taped the two additional wires to the wire harness that already runs along the A/C-Heater unit (its right there when you pull the glove compartment out). Thanks Mark!
Can you install a cruise control in a Honda Civic?
Yes. There are many different after-market cruise controls available which can be installed by professional installers and also by amateurs.
Is there a Honda brand Cruise Control availabel for the Honda Civic?
There is a Honda Cruise Control for the Honda Civic. It is described in the Helm Honda Service Manual. However, my local dealer would not sell it to me, so it may not be available in the US.
Is the Honda Civic easy or hard for cruise control installation?
Installing a cruise control in a Honda Civic without air conditioning is as easy as installing a cruise control in any car. There is plenty of room under the hood for the throttle actuator. All required holes are already drilled. The wires and hoses under the hood which you need to access are easily accessible. Likewise, there is enough room under the dash for running the wires and installing the control unit. However, the under-dash work requires lieing on your back in an awkward position. Switch mounting is easy and does not require disassembling the steering column at all.
I want to keep my Honda Civic as unspoiled as possible. Will this spoil it?
Installing a cruise control will require splicing into some wires. It will also require drilling one hole in the plastic shroud which surrounds the steering column for mounting the user controls. Other than that, every part of the installation is fully reversable.
Will installing a cruise control in my Honda Civic void the warranty?
I dont know. My guess is that if anything you do can be linked to a problem you have in the future, then the dealer may not cover that problem under warranty. However, if you have a problem unrelated to the cruise control or installation work, then it is likely that they will honor the manuacturers warranty. However, if in doubt, ask the dealer. If very cautious, get it in writing.
Do you need special skills to install a cruise control yourself?
No knowledge of cars is required but it will be helpful if you know some of the basics of identifying parts of the car. Theres one or two places where dexterity comes in handy. You will need some basic tools, such as wrenches, pliers, screw drivers, wire cutters, hack saw, and a drill. You will benefit from some basic metal working skills, such as the skill to cut a piece of metal to a given size, drill some holes in the right place, and bend the metal in the right place. Other than that, this is no more difficult than following directions carefully, especially if you install the cruise control that I installed and follow my handy tips.
What is involved in installing a cruise control in a Honda Civic?
You have to modify a bracket to mount a servo, install the servo under the hood, couple the servo output to the throttle, couple the servo to a vacuum line, install a wiring harness, route that wiring harness through the firewall, install a control switch on the steering column, install an electronics box in the passenger compartment, install a switch on the steering column, attach wires from the wiring harness to various points, and adjust a few screws in the electronics box so that the cruise works best.
How well can I expect the cruise control to work?
If you buy a high quality cruise control and follow the, you can get it to work as well as any cruise control in any car. However, that said, there are some potential limitations:
A Honda Civic is not the most powerful car in the world. If you have a manual transmission, put it in high gear and ask it to maintain speed climbing a hill, it wont succeed.
When you approach a steep hill, either up hill or down hill, the speed will fluctuate slightly as the cruise control adapts to the change in fuel flow required.
The cruise control may seem to accelerate as you approach an intersection. This is because we normally expect the car to slow as we get close to an intersection. The cruise control doesnt know about this safety custom.
The cruise control will disengage immediately when you press on the brake. However, if you put in the clutch without pressing on the brake, the engine will rev excessively from the lack of power required and steady flow of fuel. This can potentially cause damage to the engine.
Are there any safety considerations with installing a cruise control?
Definitely.
First, you will be working with hand and power tools. I have cut myself with power tools many times. Tools are dangerous. You will be working with and around sheet metal. Some sheet metal has sharp edges which can cut you. You will be working around fuel lines. If you are really careless, you can cut a fuel line, spill gas, and possibly cause a fire. But in general, this work is no more dangerous than changing your oil.
There is also some slight risk to using a cruise control. If the cruise control does malfunction, it can cause the car to accelerate at the wrong time. If you install the cruise control incorrectly, malfunction is more likely.
Some of the things to avoid are: installing cruise control wires close to radio transmitter wires, installing cables or wires without adequate protection or support, bending vacuum lines or the servo cable too tightly, or using the cruise control without adequate testing. This list is not complete. Follow the directions in the owners manual.
You must assume that unexpected failure is always possible. Fortunately, the most common failure modes of correctly installed cruise controls are both safe. In one case, the electronic module will stop working and disengage. In the other case, the cable which connects the cruise control to the throttle will break and again the unit will disengage.
If you use the cruise control at the wrong time, you can cause the car to behave dangerously. For example, you should not use the cruise control on slippery roads and you should not use the cruise control in heavy traffic.
That all said, it is my opinion that a correctly-installed high-quality after-market cruise control is as safe as a factory-installed cruise control.
What brand cruise controls are available commonly? How good are they?
Equus and Audiovox cruise controls seem to be available at many auto parts stores.
JC Whitney sells cruise controls from S&S Auto, Rostra, SCS Fridgadette, Equus, and Audiovox. From this list, Equus seems to have the least expensive model.
I am personally familiar with Rostra cruise controls and have had good luck with them. Audiovox and Rostra are somehow related, but they are not the same units.
Cars with little or no available vacuum require an electronic servo. Cruise controls with electronic servos are more expensive than those with vacuum servos. From my experience, the Honda Civic has adequate vacuum available so that electronic servos are not required. Diesel engines have no vacuum available, so diesel engines require electronic servos.
If a car has some vacuum available, but the vacuum is inadequate for all requirements, you can buy a vacuum reservoir (canister) and add it to the vacuum line. This will act as a storage tank for vacuum and make more vacuum available on demand. The Honda brand cruise control includes a vacuum canister. From my experience, a vacuum canister is not in a Honda Civic with no vacuum leaks and a good engine.
How long will it take to install a cruise control in a Honda Civic?
A professional installer with lots of experience and all of the tools and parts at his/her fingertips can do the job in under two hours. If youve never installed a cruise control before, expect that it will take you three to six hours, depending on your skill and luck. If you are installing a Rostra 16R in a Honda Civic, read my experiences and tips for installing this cruise control. It will save you quite a bit of time and help you get it right.
I bought a new 1997 Honda Civic Hatchback CX. The dealer wouldn't put a cruise control in it for me. So I did it myself. This file is my installation report, explaining exactly what I bought, how it was installed, and how it works. If you want to put a cruise control in your 1996 or 1997 Honda Civic, I hope that this will assist you in the selection of models, purchase, and installation.
I am very happy with the cruise control that I bought and installed. It installed cleanly, holds speed nicely, and responds quickly. I have driven cars with factory and after market cruise controls, but none perform any better than this.
This document is NOT a substitute for the instructions. Please keep the instructions handy as you do the job. I recommend that you read the instructions and this before starting and refer to this and the instructions as you install your cruise control.
I selected the Rostra brand cruise control for many reasons. First, I installed after-market cruise controls in my previous two cars. One was made by MarkV Industries, in Tonawanda, NY. My experiences with that cruise control were awful. It broke three times, would occasionally turn on without user command, wouldn't hold speed well, and was very slow to activate once commanded.
My second cruise control was a Super Cruise from Dana. Dana was recommended to me by a person who was making automotive electronics. He said that the Dana products had an excellent reputation. At the time, the Super Cruise was the Dana top-of-the-line model and was on sale at Montgommery Wards. Mine lasted quite a long time, was easy to install, and performed flawlessly.
Dana was bought by Rostra and the Super Cruise was discontinued. However, the company was the same, so I considered my good experience, the strong endorsement from my friend, and their long existance as good reasons to by Rostra next.
I located Rostra with a web search on Dana Cruise Control.
http://www.rostra.com
Sales: 800-782-3379
Sales: 910-276-4853
Technical: 910-277-1828
The Rostra home page did not contain any product or technical information. Dealers were much more helpful. Also, Rostra technical support people were not very knowledgable. They were able to tell me which model was right and which options I would need, but they did not know the cars or installation very well. Again, I got better information through dealers.
That web page listed approximately 12 distributors/dealers. My next step was to call dealers. I called six different dealers. I asked each one which model would be right for a 1997 Honda Civic CX Hatchback. One dealer said that you shouldn't put a cruise in that car. Another recommended a particular model cruise control 250-1198. I later found out that model 250-1198 is ONLY for Honda Accords and is not appropriate for Civics. The other four dealers all recommended the same model, 250-1176, combined with mounting bracket 250- 4249 and switch 250-3421. Model 250-1176 is also known as a "16R". This is a vacuum driven throttle actuator with a separate electronic control box, instructions, and lots of little parts to finish the installation. The bracket is a Honda Civic 1996 & 1997 specific mounting bracket kit that links the vacuum actuator cable to the throttle linkage cleanly. The switch is the user control assembly which mounts on the steering column.
Some of the dealers said that I could also use model 250-1223, but that this model was really only necessary for diesels. The model 250-1223 is an all-electric control which does not require a source of vacuum. It goes by the trade name "Ultra Cruise". This may be an excellent choice, but the vacuum was very easy to access on my Civic and adequate. Also, the model 250-1176 was cheaper.
My criteria for a dealer are low price, immediate availability, knowledgability, and accepting payment by Master Card. Of all of the dealers that I contacted, the best price came from TechniCar of Jacksonville, FL. When I needed advice, their sales people were fairly good. When it got over their heads, they referred me to their installer who answered every one of my questions perfectly right off the top of his head as if he knew the 1997 Honda Civic intimately. My price for the cruise, switch, bracket, and UPS ground shipping was $85, $24, $10, and $5 respectively, which totals $124.00.
Contact Techni-Car at 800-251-6063. I worked with Trevor and Brett, but any sales person can help you. I also had a good quote from S&S Automotive of Elmhurst, IL, 630-279-1600 who I would consider another good possible supplier.
I received my cruise control three days after ordering. It came in plain cardboard boxes, not pretty colored boxes. This suggested to me that Rostra is not selling to the retail market, but only selling to installers directly. I liked that. It left me with the feeling that people who buy Rostra will buy based on good experiences and an ongoing relationship with the manufacturer rather than pretty pictures and sales promotions.
The main cruise control box contained a vacuum driven actuator (also called a servo), an electronic control box, a drive cable, a wiring harness, a bag of hardware, an installation/instruction manual, and a manual with specific instructions for each car. The switch box contained the switch and one page of instructions. The bracket box contained two metal brackets, two washers, a formed wire spring clip (similar to a cotter pin), and one page of instructions.
The instructions were fairly good, but not absolutely complete. They skipped some steps which experienced installers would consider common sense. The photos were clear and detailed, but they left some parts out in the photos and didn't tell you that, so you will have to think as you do the installation. One of the reasons that I am writing this guide is because a few details were omitted from the instructions and this would save you some time.
The manual with specific instructions for each car contained many pages of charts. Two pages covered Honda models. Those two pages tell you how to connect specific wires to your Honda. The advice on those two pages was a bit too concise, but 100% accurate. For example, they say the third position from the corner, which is a blue-white wire. They don't say which corner, but there is only one blue-white wire. They also don't say that some positions do not have wires in them. This reminds me of a Microsoft joke.
Ratchet with extensions and 10mm sockets. Electric drill. Sharp knife. Wire crimper. Pliers. Wire cutters. Wire strippers. Hack saw. Screw Drivers. 1/4- 20 Thread Cutting Die. Torque wrench. Open end wrenches or an adjustable wrench. Rat tail file. Vice. Size 15 Torx driver.
Occasionally, a bit of dexterity came in handy, but installing the cruise control did not require any special skills or knowledge. That's great, because I'm pretty dumb on auto mechanics.
Below, when I mention a part by number, such as #6 Bracket, I am referring to the picture on page 6 of the Owner's Manual.
Set the switches in your electronic assembly as follows for manual transmissions:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 OFF OFF OFF ON OFF OFF OFF ON ON OFF
For automatic transmissions, set the switches as follows:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 OFF OFF OFF ON OFF OFF OFF ON OFF OFF
My first step was installing the bracket, also called Throttle Adapter 250-4249. The instructions asked me to run a 1/4-20 nut over the cable to cut threads. The nut would go over the cable, but it didnt start straight. I switched to a 1/4-20 die instead. That went easily. I moved the die over the cable by hand, but it got pretty tiring on my hands after a while, so I gently held the cable in wooden jaws of my vice and switched to a wrench.
Follow the instructions for installing the brackets. One goes under the throttle nut and the other on the throttle shaft. To avoid problems, only loosen the throttle cable outer nut. Leave the other nut exactly as it sits and you won't have to readjust the throttle.
Instructions tell you to loosen the 11 mm nut on the throttle shaft. This is a bit tricky, because if you just put a wrench on the nut, the whole throttle will turn. Instead, I put an open end wrench on the nut and squeezed the wrench body against the existing throttle bracket with my fingers...sort of a pinching action. After doing that, I readjusted the wrench and pinched again. After four or five times, the nut would turn easily.
The instructions have a picture showing how to install the new adapter bracket on the shaft. See how they show two washers and the spring clip on the pin? You have to do that, too. But they don't show you putting a #27 Bead Chain Eyelet Coupling between the two washers. After installing the servo, you will have to put these washers, that coupling, and the spring clip on, but don't do it yet.
The big piece of a cruise control is #3 Servo. This is really a vacuum-actuated throttle puller, but called a servo. The servo will mount with bracket #5. Modify the bracket according to the next three paragraphs as shown in figure 1.
There are three holes in the short end of bracket #5. The outside two are almost wide enough. Use a file to widen these holes so that they line up with the holes on the shock tower with the long end of the bracket pointing towards the headlight.
Next, put the broad end of this bracket with three holes in it into a vice and bend it up slightly. You want to curl the edge of the bracket which would point towards the driver up slightly because the shock tower metal isn't perfectly flat.
Put the bracket in the vice and saw it off after the fourth of many holes. Last, bend the long tail down 90 degrees so that tail which used to point to the headlight now points down. Make the bend smoothly with a large radius to avoid weakening the bracket. You can use a piece of 1 pipe as a guide to avoid bending it too tightly. Bend throughout the region of the square hole. Be prepared to bend it slightly more or less when it's installed to get it just right.
Put the cable on the end of the servo per the instructions. A size 15 Torx wrench will come in handy here, but if you don't have one, you can use a medium size flat blade screw driver instead.
Put two 1/4" flat washers on the threaded stud at the end of #3. Then put the stud through the bracket on the second hole down. Follow with a lock washer, the ground lug attached to the servo ground wire, and nut. Tighten fairly tightly with the servo positioned so that the vacuum line goes up and to the left. Now use two of the 6mm bolts to attach the bracket to the shock tower as in the lower right picture on page 9. Then replace the throttle cable bracket. It may slightly overlap the new bracket.
If the stud coming out of the back of the servo is touching the shock tower, straighten the bracket slightly. I had the best luck with a 1/16 gap between the end of the screw and the painted surface.
Thread the large rubber hose scrap over the servo cable and put the cable under the front metal lip by the headlamp. The air hose will cushion and protect the cable from the sharp metal edge.
Also thread on the scrap of plastic hose. The cable will make a big loop and point right at the throttle. Thread on adapter #14 with the square part away from the servo. Thread it most of the way on. We'll adjust it later. Follow the instructions to link the servo cable to the throttle with #29 connector, #28 cover, #30 bead chain, #28 cover, and a #27 coupling. Don't forget to open the connector and couplings before pushing the cable or chain into it. Otherwise, you will nick the chain or cable and your cruise will be more likely to fail.
I used 7 beads worth of chain rather than the whole length. You could get by with less chain. The more chain you have, the less you screw the nut over the cable. The less chain you have, the less likely that the chain will kink when you put your foot on the gas. However, you must have at least three free beads of chain, or the chain won't flex right when you step on the gas.
Adjust #14 so that the chain is not tight, but sagging as little as possible when the cable is snapped into place. This will take some fiddling.
Next, make a cable bracket to hold the cable above the engine. Use the 1/8" aluminum plate and drill three holes as in figure 2 and the instructions in the next two paragraphs.
Remove that 6mm bolt going into the valve cover that holds a throttle cable bracket and loosely position the plate under the throttle cable and servo cable. Position the plate so that one cable goes over the left side of the plate and one cable goes over the right side of the plate. Drill a 1/4" hole to one side for the 6mm bolt that holds up the throttle cable. Drill another 1/4" hole near there for the tab at the bottom of the bracket that holds up the throttle cable.
Slide #11 3/8" clamp over the servo cable and over the scrap plastic sleeve. This clamp will hold the sleeve and servo cable to the plate. Drill a 3/16" hole in the other side of the plate for a screw to hold this clamp to the plate, and screw it together with an 8-32 screw, lockwasher, and nut.
Put the 6mm bolt back through the throttle cable bracket and the plate and position the throttle cable plate as it was. Then tighten the 6mm bolt. Don't over tighten the 6mm bolt. The valve cover is just aluminum.
For a bit more reinforcement of the dangling servo cable, use two tie wraps to hold the rubber hose to the headlamp metal flange 1/2 to either side of the ground wire. Use another tie wrap to tie the throttle cable to the wire going to the radiator. Don't pull this wrap too tight or you will crush the wire shroud.
You will steal vacuum from the fuel pressure regulator vacuum hose. This goes right up to the regulator which is right over the engine. It looks like a 1" diameter brass disc. The hose is rubber and just slides on. Slide it off. Cut a 1.5" piece of new vacuum hose and insert a vacuum tee. Then use the whole piece of remaining vacuum hose to run vacuum to the servo. I ran my hose under the air scoop, along a metal pipe, in a spare hose clamp channel near the firewall, and around over to the servo. Just perfect length!
Use cable ties to hold it to some metal hoses but don't pull the cable ties too tightly.
All of the Honda electrical wires go through one hole in the fire wall. Right next to that is a 20mm hole with a hole plug. It is just to the side and under the main wire hole. Pop out that 20mm plug by wedging a flat blade screwdriver into the gap and pushing forward at an angle. You may push it out, or you may skewer the plug with the screwdriver, allowing you to pull it out.
You could widen that hole to 1" (25.4mm) but that is unnecessary. Instead, take #23 grommet and cut out a pie-shaped wedge. Pinch it together with your fingers and see if it makes a 20mm circle around the inside lip. Trim a bit more until it seems like the same 20mm size. Then trim a tad bit extra to make it fit in easily.
Remember that I said a little dexterity is required? This is one of those times. The grommet will be tight, but it will go in. Put the grommet around the servo wires and wiggle the grommet into the hole in the firewall. It will fit snugly.
Go into the passenger compartment. Take the wiring harness and couple the three connectors to the servo wires. Take the BLUE wire for Tach Signal and push it through the grommet from the passenger compartment into the engine compartment. Route this blue wire along the vacuum hose and forward where the vacuum hose goes forward. Connect it to the Yellow/Green wire on the connector to the distributor. Thats the only wires you will connect under the hood. Tie wrap the blue wire to the distributor wire bunch, to the middle of the fuel line running from the fuel manifold to the fuel filter, and to the thin metal pipe running along the firewall.
Use #8 convoluted tubing to protect the servo wire. Placed the tubing near the wire and cut it to length so that it goes all the way from the servo to the firewall grommet. Slip it over the servo wire near the servo and slide it down the wire to the firewall and snap it closed. Use tie wraps along the tubing to hold it closed. Smear lots of silicone over the grommet to seal it.
Close the hood. The rest of the job is under the dashboard.
I put the switch just under the turn signal lever, slightly rearward of that lever. I didn't disassemble the steering column at all. I just carefully drilled a 3/8" hole in the thin open plastic cover, fed the wires through, and put the lock washer and nut in place.
My preference was to have the lever angled back so that I wouldn't hit it when I went for the turn lever.
Remove three phillips head screws which support the plastic panel under the steering column. The panel comes off but requires some pull. There are three snap in fasteners holding it in place in addition to those three screws. One by one, pull the panel corners straight to you and they will unsnap.
There's a metal shroud over the steering column that is a pain. Use a 10mm socket and a long socket extension to remove the two bolts holding the shroud in place. Then lift it up and it will come off. Wear gloves when handling this sheet metal. There's sharp edges.
See the foot rest? Just to the left of that is a plastic cover. Remove that. The black plug sort of unscrews. The grey plug needs to be wiggled out with a screwdriver or plastic panel tool. Patience. This isn't a skill job, just an opportunity for a gentle but firm touch and lots of wiggling. When both plugs are out, the plastic panel will pull forward and unhook. Again, patience. Don't use too much force. Just wiggle and pull straight towards the back of the car.
I stole power from an unused push-on connector position of the fuse box. The fuse box has three rows of fuses. Above the fuses is a row of push-on connector tabs. Starting from the left, there are three in one group and then one all by itself. That fourth from the left is always +12V. Use it.
Cut off the funny metal on the end of the brown wire. Crimp a #19 female terminal on the brown wire and push it onto this fourth tab. I hate crimp terminals. I never do a good job crimping them. Take your time and do it well.
Follow the manual to hook up the brake switch wires.
The Grey VSS wire connects to the Blue/White wire with little dots on it on the 20 pin connector above the fuse box. This wire is third from the lower right corner. In my car, there was no wire in the corner, so it was the second wire from the lower right corner.
Now plug electronic regulator #1 into the wiring harness. Leave it dangle at your toes for now.
The car is ready for road test. Follow the road test directions carefully. When you get it right, go home and tidy things up.
Mount the electronic regulator #1 to the left side of the car. There's one 6mm threaded hole near the floor which is ideal for bolting the lower mounting screw of the regulator to the car. Use the last 6mm both and a 1/4" flat washer. Don't tighten it yet. The regulator's connector and adjustment holes should point nearly straight upwards.
Now use a tie wrap to hold the upper flange to the existing Honda wire harness. Snug the tie wrap fairly tight. You can now tighten the 6mm bolt. That regulator should be held in place fairly well.
Time to go crazy with tie wraps. Remember that you may want to access the fuse box fuses some day, so don't run wires over the front of it. Also, there's a metal plate over the fuse box with sharp edges. Keep the wires away from those sharp edges. Tie wrap all the wires into nice bundles and wrap bundles to other harnesses and bundles so that the wires hold themselves up.
Now replace the toe cover, the metal shroud, and the plastic under the steering column. The cruise control is fully installed and adjusted. Good job!
I am very interested in your comments about this guide and about your experiences with your cruise control. Please send your comments to me at:
neidorff@unitrode.com
I can't promise an immediate response but I will read whatever you send.
I own a Canadian '95 Honda Civic DX SE w/o VTEC and have just recently
installed a cone filter for less than $50.00 CDN. First buy a cone filter
with a 3" I.D. opening either a K&N or an S&B (R.S. Akimoto
filter). Buy the longest filter you can afford. You will then need 3"
O.D. x 4" plastic tube. I bought my tube at a hardware store in the
plumbing section. It was a actually a drain fitting with a drain on it.
Unscrew the drain and grind off the plastic standoffs for the screws using
a Dremel or rotary tool. Slide the cone onto to the tube. It is a very
tight fit and you can sand off a small amount off of the tube to fit the
cone on. Clamp the filter to the tube and attach the assembly to the OEM
intake tube. Again it is a very tight fit but the intake tube is flexible
enough it will over the tube. Remove the top of the airbox and rest your
new filter in the lower half of the airbox. You can remove the entire airbox
assembly if you like to get as much unrestricted airflow to the filter.
The results of this installation will give your car a loud and aggressive
sound only if push the gas pedal really hard. Under normal driving conditions
it is almost unnoticeable.
Thanks to Roni: coupe@istar.ca
This switch will trick the car into thinking the driver's door is closed, when in fact, it is open. This is useful for the many times you want to leave the driver's door open with the key in the "ACC" position, but don't want to listen to the "key in" reminder.
First, open the driver's door and peel back the rear quarter interior trim from over the rear doorjamb (coupe and hatchback) or the center pillar lower trim (sedan). This is a very tight fit. Once this has been done, you should be able to pull the trim panel back far enough at the bottom edge to see a GRN/BLU wire (green, with a blue stripe). Cut this wire.
You should also be able to reach inbetween the trim panel and the body. Feel where the sheet metal retreats further to the outside of the car (about 2 inches from the door jamb edge). Between here and further back, where the seatbelt retractor is located, is where you want to locate the switch. I used a simple black toggle switch about one-half an inch up from the bottom edge of the trim panel.
Pull both ends of the cut GRN/BLU wire through the hole you've cut for the switch, and hook up one end to each terminal of the switch, then push the switch back into the trim panel. I would recommend using electrical tape on both terminals of the switch--if you don't, the switch may short-circuit on the metal frame if it happens to touch.
Now, when the switch is closed, the door switch will function normally, but when the switch is opened, the car's circuitry is fooled into thinking the door is closed (regardless of the door's actual position).
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