Civic: The Car that Keeps on Giving Back to the Community

I did obtain a replacement engine block.  I trust those guys quite a bit after working with them.  They were honest, they went out of their way to help get the right things, and they were willing to work with me.  That meant I had an engine block to work with.  The problem was that I had to detach it from the transmission, replace seals (cam and crank), replace the water pump, and the usual tune up stuff.

So, I set about getting things squared away :

Then, in the middle of all of that grease and dirt, the cutest little thing appeared :

We did finish getting things ready (I hope I got the timing belt in the right place), and re-attached it to the transmission.  A few days later, it went into the car.  Some bolts here and there, replacing all of the engine mounts, re-attaching the plumbing and electrical, aligning the pulleys and belts, re-installing the air box, installing the exhaust, and the intake (the designer for that one should be shot, hung, and then thrown to the sharks).

So, with the Civic buttoned up, and before starting, I had to get the fluids in.

1. Oil and filter .... check.
2. Automatic Transmission fluid ... check.
3. Coolant .... check.

Climbed into the car, and.... why does it smell so much like antifreeze after sitting for six months?  Anyway, I picked up and moved the hubcap over to the passengers foot bay.  Thats when I found the problem.  I had about a quarter inch of coolant in the passengers foot bay.  Vacuumed it out (shop vacs are awesome), and watched it drip from the heater core area.  I'm hoping it's not the heater core itself, but a hose line.  I'm not climbing in there to pinpoint the problem until it dries out.

I climb back out and check the radiator (just in case)... and it's cracked, too.

So, all of that work, and the Civic isn't done yet.  Getting things in the right places, that's been a bit tough, and it's been a little daunting (at times), but it's close.

Again, I really did a number to this poor little car, and it will be good to have it back on the road again. Just have to figure that out, and then see if it actually starts.