LOOK!!!! 88 Vert Initial Start Up!! Pics and Videos Inside!!!

[cpubugs]

Ok, so as the title states this is my 88 Vert's first starting. But before you look at all the pictures I'll give a run down of how it came to be. But first I want to roll the credits here, because with out the help I got I would not be posting this. First I have to, and am honored to thank Alex (El Nene) with "ROTOR7VEN" and for undertaking this project and stress. Second I have to give props to Banzai Racing for their excellent customer service and what I consider a superior product to any I have seen or saw while looking to purchase block off plates for the emissions and omp. Also the shipping was pretty darn fast. I ordered Tuesday morning and had the plates in hand Friday afternoon. There was also some awesome and quick phone support added to the days work I believe it was "Fritz" with Lucky 7 Racing (correct me if I'm wrong). And last but not least I have to thank every one on this forums and all of the other rotary forums.

Ok now for the story.

Basically started an s4 to s5 JDM TII conversion back in April of '06 made a lot of quick un-researched buys and just wasn't ready to purchase the motor yet. Well around December or January maybe later in '08 I traded my JDM TII motor and tranny for the 88 vert. The owner at the time blew the motor and some friends of mine replaced the motor, but they never had it running after that. And that is how i received the car. I was told hey it was either a ECU or fuel pump. So I replaced both. Also replaced the coil packs, the alternator, a few misc odds and ends and never did get it running. So I tried to sell it several times but my $1000.00 price tag was too high for everyone that was interested. So it sat and sat... Well almost 3 weeks ago I was in an accident in my civic (my daily driver) being that it was a 94 and the damages where in excess of 4K, they totaled it. and gave me a check for $1500. About this time I get a PM from El Nene asking if I would part with my fuel tank. After a few minutes of conversation he had agreed to help get my Vert on the road.

So..... he suggested since it was down and we were going to need to redo lines and hoses to remove the rats nest and omp, to which I quickly agreed. Next thing I know he is at my house picking up the beast. He stripped off the 4 million miles of hoses and 200 pounds of environmentally friendly BS (obviously not actual measurements) and then we waited and waited for the block off plates. (My fault not Banzai's BTW) Anyway enough of the boring stuff plus I haven't eaten all day and I'm hungry so I'm ready to stop typing. We/He got all the plates on, capped off all the vac. lines that are no longer needed and put everything back together. Then it magically started after sitting for a year or more... Ok no not really. We swapped ECU's we swapped fuel pressure regulators, fuel injector relays, and we did lots of voodoo dances there was chicken bones and candles it was great. Well it still didn't start.

Alex and his brother were able to get it running for a bit with starter fluid and heard a terrible knocking at about 3000 rpm. Well after i heard it and saw the amount of smoke pouring from the motor and we all thought the motor was blown. So we were all down/pissed/depressed for a few minutes... Then he asked what I wanted to do. I was like "screw it!" if it's blown what are we going to hurt (tis was more out of frustration than hope) we started talking and were both kinda hoping it was a stuck seal or something from sitting so long. So I said lets keep trying it. so he was spraying starter fluid and I was turning her over and over and over and finally he stopped spraying and I was keeping it running with just gas. slowly revving higher and higher holding it at high rpms finally getting her to 8000 (with 5th and 6th ports closed) and there was lots of smoke!! finally we tried to let it idle and she cut off. He found a vac leak and capped it, then the next start he was going to start spraying starter fluid in and it started all on its own. Once it got to a decent temp it idled down to about 1000 and stayed running. NO zero zilch smoke this time. the video of this is really just audio because it was dark.

Anyway the videos are in order of attempts. Only the last 2 have the proof.

Here are the Videos, they are mp4 format so if you don't have quicklime or real player find your self a mp4 codec and install it. You may need to "right click" and choose "save target as" save them some where then open them.













Pics of some of the removal and install of the plates and such (in order of time I took them):