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Hello everybody, this is my first post on the forum and in it I'll introduce you to my car. I have bought my 1998 Civic LS 5 door MB3 about a little more than two years ago now with 114k km, its been my daily ever since, and i've absolutely fallen in love with it, having about 153k km now, and am now trying to give it the love and recognition it deserves. Unfortunately, since the car has been pretty reliable except for some minor repairs, I have almost neglected looking for bigger problems, also due do a lack of time and money. Now however, a little bit ago my entire suspension failed, all four shocks started leaking and i broke a spring, just 2 days after getting it approved for 2 more years by TÜV (yes, I live in Germany), and I decided it was time to make the car into what I always wanted it do be: a reliable daily, that is also fun to drive, but wont knock my passengers teeth out. Since in Germany it feels almost impossible to mod a cars power in any reasonable way, i have to do my absolute best to get the most out of the chassis. Initially, i planned to fix all the minor problems before going to the 'upgrading'-phase of the build, however my failing suspension has left me no choice with that. Since i didnt (and still dont) have alot of money, i have looked for the cheapest coilovers that didnt seem like absolute garbage, had some decent reviews, and had valid papers in germany that allowed me to use them with non-stock wheels (which is apparently a problem most low-budget coilovers have in germany). So, what has been done to the car? I ended up with the MTS-Street kit, in the hopes of it being a good middle ground between the Comfort and Sport variants. So far i cant really judge how that went, due to the car still not being ready for getting my new parts registered in my papers, and therefore not really being able to take it out on the roads (also, the alignment is still screwed). But it doesnt feel heaps uncomfortable, also due to me running 14 inch wheels with 185/60 all-season road cushions. Another thing im adding in the same process, so i only have to reason with Tüv once for now, are wheel spacers. I did 20mm per axle in the front and 30mm per axle in the rear, and it already helped the looks alot. After both of that is done and registered, i have a long list of some little (and some not so little) problems to fix. First of those, of course: Rust. In all the typical spots. A previous owner covered the entire underside in rubber-based rust protection, thats is now starting to rust through. Also, they never took off the side skirts for that, so the rocker panels look pretty shot, and i'm worried its almost reaching structurally relevant points in the front, also already having eaten its way up into my fender and my door mounting points, all caused by the notorious dirt trap behind the front wheels and fender. Of course i have the typical little starting rust spots at the mounting points of the rear bumper. A bigger problem however is my rear right door, that seems to have taken a hit from a previous owners endeavors, and they never properly sealed the inside door weld, so now that looks like the surface of mars too. Also, of course all my suspension parts are heavily rusting, and i intend to polish all of them down once i have the time and access to tools for it. I have already repainted (and previously de-rusted) my rear lower suspension arms, due to having to replace all the old, shot bushings in there for the new suspension (which was a rather scary hydraulic press job). While doing that, i also noticed they have the the mounting holes for an ARB pre-drilled. The rust has also made its way to my fuel lines, so that will have to become urgent soon. The long list of other little problems include: - The headliner, of course - My fog light lenses are cracked - The interior clock light has given out - My drivers floor mat has a hole - oops. - My fans only work on the highest setting, rip blower resistor - The wooden plate covering my spare wheel has a big crack, someone tried sitting on it without the spare wheel in there... - One jack mounting point is a little bent inwards (not exactly a small problem, pretty scary when its on a lift :') ) - The previous owner installed a soind system in the boot shelf, and left all the wires and screws exposed... looks horrid - They also installed a pretty ugly cheap dotted tint on all rear windows - My A/C is currently out of commission (begging its not a compressor issue) - The cheap ugly RGB radio headunit installed by a previous owner now has a broken volume knob... So after mentioning all the faults, what are the plans? I first intend to make the interior livable again, so things like headliner and A/C will be tackled first. For the headunit, i was looking for a sleek modern one that has an expandable screen, that also works when not extended, and also one that has its own android system so i can install Hondash, to connect it to my adapter. No big use for Hondash in that car just yet, but owning one just adds to the feels :)) . That combination has proven to be pretty complicated, if i want one that doesnt look like a cheap RGB-Setup, but I'd like the option to have the screen turned off while driving at night. Parallel to that i will have to tackle my rust issues. I will contact a capable welder/bodymaker to take a look at my rocker panel and tell me whether its fixable or has to be replaced for safety. All the other little spots i hope to fix by myself, except for maybe the door, because i might just need a new one. After these biggest problems are out the way, i have two things coming up: My rear bumper has a pretty significant mark from being hit, and in the front the paint is starting to peel unter the plastic bumper trim. The fix i have for that is currently locked away in my garage: I have acquired a front and rear bumper with the VTI-S kit lips screwed on: They're not actually from an MB6, so there is no headlight washer nozzle. I also got the Spoiler in the same purchase, however it didnt include the VTI-S Sideskirts, but the normal painted stock ones. All of these parts will need to be painted, because the clear coat is peeling and they are in a different colour anyways. The other thing i'm tackling at the same point is trying to install the 16mm Rover rear anti roll bar. I dont quite know how TÜV will like that just yet, but ill cross that bridge when i get to it. I have already acquired almost all needed parts for that. The bar, of which i have two, a rusted old one and a brand new one, the rubber end link bushes, the mounting brackets and mounting bushes (of which i needed to buy the Superflex alternative because i couldnt find the OEM ones). However i am still missing two critical thing: The end link rods, because i dont know the exact length i need for the rover ARB. I have found 90mm and 83mm ones and still have to measure what might work (unless somebody coincidentlly knows and can tell me?). The other huge thing im missing is the L-shaped bracket that is screwed to the underbody, that the Mounting bushing bracket thingy bolts on to. I have no clue where to get those, and if i cant find any i might have to get the measurements from an MB6 ( a friend of mine owns one) and try to get it replicated by a professional. So after adressing all the cosmetic and suspension plans, what's the drive train/engine plan? Well. Things like swapping or tuning an engine is pretty hard to almost impossible to do legally in germany it seems, due to several problems. My ECU is, as far as I'm aware, not tuneable without replacing it. In germany that could get me into pretty big trouble once someone finds out. Also, significantly changing a cars emissions without getting it registered is considered tax evasion, so uh yeah that might be a little risky as well. But of course, you cant even exactly get it registered because its simply illegal to worsen a cars emssions below the stock values. At least i get to keep my amazing d15z8 fuel milage, i guess. I also dont know how any of these regulations translate to other contries, and I am only somewhat familiar with german road laws. So what can i do? My ideas include: - a d16z6 oder d16y8 throttle body, together with slightly widening my intake manifold opening - replacing my air filter with a K&N replacement one, keeping my stock air box - Getting a d16 exhaust manifold and/or rest of exhaust system (Im considering getting a subtle but a little better looking end muffler anyways, but those can come with papers so that's fine) - Advancing my timing ever so slighlty, and then only filling up on 98 octane (which i've been doing a little bit either way) - Changing my Gearbor for an s20 or s40 one, after researching if that fits and works - If i have the money, pay a professional to install an LSD plate in there - While doing all that i'll have to tidy up my ugly rusted and chaotic engine bay that's been neglected for 27 years... maybe paint the valve cover. Tüv wouldnt be a fan of almost any of these most likely, but i will simply bank on them not checking every single engine bay parts number for a match... Some experiences i've had with the car so far: - Had a stray cat kidnap my car: - Been to the Hockenheimring (blasting Mario Cart music): VID-20250420-WA0028_1.mp4 - Seen a Miata: - Convinced someone to buy an old car: - Taken part in a classics and pre-classics navigational and regularity Rally: That's pretty much all there is to say about the car (except i have definitly forgotten quite a bit)! Even though i have owned it for more than two years now, i have still not managed to come up with a fitting name for it, but i'm sure that will change soon. Thank you to everyone's interest who has read this far. Excuse me if there are any blatant language or car-part-naming-mistakes here, english isnt my first language after all. In the end, i will most likely use this thread to simply keep tabs on what i want to do with the car, and using it hold myself accountable for finally fixing it :)

Hi all, So I can confirm aftermarket seats, without cutting frames or welding mounts to car, are completely possible. If you have read my before method with the universal frames this way is a lot easier and more cost effective. After 3 months of research I found a company called Planted Technology, they produced made to order seat sub frames for many cars. I emailed them to ensure my car was not an EK or an EG. I measured up the cars holes and got back the details of the closest fit frames they make. The Honda Accord 4th & 5th gen have the same interior as the MB3/MB6. I took a risk bought the frames and they do in fact directly fit. I admit it was a bit of a fiddle as they had to come from America so may have been slightly warped or bent on delivery, never the less I got them in as seen in the image below Here is a link to the main page, it would better off ordering them from GSM performance Planted Technology https://www.plantedtechnology.com/products/planted-seat-bracket-honda-accord-4th-5th-generation-1989-1997-passenger-right GSM performance https://www.sportseats4u.co.uk/product/planted-honda-accord-bracket/ Things to consider, these frames do not come with threads. M12 Nuts will be needed to fit seatbelts, M8 Nuts and bolts to fit seats to rails or frames, washers highly recommended

Hey people I had a few questions about the D15Z8 motor and using a D16Z6 head. First, the big connector on my D15Z8 distributor is a 7-pin, not an 8-pin like the OBD2 on a D16Y8. So, does this mean I can use the distributor on a D16Z6 head swap? Second I have taken off my oil pan and I have seen that on the bottom of the engine it says P2A does this mean this motor is a D16? And last if I use the Z6 head on my motor do I need to have an adjustable cam gear to make it work and how do I need to set it in degrease to make it work.

Hey there, I downloaded the Civic manual as I was looking for the bolt sizes and torque requirements for fitting. the LCA bolts are 14x1.5mm but it doesn't say what length they are? I need bolts for the compliance bushing that bolts into the chassis. picture below does anyone know the length of these bolts ? Kind regards

Hi everyone, Thought I'd write up a post to help a few people out. Spent 2 hours researching this today. It is possible to fit after market seats in an MB model civic without a tailored/specially fitted subframe. So for all of those that would like a sportier seat, or some racing seats, this is how you do it and what you need List of parts: Seat (of your choice) Universal side mount rails Base mount conversion rails (you will only need these if you are buying seats with base mount/bottom fitting only) How to install seat seat: Remover factory seats and rails from car Remove factory rails from factory seat install universal side mounts to factory rails ( some bolts may need to be removed or cut off) put factory rails back into car with universal mounts attached Install base mount conversion brackets to side mounts install seat to base mount bracket If you have a seat that is side mounts only you will not need the base mount conversion bracket. you can skip step 4 and install the seat directly to the universal side mounts. The great thing about the universal side mounts is that you have a lot of choice in how you can position your seat. meaning you can have more lean in the seat. be higher up or lower down. this is all depend ending on the side mounts you buy and the amount of holes available. List of parts and seats I used to make this possible: Seat - Sparco R100 - https://www.demon-tweeks.com/uk/sparco-r100-seat-7000253/ Side Mounts - Sparco Steel Side Mounts - https://www.demon-tweeks.com/uk/sparco-steel-side-mounts-s-s004902/ Base mount conversion - OMP Base Mount Conversion Brackets - https://www.demon-tweeks.com/uk/omp-base-mount-conversion-brackets-omphc0-0660/ Hope this helps anyone still trying to figure out how to do this.

Hey everyone I had my Honda civic MB3 for over a year now but I wanted but put a Bee R rev limiter in de car for some pops and bangs but I have a stock ecu with a 26Pin 16Pin and 22Pin connector of a D15Z8 engine. So my question is it possible to put a Bee R in this car and witch wires do I need to use to make it work. I have looked online for information put I cant find any with this connector type. All of the video's online that I have seen are different wire ring and different connectors.

Hi, I'm looking to upgrade my exhaust as it currently has a hole and its very loud. I would like to de-cat it and I have seen a solid manifold from gravity performance however they don't sell mid pipe or back boxes. Would anyone have any suggestions for a straight pipe centre piece and a decent back box? Thanks.

Hello everyone, This is my Honda Civic MB3, 90k miles. I just came across this forum today, is there any active members? It needs some work doing however its a blast to drive!

Hi! My car has lock/unlock for all doors but only if using the key on the drivers door. I wanna install a remote central locking kit and I found some guides in this forum so I´m recently bought a Hawk Alarm HA-008 kit. The installacion "works ok" but the remote central locking only lock/unlock the rear doors The question is, Has someone have a photo where I can see how is connected or where are the cables came from? An image is attached to show how is "connected" right now. Best regards!

I've passed my anual mechanical inspection. However i was told that my rear brakes' perfom poor. Any ideas what could be the culprit? I've changed everything on my front end brake system but did not change the rear hoses yet. Can this cause the rear brakes to perform poorly?

Hi fellas i want to present my Honda Civic. Things i have done to it: Changed gear oil, gasoline filter and other consumers lol. Had fitted a Vti front spoiler, painted the side skirts colour coded, painted the índice of the headlights black, the grill black and the symbol is wraped in carbon fiber, and i have some more projects in the making. cheers

Greetings everyone. It's been a long time since I've posted anything on here civic5 related. Been a member on here since 2013 when I got my last Aerodeck before a tour in Afghanistan. I used to have that weird one off 2.0 Turbo Diesel Aerodeck back in the day. It was fun but dealing with Rover parts wasn't at all. Ever since I came back to America I the itch for another Aerodeck. There are plenty out there, but I wanted one in the Orleans Blue Pearl color, specifically the 1.8 VT-i version of the Aerodeck. I looked and looked and finally found one, but with one catch: the floorboards were totally rust-rotted out in multiple places. So, after I gave up on that idea, this 98 MB3 Aerodeck popped up. With the help of my wife we set up a meeting with the seller to seal the deal. 1998 Honda Civic Aerodeck MB3 1.5 VTEC, D15Z8 SOHC Orleans Blue Pearl 294,684 km on the vehicle and still drives smooth, but this thing was slammed to the ground. Picked it up on my last trip to Germany and now it’s parked at the in-laws waiting for the 25-year rule to ship it to the States. I got some nice plans for this car when it gets stateside. I hope the importing process isn’t a pain in the butt though.

Hello everyone, I recently picked up some Civic Jordan alloys for my MB3 and got them refubished. I've checked the FAQ page for tyre sizes but I just wanted some clarification on weather or not 195/55/R15's would fit onto the MB3. Thank you.