A SOHC build

Been a long while since I was creeping this forum (2008-2010ish). Glad to see it’s on its way back.

This is my old 1989 CRX Dx (ED8) in Blade Silver from back then. Got it when I was 18. It took me to work everyday, to school everyday, took my kid everywhere in it, etc. I eventually swapped over to a Japanese D15B VTEC paired to a CRX Si transmission. Coilover sleeves on stock shocks. NRG quick release set-up paired to a Momo Tuner. Gutted rear interior. Four-point roll cage. Alpine audio unit paired to Viper bump alarm & kill-switch. Climate controls & heater ducts removed. Japanese “CRX VTEC” taillights & center garnish. CheckerdSports shift knob. Very fun times. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a safe car for my then 1-year old kid to be riding in. Nonetheless, I had it just long enough for him to learn to help me shift right from his car seat. Ended up selling it around 2017ish.

Finished school & ended up buying a 2015 Civic Si sedan (FB6) in Taffeta White. This is my current daily. Not very many mechanical modifications, if any at all. Only thing I’ve added are interior footwell & cabin lighting. I reused my CheckerdSports shift knob from the CRX, but go back & forth between that & the original Si knob. My cousin bought me some OEM window visors a couple years back, too. I got a gurney flap for the OEM spoiler. Threw in some K&N filters (oil & air). I made my own exhaust fume shield. The rear lower bumper reflector lights were also converted to work as additional brake lights & I fully filmed the taillights red.

Also added a family car since I added another son :joy: 2022 Pilot SE (YF6). Added OEM window visors & the Honda runner-step things. Bought the OEM blacked out “Pilot” badge for the rear. I’ll get pictures this weekend.

But, onto the real purpose of this post. The D16Z6 as it currently sits.

Got my hands on the Z6 for $500. It was pulled from a 1995 EX Automatic with 160k or so miles. Really hard to pass up. This is the progression from when we brought it home.


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Some of the disassembly was done by my older son while I watched & guided him. Some by me. Haven’t rushed into it so it’s been fun taking our time. These are befores & afters of cleaning here at home. We still sent pieces for hot tank at a local machine shop.

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Ordered all Supertech valvetrain down to the guides. +1mm exhaust inconels, standard intake black Nitrided. Valve springs, Titanium retainers, manganese valve guides. Waiting for the guides to come in.

Also ordered a Comp 59300 cam shaft. That’s already been delivered. I picked up a Golden Eagle gear to pair it with. Cleaned up the oil pan & got a SpeedFactory oil/transmission magnetic plug set for it.

We’ll see what happens with the plans for the head next month. Nothing so far there other than I ordered a SpeedFactory 70mm throttle body.

I’m trying to avoid shipping costs on all the parts. Most have been ordered online for in-person pick up. My younger son is finally big enough to carpool with me to pick up parts. This is what secures him in the 2015 Si.

Also, I don’t really have plans for a shell yet. I’m thinking of looking for a red EK. I wanted that before I got the CRX. Maybe this is the time.

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Yesterday, I worked on the valve cover for a bit. Washed it down with soapy water. Hit it with some degreaser, too. Scrubbed with one of those green pad/sponge things. Then, got to it with some 200 grit sandpaper.

After that, I washed it down again & dried it up with a leaf blower & heat gun. When it was fully dried, I started taping off areas I didn’t want wrinkle red. The cap off of my engine degreaser fit perfect over the oil cap opening. 5¢ nickels worked for the valve cover bolts & I just used regular masking tape for the spark plug holes & other fittings & holes.

First coat applied horizontally from about 8 inches away.

Heat gunned after second coat (vertically) with my younger one’s help.

After scraping excess paint from “H” & “VTEC HONDA” logos & sanding those down, this is how it’s sitting.

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I also got in my OEM woodruff key from Honda. This key is used to hold your camshaft to the cam gear. You are not able to reuse the stock D16Z6 woodruff key. It’s welded in place on the stock cam shaft.

Part number: 90741-657-000.

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Picked up Golden Eagle parts straight from San Dimas. Some OEM Honda pieces came in when I got home from Golden Eagle :sunglasses: Supertech valvetrain (need to buy seals from them, too), J’s Racing pieces, SpeedFactory pieces, Spoon goodies all from JHP earlier in the week. Shout out Shane for helping me out early :pray:t4: Also, passed by the old Pitcrew spot :saluting_face: Replaced my VTEC solenoid gaskets & cleaned up the housing assemblies. The old coolant fitting tube was rusted out & cracked in some places so I got a new one. Thermostat housing had seen some better days. Looked like hard water calcifying or something. Got a lot of it out with some sharps & a sanding block. That switch inside it was hard to get out. I ended up using some PB Blaster & let it sit for a night. It will be replaced with the Spoon unit. Spark plug tube seals were replaced as well. Here’s how everything is sitting so far.

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Great attention to detail. Always nice to see people doing their own work. Top job :+1:

Thanks for the love, homie @hernz_corse.

Today, took the wife & kids to Japanese Car Cruise-In at Petersen Automotive today. Saw some very nice Hondas & Japanese cars in general.





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Drove back to Golden Eagle yesterday. They fixed a weld on the manifold. It was getting in the way of the fuel rail when mounted.

Here’s what it looked like before.


They gave me & my youngest son a lil tour of the shop/garage. Lots of sleeved blocks shown. Even a Toyota Yaris sleeved block (shown below).


Left with a couple extra pieces I wasn’t planning on :joy: VTEC solenoid cover & oil dipstick :100:

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Me & the lil one had a busy Thursday. Took a trip all the way out to San Bernadino Machine Shop (IG @sbmachineshop). Big thanks to Alberto from SB Machine/Metacore. Spoke with him on IG & got me sorted out as soon as we got there. Dropped off the block, crank & girdle. Updates on that soon.

After that, we drove back to the area. Stopped by SCAT Crankshafts in Redondo Beach for some of these. Big thanks to Thomas x225 :joy:. He was helpful on the phone & gave me a pretty good deal for these rods & ARP2000 bolts. Threw in a whole twenty something stickers.

SCAT Pro Sport H-Beam connecting rods.

Third trip wasn’t far at all. Traum Pistons in Harbor City. 10.7:1 Flattop 75.5mm D16 forged piston set. Really appreciate Barry who gave us a huge deal on the pistons & matching heavy duty pins. Even hooked it up with two t-shirts & every kind of sticker they had times two or three.


Local businesses winning out on this build :100:

Also did a lil paint work on my timing covers. This might get changed back, we’ll see. Also, threw on the gaskets/seals for the timing covers. I don’t have all of them brand new OEM because some are discontinued (I think), but got most of them.

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Took wife’s Pilot to Honda for a mirror recall also. Barely realized I didn’t take pictures of it. Here are some.


Couple of my daily, too.


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