Author
NSX_Proj
8685 postsAnaheim, CA
Post
Before having any fun, a bit of previous-owner neglect had to be taken care of. It's surprising that these problems showed up, considering how well the car appeared to be cared for before I came along. For example, the A/C would only blow on its high-speed setting, a pretty annoying problem for when I wanted it on low. Lucky for me this is a common NSX issue, which means the solution is well known. The problem lies in the climate control unit's circuit board, which has a bunch of capacitors (which are sort of like little batteries) that leak acid out onto the board, damaging traces and making things like fan speeds not work right. I suspected the A/C blower motor or transistor first, which would've been a likely culprit were it any other Honda, but some new capacitors soldered onto the board did the trick along with some cleaned-up traces. A new passenger-side window regulator was also installed along with some miscellaneous interior clips, brackets, and hardware. I also replaced the plastic center console cover and center A/C vent cover, e-brake handle and shift knob-together they cost more than a hatchback I once owned.
Next, I needed to make sure my NSX wouldn't get stolen. I contacted Auto Page for its basic RF-525 alarm system and C3 communications module. Basically, the C3 is like any other tracking device, only better. With the C3, I receive an email on my cell phone once any of my preset parameters have been triggered, like if my car moves more than 15 feet without me in it. The best part is that I won't have to wait for the system to start tracking my car until it's been reported stolen. Nope, I can track it right from my computer or even my cell phone anytime I want. Since the NSX was already prewired for an OEM keyless entry system, the installation was quick and easy-no running wires from underneath the dashboard or behind door panels.
Author
NSX_Proj
8685 postsAnaheim, CA
Post
It's funny, but I'm simply not interested in forced induction with this car-not that it couldn't use the power, because it could. Instead, I'll be looking to save weight in a few key places and pick up power where I can, the naturally aspirated way. My NSX didn't come with a spare tire (that's what AAA is for anyways). As such, I didn't see much use for the 8 pounds of air jack and tools sitting in the trunk. A bit of panel removing also netted me more than 12 pounds of factory cell phone pieces, cables, wires, and miscellaneous brackets that I also don't want. I even ditched the OEM antennae assembly for something smaller and that doesn't rise up four feet in the air like something you'd see on a boat. Another couple of pounds was found here. Of course, the battery is another good place to find weight savings. An Odyssey PC680 and lightweight aluminum bracket were swapped in, saving me another 27 pounds. In three months, the PC680 hasn't failed me at starting up once but then again, I drive my NSX, which helps with that whole charging thing.
If you like NSXs, stay tuned. By the time you read this, I'll have yanked out the engine, thrown just about every maintenance part on it Honda makes, and sent it off to the paint shop. Oh, and I'll be driving it again after all that.