Just picked up my 2011 last Friday. So far the only thing I have done to it is add weather tech floor mats and give it a good cleaning. The cleaning lasted about a day or two before the rains. Changing manual trans fluid and engine oil and filter today.
Posts by Eddie70
1 - 20 of 9860 Posts
Changed engine oil and filter. Also drained and filled 6 speed transmission. Replaced all the worn out clips and holder that hold the splash pans in place below the car. From my previous Honda experience, a couple of Del Sol's, I thought this would be just as easy and quick. NOT!! I spent about 4 or more hours changing those fluids. Granted there was about a 45 minute run to Autozone and Home Desperate mixed in. Also, cleaned those panels and the drivers side wheel on the inside as good as I could. Feel like it was a pretty productive day.
On a side note, while under the car I noticed the springs were red in color. I am guessing the factory springs are black on a stock EX. Could someone confirm this for me, please?
Thanks,
Eddie
On a side note, while under the car I noticed the springs were red in color. I am guessing the factory springs are black on a stock EX. Could someone confirm this for me, please?
Thanks,
Eddie
Just went out and measured fender height on my Z. I am right at 24.5" around the car. Now I am curious about the stock ride height. The car rides good. While I was under the car the springs looked like progressive style springs.
Thanks for the check Jd!! :thumbsup:
Good eye! I believe that would be them. They ride fine, but there is no way to get the car on my ramps. I may have to hunt down a set of stockers........
I stayed home from work to see what the drag was on my drivers side rear brake. I took the wheel off. My next move was to pull the caliper off. I quickly discovered what I think was the problem. The brake pads would not move at all. They were stuck in the stainless slides. There is still plenty of pad left. But the gunk and buildup had them stuck in place. I had to get a screwdriver and pry the pads out of the caliper. I was able to clean the ears of the pads with some coarse sand paper. With some fine sand paper I cleaned the stainless slides and the the caliper mounts. Used some brake grease and reassembled everything. I took the car around the block to see how the brakes would react. Every thing seems normal now. I jacked the rear of the car and the wheels spins freely now.
I decided since I have the rest of the day to do a few chores I have been meaning to do. I cleaned the head lights and tail lights with my random orbital and some swirl remover and an orange pad. Next up, clean the bottom of the lawn mower deck. Get the old car out and clean the dust off of it.
I think they turned out much better than they were.
Before
![]()
After
![]()
I think they turned out much better than they were.
Before
After
I smelled nothing funny from the brake. I noticed it when I was changing the engine oil and transmission fluid for my first time. I just recently bought the car and found out it has been lowered so it would not go on the ramps. I had to jack it up from the rear and put it on jack stands. I then jacked the front up from the cradle and put it on ramps. While knocking around I just walked by and spun the rear wheel on the drivers side. It quit spinning as quick as I quit pushing it. The passengers side was free to make a full revolution or more. I also notice irregular wear on the rear disc like the outside pad was not making full contact with the disc. There was about 1/2" space near the edge of the disc with no shine where the pads had been riding.
When I got the pads off I knocked the glaze off the pads with a piece of 150 grit wet/dry sand paper laid flat on the concrete. I should probably hit the passengers side also but it seems to be fine for now.
60% is pretty impressive gains over stock. But, at $30 a pop, there should be some improvement. I am at 120k on the stockers and it would seem they work great. 60% increase would put me near 69.4 MPG! Awesome!!
Installed a new battery. SOB, those things are pricey for a lawnmower battery. I compared it to my lawnmower, same CCA. The CRZ battery may be just a touch bigger physical size but not by much. I would bet you could get away with a lawnmower battery if you could connect it.
I applaud you guys that have kept these cars for 200k miles or more and do your own work. I am a DIYer and always have done my own maintenance. If I think I can do it, I usually do it. Only about 3 times in my 50 years have I let the dealer do the work on my vehicles.
The CRZ I bought is lowered and that SUUUUUCKZ for oil changes. What a pain in the rear. Jack the rear up, get the jackstands out just so I can get close to the front crossmember. Squeeze the floor jack under the car, pump the jack 250 times to get the car started moving in the up direction. Get the ramps out so I can put them under the front tires. Now I get under the car, and deal with that splash panel and it's 4 or 5 different types of fasteners. What is the purpose of that thing anyway? It may not go back on the car.
Finally, the oil is changed and ready to go again. Whew!!
I need to find some stock height struts for this car soon!!
The CRZ I bought is lowered and that SUUUUUCKZ for oil changes. What a pain in the rear. Jack the rear up, get the jackstands out just so I can get close to the front crossmember. Squeeze the floor jack under the car, pump the jack 250 times to get the car started moving in the up direction. Get the ramps out so I can put them under the front tires. Now I get under the car, and deal with that splash panel and it's 4 or 5 different types of fasteners. What is the purpose of that thing anyway? It may not go back on the car.
Finally, the oil is changed and ready to go again. Whew!!
I need to find some stock height struts for this car soon!!
I guess I am spoiled. I have never had a vehicle that I have had to dork with so much to change the oil. I put a Fumoto valve on my truck, I can slide under it, stock height, slip a piece of tygon tubing over the nipple of the valve, tygon to the drain pan, open the valve and walk away from it. Close the valve move the pan over and catch the oil from the filter and be done within 30 minutes. It takes that long for me get the CRZ in the air so I can start cussing that panel. LOL!!!
I need a fumoto valve, tygon tubing, a drill bit to make a hole or two. Cut a hole in that cover for the filter to drain and it should be easier anyway.
I may have to put a lift on this car and some taller tires!
I need a fumoto valve, tygon tubing, a drill bit to make a hole or two. Cut a hole in that cover for the filter to drain and it should be easier anyway.
I may have to put a lift on this car and some taller tires!
Drove 200 miles round trip and bought a set of stock struts with springs, rear springs, CRZ cargo liner, cargo shade and navigation radio for $450. As I was getting off the interstate my display was showing 46.3 MPG. Pretty excited and feel like I did pretty good. Now I can get those lowering springs off and get it back to stock height. Woo hoo!!
Now to find threads that describe the base radio to nav swap and torque specs for the struts.
Now to find threads that describe the base radio to nav swap and torque specs for the struts.
Interesting was my thought. I was hoping to hear the same as you. I don't feel as though my AC works nearly as good as the one in my truck. My truck I keep set on 73 and the one in the Z, 69.
Started taking the lowering springs off of my CRZ. Got the rears done is about 30 minutes. The fronts are effed up. The nuts are rusted to the struts. The nuts are rusted to the end links. I've ordered new MOOG end links that should be here Tuesday. The big bolts on the struts came off easily.
So now I working on getting the top bolts off the struts. On the drivers side there is a panel above the strut that is removable. I drilled holes in the bolt and got that one to turn loose and come off.
![]()
The passengers side it going to come off tomorrow whether it wants to or not. It's soaking in penetrate right now. Another pain in my rear while working on this car. I thought Honda's were easy to work on.
The sway bar end links may have to come off the same way. With a drill.
So now I working on getting the top bolts off the struts. On the drivers side there is a panel above the strut that is removable. I drilled holes in the bolt and got that one to turn loose and come off.
The passengers side it going to come off tomorrow whether it wants to or not. It's soaking in penetrate right now. Another pain in my rear while working on this car. I thought Honda's were easy to work on.
The sway bar end links may have to come off the same way. With a drill.
I live near Knoxville Tn. I had to drill both strut nuts like that. I also had to drill the end links out of the sway bar to get that loose. I got it all apart and back together minus strut rods. So the car will set until those get here.
I bought the car used and was told/thought it had lived its whole life here in East Tennessee. They do use brine here any time they think it is going to get just a little bit of snow or ice. I have noticed rust bubbles along the body colored beam when you open the hood. The car is pretty clean but has 130k miles on it. Runs great. Now that I am done, it's time to make a run to the Home Depot and buy another set of drill bits. I broke about 4 when they would hang.
Glad to have that little project done.
Looking for torque specs now.
Gotta find torque specs now to
I just searched for the suspension torque specs at the top of the page and this is what I went with.
I ran out this evening and picked up some new nuts for the tops of the struts. There will be never-seize on everything that I took off just in case I ever have to get back in there for any reason.
1 - 20 of 9860 Posts
