Search | Car Forums | Gallery | Articles | Helper | AF 350Z | IgorSushko.com | Corporate |
| Latest | 0 Rplys |
|
Engineering/Technical Ask technical questions about cars. Do you know how a car engine works? |
Show Printable Version | Email this Page | Subscribe to this Thread |
|
Thread Tools |
12-21-2008, 08:15 AM | #1 | |
AF Newbie
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Napier
Posts: 1
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
4WD to RWD conversion?
I currently own a 1989 Honda civic sedan RTX and it is a 4WD. seen as it it 4WD and already has a rear diff, would it be that hard to convert to RWD? is it a matter of just stopping the power to the front wheels, or will it cost alot of time and money and knowledge to convert?
|
|
12-21-2008, 11:33 PM | #2 | |
AF Enthusiast
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Otago
Posts: 849
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
|
Re: 4WD to RWD conversion?
That depends on what sort of 4wd system it has. Hopefully Moppie can help here.
If it's a true fulltime 4wd system, then it's sometimes possible to lock the centre diff and remove driveshafts to the front wheels. But many japanese cars have systems which rely on viscous couplings or clutches to send drive to the back wheels, only giving them drive when the fronts start to slip. The next question is why? It doesn't strike me as a typical drift car. |
|
12-22-2008, 02:02 AM | #3 | |
Master Connector
|
Re: 4WD to RWD conversion?
It's a hack job hybrid, and Honda stopped making it after a very short production.
I believe they only ever sold in North America and Japan, either as the 4dr Sedan, or the Civic Shuttle/Wagon. They use a viscous coupling of off a modified transaxle on a D series engine. The problem is the center coupling and the rear diff can only handle a very small amount of power, and I don't believe it is a true 50/50 split of torque. The standard motor makes perhaps 80hp, and people have dropped in ZC engines with 130hp and that has been enough to blow the rear diff if launching hard. You could replace the whole drive line with something more durable, and easily converted. I know RWD conversions have been done on the Mitsi EVO drive line, which uses a transverse engine lay out and transaxle. But you would be talking huge dollars and lots of engineering knowledge, plus plenty of trial and error trying to make it all work and fit in the Civic body. Really not worth it IMO unless you just won the lottery.
__________________
Connecting the Auto Enthusiasts
|
|
12-22-2008, 10:24 AM | #4 | |
Professional Ninja Killer
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Penn Hills, Pennsylvania
Posts: 3,561
Thanks: 0
Thanked 10 Times in 10 Posts
|
Re: 4WD to RWD conversion?
I guess the real question is why. If you're doing it to save fuel, it will take a WHOLE LOTTA miles to pay for itself.
The front rear torque split is more like 70/30 or 80/20. Trying to put all the torque through the rear is going to almost certainly mean instant death.
__________________
Dragging people kicking and screaming into the enlightenment. |
|
12-22-2008, 01:08 PM | #5 | ||
Nothing scares me anymore
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: City of Light
Posts: 10,702
Thanks: 12
Thanked 82 Times in 77 Posts
|
Re: 4WD to RWD conversion?
Quote:
imho whatever you want to do with a RWD car could be done more cheaply by selling this Honda and buying a more appropriate RWD car. |
||
|
POST REPLY TO THIS THREAD |
Thread Tools | |
|
|