Abtrusi

Hey guys, i'm new here and wanted to share a story of a love and hate relationship with my CL. To start, the CL is my 2nd car (In number, i have one other car currently), and my 4th car overall. I have a 300ZX TT which are notoriously hard to work on. I'm not a big honda or even japanese motor buyer, but i like my cars to actually run, and CL's ratings were basically through the roof in consumer reports magazine.

So i purchased my CL with 140k miles for 2.2k, it was in prestine condition and was painted the cool 'primrose mist' which at first i thought i would hate because it's basically pink, but found i love that color..because really, what isn't fun about a friend saying "can you drive me in your pink acura?" as long as you like it, everyone else will too. About 2 months after i got my CL, it was middle of winter (in michigan, so it's quite bad. main reason i bought the front wheel drive CL instead of driving my 300zx for winter). I was going ever so slowly on a country road (read: 70+mph) when i lost control. my ABS was screaming and i fishtailed, ended up in the other lane and and was only stopped by hitting a tree.

The airbags blew, the suspension was destroyed on the passenger side, and a lot of body panels were dented in that general area. Heres a picture of the blunt of the damage



I called my insurance (i didn't have full coverage as it was an older car) and they covered nothing, so i was fixing it out of my own pocket. First thing i did was go to car-part.com a junkyard website. found basically 2 dead CL's in my ENTIRE STATE. yep. 2. Remember, this is michigan, imports are quite rare and CL's are rare even in the import world. Driving the 300zx into northern michigan (only junkyards that had the parts) was tough. fitting a CL front bumper, fender, control arms, steering knuckle, strut, sway bar, headlight, and hood was another thing all together. But after 4 hours of terrifying driving, i had the parts back at my house, time to fix this guy. I picked up all these parts at a value of 600 dollars. later, picked up 2 used airbags and an SRS module for 150 bucks total. pretty swell considering a local repair place wanted 3,000 simply for the airbag install.

Back in my garage, jacked up the car and started unbolting errything in the suspension area. everything was going swimmingly until 5 minutes in. The rotor hub was taken from a 1998 CL, again, this was one of the two CL's i could find in my entire state. The rotor hub was (shocking) different! oh noes! thinking quickly, i contemplate simply switching the rotor hub and rotor from the old one, to the new steering knuckle. But wait, it's press fitted! oh noes! luckily, i have a friend with an arbor press and a lot of free time. An hour later, i'm back at work. The rest of the suspension was going smoothly, and i decide to start taking apart the airbag systems. So i unhook the battery and take out the drivers side airbag, and (somehow) figure out how to take the passenger side out just by feeling around. Now for the SRS module, but wait! the SRS module, taken from a 1997 CL (i know, i took it out of the other one myself) had a different key slot! (the plastic clip at the end uses a different pattern, thus making it impossible to fit on a different keyed module) Thinking quickly, i take out a pair of pliers and cut off the part of the key that doesn't fit, making it match the old on. Now i really was running on prayers. After hooking up the airbags, i decide to try them out to see if its worth continuing that day or not. put the key in..watch the SRS light..watch the SRS light, beep beep beep beep, beep! srs light goes off. slightly surprised, i get out to listen to the engine and quickly note a problem. in the hit, the bottom A/C pulley was hit inward slightly, causing the entire serpentine system to be moving sideways, shaking. The serpentine belt was riding on the side of the pulleys, tearing itself. I quickly shut off the car, and after 30 minutes of trying to fit my hand between the pulleys and the unibody with a ratchet, i devise a plan.

Pulling out a long flat steel bar (similar in shape to a prybar, but with no pry part) i whip out my torches and weld the correct socket to the end (a 12 dollar expense ), using this to adjust my idler pulley to remove the serpentine was a success. After removing the serpentine, i pull out a pair of scissors and cut the belt's side off, put it back on, success! a temporary solution, sure. but without a lift or hoist, i have no hope of getting to the A/C pulley to adjust it. now, time for a drive. Start key..anxiously watch SRS light go off. and pull out of my driveway. Suddenly, CLANK! and i'm no longer moving. all i hear is my engine revving when i give it gas. Frantically hoping its not my transmission broken, i get out. the car, now in the middle of the street, i jack up and pop the tire off. praise the lord! i find the problem in seconds, only the CV joint on the halfshaft is broken, causing the transmission not the engage. With the keys to my 300ZX already in my pocket, i head to pepboys to buy a new axle (40 dollars, rebuilt). Fast forward to 30 minutes later, car still in middle of street on jack stand, i take the spindle nut off and remove the control arm to knuckle bolt. Pull it down, insert new axle. Seated all the way in bearing, figure it's time for another drive. Car now moving, great success! I start going down my road (country road, no speed limit) at 70 and notice a loud ass howling. go back to pep boys, get new wheel bearing. OH NOES! it's also press fitted. go see friend with arbor press. hour and a half later, car is driving smoothly.

Later on, painted bumper with spray cans from napa paint and supply (used 2 pints, payed 40 dollars) and clear coated (1 pint, around 25 dollars..i already had it so forgot price). used A LOT of bondo on the hood, painted that too. it sort-of blends, but once the sun fades it, it will look pretty sexy. The pink acura will live long.

Well there you are. about 90% of the things on acuras are hard as fuck to fix. so don't break them if you can help it.

TLDR

Abtrusi

also, heres some more pictures to haunt you everytime you look at your CL.

DaInFaMMuS1

Damn, thats a crazy story! Takes a lot of dedication to pretty much single handedly bring the car back to life like that, kudos to you. Any pics of the finished product?

Abtrusi

after reading this thread

https://acurazine.com/forums/1g-cl-1997-1999-56/probably-last-post-while-rip-cl-816892/

i'm thinking my damage isn't all that bad lol. damn now if that guy could fix that, that'd be something! he'd pretty much have to weld a while new rear quarter panel on though

MaxMike93

Gee, thanks. Not to threadjack, but the car is now out of my possession at a scrapyard, so I guess I am onto my second car now. Anyway, good luck with your CL. That 3.0 has some good power and awesome sound with a SRI once you hit VTEC.

Abtrusi

i hope that didn't sound mean, i didn't mean it to, just made me feel better in some sort of sick way, hope you understand what i'm saying

MaxMike93

Yea, I know. Enjoy the car, it was a great first driver for me. Hopefully I can stay in an Acura or at least an Accord. Otherwise I'm strangely captivated by a 2001 Jeep Cherokee at the moment lol

purple3.0haze

It sounds downright mean! I have a weapon-r n i always get asked by ppl who don't know alot about cars if its a turbo, cuz it whistles when ur in the gas. Definitely a mod i recommend to everybody

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

props on bringing her back to life, I have a 97 drivers airbag if you need it, let me know

TAco23

Sounds like you had fun. My only comment is that you missed an opportunity to upgrade the brakes a little bit. or atleast make it easier on yourself in the future to replace the rotors. Is stead of swapping the 97 pressed garbage to the newer parts, you should have used the 98 set up. One I am actually going to do this.

P0401

iTrader: (1)

I think just about everyone that has a 97 has a spare because if you ever change the steering wheel you have to change the air bag also