If you find that your car won’t start, and after you jump start it the car immediately dies when removed from the jump source (jump box or another car), then you probably need a new alternator. Your alternator isn’t providing enough power to run the car and charge the battery. This guide will follow a 2004 Honda Accord V6. The process will be very similar for most cars, especially other Hondas but the bolt sizes and locations will vary.

Today I’ll be replacing a starter in a 2004 Honda Accord V6 (7th generation 2003–2007). Replacing a starter is largely the same in most cars but I’ll include specific information like bolt sizes and locations for this car. As always, I’ll include affiliate links to the tools I used.

The starter is always attached to the transmission so it’s usually pretty easy to find. In our case it is on the right side of the transmission below and to the left of the the battery. The first step is to disconnect and remove the battery because it blocks access to the starter’s bolts and also because there is a hot unfused wire (+12v) connected the starter.

While rooting out the “clunking” sound my 2004 Accord has been making I noticed a very worn looking transmission mount. We can see it is torn in at least 2 places.

These mounts are cheap but very important. So let’s replace it. To access it I’ll need to remove this air intake.

Before I unbolt the mount, I’ll need to support the transmission from below by placing this jack with a piece of wood up against the bottom of the transmission.

2004 Honda Accord outside of a detail shop

This is my 2004 Accord. It has been my daily driver for 6 years. It has 285k miles. Everything works and it’s great — except that lately the throttle has been… weird. It starts jerky and doesn’t cruise at a consistent speed even if I am very smooth with my pedal input. I hooked up my OBD reader (on-board diagnostic reader) to see if I had any error codes. It returned p2138 which indicates a fault with the Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor. This is a kind of expensive part at $125 but at least I know what to replace now. Sometime around 2000 car manufacturers decided that having the gas pedal pull a steel cable to move the throttle plate directly was too simple, cheap and reliable. So they started implementing “fly by wire” which means there is an expensive sensor and electric motor involved now. Not that I’m bitter… Let’s fix it, oh and by the way, links to tools and parts are affiliate links and I may earn from purchases.

If you’re looking to generate SSH keys and use them to login to an Azure Linux VM then good on you because that’s the recommended and most secure method to access your VMs. It’s readily documented here in official documentation. However, I’ve seen people asking on forums how to simply connect to a Linux VM hosted in Azure via SSH with a username and password. If that’s you then I assume you have a good reason (like this VM will generally not have ports open to the internet or this is a proof of concept) and this post will detail how.

Embedding an Azure bot in your web page is actually very simple but the Azure portal doesn’t make it obvious how to do this. The portal blade for bots is geared towards developers who are integrating bots into channels like Skype, Facebook Messenger, Slack, SMS, etc but I’ve seen several questions on Stack Overflow asking how to simply slap the bot on a web page - so here you go.

If you’ve ever pushed your car hard on the track or spirited driving through canyon roads, you’ve probably wondered about keeping your engine oil at optimal temperatures. An engine oil cooler is one of those upgrades that many enthusiasts consider but don’t fully understand. Today, I’ll explain how oil coolers work and why they might be a worthwhile addition to your build.

Why Does Oil Temperature Matter?

Engine oil does more than just lubricate - it also carries heat away from critical engine components. When oil gets too hot, several problems occur:

I tried something new. I wasn’t even going to write about this because it’s such a simple fix but I wanted to try out my new GoPro so I made a video instead!

BUT if you came here actually wanting to know how to do this but don’t want to watch a video (I hear ya) then I’ll take care of that too.

Today’s project is installing this 42" LED light bar by Nilight (for off-road use) on my 2001 Honda CR-V. The mounting of the light will be specific to this light bar and this vehicle but the wiring I demonstrate (which will include a switch in the cabin) will apply to pretty much any kind of auxiliary lighting you want to add to any vehicle.

The light bar comes with these brackets that are intended to be installed directly to the roof of the vehicle. This requires drilling (and then sealing holes) in the roof. I am going to try to avoid drilling through the roof if possible.

This is the third post about my turbo CR-V. The can read about the original build and installing boost and air/fuel gauges.

Today I’ll be doing some metal fabrication to add a “dump tube” to the CRV’s turbo wastegate. This is my first project with my new welder. You can read about the welder setup here.

This silver thing I’m touching is the wastegate in the CR-V.

When I’m in boost and I exceed 10 psi the spring inside compresses and releases hot exhaust gas through this 1.5" hole (instead of using that gas to further spin the turbo turbine wheel).

Today I’m going to install these AEM gauges in my turbo Honda CR-V so I can monitor air pressure in the turbo system and the air/fuel ratio going into my engine.

First, a little unboxing. What do you get from AEM for $360? The air fuel wideband gauge comes with alternate faces so you can match them to your factory gauges. It also includes two wiring harnesses and an o2 sensor (not pictured). You also get an adapter ring for the o2 sensor that I won’t need for this car.

Today I’m going to restore these aluminum wheels.

These are OEM 16” x 7.5" Honda S2000 wheels. They’re made in Japan by Enkei. They’re pretty sought after but I got this set for $120 on Craigslist because they are in rough shape and have no tires.

The plan:

🔹Sand the failed clear coat

🔹Fill in the curb gouged edges

🔹Prime, paint and clear coat

Here are the supplies I’ll be using. I’ll include links to each one as I go through the process. If you happen to buy them I may earn a commission.

This is not necessarily a “how to” but more of a “how I did it” because with something this custom there isn’t just one way to do it. This was my journey… oh, and links to parts and tools are affiliate links and I may earn a couple bucks if you buy them.

If you’ve ever sat in a first generation Honda CR-V you knew you were sitting in a masterpiece. It was often called “the Jeep for men who can still grow hair”. But this wasn’t just any all terrain off-road bad ass it could also get kids on time to soccer and pick up groceries.

If you own a Honda from the golden era (late 80s through the 90s), you’re already enjoying one of the most beloved platforms in automotive history. These cars offer incredible balance, reliability, and potential right out of the box. But even the best can be improved, and one of the most meaningful upgrades you can make is chassis stiffening.

The Flex Factor

Golden era Hondas like the CRX, Civic, Integra, and Prelude were revolutionary for their time, but they do have one inherent weakness: chassis flex. These cars were designed with unibody construction that, while light, can flex more than we’d like during hard driving.

This is the companion guide of this YouTube video. For full context watch the video.

The goal of the system is to fuel my built turbocharged B18C to the tune of 500 horsepower. By my estimation this fuel system could support a forced induction 4-cylinder engine up to 700hp. This build is for a race car intended for use on private courses. Modifying your fuel system can be dangerous if done improperly. Consult a qualified professional.

You did it! You made the decision to bring your 90’s Honda into the 21st century with a digital dash from Link or AIM but… how do you mount it?

This guide will show you step by step how to modify your factory gauge cluster to accept your shiny new digital dash. I am modifying the cluster from a 1990 CRX Si but the process will be largely the same for most 80’s or 90’s Hondas. I am installing a Link MXS Strada 5" (which shares the same foot print as an AIM MXS Strada). I got the Link dash from AE-RACE.com where the entire Link line is available.

Today is the day! The engine I’ve been building is going in the autocross CRX! I’ll go through the whole project step by step. To read about the engine build itself check out this post.

Step 1: Have a friend who has a lift.

Step 2 (optional): Paint your ugly block.

Step 3… ok I’m not numbering the steps anymore. Take off the wheels, traction control bar, ball joints…

This is going be a long one. You and I are going to start-to-finish build a 1.8 liter Honda B-series engine for 500hp.

The block we’ll be using is from a B18A1 which is a 1.8 liter 4 cylinder that came in 90–93 non-VTEC Acura Integras. It originally made 130hp.

The cylinder head we’ll be using is a PR3 VTEC head that originally was part of a B18C5 which came in a 94–01 Acura Integra Type R. That engine originally made 180hp.

In this guide I’ll be upgrading a Honda B20B engine (from a JDM CRV) in a 1991 CRX Si to coil-on-plug. This method will be largely the same if you have a D, H or F series Honda engines.

In the 90s cars used a mechanical distributor to send high voltage current to the spark plugs in the engine. It was nice and it worked but it can be less precise and is harder to tune, which is important in a turbocharged setup.

Today’s project is installing this 42" LED light bar by Nilight (for off-road use) on my 2001 Honda CR-V. The mounting of the light will be specific to this light bar and this vehicle but the wiring I demonstrate (which will include a switch in the cabin) will apply to pretty much any kind of auxiliary lighting you want to add to any vehicle.

The light bar comes with these brackets that are intended to be installed directly to the roof of the vehicle. This requires drilling (and then sealing holes) in the roof. I am going to try to avoid drilling through the roof if possible.

Today I’m going to install these AEM gauges in my turbo Honda CR-V so I can monitor air pressure in the turbo system and the air/fuel ratio going into my engine.

First, a little unboxing. What do you get from AEM for $360? The air fuel wideband gauge comes with alternate faces so you can match them to your factory gauges. It also includes two wiring harnesses and an o2 sensor (not pictured). You also get an adapter ring for the o2 sensor that I won’t need for this car.

This is going be a long one. You and I are going to start-to-finish build a 1.8 liter Honda B-series engine for 500hp.

The block we’ll be using is from a B18A1 which is a 1.8 liter 4 cylinder that came in 90–93 non-VTEC Acura Integras. It originally made 130hp.

The cylinder head we’ll be using is a PR3 VTEC head that originally was part of a B18C5 which came in a 94–01 Acura Integra Type R. That engine originally made 180hp.

This is the companion guide of this YouTube video. For full context watch the video.

The goal of the system is to fuel my built turbocharged B18C to the tune of 500 horsepower. By my estimation this fuel system could support a forced induction 4-cylinder engine up to 700hp. This build is for a race car intended for use on private courses. Modifying your fuel system can be dangerous if done improperly. Consult a qualified professional.

Photo by Stanislaw Zarychta on Unsplash

Would you like to have automation workflows or alerting related to current spot pricing of gold, silver, platinum or palladium? Of course you would! But first you need to grab the price…

Introducing go-goldapi, a Go package for querying current and historical precious metal prices from goldapi.io. Note: I am the author of the Go package (https://github.com/joel-g/go-goldapi) but I have no affiliation with goldapi.io.

This API and package can be used to query current and historical prices of gold, silver, platinum and palladium in the following currencies:

The city of Bellevue, Washington recently debuted an online tool to allow residents to report “gatherings” or other violations of Governor Inslee’s “shelter in place” order. Bellevue Police Department plans to make a heat map to identify areas with high concentrations of violations. This guide will walk through how to reverse engineer an API and use Go’s standard library to send form data. We’ll use the “report a gathering” application as the example API.

I tried something new. I wasn’t even going to write about this because it’s such a simple fix but I wanted to try out my new GoPro so I made a video instead!

BUT if you came here actually wanting to know how to do this but don’t want to watch a video (I hear ya) then I’ll take care of that too.

In this edition of “the Martin files” I cobbled together Martin’s gigantic twitter thread (with his permission) documenting a complete gaming PC build. This is the highest budget thread to date! Have fun!

🖥️ LET’S BUILD A COMPUTER TOGETHER! 🖥️

I’m building a PC for work & games and I’m going to share my experience for folks who are thinking about it. Even on my 8th-9th build, I make mistakes and learn new things. Let’s go nerds!

Here’s another edition of Martin Castro live tweeting hardware and me collecting it all into a single digestible blog post. The rest of this post is direct from Martin’s finger tips here. Enjoy!

Let’s check out this beginner / intermediate microcontroller kit! I am working on a TOP SECRET project with @joelatwar and @CodeSpent and I thought I’d take a couple minutes to talk about this lil’ IoT device and unbox it. Let’sa go.

My buddy Martin Castro likes to live tweet hardware projects. When he’s done you have a detailed step-by-step guide that anyone can follow along. However, since it’s a Twitter thread it is quickly lost to time. “The Martin Files” is my attempt to capture this content (with his permission) so others can find, read and learn from it in the future. The rest of this article (including the images) will be verbatim from his Twitter thread:

If you’ve ever popped the hood of your Honda, you’ve likely noticed the semi-transparent plastic container labeled “coolant” or “engine coolant.” This unassuming component is called the coolant overflow reservoir (also known as the coolant expansion tank or recovery tank), and it plays a crucial role in your Honda’s cooling system. Today, I’ll explain how this simple yet effective system works and why it’s important to keep an eye on it.

If you own a Honda from the golden era (late 80s through the 90s), you’re already enjoying one of the most beloved platforms in automotive history. These cars offer incredible balance, reliability, and potential right out of the box. But even the best can be improved, and one of the most meaningful upgrades you can make is chassis stiffening.

The Flex Factor

Golden era Hondas like the CRX, Civic, Integra, and Prelude were revolutionary for their time, but they do have one inherent weakness: chassis flex. These cars were designed with unibody construction that, while light, can flex more than we’d like during hard driving.

If you’ve ever pushed your car hard on the track or spirited driving through canyon roads, you’ve probably wondered about keeping your engine oil at optimal temperatures. An engine oil cooler is one of those upgrades that many enthusiasts consider but don’t fully understand. Today, I’ll explain how oil coolers work and why they might be a worthwhile addition to your build.

Why Does Oil Temperature Matter?

Engine oil does more than just lubricate - it also carries heat away from critical engine components. When oil gets too hot, several problems occur:

This is the companion guide of this YouTube video. For full context watch the video.

The goal of the system is to fuel my built turbocharged B18C to the tune of 500 horsepower. By my estimation this fuel system could support a forced induction 4-cylinder engine up to 700hp. This build is for a race car intended for use on private courses. Modifying your fuel system can be dangerous if done improperly. Consult a qualified professional.

If you find that your car won’t start, and after you jump start it the car immediately dies when removed from the jump source (jump box or another car), then you probably need a new alternator. Your alternator isn’t providing enough power to run the car and charge the battery. This guide will follow a 2004 Honda Accord V6. The process will be very similar for most cars, especially other Hondas but the bolt sizes and locations will vary.

If your brakes are squeaking you need new pads. You already knew that of course. But what if your steering wheel shakes during braking?

You need new pads and rotors. Your wheel is shaking because your rotors are warped or otherwise worn.

That’s what’s happening in this ’99 Prelude so I’m installing new PowerStop drilled/slotted rotors and PowerStop carbon-fiber ceramic pads.

To do this job you mostly need basic tools but I recommend a brake pad spreader as well. They’re inexpensive and sometimes the only way to get the job done.

Today I’ll be replacing a starter in a 2004 Honda Accord V6 (7th generation 2003–2007). Replacing a starter is largely the same in most cars but I’ll include specific information like bolt sizes and locations for this car. As always, I’ll include affiliate links to the tools I used.

The starter is always attached to the transmission so it’s usually pretty easy to find. In our case it is on the right side of the transmission below and to the left of the the battery. The first step is to disconnect and remove the battery because it blocks access to the starter’s bolts and also because there is a hot unfused wire (+12v) connected the starter.

You did it! You made the decision to bring your 90’s Honda into the 21st century with a digital dash from Link or AIM but… how do you mount it?

This guide will show you step by step how to modify your factory gauge cluster to accept your shiny new digital dash. I am modifying the cluster from a 1990 CRX Si but the process will be largely the same for most 80’s or 90’s Hondas. I am installing a Link MXS Strada 5" (which shares the same foot print as an AIM MXS Strada). I got the Link dash from AE-RACE.com where the entire Link line is available.

Today is the day! The engine I’ve been building is going in the autocross CRX! I’ll go through the whole project step by step. To read about the engine build itself check out this post.

Step 1: Have a friend who has a lift.

Step 2 (optional): Paint your ugly block.

Step 3… ok I’m not numbering the steps anymore. Take off the wheels, traction control bar, ball joints…

This is going be a long one. You and I are going to start-to-finish build a 1.8 liter Honda B-series engine for 500hp.

The block we’ll be using is from a B18A1 which is a 1.8 liter 4 cylinder that came in 90–93 non-VTEC Acura Integras. It originally made 130hp.

The cylinder head we’ll be using is a PR3 VTEC head that originally was part of a B18C5 which came in a 94–01 Acura Integra Type R. That engine originally made 180hp.

Today’s project is installing this 42" LED light bar by Nilight (for off-road use) on my 2001 Honda CR-V. The mounting of the light will be specific to this light bar and this vehicle but the wiring I demonstrate (which will include a switch in the cabin) will apply to pretty much any kind of auxiliary lighting you want to add to any vehicle.

The light bar comes with these brackets that are intended to be installed directly to the roof of the vehicle. This requires drilling (and then sealing holes) in the roof. I am going to try to avoid drilling through the roof if possible.

In this guide I’ll be upgrading a Honda B20B engine (from a JDM CRV) in a 1991 CRX Si to coil-on-plug. This method will be largely the same if you have a D, H or F series Honda engines.

In the 90s cars used a mechanical distributor to send high voltage current to the spark plugs in the engine. It was nice and it worked but it can be less precise and is harder to tune, which is important in a turbocharged setup.

So the check engine light came on in your car? Don’t ignore it!

This calls for an OBD scanner. You can read the codes yourself with this tool or you can stop by an auto parts store and use theirs (for free in most cases).

This car is a 1999 Honda Prelude so the on-board diagnostics port is by the passenger’s feet. In your car it may be near the driver’s feet instead. If you can’t find it, Google it.

This is the third post about my turbo CR-V. The can read about the original build and installing boost and air/fuel gauges.

Today I’ll be doing some metal fabrication to add a “dump tube” to the CRV’s turbo wastegate. This is my first project with my new welder. You can read about the welder setup here.

This silver thing I’m touching is the wastegate in the CR-V.

When I’m in boost and I exceed 10 psi the spring inside compresses and releases hot exhaust gas through this 1.5" hole (instead of using that gas to further spin the turbo turbine wheel).

While rooting out the “clunking” sound my 2004 Accord has been making I noticed a very worn looking transmission mount. We can see it is torn in at least 2 places.

These mounts are cheap but very important. So let’s replace it. To access it I’ll need to remove this air intake.

Before I unbolt the mount, I’ll need to support the transmission from below by placing this jack with a piece of wood up against the bottom of the transmission.

Today I’m going to install these AEM gauges in my turbo Honda CR-V so I can monitor air pressure in the turbo system and the air/fuel ratio going into my engine.

First, a little unboxing. What do you get from AEM for $360? The air fuel wideband gauge comes with alternate faces so you can match them to your factory gauges. It also includes two wiring harnesses and an o2 sensor (not pictured). You also get an adapter ring for the o2 sensor that I won’t need for this car.

Today I’m going to restore these aluminum wheels.

These are OEM 16” x 7.5" Honda S2000 wheels. They’re made in Japan by Enkei. They’re pretty sought after but I got this set for $120 on Craigslist because they are in rough shape and have no tires.

The plan:

🔹Sand the failed clear coat

🔹Fill in the curb gouged edges

🔹Prime, paint and clear coat

Here are the supplies I’ll be using. I’ll include links to each one as I go through the process. If you happen to buy them I may earn a commission.

This is not necessarily a “how to” but more of a “how I did it” because with something this custom there isn’t just one way to do it. This was my journey… oh, and links to parts and tools are affiliate links and I may earn a couple bucks if you buy them.

If you’ve ever sat in a first generation Honda CR-V you knew you were sitting in a masterpiece. It was often called “the Jeep for men who can still grow hair”. But this wasn’t just any all terrain off-road bad ass it could also get kids on time to soccer and pick up groceries.

2004 Honda Accord outside of a detail shop

This is my 2004 Accord. It has been my daily driver for 6 years. It has 285k miles. Everything works and it’s great — except that lately the throttle has been… weird. It starts jerky and doesn’t cruise at a consistent speed even if I am very smooth with my pedal input. I hooked up my OBD reader (on-board diagnostic reader) to see if I had any error codes. It returned p2138 which indicates a fault with the Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor. This is a kind of expensive part at $125 but at least I know what to replace now. Sometime around 2000 car manufacturers decided that having the gas pedal pull a steel cable to move the throttle plate directly was too simple, cheap and reliable. So they started implementing “fly by wire” which means there is an expensive sensor and electric motor involved now. Not that I’m bitter… Let’s fix it, oh and by the way, links to tools and parts are affiliate links and I may earn from purchases.

I’m going to show you how to restore the lower plastic trim on this ‘99 Honda Prelude but the process will be the same on most cars.

Everyone knows that the Honda Prelude is one of humanity’s finest achievements. In terms of engineering, style and heritage it has few rivals — But sadly the last one rolled off the assembly line in 2001. Those of us who own one today have a moral obligation to maintain it.

If you find that your car won’t start, and after you jump start it the car immediately dies when removed from the jump source (jump box or another car), then you probably need a new alternator. Your alternator isn’t providing enough power to run the car and charge the battery. This guide will follow a 2004 Honda Accord V6. The process will be very similar for most cars, especially other Hondas but the bolt sizes and locations will vary.

If your brakes are squeaking you need new pads. You already knew that of course. But what if your steering wheel shakes during braking?

You need new pads and rotors. Your wheel is shaking because your rotors are warped or otherwise worn.

That’s what’s happening in this ’99 Prelude so I’m installing new PowerStop drilled/slotted rotors and PowerStop carbon-fiber ceramic pads.

To do this job you mostly need basic tools but I recommend a brake pad spreader as well. They’re inexpensive and sometimes the only way to get the job done.

Today I’ll be replacing a starter in a 2004 Honda Accord V6 (7th generation 2003–2007). Replacing a starter is largely the same in most cars but I’ll include specific information like bolt sizes and locations for this car. As always, I’ll include affiliate links to the tools I used.

The starter is always attached to the transmission so it’s usually pretty easy to find. In our case it is on the right side of the transmission below and to the left of the the battery. The first step is to disconnect and remove the battery because it blocks access to the starter’s bolts and also because there is a hot unfused wire (+12v) connected the starter.

Today is the day! The engine I’ve been building is going in the autocross CRX! I’ll go through the whole project step by step. To read about the engine build itself check out this post.

Step 1: Have a friend who has a lift.

Step 2 (optional): Paint your ugly block.

Step 3… ok I’m not numbering the steps anymore. Take off the wheels, traction control bar, ball joints…

Today’s project is installing this 42" LED light bar by Nilight (for off-road use) on my 2001 Honda CR-V. The mounting of the light will be specific to this light bar and this vehicle but the wiring I demonstrate (which will include a switch in the cabin) will apply to pretty much any kind of auxiliary lighting you want to add to any vehicle.

The light bar comes with these brackets that are intended to be installed directly to the roof of the vehicle. This requires drilling (and then sealing holes) in the roof. I am going to try to avoid drilling through the roof if possible.

In this guide I’ll be upgrading a Honda B20B engine (from a JDM CRV) in a 1991 CRX Si to coil-on-plug. This method will be largely the same if you have a D, H or F series Honda engines.

In the 90s cars used a mechanical distributor to send high voltage current to the spark plugs in the engine. It was nice and it worked but it can be less precise and is harder to tune, which is important in a turbocharged setup.

So the check engine light came on in your car? Don’t ignore it!

This calls for an OBD scanner. You can read the codes yourself with this tool or you can stop by an auto parts store and use theirs (for free in most cases).

This car is a 1999 Honda Prelude so the on-board diagnostics port is by the passenger’s feet. In your car it may be near the driver’s feet instead. If you can’t find it, Google it.

While rooting out the “clunking” sound my 2004 Accord has been making I noticed a very worn looking transmission mount. We can see it is torn in at least 2 places.

These mounts are cheap but very important. So let’s replace it. To access it I’ll need to remove this air intake.

Before I unbolt the mount, I’ll need to support the transmission from below by placing this jack with a piece of wood up against the bottom of the transmission.

Today I’m going to install these AEM gauges in my turbo Honda CR-V so I can monitor air pressure in the turbo system and the air/fuel ratio going into my engine.

First, a little unboxing. What do you get from AEM for $360? The air fuel wideband gauge comes with alternate faces so you can match them to your factory gauges. It also includes two wiring harnesses and an o2 sensor (not pictured). You also get an adapter ring for the o2 sensor that I won’t need for this car.

The city of Bellevue, Washington recently debuted an online tool to allow residents to report “gatherings” or other violations of Governor Inslee’s “shelter in place” order. Bellevue Police Department plans to make a heat map to identify areas with high concentrations of violations. This guide will walk through how to reverse engineer an API and use Go’s standard library to send form data. We’ll use the “report a gathering” application as the example API.

Today I’m going to restore these aluminum wheels.

These are OEM 16” x 7.5" Honda S2000 wheels. They’re made in Japan by Enkei. They’re pretty sought after but I got this set for $120 on Craigslist because they are in rough shape and have no tires.

The plan:

🔹Sand the failed clear coat

🔹Fill in the curb gouged edges

🔹Prime, paint and clear coat

Here are the supplies I’ll be using. I’ll include links to each one as I go through the process. If you happen to buy them I may earn a commission.

2004 Honda Accord outside of a detail shop

This is my 2004 Accord. It has been my daily driver for 6 years. It has 285k miles. Everything works and it’s great — except that lately the throttle has been… weird. It starts jerky and doesn’t cruise at a consistent speed even if I am very smooth with my pedal input. I hooked up my OBD reader (on-board diagnostic reader) to see if I had any error codes. It returned p2138 which indicates a fault with the Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor. This is a kind of expensive part at $125 but at least I know what to replace now. Sometime around 2000 car manufacturers decided that having the gas pedal pull a steel cable to move the throttle plate directly was too simple, cheap and reliable. So they started implementing “fly by wire” which means there is an expensive sensor and electric motor involved now. Not that I’m bitter… Let’s fix it, oh and by the way, links to tools and parts are affiliate links and I may earn from purchases.

I’m going to show you how to restore the lower plastic trim on this ‘99 Honda Prelude but the process will be the same on most cars.

Everyone knows that the Honda Prelude is one of humanity’s finest achievements. In terms of engineering, style and heritage it has few rivals — But sadly the last one rolled off the assembly line in 2001. Those of us who own one today have a moral obligation to maintain it.

This week I’m stealing all of Martin Castro’s hardwork from Twitter (with his permission) to bring you his guide on using Postman to consume APIs. This is a great way to test an API before you starting writing code. The rest of this post is straight from Martin’s thread:

👽 LEARNING THE HARD WAY: API basics with Postman 👽

I am going to use Github’s Noop Challenge — Hexbot to teach y’all about one of biggest tools in my API toolbelt, Postman.

If you’re a developer or student you probably have a Stack Overflow account. If you’re as (overly) competitive as I am you probably compare your Stack Overflow reputation with your colleagues. If you’re a real weirdo you might even want a sort-able leader board to compare yourself against your friends, enemies, etc.

Well, look no further than this simple Python Flask application!

Screenshot of example leaderboard

Here is an example of this website in action using myself and some friends: http://sampleleaderboard.azurewebsites.net

If you’re looking to generate SSH keys and use them to login to an Azure Linux VM then good on you because that’s the recommended and most secure method to access your VMs. It’s readily documented here in official documentation. However, I’ve seen people asking on forums how to simply connect to a Linux VM hosted in Azure via SSH with a username and password. If that’s you then I assume you have a good reason (like this VM will generally not have ports open to the internet or this is a proof of concept) and this post will detail how.

Embedding an Azure bot in your web page is actually very simple but the Azure portal doesn’t make it obvious how to do this. The portal blade for bots is geared towards developers who are integrating bots into channels like Skype, Facebook Messenger, Slack, SMS, etc but I’ve seen several questions on Stack Overflow asking how to simply slap the bot on a web page - so here you go.

You did it! You made the decision to bring your 90’s Honda into the 21st century with a digital dash from Link or AIM but… how do you mount it?

This guide will show you step by step how to modify your factory gauge cluster to accept your shiny new digital dash. I am modifying the cluster from a 1990 CRX Si but the process will be largely the same for most 80’s or 90’s Hondas. I am installing a Link MXS Strada 5" (which shares the same foot print as an AIM MXS Strada). I got the Link dash from AE-RACE.com where the entire Link line is available.

In this edition of “the Martin files” I cobbled together Martin’s gigantic twitter thread (with his permission) documenting a complete gaming PC build. This is the highest budget thread to date! Have fun!

🖥️ LET’S BUILD A COMPUTER TOGETHER! 🖥️

I’m building a PC for work & games and I’m going to share my experience for folks who are thinking about it. Even on my 8th-9th build, I make mistakes and learn new things. Let’s go nerds!

This week I’m stealing all of Martin Castro’s hardwork from Twitter (with his permission) to bring you his guide on using Postman to consume APIs. This is a great way to test an API before you starting writing code. The rest of this post is straight from Martin’s thread:

👽 LEARNING THE HARD WAY: API basics with Postman 👽

I am going to use Github’s Noop Challenge — Hexbot to teach y’all about one of biggest tools in my API toolbelt, Postman.

Here’s another edition of Martin Castro live tweeting hardware and me collecting it all into a single digestible blog post. The rest of this post is direct from Martin’s finger tips here. Enjoy!

Let’s check out this beginner / intermediate microcontroller kit! I am working on a TOP SECRET project with @joelatwar and @CodeSpent and I thought I’d take a couple minutes to talk about this lil’ IoT device and unbox it. Let’sa go.

My buddy Martin Castro likes to live tweet hardware projects. When he’s done you have a detailed step-by-step guide that anyone can follow along. However, since it’s a Twitter thread it is quickly lost to time. “The Martin Files” is my attempt to capture this content (with his permission) so others can find, read and learn from it in the future. The rest of this article (including the images) will be verbatim from his Twitter thread:

You know that perfect username you’ve been eyeing? The one that’s been taken since 2012 by someone who posted twice and disappeared? Or that domain name that would be perfect for your brand, but some squatter is holding it hostage? What if I told you there’s now a way to know the instant they become available?

Introducing NameCamper — a monitoring service that watches your dream usernames and domain names so you don’t have to obsessively check them at 3am.

If you’ve ever pushed your car hard on the track or spirited driving through canyon roads, you’ve probably wondered about keeping your engine oil at optimal temperatures. An engine oil cooler is one of those upgrades that many enthusiasts consider but don’t fully understand. Today, I’ll explain how oil coolers work and why they might be a worthwhile addition to your build.

Why Does Oil Temperature Matter?

Engine oil does more than just lubricate - it also carries heat away from critical engine components. When oil gets too hot, several problems occur:

If your brakes are squeaking you need new pads. You already knew that of course. But what if your steering wheel shakes during braking?

You need new pads and rotors. Your wheel is shaking because your rotors are warped or otherwise worn.

That’s what’s happening in this ’99 Prelude so I’m installing new PowerStop drilled/slotted rotors and PowerStop carbon-fiber ceramic pads.

To do this job you mostly need basic tools but I recommend a brake pad spreader as well. They’re inexpensive and sometimes the only way to get the job done.

So the check engine light came on in your car? Don’t ignore it!

This calls for an OBD scanner. You can read the codes yourself with this tool or you can stop by an auto parts store and use theirs (for free in most cases).

This car is a 1999 Honda Prelude so the on-board diagnostics port is by the passenger’s feet. In your car it may be near the driver’s feet instead. If you can’t find it, Google it.

I’m going to show you how to restore the lower plastic trim on this ‘99 Honda Prelude but the process will be the same on most cars.

Everyone knows that the Honda Prelude is one of humanity’s finest achievements. In terms of engineering, style and heritage it has few rivals — But sadly the last one rolled off the assembly line in 2001. Those of us who own one today have a moral obligation to maintain it.

If you’re a developer or student you probably have a Stack Overflow account. If you’re as (overly) competitive as I am you probably compare your Stack Overflow reputation with your colleagues. If you’re a real weirdo you might even want a sort-able leader board to compare yourself against your friends, enemies, etc.

Well, look no further than this simple Python Flask application!

Screenshot of example leaderboard

Here is an example of this website in action using myself and some friends: http://sampleleaderboard.azurewebsites.net

If you find that your car won’t start, and after you jump start it the car immediately dies when removed from the jump source (jump box or another car), then you probably need a new alternator. Your alternator isn’t providing enough power to run the car and charge the battery. This guide will follow a 2004 Honda Accord V6. The process will be very similar for most cars, especially other Hondas but the bolt sizes and locations will vary.

If your brakes are squeaking you need new pads. You already knew that of course. But what if your steering wheel shakes during braking?

You need new pads and rotors. Your wheel is shaking because your rotors are warped or otherwise worn.

That’s what’s happening in this ’99 Prelude so I’m installing new PowerStop drilled/slotted rotors and PowerStop carbon-fiber ceramic pads.

To do this job you mostly need basic tools but I recommend a brake pad spreader as well. They’re inexpensive and sometimes the only way to get the job done.

Today I’ll be replacing a starter in a 2004 Honda Accord V6 (7th generation 2003–2007). Replacing a starter is largely the same in most cars but I’ll include specific information like bolt sizes and locations for this car. As always, I’ll include affiliate links to the tools I used.

The starter is always attached to the transmission so it’s usually pretty easy to find. In our case it is on the right side of the transmission below and to the left of the the battery. The first step is to disconnect and remove the battery because it blocks access to the starter’s bolts and also because there is a hot unfused wire (+12v) connected the starter.

I tried something new. I wasn’t even going to write about this because it’s such a simple fix but I wanted to try out my new GoPro so I made a video instead!

BUT if you came here actually wanting to know how to do this but don’t want to watch a video (I hear ya) then I’ll take care of that too.

So the check engine light came on in your car? Don’t ignore it!

This calls for an OBD scanner. You can read the codes yourself with this tool or you can stop by an auto parts store and use theirs (for free in most cases).

This car is a 1999 Honda Prelude so the on-board diagnostics port is by the passenger’s feet. In your car it may be near the driver’s feet instead. If you can’t find it, Google it.

While rooting out the “clunking” sound my 2004 Accord has been making I noticed a very worn looking transmission mount. We can see it is torn in at least 2 places.

These mounts are cheap but very important. So let’s replace it. To access it I’ll need to remove this air intake.

Before I unbolt the mount, I’ll need to support the transmission from below by placing this jack with a piece of wood up against the bottom of the transmission.

Today I’m going to restore these aluminum wheels.

These are OEM 16” x 7.5" Honda S2000 wheels. They’re made in Japan by Enkei. They’re pretty sought after but I got this set for $120 on Craigslist because they are in rough shape and have no tires.

The plan:

🔹Sand the failed clear coat

🔹Fill in the curb gouged edges

🔹Prime, paint and clear coat

Here are the supplies I’ll be using. I’ll include links to each one as I go through the process. If you happen to buy them I may earn a commission.

2004 Honda Accord outside of a detail shop

This is my 2004 Accord. It has been my daily driver for 6 years. It has 285k miles. Everything works and it’s great — except that lately the throttle has been… weird. It starts jerky and doesn’t cruise at a consistent speed even if I am very smooth with my pedal input. I hooked up my OBD reader (on-board diagnostic reader) to see if I had any error codes. It returned p2138 which indicates a fault with the Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor. This is a kind of expensive part at $125 but at least I know what to replace now. Sometime around 2000 car manufacturers decided that having the gas pedal pull a steel cable to move the throttle plate directly was too simple, cheap and reliable. So they started implementing “fly by wire” which means there is an expensive sensor and electric motor involved now. Not that I’m bitter… Let’s fix it, oh and by the way, links to tools and parts are affiliate links and I may earn from purchases.

I’m going to show you how to restore the lower plastic trim on this ‘99 Honda Prelude but the process will be the same on most cars.

Everyone knows that the Honda Prelude is one of humanity’s finest achievements. In terms of engineering, style and heritage it has few rivals — But sadly the last one rolled off the assembly line in 2001. Those of us who own one today have a moral obligation to maintain it.

You know that perfect username you’ve been eyeing? The one that’s been taken since 2012 by someone who posted twice and disappeared? Or that domain name that would be perfect for your brand, but some squatter is holding it hostage? What if I told you there’s now a way to know the instant they become available?

Introducing NameCamper — a monitoring service that watches your dream usernames and domain names so you don’t have to obsessively check them at 3am.

This is the companion guide of this YouTube video. For full context watch the video.

The goal of the system is to fuel my built turbocharged B18C to the tune of 500 horsepower. By my estimation this fuel system could support a forced induction 4-cylinder engine up to 700hp. This build is for a race car intended for use on private courses. Modifying your fuel system can be dangerous if done improperly. Consult a qualified professional.

In this guide I’ll be upgrading a Honda B20B engine (from a JDM CRV) in a 1991 CRX Si to coil-on-plug. This method will be largely the same if you have a D, H or F series Honda engines.

In the 90s cars used a mechanical distributor to send high voltage current to the spark plugs in the engine. It was nice and it worked but it can be less precise and is harder to tune, which is important in a turbocharged setup.

This is the third post about my turbo CR-V. The can read about the original build and installing boost and air/fuel gauges.

Today I’ll be doing some metal fabrication to add a “dump tube” to the CRV’s turbo wastegate. This is my first project with my new welder. You can read about the welder setup here.

This silver thing I’m touching is the wastegate in the CR-V.

When I’m in boost and I exceed 10 psi the spring inside compresses and releases hot exhaust gas through this 1.5" hole (instead of using that gas to further spin the turbo turbine wheel).

Today I’m going to install these AEM gauges in my turbo Honda CR-V so I can monitor air pressure in the turbo system and the air/fuel ratio going into my engine.

First, a little unboxing. What do you get from AEM for $360? The air fuel wideband gauge comes with alternate faces so you can match them to your factory gauges. It also includes two wiring harnesses and an o2 sensor (not pictured). You also get an adapter ring for the o2 sensor that I won’t need for this car.

This is not necessarily a “how to” but more of a “how I did it” because with something this custom there isn’t just one way to do it. This was my journey… oh, and links to parts and tools are affiliate links and I may earn a couple bucks if you buy them.

If you’ve ever sat in a first generation Honda CR-V you knew you were sitting in a masterpiece. It was often called “the Jeep for men who can still grow hair”. But this wasn’t just any all terrain off-road bad ass it could also get kids on time to soccer and pick up groceries.

This is the third post about my turbo CR-V. The can read about the original build and installing boost and air/fuel gauges.

Today I’ll be doing some metal fabrication to add a “dump tube” to the CRV’s turbo wastegate. This is my first project with my new welder. You can read about the welder setup here.

This silver thing I’m touching is the wastegate in the CR-V.

When I’m in boost and I exceed 10 psi the spring inside compresses and releases hot exhaust gas through this 1.5" hole (instead of using that gas to further spin the turbo turbine wheel).

I’ve wanted to learn to weld for years and I finally pulled the trigger on a MIG welder. I picked the WeldPro MIG155Gsv. I knew I wanted a MIG and I wanted something that could run on ~110v and ~220v. This was only $300 and good reviews. Let’s see what’s in the box.

A good sign that you didn’t open the box upside down is when the first thing you see is the paperwork.