When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
So I decided to make a thread specifically for my swap. Maybe it can help someone down the road, and cut out my previous jibber jabber. So the basics...1994 LX 5 speed Sedan. JDM F23a going in place of the F22B2. My plans include cutting the balance shaft belt for a quick and cheap Balance shaft delete, light weight flywheel, using the F23A exhaust manifold (if I can find a mid pipe). I may still ask some questions on the other thread, and try to keep this one clean with just information about the actual swap.
Well I finally made it to a salvage yard to dig for parts. I was able to find s 1994 EX to snag the mid pipe off of, so I pretty much have the exhaust sorted out. Another nugget I picked up was the IACV off an F22a1 Accord. I am going to order an IACV adaptor from Rosko, but on the F23 manifold there is apparently an issue with the coolant pipes hitting the TPS. I think with the way the coolant nippless point on this IACV I shouldn't have to modify anything to use it.
F22a1 IACV Vtec mid pipe
I only paid $25 for both items, so if the iacv doesn't work out there is no major loss.
That IACV should work just fine. I've used one before on an F23 swap I did. Alternatively you could have used a throttle body spacer and just used your original IACV.
I wondered about the throttle body spacer, and if I had to buy a new IACV, the spacer might be the cheaper route, but since this was essentially free, I like it alot!
Parts have arrived and progress has been made on the swap. Most of my first round of parts has arrived. The old motor and the trans is out. The trans is loaded up in the pickup so I can take it to the car wash and clean 24 years of grime off of it.
So pertinent swap info...
The radiator house outlet on the front of the motor needs swapped from the F23A unit to the F22b outlet because of the coolant temp sensor in it.
I used the F22b2 injectors and the F22b2 fuel rail. It turns out they are longer than the F23 injectors, so the studs that retain the fuel rail to the intake manifold need to be swapped from the original motor.
There are some changes that need to be made for the vacuum lines. The vacuum ports are on the end of the f22 manifold, and they are on top of the F23 manifold. I tied a line directly from one of the ports to the FPR. I utilized the original hard vacuum lines mounted to the top of the fuel rail to run vacuum across to the EGR solenoids and then back to the valve, which is the original F22 valve.
There is an intake air temp sensor on the back of the original intake which is on the end of the F23 manifold. I did some work on the wire harness and ran the wiring and plug to a different point on the harness to come out where it needs to be.
I have also decided to use the F22b throttle body.
The different water outlet housings. F22b2 vacuum ports F23 vacuum ports Difference in fuel rail studs. Air temp sensor on F22 Air temp sensor on F23
So, slow progress. But I had to tear down the distributor to replace the internal seal, so I decided while scrubbing 300k miles of grime from it to break out the 0000 steel wool and polishing wad and polish the housing some. The cap I ordered from Rock Auto turned out to be grey, so I scuffed it down and shot it with the VHT ford red I am using elsewhere. It may not last but atleast it will look pretty the first time I start the thing!
F22a1 IACV mounted to the Rosko adaptor with NO interference!
So I got my Rosko IACV adaptor. I had picked up the F22aX IACV to try and avoid the normal water outlet pipe hitting the TPS. I tried mounting the Valve to the adaptor like the F22b2 original would, with the pipes facing the TPS. Problem! The pipe still hit the TPS, but barely. Second problem...turns out the orientation of the older IACV is different and the ports don't line up correctly with the adaptor correctly. So flip the valve over, and it fits great, ports line up, and no interference!
So, progress as well as major disappointment today. After an ordeal with the removal of the crank bolt I tore the front of the motor down and began putting things back together. I found out I bought the wrong timing belt on Rock Auto. I bought the timing belt for my non Vtec f22b2, and it was too long. So I decided to go ahead and pack it together and drop the motor into the car and finish the timing belt replacement later. It was exciting to finally see the motor in its new home!
So on to swap details...I had read somewhere the AC bracket from the F23A could be used, but that information is not so.
F23 top, f22b2 below.So I swapped the old bracket on. Another issue that may be covered is the throttle cable bracket. The cable bracket sets too far back away from the throttle body. I am using the F22b2 bracket so that I can keep my cruise control. If i move the bracket to the front hole everything works great. I just have to figure out a way to make it more secure.
I've done a few of these swaps. When it comes to the throttle cable bracket I take a piece of scrap steel, cut it to size, then drill 3 holes in it. 2 that will attach it to the intake manifold holes, with the middle hole being both for the bracket and intake manifold, and then one for the bracket to further be secured with a nut/bolt. Works perfect. If you leave it attached like that with only the one bolt, it will eventually work it's way loose and cause issues. Those holes are aluminum so don't overtighten anything either. They will strip very easily.
I am working up a plan. I think what I am going to do is cut the bolt hole mounting portion of the F23 bracket and weld it to the F22b2 bracket with the appropriate hole. It appears to me that the cable does not exactly line up properly, it looks to me like it really needs to space away from manifold a little bit to make a more perfect line up, so it kills 2 birds with 1 stone. I just have to take both brackets to work to weld them up.
My suggestion, do what you need to do to get the motor fired up and worry about the little stuff like that later. When you try to fire up the motor and she wont start that's where your going to need your patience. The cable looks "functional" from here, maybe not a perfect perm solution. I spent hours polishing stuff like my distributor and when I finally tried to get things running it had to be replaced anyway. Same with my throttle body, polished it up and had to replace it. lol. You get to that point in the project where you have spent soo many hours and you cant get it to fire, you just want to drive the car off a cliff... but cant because the darn thing wont start. lol
Well I finally got a chance to work on the car again. I got the timing belt swapped and the front of the motor back together. Flywheel and clutch are installed, along with the transmission. I finally got the shifter reinstalled and shift cables hooked up so I could feel the shift length on my short shifter. I have been trying to figure out where to mount the ignition coil as well.
Of interest...I have 2 of these motors. 1 came with all 3 belt driven accessories attached. The motor I am using only had an alternator attached. I was installing accessory belts and realized the balancer food bit have allowance for the PS belt, only 1 belt groove. I swapped my original pulley onto the F23. I think it is slightly larger in diameter. My other F23 has the balancer with both belt grooves. So that is interesting.
Well, quick update...it is alive and snorting! My biggest hold up (besides hours in the day) has been finding the coil wire from the F22B2. I had to buy a plug wire set for a 1999 accord to fit the motor, and it didn't come with a coil wire...I believe all the vacuum lines and such are sorted out, oil dumped in, battery stolen out of my pickup, and she fires up! Idle was wonky at first, but I discovered the IAC was not securely bolted to the adaptor...fixed that and poured in antifreeze and it idles well enough for today. I still need to get the half shafts installed and front end back together, and she will be ready for a test drive, and then I need to sort out what I think is a main relay issue the car had before I started this over 3 years ago.
A mystery though...I changed the oil filter, and added a full 5 qt jug of oil to the motor, and it still is not reading full on the dipstick. Now it is sitting at a slight angle, but I would not think enough the make the dipstick read that far out. Once the car is all back together I will have to check again and see what is going on.
So the car finally runs and drives! I took it for a quick trip for some fresh gas aND a short ride down the road. I need to get my hands on a timing light to properly set base timing. Have a CEL...code 1 and code 14. I am not sure if I even plugged the oxygen sensor in...ran out of daylight to check it. And not sure on IACV yet either. It seems I have read there is another plug that I may have reversed with the iacv, but I don't remember what it is. The CEL goes over over 4k or so. I have read complaints about the F23A falling on its face over 3k without VTEC operating, I have not experienced that yet. But the great news is I finally got to drive the car again! So I am working on a short list of things to tidy up...Air intake tube, reassemble interior, double check all coolant and vacuum hoses...address iacv and O2 sensor issues.
03-22-2017, 04:09 PM
1994 LX F22b2 to F23a swap thread
