MJ23FE

I will be getting a car somewhere toward the end of January. Now i want to get a Civic because my insurance as high as it is wont be that high with a civic. Now, i have this plan in mind: Find a high mileage 92-00 Civic HB, Coupe, Sedan with a good body and in good shape all around. I than want to either swap in a B18C1. Now i wanted to ask you guys this question. Is there anything i should really look out for when i go to buy a used car? I mean other than the obvious checking out the engine compression test and all that BS, i mean is there anything specific i should check on the suspension or chassis or whatever? Would my mechanic know exactly what to look for? Please let me know. Any help would be extremely appreciated!
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[Modified by MJ23FE, 6:22 AM 9/23/2002]

samdawgsol

Well get a mechanic you know and trust first. Then you should know that he'll be lookin for anything thats possible wrong. Remember to check the CV boots if your that worried about your suspension.

deepnite

if ur planning a swap soon after ur purchase i wouldnt worry so much about the motor..look for a straight body and signs of rust..check the radiator for rust and other items u dont plan on replacing...

Archidictus

did you accidentally put that "either" in there or do you have another option that you wanted to run past us? Do know that the b18c isn't the be-all-end-all of engine swaps and, if you get a 96+ anything, it'll be heavier and you may wanna consider a b20 VTEC or even the evil h22 for that extra torque

lazy bum shaughn

True. I think a GSR motor is a waste of money in my opinion. If you get an EX coupe(or sedan) and drop a GSR motor, you just spent 3500 dollars to make your car basically as fast as an Integra GSR. I'd go with the H22. But that's just ME.

MJ23FE

Well if you guys didnt know that if you got a hatchback or sedan from 92-95 bodystyle the lightest and heaviest they would be is 2094 lbs.-2524 lbs. And for those same bodystyles from 96-00 they would weigh a lightest of 2297 lbs. to a heaviest of 2568 lbs. Now if you take the 2001 Honda Prelude the base model weighs 2954 lbs. and the SH weighing in at 3042 lbs. Now i dont know the formula for calculating hp/pound but i do know that if you put an H22 in a civic hatch that weighed either 2094lbs. or 2297 lbs. that you would have a great power to weight ratio, but if you calculate the front to rear weight distribution than you have the crapiest handling car on the road, with lots of under/oversteer (i personally wouldnt know based on my lack of that sort of knowledge.) Now with a GSR motor you would have that great punch (not as much as the H22) with great front to rear weight distribution. Now i plan on making my car a good handling, well balanced road car since i will be driving it everyday for the next 4 years. It also has to deal with all the seasons being fall/winter/spring/summer that are all experienced here in the northeast. Now the H22 would be awesome for a drag car but not an all around performance vehicle, i mean with nearly 1000lbs between the 92-95 civic and the 2001 prelude. Now with the B18C1 you can easily bolt on parts that would make it pretty close in terms of power to the H22. And there is nothing that can cure a lack of power and torque like Forced Induction. There are tremendous amounts of aftermarket backing of the B18C1 and there is no doubt in my mind that i can make it equally as powerful as an H22.
But thats just my opinion guys. I want to thank you for answering my questions and would look foward to any future help i could get from you! Thanks again!!!


[Modified by MJ23FE, 6:22 AM 9/23/2002]

hondaZvic

sounds u like u know ur stuff man

but uh.. i like my car very well.. and my frend has a 98 ex coupe with a 99 gsr motor: everything on it.. i/h/e.. cams pistons.. and were neck and neck now. but my car is stock...
however as good as my car is, considering it has no ps.. i would say it handles just as goood as it did before i did the swap. .. oh well.. just my opinion...
hope u find the car u want.

all stock

if your insurance is dicking you...get a sedan. any 2 dr will give the insurance extra reasons to charge you. because any 2dr is considered a "sports car"...

MJ23FE

Your 98 coupe with the H22A4 handles exactly the same way as it did before the swap??? Well than, thats different than the info i have been told when i pondered doing that. Now how is the room in the engine bay? Can you drop a turbo or SC in there without trouble? Or would it be a really tight fit? Do you have understeer or oversteer with the H22? Dude this is why i love forums because you can always get a response that can totally change the way you look at things!!! Please keep the info coming. Thanks for the compliment hondaZvic, i know enough to get me by, not enough to really do it myself if you know what i mean.
Anyone with any experience or knowledge of an H22 swap in a Civic please comment on the handling performance before and after the swap and how it was altered if it was at all. Thanks!

johnnyblaze

The gsr is a good engine. when you get your car look at the axles, brakes, leaks, just tell your mechanic to fully inspect the car. If your going to swap it soon just make sure the engine is good to last you a few months. make sure of no accidents and that the frame is not bent or anything like that. let us know what you get, good luck

hondaZvic

first.. my car is the 99ex with the h22a4. the 98ex has the gsr. and yeah performance wise, mine handles just as good as it did before i did the swap. i can corner just as hard. and turn and take off just as fast if not faster.. however.. parking sux!!!, i will not drive my car to a club any more cuz it is so hard to parallel park now.(no power steering)
understeer or oversteer?.. none. like i said, just as good as before.

as for the turbo or SC.. i dunno yet. i havent tried. im planning on doing a turbo as soon as i recover from the swap..$$$.. but by eyeballing it.. it looks like there is plenty of room for a fat turbo. >

but uh.. just for peoples info, here is my setup so far:
99ex
2000 h22a4
place racing mounts
Raxles
upper front and rear strut bars
INTEGRA skunkworks coilovers (this may be why i dont have problems cornering..)
some cheap chrome short ram intake
stock shocks
stock 14"rims w/the hubcaps baby!!!!
thats it man...