honda.lioness

Would a Japanese originated 1993 Civic DX that was sold new in 1993 in the U.S. have as its original engine a D15B with a block-off plate where the carbed version's fuel pump went?

The first digits of the VIN on the 93 Civic I bought last summer are JHMEG8----S. Online VIN decoders thus say it was manufactured in Suzuka, Japan. The original owner's manual that came with this Civic says it had a delivery date of April, 1993 from a certain California Honda dealership that still exists today. The title check I did shows it was first titled in California in May, 1993. The engine has D15B stamped on it. It is non-vtec (no vtec solenoid; valve cover spark plug holes on the aft side of the engine; and so on). It has a block off plate like those shown in other threads here that talk about the D15B and swaps.

I know that Japan's version of this car was called a Ferio MX (having a non vtec D15B). Did the Ferio MX's D15B engine have a block off plate? Or if the car was to remain in Japan, did the Ferio MX stay carbed back then?

92shade

def sounds swapped but you should check the vin on the back of the block

CivicSpoon

Your car is a USDM car, because EG8 is a US chassis code. So if the code on the engine isn't D15B7, then the engine in it was swapped in. If that's part of what you're curious about. Otherwise I have no clue what "block off plate" you're talking about.

92shade

the block off plate he is talking about is a piece of metal on the intake side of the cylinder head where there is normally a vtec solenoid but on his is just that piece of metal that prevents oil from leaking out i guess

honda.lioness

Many sources on the net say an EG8 w/D15B engine is JDM. E.g. http://www.upgrademotoring.com/faq/chassis_code.htm
http://www.hondahookup.com/info/civic_chassis_codes.php
Plus like I first posted, the VIN # indicates it was made in Japan.

Searching this site for {block off plate and D15b} turns up a number of hits. The majority say the block off plate is there because the Japanese domestic market D15B had a dual carburetor. A fuel pump went where the block off plate is.

I will look for a VIN on the block, but I understand older Hondas (pre 1996 or so) may not have a VIN on the block.

Edit: PM3-8 is stamped on the front of the head. This seems to be the stock head from a D15B2, but I am not 100% sure on this. There is also an upside-down 9/1 in a circle close to the #3 exhaust port. From my reading this means the head was made in 1991. Another circle with a 9/0 in it is stamped near the #2 exhaust port. So it seems clear the engine or the head or both were indeed swapped. Lesson: If the engine code on a car you want to buy is not exactly what you would expect, research it. I bought this car at a new car dealer; the title showed one owner and no accidents. I guess the owner had something like a head gasket failure.

I suppose it is possible the swapped engine or head I have is much lower mileage than what the odometer says. Don't these D15B engines come to the U.S. from Japan because Japan has stricter pollution requirements, meaning Japan's engines are pulled at under 100k miles or so and re-sold on overseas markets?

The car is running great, but the mileage at around 38 mpg is a little lower than what I expected when researching the USDM 93 Civic DX. It is possible a new dizzy housing could fix this. I have changed other things like the thermostat, wires, plugs, PCV valve, dizzy cap and rotor. Timing has been checked. Valve lash was checked and minor adjustments made to several. Tire pressure maintained on the high side at 40 psi where I like it (so far tire wear seems okay). All parts are OEM. I have been using D15B7 engine parts, which I understand should be fine.

Thanks for the input.