Civicthusiast

wutup fellas..

I'm going to go check out a B16A2 to swap into my civic..
Without having any testing equipment or so, what sort of things can/should I look for on this engine. Its supposed to be a complete swap, so, all the parts to swap out to jdm spec (where the H*ll are all the USDM swaps ?)

My car is about to crap out, I need to change out the engine. B16A2 appears to be the most bolt-on as I can find.. also reasonably priced for a good power/torque ratio..

Thanks for any feedback

slowturbocx

you could pull the pan, but i personally wouldnt buy the motor unless i performed a leak down test on it. just my opinion though.

ALLxMOTOR EG

^^

Civicthusiast

the guy i'm gettin the swap done from, has said that he gets these engines from reputable JDM importers, like JPR or something..
And that this engine was pressure tested...
I guess basically, I need to know how to properly identify this as a
B16A2 engine.. Usually stamped somewhere on the block, right ?

roadsqueegy95

ya below the head on the front of the block on the left its stamped, might have to do some cleaning as somethings it gets dirty

94EG8

If its a JDM engine it will simply be stamped B16A. You'll have to use your engine identifying skills to determine exactly what it is beyond that. Some tips are:

OBD0 distributor plugs are a milky yellowish color
OBD1 distributor plugs are grey and there are 2 of them
OBD2 distributor plugs are grey and there is only 1.

JDM OBD2 B-series engines do not have a vtec pressure switch on the vtec solenoid, all USDM and OBD1 JDM engines do

I assume this is going in a '96 - '00 civic, if so select an OBD2 engine with a hydraulic transmission.

Civicthusiast

Its being dropped in a 95 civic dx manual 4dr non v-tec.. So... Not sure if this is the best swap.. What is your take on this swap compatibility ?

Again, thank you guys for the input..

DC2-ProdUcTiOnS

iTrader: (2)

slowturbocx

:sigh:
it is a great swap.
please check the forums, they will give you everything you need to know about your car with this motor. perhaps someone will be nice and post the link to the forum i am talking about it.

slowturbocx

https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-civic-del-sol-1992-2000-1/engine-swap-info-faqs-how-ck-engine-lights-878010/

go here, everything you will need to know.

Jimster480

how much are you paying for it?

Civicthusiast

thanks for the link you posted.. I've read a lot on that forum...
This place really is just chock full of kick @ss info..

As for the price, its costing about 2500 - installed, running, etc..
I was told that some of the components going to be "included" in the swap are things like type r cams, stage-2 6 puck clutch, headers, after market intake mani, chipped p28.. This setup seems to be too good for the price, considering that stock completes without install go for about 2500... right ?

It just sucks that I have to replace my engine with a JDM and not be all smog legal and whatnot.. headaches..
Any good work arounds ? Am I forced to donate more to a technician to give me a favorable smog test ?
I'm hearing stuff like, "if you get popped and you're not barred, they take your car and crush it"... wtf ? really ?

And really, I'd like to know.. why is it so darn difficult to find USDM replacement parts for the b16a2 that would allow me to be barred and smog legal ?? Why are these JDM engines so damn dirty that I keep hearing so many people failing at the sniffer ?
japan doesn't care about the earth ?

Jimster480

b16a2 is USDM. SO its not JDM so u would be smog legal. Chipped P28 = USDM ECU so u can pass smog depending on the state.

Civicthusiast

Ya know jimster, I thought that too, as I read somewhere on here that engine codes that end in a number is a USDM engine..
so i hit up the guy that was offering the install swap, and he said its a JDM engine and that I wouldn't be able to pass smog..
So, now i'm really confused..

Jimster480

well if it has a # then its NOT JDM.

andoxviii

iTrader: (1)

A lot of people claim to have "Type R cams" when they are selling their engines. Don't believe it until you see it

Need_R

Don't you know anyone who knows more about this to go with you to the shop???

94EG8

If its an OBD2 swap and you use a '96 - '99 integra engine harness than its more or less plug and play. If its OBD1 than so much the better, simply reuse your existing engine harness and make minor modifications to it. Any B-series swap in any '92 - '00 civic is basically a bolt on type affair.

Depends on where you find it. I know someone who picked up a complete OBD2 B16A swap for $1000, that was engine, tranny, mounts, chipped P28, OBD2A to OBD1 jumper harness etc. But thats the exception, not the rule. As a side note, unless your running a dedicated track car, stay away from puck style clutches, they have a nasty habit of destroying differentials.

Most people have a hard time with smog because they don't take the time to do it right. JDM engines can and have been legally smogged and bar'd numerous times. You will need to use: USDM intake manifold (or add the purge solenoid to the JDM one) USDM ECU for the engine, engine must be the same year or newer than the vehicle its going into, Catalytic converter must be installed, car must not be throwing any CELs. There must also be a USDM equivelent of said JDM engine (this is why DOHC ZCs wont pass california emisssions)

A chipped P28 wont pass in california, it'll pass the sniffer test just fine, but it will fail the visual

That is true. A JDM B16A will simply say B16A, a USDM engine will say either B16A3 ('94 - '95 Del Sol Vtec Engine, or B16A2 '96 - '97 Del Sol Vtec/'99 - '00 Civic Si engine)

rkcarguy

I got stuck in this situation once, before I started importing and was looking for my first swap. I went to buy a swap and didn't have any testing equipment.
The importer had several swaps so I picked a few "dry" ones-no leaks around the front main and vtec solenoid, and popped the oil cap. 2 were really clean inside-nice shiny aluminum. One was kinda gold colored inside-still good. The 4th was full of black goey crap....
Next I grabbed a ratchet and turned each motor over by the crank pulley. One turned over pretty easy and the fuel line smelled like varnish don't want that. Next one turned over and had 3 good "bumps" to it(when engine hits compression stroke), but one hole felt a little weak. Third one had 4 good bumps in it and it nearly kicked the ratchet back in my face when I hit the compression stroke on each cylinder=winner.
I picked it up and took it to a friends house, compression tested at 220psi on all 4 cylinders and got there in about 3 revolutions. On a good engine it should attain it's maximum compression test in about 3-5 compression strokes(my no leakdown guage way of doing it).

As for the JDM vs. USDM, ALL the JDM engines except the ZC have only a 4-digit engine designation i.e. B16A B18C D16A D15B. There is no 5th digit as with USDM engines.
Recent clarification of EPA regs has led to engine swaps being cited legal as long as the engine or a indentical version of it(emissions system) was installed in a US EPA certified vehicle. The main concern is based on the emissions systems still functioning, and keeping the car/engine same/same manufacturers i.e. Honda/Acura, Nissan/Infinity, Toyota/Lexus....
In short they are wanting to see that the evap, carbon canister, crankcase recirc, and of course cat are all in place and working. OBD-2 gets harder to deal with because more of these things are tied into the computer.
This was done after numerous complaints, many my own, were sent to the federal DOT regarding the b.s. we put up with for having a swapped car, despite the fact that many of them will get better mileage lower emissions and more power due to more efficient combustion provided by dohc engines for example.
As we venture into the future of alternative fuels, more of these DOT and EPA standards are going to have to be relaxed because they are too restrictive. Excess emissions and increased crash testing requirements mean heavier cars and less mpg. Minimum heights-headlights for instance, keep car designs from being sleek and low-more drag-less mpg.
You look at the new car specs and gone are the 2000# Civic's of the 90's.

Civicthusiast

Holy crap that was pretty good info..

Whatup EG94, awesome replies to the quotes.. thanks for the info.. and if the list of USDM conversion parts is really that short, then I might be able to eventually get my ride bar'd..
btw, regarding the clutch... do you have experience with those 6 puck clutches ? I've read mixed feelings about it.. from what i read off the stage 2 website, it stated that these clutches are designed to be balanced between street racing and daily driving... my limited knowledge in mechanics only sees that maybe it applies too much pressure to the tranny too fast.. would burn it out, like the differential, as you stated... care to delve further into your experience with these clutches ?

Whatup rkcarguy, I will definitely attempt to sniff out swaps if I get the opportunity, and your basic guide will definitely help... but it sort of sounds like the guy has that one swap.. so, maybe I'll have to bite the bullet and hope the russian roulette doesn't kill me.. so to speak..
As for the DOT thing, thats cool that you sent them your opinion.
I'd like to say something to them in regards to the legality of swapping legitimate jdm engines into our "usdm" cars.. after all, the honda is only MADE IN JAPAN.. shouldn't I be able to replace the darn engine if the need arises ? With that in mind, I'd REALLY like to see some companies making a production line of retro-fitted JDM parts for USDM smog purposes.. I mean, the demand has GOT to be big enough, right ?
With the way california treats these imported engines, its like they think these jdm engines are some coal burning locomotive.

all you dudes that inputted good info, thank you..

94EG8

The big problem with puck style clutches is that they don't really slip, they're basically in or out. This puts tremendous stress on the differential pin. If the pin breaks it generally rips apart the differential and punches a nice hole in the top of the tranny where the VSS goes, effectively destroying your tranny. (I've seen this happen btw, its not pretty) If you're running a stock B16A there just isn't a good reason to run a puck style clutch, a full organic disc will hold just fine. On top of that puck clutches aren't particularly fun to drive around town with, nor do they last long when used in a daily driver (I have a 6 puck XTD clutch sitting around here somewhere that installed for someone, I pulled it out when the car was junked 7 months later, its has somewhere between 30,000 - 50,000 miles one it, and its completely worn out, friction material is right down to the rivets, flyweel and pressure plate both have huge deep groves, well beyond resurfacing. If I think of it later i'll take some pictures and post them)

Edit, here are the pics:

The Disc:




The Pressure Plate:



The Flywheel:




Note how the clutch disc is worn down into the rivets and how deeply the flywheel is scored. The clutch above is an XTD stage 3, with about 7 months and around 50,000 - 70,000kms on it. Mostly around town driving.

V8 Eater

I want to add that b16a2 is not only available in the states many euro vti's have b16a2's eg6,eg9,ek4 dont know the code for the delsol(the euro 2nd version crx vti) all have b16a2 stampt on them!

95vxtealhatch

Thank you for saving me the trouble of typing this all out and making it coherent.I saw he was going to run that 6-puck and thought, oh man he going to hate that.I would get the specs of type-r cams and make the guy mic them out in front of my eyes to beleive it has type-r cams in it.

Civicthusiast

Which falls along the lines of what I was thinking, thank you for clarifying it..especially since you pointed out that this clutch is not well suited for daily driving, its prone to damaging the tranny, etc.. I will see if he has standard B16 tranny..

Any ideas as what people are referring to when they say that a non-vtec car needs a v-tec conversion ? is that just the ECU, or what...

each day I drive my civic with its stock d15 sohc, the more I'm pressed to go with this b16 swap..

94EG8

You will need to get a Vtec ECU, if you are in California you will have to use a USDM OBD1 P30, otherwise you could use a chipped P28, or chipped P72, it is also possible to take a none vtec P06 (D15B7) ECU and convert it to vtec status by soldering components to the board and then chipping it.

Beyond the ECU you will need to run the wires for vtec from the ECU to the vtec solenoid on the engine, there 2 signal wires (1 for the vtec solenoid and 1 for the vtec pressure switch) and 1 ground for the pressure switch. See diagram below for more info.