Shawn Rayne

I'm not sure where to start from. I'll first say Hello to every user in this forum
since this is my first post. I've been browsing in this forum very often but this
is the first time i found a need of registration.

So the story begins this way.
I bought a Honda Civic 1999 model EK3 4-door Automatic D15Z7
With a gearbox malfunction, one of the gears got stuck inside.


So i decided to use the gearbox of my previously crushed Civic 1997 EK3 Hatch Manual D15B


It wasn't as simple as i tough it would be.
First i started by taking my old car a part by removing the engine and the
gearbox.



Once i finished taking my old car a part. I've lifted my new car
and started opening space for the gearbox swap.



The next day i took off the automatic gearbox, as i removed it i noticed that
the flywheel does not match with the manual so i had to replace it as well.


But that wasn't it as i removed the automatic shifter i've noticed
differences in the chassis so i was forced to cut pieces of my old car and weld
them onto the new one.


Then i installed the clutch fluid tank with the housing and replaced the gauges


I've cleaned my old gearbox and clutch of all the **** they had on it with
kerosene. I was so ready to lift the new gearbox but the nightmare haven't
yet began.



As we put the gearbox we've seen that there is more difference in the
chassis. We couldn't put the stand for the gearbox. So guys the proper way
for it to be done is to cut a piece from the side of the wheel, open the wholes
for the stand on the chassis, weld nuts for the screws on the inside, weld the piece back on and always use anti-rust sprays or silicons after done. You can
compare the stand difference with the pictures above to understand what
about is the idea.


As i said earlier the nightmare haven't yet begun. But its about to begin.
as i finished with all that work and i successfully have my gearbox attached to
the engine i tried to put the ECU for the gearbox and connect all the wires for
the sensors. The wiring harness did not match because there is difference in
the harness between 99-00 and 96-98. Now there is two alternatives ill start up with what i've done which is the hardest way and then i'm gonna explain
what could i have done.
I started by replacing the whole intake manifold with the wiring and ending up
replacing all the wires behind the dashboard.



With my bad luck i got one of my friends cutting the harness of my old car so
we can easy drop the engine. I ended up spending 4 hours fixing them.
Now for method two. If you don't want to replace the intake manifold u will be
forced to change the wire harness at least and to replace them you'll be
forced to take the manifold off. For the dashboard harness there is easier
solution they sell wire extension that u can plug in ur 96-98 ECU and then plug
them to the 99-00 harness. I personally had no cash to spend so i had to
replace the harness with the one i had from my old car.
As i put the car back together it looked like this.


But that wasn't the end of it. As i ran the car O2 sensor light came on
causing it to run rich.
After a little examination i've noticed my old 97 EK3 has a loop of total two O2
sensors, one on the exhaust manifold and one on the catalytic converter while
the 99 has only one on the exhaust manifold. I had to drill another hole in the
chassis for the 2nd sensor and change the catalytic converter.


And now to the point of my problem. I don't have any CEL lights, car is
running properly. I've checked the VTEC solenoids "working", checked VTEC
valve "working", checked oil level "just underneath full" and VTEC still not
opening. I haven't changed oil yet but i hardly believe that's the problem. Oil
looks clean. Would appreciate any suggestions

eghatch9295

iTrader: (1)

Wow. you made that much harder on yourself than need be, but impressive anyways. VTEC is just an oil pressure switch. Try removing and cleaning the screen on the back of the solenoid

BeatDX

iTrader: (1)

Sounds like you swapped around too much stuff.

Which ECU are you using? Manual and auto ECUs are different not to mention 97s are OBDIIa as 99s are OBDIIb you might have some issues there.

Also the intakes between auto and manual are different. The auto 3 wire IACV is on the throttle body, manual 2 wire is on the back of the intake.

This might help http://www.d-series.org/forums/diy-f...g-harness.html

B serious

iTrader: (1)

How do you know VTEC isn't working?

You did WAY more than you needed to do to get an auto to manual swap done.

You didn't need to use the 98 harness. You just needed an adapter to use your 98 ECU on your 99 harness. It plugs right into the adapter.

BeatDX

iTrader: (1)

He still would need to get a new ECU MT & AT units don't swap.

Shawn Rayne

I've done that already.

Shawn Rayne

Thats the reason i've swaped the harness

Shawn Rayne

Please read before posting

crazyhouse2011

You could wire up a ricey "VTEC light" into your dash, it could be something simple like wires run from the vtec solenoid (don't ask me for specifics) to a led that you could just lay on your dashboard. Then do a vtec run, and see if the led lights up. If it does, your vtec works.

Shawn Rayne

You are hell of a smart person. Never tough of this idea. But a led light is not gonna tell me how to fix my VTEC :/
I'm sure the VTEC doesn't engage, applied to many tests. Car off ground running on warm engine checked on 1st 2nd and 3rd gear the solenoids with multimeter. On ground i can feel and make the difference when VTEC kick and it doesn't. Now a broken sensor can make error onto the ECU and since engine is not working properly the ECU is not gonna open the VTEC. All VTEC components has been tested and they do work. I more likely think engine is running rich for a reason because last time i've checked the O2 sensors were showing me 0.9 volts idle on warm engine. And that's the reason the ECU doesn't open the VTEC i've checked for vacum leaks i couldn't find any, took my sparks out and clean them, took another sensor same reading, resetting my ECU, don't know what else to be looking for... ://

tony_2018

That d15z7 is the 3 stage vtec. It looks like you have the cvt model and ended up converting to 5spd. All you need to do find the 5spd ecu for that motor and wire in a 2wire iacv. Everything else should be left alone

edit: Can I have your old ecu?

Shawn Rayne

D15B is 3 stage VTEC aswell on top of all i'm not using only my old ECU am also using my old manifold with all the wires.

Shawn Rayne

the only parts i haven't replaced is the body and the engine block

tony_2018

Okay, so how do you know vtec is not engaging?

Just fyi: you don't usually feel a kick with a d-series vtec.

Shawn Rayne

oh you do feel the kick ive been driving d series
and as i said i did a check with multimeter on the solenoid while running the car on gear off the ground when the vtec kicks in it should show 12v on the multimeter. The positive you connect to one of the solenoids since its a 3 stage the negative you connect to the ground. and im gonna repeat myself so you wont get me wrong i performed the test on warm engine in gear.

tony_2018

Hmm..is this the cvt ecu, the original ecu that was in the car? What about the ecu from your old hatch, god bless it....its a shame your tore her down.

Shawn Rayne

the ecu is from my old car as well with the gearbox harness manifold and many other lil components u don't really need to know about she's been a nice car but old. chassis all rusty she was about to die anyway, i just killed her by giving birth to my new car.

crazyhouse2011

VTAK won't engage unless vehicle speed is above 20 mph, engine temp is above a certain threshold, and there are no CELs.

P-M-B,93EXsedan

Like a phoenix your Honda has risen from ashes with a new sexy body

Shawn Rayne

if im running in gear obviously i have over 20mph especially 3rd gear how do you see that?

tony_2018

Okay so which ecu are you using, the cvt ecu that came with the car or the ecu that came out of your old hatch? Which engine harness are you using?

tony_2018

Its pretty obvious he said the car was on jackstands so yes the speedo is registering speed.

tony_2018

There are other variants of the D15B and not just the 3 stage. Also you never stated it was a 3 stage in your old civic, just D15B.

tony_2018

Also you said you had to rewire the ecu? Are you using the obd2a 98 ecu or the obd2b 99-00 cvt ecu? The dual vtec pinouts are different on both ecus.

Shawn Rayne

i am using harness and ecu from old car as well as manifold and gearbox