Xplicid

Long story short, 99 civic ex engine threw a rod and put a piston through the block, engine is done. Been calling some shops and they all have the same thing to say, socal is flooded with B20Bs (CRV engines) and the price is dirt cheap because of it. Ive been quoted 1600 for the full swap.

As it stands right now, my car is probably worth about 500-800 dollars. So I have a few options here and could really use some advice from you guys.

Option 1:
Do the swap with the B20, drive the car into the ground, get as much out of the car as possible and put off getting a new car until I can afford something nicer.

My concern with this option is having issues with the car and constantly have to do work on it. the car has 130k on the chasis, guessing the b20 would have around 70-100k and Im not a gear head so I have to pay for all the work on the car


Option 2:
Do the swap with the B20, and sell the car hoping I could get $2100+ for it (so the swap would pay for itself and and pocket me some additional cash)

my concern with this is would there be a market for a car like this? My car is a light blue sedan (most ricers want coupes) its in great condition but is lowered with exhaust


Option 3:
Do a swap with a B18 for $2500 and hope I could get $3300+. The idea here is I would spend more for the B18 but it would pay me back more then selling it with a B20.

But I have the same concern with option 2, would I be able to sell a car that is lowered with exhaust and 130k on the chasis?

any help would be appreciated, thanks guys.

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

I thought you couldn't swap a B20 into a Civic because it's considered a light truck engine? Has that changed?

Xplicid

I didnt even think about that, would that cause trouble with registration? Honestly, you would know much better than I would.

D3vin

Are you going to do the labor yourself? Also, for Option 3 it really depends on the condition of the body, what kind of exhaust, and suspension it's sitting on. Ebay fart cannons depreciates the value of the car.

If you are dead on selling the car, I would go for the cheapest option of just swapping in another D16y8.

D3vin

Yea, it's illegal in California. You can sell it with the motor, but it will never pass California smog laws. I don't know how the cops are like down in So-Cal, but I heard stories in the Bay Area if cops pop your hood and find a B20 (assuming they know Hondas), they are going to give you a State-Ref ticket and since a B20 can't pass smog. You will have to swap another motor to bring it to the ref.

You don't have to register the motor unless you are getting it BAR'd.

osbunjosh

I would swap in the b20 and drive the car into the ground. It would be a nice daily. Save up some cash and finance a 08 si :D

Ghetto Civic HX

At some point he'll have to smog the car to register it and at that point it won't pass.

shawnb

i didnt have any idea how hard they were in cali for smog stuff... here in canada you can swap anything in anything you want with no problems

redm3turbo

not for nothing..........

but all your options have you at the exact same outcome. You sell it as a shell, you make about 500. You spend the money and put in a b20...and you get your money back for the swap + 500 or so. Or you get a b18...and you pay for that...and get about 500 back.

Honestly...Id pick up a used d17y8 off craigslist...and then find a person that can do the work for me outside a shop. A simple y8 to y8 swap can be in a day by a single guy.... hell I changed the transmission in my y8 in under 1 day all by myself in an apt parking lot, and I couldve saved time by just yanking the motor out....

If your out in Cali...theres a guy that lives near you that would gladly do the swap for you for 5-600 as times are so bad. A y8 to y8 is just unpluggin connectors, and twisting bolts... most mechanics would be more then happy making 500 for a days work off the books. If the guy is halfway decent, it takes him 8-10 hrs...and he's making 50-60 bucks an hour.

furious94ls

A Y8 motor should be even cheaper than the B20. I'd go that route. If you are dead set on a B-series get a B18B1 out of a 99-01 LS.

Kohen

buy a d16y8 for a few hundred dollars and not have to do a complete swap.
seems like the easier/better route to me..

Cap'N Chronic

Y8 swap for sure. And that sucks you guys can't swap whatever you want. Over in the midwest where I live, cops don't know **** about honda's. No one really does actually.

fonkernuckle

iTrader: (5)

Y8 and drive it till it goes to honda heaven

4drferio

keep it single cam=]]

litoekneeil

iTrader: (2)

If you are not doing the swap yourself, I would say looking for another single cam motor would be the best way to go. Its cheaper. Plus, if you were to get a b series swapped in, (assuming you have a 96-00 civic since the motor is a d16y8) you would need to buy other parts such as the rear t bracket,and post mount on motor. You would also have to fix your exhaust piping as well.