kingalbrect79

Ok, So i've searched the site for as much info as I could find on the two variances of the D-series from 1993 to 1996. My problem is a unique one because I am simply trying to get the car back on the road, so far I have had no luck finding any information on this swap here on the forums. It's been about 8 years since I've done my last honda swap and I need all the help I can get.

Here is what I have:

Core vehicle: 1996 DX sedan (5spd) **California car, great condition**
Parts Car: 1993 EX coupe (5spd)-->Engine and trans are good**Sideswiped**
Parts Car: 1996 EX coupe (auto)-->Trans fine, engine blown. (kid didn't add oil and boom)**Wrecked in rear**

Here is the situation:

My fiance has a 1993 EX coupe that blew an oil ring. At the time I didn't have any money, and since I have two trucks I swapped my 96 D16y8 into her car with her Z6 Head so she would have a car to drive to work.

Fast forward three years later and I acquired a 1993 EX coupe parts car (rust free) that I was to use for parts on her car. The engine would later become the donor for my 1996 DX's revival.

A few weeks later I purchased the 1996 EX coupe for parts to replace what had either been missing, damaged or broken over the course of the life of my DX.

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This leads me up to current:

I have an interested party in purchasing my DX sedan, to which they have already paid for the car, taken possession of the title and insured the vehicle under their name. Here is the dillemma, I'll try and be as detailed as possible.

1. I pulled the D16Z6 from the 93 parts car.
2. I pulled the wiring harness, ECU, Mounts, Intake manifold, Alternator, Air box and Injector rail/Injectors from the 96 EX parts car

3. I installed the D16Z6 in the 96 DX with the 96 EX Harness, ECU, Injector rail/Injectors, Alternator and Air box. I also installed the 96 EX Intake manifold instead of the straight up DX manifold. (This eliminates the IACV fix)
4. I converted the distributor from the Z6 to the 10 pin OBD2 harness by simply re-pinning the plug on the distributor.(Wires are color for color)

5. Engine will crank but not fire. It has tried, but will not fire. Car has new plugs and is setup in the correct firing order of 1-3-4-2.

Knowing that the core engine is OBD1 and missing both the Knock sensor and the Crank Sensor, will the car fail to fire if one or both of these is missing? These are the only two sensors not installed or plugged into the ECU. I don't have any more money or time to spend on this car, so I will have to use whatever parts are available from the two parts cars to substitute a fix of some kind. I am experienced in electrical wiring and Mobile electronics, so don't be afraid to get technical with me, advanced re-wiring is not a favorite for me at this point, but if it is part of the solution, then I'm all for it.

I've already put a week into this car. The engine has been swapped, new brakes added and I am also putting a full audio system into the car for the guy who's buying it for me. We are both getting stressed out by this no-start and I really need to pick the brains of those here who have done the OBD1 to OBD2 conversion.

I had thought that by using the EX wiring, ECU and Manifold that I coudl get the car to fire, then bypass the Crank sensor to make sure it ran smooth, but for whatever reason it just cranks over and does nothing.

(Just in case anyone mentions it, the distributor is offset so the timing can't be out like a chevy, I already tried to swap it 180 with no success)

I also read that the Auto transmission EX harness is different from the 5spd Ex harness, I assume it is just the three sensors they are referring to?

I really need help on this one folks, and super fast.

Thanks,

Jack

[I can provide pictures of the engine and parts cars if necessary for you]

kingalbrect79

I could really use some help with this one guys, any suggestions would be great. I really need to get this car on the road so I can get it out of my garage, I'm getting too many calls per day from the new owner to sit on this. I'm going to try swapping in a crank sensor from the 96 EX parts car tommorow in hopes that it at least solves the problem, but is there anything else other than that which could cause a no fire issue in this swap?

kingalbrect79

Wow, no one will even give this a shot in the dark? Really encouraging.

Here is an update to the car and what I've done so far:

I tore apart the front end and added the crank sensor by making a custom bracket and swapping timing covers from the 96 EX parts car as well as crank timing gear. Timing belt was replaced while it was tore apart.

Got everything back together, it still cranks, but WILL NOT FIRE. !!!!!!!


The only other thing I can think of is that I will take the main relay out of the 96 EX parts car and swap it out in the DX even though the DX was a running car when I parked it.

Cmon folks, I really could use some help diagnosing this problem, I need to get this car out of here and it's already been two weeks over the "done" date.

Please, anyone, ideas?

kingalbrect79

I didn't replace the Main relay because I did a fuel pressure test as well as an ignition test.

I have fuel and spark to the cylinders but the engine will not fire. WTF?

I really need help with this, the only thing I can think of at this point is a timing issue (Which shouldn't be possible since I didn't change the timing belt until after the problem already existed or a wiring issue with the 96 EX harness and ECU in my DX chassis.

120 people looked at this thread and no one bothers to help me out here?

WTF is that all about? A link to a simliar archived thread, another forum, anything?????????

I'm really starting to get pissed at this car now.

axm203

Just my 2 cents but I think no one will bother helping you out cuz your just trying to sell the car and profit off the tech tricks that Honda lovers developed to share with enthusiasts, not dealers. Just my two 2 cents

Personaly I was a little overwhelmed with the big *** paragraph of problem on top of problems, I dont think I could help you even if I did understand what youve got and where your "at", It sounds like you tried fixing this with that and idk man, its a mess

Anyway, Im new here, I mean no offense, just thought I'd drop a note to show ya somebody read it, good luck

kingalbrect79

Well I appreciate the response at least.

First off, I'm not a dealer, and second I'm a honda lover too, we have four of them for crying out loud. I am only selling the car because I am trying to condense my bills down and pay things off because I'm going to be a father in March. I think that is pretty good motivation to "lighten the load".

My DX sedan was my first "dealer bought" vehicle albeit used, so I've had it since i got it at 60,000 miles some time in 1999 I think. I've had multiple stereo systems in it, I've put probably 13k in upgrades and parts over the years including two other motors that are now long gone. I've had my fun with the car and I really don't want to sell a clean DX california sedan considering I live in Michigan, but a child is more important than my extra vehicles. I have two pickups and a muscle car in addition to the DX and two EX parts cars.

I'm actually losing so much money on this car it isn't even funny, but because I want to see the car taken care of and not "rodded" by a wanna be fast and furious street racer, I'm putting as much of my time into getting the car running.

I actually sold the car for 2,000, it's only got 120k miles on the chassis since I bought it years ago, and I only charged 500 for the engine install, all of which went into new brakes, gaskets, filters, oil, etc. etc.

In all actuality I am doing the buyer a huge favor by selling it for so little, and what little I actually didn't spend back on the car for replacement parts I spent on my upcoming wedding in September. I'm not trying to put one over on anyone, I am just trying to make sure the car is safe and will run down the road for many years to come so that they will enjoy it as much as I did. Otherwise I would have just taken the money and told them to fix it themselves.

The last engine swap I did in this car was when a rod bearing spun in the SI motor I had installed that scarred the crank. I think the oil pump failed and I had to scrap the motor because it blew up two weeks before I was supposed to move here. I had a friend of mine install a D16Z6 that was modifed slightly into my car so that it would run and make the 2000+ mile trip from California to Michigan. When my fiance's 93 EX blew an oil ring about two-three years ago, I pulled the motor from my car and gave it to her and the car sat in my garage ever since.

I posted here out of frustration because I exhausted all possible options that I could think of, and my initial paragraph wasn't a problem list, it was supposed to be as much detail into the project swap as possible so that I would eliminate any "check this" questions that I had already done.

But I guess since no one is willing to help me with this swap then I guess I will have to try somewhere else. This really sucks and it's too bad because I really love hondas and the complexity/simplicity of their design despite the fact that I am an avid muscle car fan/racer.

I hate computer controlled cars though, too many sensors to deal with, give me a good old carbeurated or blown small/big block and I'm happy.

I won't bother any of you further.

Thanks anyway.

kingalbrect79

Oh, and just to clarify for you since you think it seemed too complicated I'll try and dumb it down so it "makes sense"

Car: 1996 DX sedan
Engine: 1993 D16Z6 5spd

Swap: Installed 1993 D16Z6

Swapped parts for OBD2 Upgrade:

1.Installed 1996 EX intake manifold and Airbox
2.Installed 1996 EX Wiring Harness (Auto Trans)<--all i had available
3.Re-Pinned 1993 OBD1 Distributor to OBD2 10-pin plug
4.Made custom Bracket and installed Crank Sensor and 1996 EX timing cover/gear/new timing belt
5.Installed 1996 EX ECU (Auto trans)
6.Installed 1996 EX injectors and fuel rail

New Plugs, Wires, Cap and Rotor, Brakes and various other small parts/peices

Hope that was simple enough for you. Guess it doesn't matter though, thanks anyway.

kingalbrect79

Mods please delete this thread.

The car has been delivered to the Honda dealership for further service as I do not have time any more for this project.

Thanks alot for the help guys.