95-del-sol

i have a 1995 del sol 1.5L. I'm interested in doing a motor swap. i'm kinds new to honda's, i did bring this honda back to life. was my wife's until it blew up...anyways i'm not familiar with the honda motors and names themselves. i do know that a D15 is the one i have and that means SOHC 1.5L and i know a B17 would be a DOHC 1.7L.

so if you guys can give me some insight on the names and motor sizes i'd appreciate it.
i'm looking to get a big enough engine to give me a lot more power stock internals that requires little to none if any fabrication to the engine bay and other components also i'm planning on switching out the A/T and putting in a M/T.

THANKS!

B_Swapped93

budget ? a B swap is the easiest off the bat a b18c1 is cheap and makes for a fun engine is a lightweight del sol

95-del-sol

not too sure about the budget. not too tight, i plan on doing this over time but reasonably priced is always best. how big of a B series can/should i go? 2.0L 2.2L? larger/smaller?

95-del-sol

what is the F-series? i've found a F22B for the accord DX

speedjunkie_g35

A b18c1 aka gsr is IMO the best bang for your buck and is a drop in deal with the correct motor mounts and just about plug and play when it comes to the wiring. I have a stock gsr in my 94 civic hatch and it is fun. I call it a go cart on roids!!! It is faster than my old g35 which ran high 9's in the 8th mile and my hatch is about to break into 8's with a little more seat time.

A h22(dohc)or a f22(sohc) requires a little more modifications for it to work. You will need to move the trans motor mount on the frame rail and reweld in correct location. Also shift linkage will have to have some fab to fit. The f series tends to be ignored. Both h and f transmissions are the weakest link. Some mate a b series transmission due to being stronger and having better gear ratio's. this also allows you to keep the stock location of the transmission side mount on frame rail.

Also the info has been covered and is all over this forum FAQ in civic section and hybrid.

B_Swapped93

B series only came in 1.6 to 2.0 HOWEVER if you have the money you can have a b18 sleved up to 2.0(85MM bore). but that's not DD material. if you are paying a shop a K swap is something to consider but not an easy "DIY" project. A b18c1 is a great engine and can be had cheap 1.7-2.3K for a good healthy one. with bolt on's plus cam's and the right tune you can see just shy of 200WHP

civicexkid1

iTrader: (1)

here are your options and only ones you should look at everything else either is a waste of money or to much effort to care

b18c1, b18c5, h22 (then you ad a b series tranny and get a h2b look it up), k20, k24, j32(tl engine could do j35 but thats a big engine and most go for the j32)

other than that everything else is pointless like the b16 is the little engine that wish it could in stock form.

if your looking to do a swap awesome! you could also just do a vitara build on your d series and then boost it and make the same power you would with any of those engines for a little less money give or take.

aqua_chicken

iTrader: (1)

i have a turbo kit that could help u out. its d-series specific, allows you to keep your a/c, and comes with smog/carb paper work this isnt a "turbo d vs b series swap" debate, but some food for thought; a well done turbo D can wallop your run of the mill b swap. When the single jingle blows, sell the kit for a swap or pick up another block for cheap and have at it again.

B_Swapped93

More potential with a B or K than a boosted D. OP said this is a gradual project VS all at ounce iirc

95-del-sol

If I were to get a B18 motor what car would that come out of and hoe much should I expect spend on it, also what tranny am I looking for to fit with it to convert to a stick?

95-del-sol

Another question about the swap, will I need a motor out of an ob1 vehicle to make it easier plug n play? Does it matter? And do I also need the PCN/ECU out of they other car for the new motor?

HondaPartsHero

https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-civic-del-sol-1992-2000-1/92-00-honda-engine-swap-wiring-guide-vtec-non-vtec-2987229/

HondaPartsHero

Also check the FAQ link above it'll answer almost 100% of the questions you've asked and the hybrid forum has one as well.

speedjunkie_g35

Come on now!!! It is time for you to do some research on your own. You have been spoon fed enough info to get you started!

mdenjap

School is in SESSION!!

First thing you need to know about HT (Honda Tech) is that there are a lot of jerks on here. Asking questions like the ones I've seen so far on your post will get you verbally abused. For some reason, a lot of people have a hard time finding a way to say: "hey buddy, use the search button and you'll find all your answers." But lucky for you, I have some free time today due to it pouring down rain and I have to make a couple posts to get my full user statues so here we go:

B series motors:

There are 3 main B series engines:

B16, B18, and B20. Yes there are others, but for the sake of this conversaion their are 3. These three motors also come in various forms as well, such as b18b1, b18b, b18c1, b18c5, b18c, etc etc etc. These are all specific engine codes that dictate what care they came out of and if the are USDM (United States Domestic Market) or JDM (Japanese Domestic Market). JDM motors are better in almost every way, but they are also generally more expensive. If you want the specs for these motors, search on HT or on wikipedia, Wiki has a great breakdown of all Honda motors that gives detailed specs for each one, including what cars and year models they came from.

Swaps I would recommend in order of cheapest to most expensive for b series:

I'm skipping the B16 sense I am of the opinion that a Del Sol is too heavy for a motor that makes virtually no torque in its stock form. Yes you can beef up the smallest b series ever made, but for the money you would spend getting it there, just go with something bigger.

B18B1-This motor came from the 94-01 Acura Integra LS trim package. This engine is a 1.8 liter Double over head cam(DOHC) engine that does not have vtec. It is one of the cheaper motor swaps you can do. This motor makes decent power with a few bolt on parts (intake, exhaust, headers) and can make a car really fun to drive, but you're del sol is fairly heavy for a two seater car, so you may want to consider going with a motor that makes a little more power. This swap can be done CORRECTLY for about $1500-$2000. I say correctly because if you want this stuff done right, you need to do a lot of little things to the engine while it's out of the car because it's much easier than when the motor is in the car : gaskets, timing belt, water pump, clutch, etc. Later down the road you can add a vtec head, turbo, or whatever you want, b series engines have a huge selection of aftermarket parts.

B18C1- This motor came out of the same Integra, and is a 1.8 liter DOHC engine WITH vtec. As a honda guy, I LOVE vtec. It's my mistress I sneak out and have fun with when my wife isn't around. This motor makes significantly more power and has a much better transmission attached to it. Again, huge aftermarket selection, very reliable, and this motor even stock would be hella fun to drive in a del sol with the top off and the back window down. This motor swap can be done CORRECTLY for $2,000-$2500.

B18C5- This motor came out of the Integra Type R. It is most everyone's favorite B series sense it makes almost 200hp stock. It redlines very high and makes power all the way through the rpms. It is the pinnacle of honda engineering. I would make love to it if I could(I tried, not so fun). Again, b series= lots of parts, lots of options, reliability, and a really really fun car to drive. This engine is by far the most expensive b series. The total swap done CORRECTLY can run you anywhere from $3500-$4,500, and more for a JDM engine.

All 3 of the above mentioned engines come in different forms, go to Wiki and do a search on 'Honda B Series Engines' for detailed specs and what cars they came from.


Now I saved my personal favorite for last: the H series.

H series motors came in Preludes and Accords, they are large and in charge. I love H series motors due to the great torque and the fact that if you have a vtec H series, it SCREAMS with an intake. Go to youtube and search for 'h22 vtec crossover' and just listen to the motor as it hits 5800rpms. Its amazing, better than sex. My first car was a 1997 honda prelude and the first mod I did was an AEM V2 intake and wow. That decision changed my life and made me a honda guy forever.

**BEFORE ANY OF YOU H SERIES HATERS CAN SAY IT, I'LL DO IT FOR YOU:
Many people will tell you to avoid H series because they are heavier than the B series. An h22 weighs less than 60lbs more than a b18. Need to make up the difference? Get on a treadmill for an hour and take that stupid freaking sub box your buddy made you out of your trunk and presto, problem solved. Next thing people say is 'oh, you shouldn't have an h series on a stock suspension. If you're really than concerned about the weight on the front suspension, do some upgrades. If you're going all out on a motor swap, then you should be doing some work to your suspension anyways, but it is NOT required.

The H22 is the only one I'll address here sense it's really the only one I've ever delt with personally.

H22a4- Came out of the 97-01 USDM Prelude, is a 2.2 liter DOHC WITH vtec and makes about 190hp stock. The motor is the cheaper of the H series due to its availability here in our country, but to get it in your del sol you will need custom mounts, shift linkage, and a couple other parts, but its really not that bad. I have personally had 3 of the h22a4's in various cars and regardless of what anyone tells me, I love this motor. They are reliable, make great power, and can make any car they're in really fun to drive. The fact that you can hear vtec better on an H series than any other motor is one of the many reasons I will always be an H guy. This motor swap can be done CORRECTLY for $2000-$2500.

H22A- This is a JDM Prelude or European Accord motor that is a 2.2 liter DOHC that comes WITH vtec. These motors make between 200-220hp depending on which year model you get. Again, search Wiki for 'Honda H series motors' for detailed specs. I used a red top h22a in my 97 prelude doing my first motor swap and wow is all I can say. This motor swap can be done CORRECTLY for $3000-$3500


My final comments:

If I had your del sol, I would buy a JDM H22A red top swap off ebay. It will run you about $2,700 with shipping and comes with almost everything you need for the swap. For a list of detailed parts, search on HT. This particular motor comes with a 5 speed manual with built in LSD (limited slip differential, both your front wheels grab instead of 1). Sense you said this swap was an over time build, you can buy the motor, pull out your old one, do a few front suspension upgrades, drop in the H22 and waaalaaa. With a couple bolts on you will have a respectably fast car for around $4500. That would give you the motor swap done CORRECTLY, some suspension upgrades that would allow you to do Autocross, and make that del sol ridiculously fun to drive.

I will say this one more time for all the haters on HT, all of the above information is simply MY HUMBLE OPINION. You don't like my ideas, then don't read my posts.

Good luck with your build OP. I really really like Del Sol's (owned one in my years) and wish you the best of luck making yours just that, yours.

JuggerNaut-CTR

^ Most extensive 1st post I have ever seen.

mdenjap

Oh and to add to my looooong post, I just notice you said it's an automatic and you plan to do a manual conversion. That alone, regardless of what motor swap you do, is difficult but doable. just do lots and lots of research and you'll find all the answers you need, parts list, DIy guides and all. It's a big project to do a conversion and a swap, but it's a lot easier to do them both with no motor in the bay so I would start with the conversion then do the swap.

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

Now he can cut and paste it every time someone asks this tired question.

95-del-sol

Thanks mdenjap, that helps out a lot. I really appreciate it. Thanks everyone else filor you inputs. Now I've got a good ball park of what I'm looking at. Another this thing if you don't mind answering real quick, would it be a good idea to build the engine internals or should I just go with the bolt ons for the b18 or h22

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

Build the internals for what?

B_Swapped93

Guy's on point lol

mdenjap

Unless you really know what you're doing, and I'm assuming you don't based on the questions you've asked, building the internals is something you should not attempt yourself, you would get a machine shop to do it. Building internals is generally done for high powered motors with some type of forced induction(turbo,NO2, or supercharger) or a really pricey Naturally aspirated build with individual throttle bodies and such. Start with the auto to manual conversion and a stock motor swap with some bolt on parts. I promise, if you throw an h22 in that car after you make it a 5 speed, you'll have PLENTY of bang for your buck, and you then have a great baseline to build a turbo motor or whatever you want. A JDM H22A with headers, intake and exhaust in your del sol would likely be wayyyyyyy faster than anything you've ever driven, let alone owned. You can do whatever you like, but building internals gets expensive fast and its not required to do a basic swap with bolt on and suspension work.

Insert analogy: You're basically talking about wanting to run a triathlon right after you've learned to crawl

Do some research, convert to manual, do a swap, then build a turbo engine in your garage and swap that motor for the on you put in originally.

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

But doesn't mention that it's more difficult to drop in an H-series than a B-series. Doesn't mention the H2B or H2d kits that would help alleviate the difficulty. Doesn't mention K-series or even J-series.

mdenjap

yes there are dozens of other motor swap to go with that can be associated with just about every letter of the alphabet, as well as conversion kits that could help the process. however I have little to no experience with anything else that I did not mention in my post. all of the information in my short novel I wrote are builds that I have personally done on my own vehicles. I'm sure the Op can at least read and learn to use the search button and discover the infinite world of Honda swaps on his own, I simply wanted to give him a baseline that included a decent amount of information that I at least knew halfway what I was talking about. the blind leading the blind is not something I'm a fan of,.

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

Or one could say simply; the biggest engine with the most horsepower that you can afford.

If the OP had searched, this thread wouldn't be here.