I need to switch out the engine in my 91 Si soon, but I don't have much free time lately. I was gonna just pay a shop to do it, but I went to a shop here in Fullerton, and they wanted $700 just for the switch. Since I don't feel like paying someone nearly twice the cost of the engine just to put a new one in, I think I'll attempt it myself. I've never swapped out a Honda engine before, though, so I'm not too sure what to expect. I bought the Haynes manual and have been studying that so I have an idea of how to do it, but I was wondering if there's anything else I should know about this task. I'm not too sure how long it should take, but can anyone who's done this give me some advice? Are there any web sites I should check out? Thanks.

 

well, since you have an Si it will be an easy swap... you just gonna need, a motor, tranny, ecu, axels, shift linkage (that you have to shorten 2") and thats about it.... make sure you get a HASport motor mount kit too.. in my opinion its the best one to use.

Putting the new motor in is the reverse of taking the old one out.. its easy and you should be able to do it yourself in no time.

Troy

 

Thanks for the advice, but I need to just clear something up: I'm just gonna be dropping in a d16a6, same as stock. Anything about the basic removal I should know?

 

It seems to be easier to take out the engine if you remove the transaxle mounts from the front and back of the transaxle.
Also, i reccommend taking the alternator and alternator brackets off of the engine before removing it. Lastly, removing the engine and transaxle as a unit will make your life easier in the long run.

 

thanks... anything else?

 

the one tricky part that i can think of right now (its too early in the am ) is getting the shift linkage off. if you have an exhaust bolt lying around, you can use it to pound out the "bitch pin" which holds the shift linkage to the transmission.

besides that i can't think of anything else.

oh yeah, i've heard of people having problems getting their balljoints off. but i guess you wouldn't need to separate the ball joints since you could possibly leave the axles on the car, just removed from the tranny...

 

I'm located in so. cal if you want I'll drop the motor in for you. I'll charge you $350 and it'll take me 1 day and at most a weekend.

 

Is it possible to disconnect the axles from the tranny without having to disconnect the balljoint? In the manual it says you need to fully remove them to get them out of the tranny. I've worked with ball joints before, and if there's any way to avoid touching them, I'm all for it. I just don't want to mess up my axles in the process.

 

you can undo the upper control arm and the strut/spring assembly and stand on the rotor to get enuf room to push the axle out of the hub and then pull it out of the trans.

 

Take the rad and hood out too. Takes like 10 minutes but you get so much more SPACE

 

when I pulled my zc out I left the axles attached on the hub side you just have to pop the axel out of the trans.

 

just get a tie rod seperator. the ball joints are small enough that it will work and if you tear the rubber boot you can get new boots at auto zone


[Modified by dpo95si, 7:19 PM 4/18/2002]

 

I'm in Buena Park. I got a picker if you need to borrow it. Everyone's borrowed it. It's cherry has been picked you can say.

 

He is swapping a d16a6 for a stock d16a6. He isn't going to need the stuff you mentioned. All he needs is a d16a6 longblock and he is set. He is not going to need motor mounts, an ecu, transmission or shift linkage. That is all there already.

I would advise replacing the timing belt, water pump, thermostat, cap and rotor, plugs and wires, and any worn belts or hoses. Just a thought.




[Modified by 91civic, 6:06 PM 4/18/2002]

 

All you have to do in order to take out the motor and put in another one is, 1) Take out battery (disconnect it) 2) Detach shift linkage, axels, and headers from where the 2nd pipe and the top pipe, 3) Disconnect fuel lines, radiator hoses and the engine wiring harness that is connected to the body 4) get the engine lifter and mount the chain on the driver side mount and one on the tranny 5) then lossen the all engine mounts but make sure u take apart the whole back side mount and the front ( make sure the engine is at an angel, tranny towards slightly down. Should be able to pop out with ease, and make sure to watch for your brake lines on the side where the the fuses are.