I am trying to replace a 99 accord E23 4cyl Vtec ulev engine with the same engine. This is the brother in laws car and he is non=mechanical. The original motor was overheated and head gasket fixed at a high cost $1300+. It was never right after that and eventually overheated again and instead of returning to the mechanic he nursed it and refilled the water and fooled with thermostats and misc... until he overheated it but good one day and now oil in the coolant.

So we were going to just drop in a used motor. The motor is available for $500 and the junkyard guy says it comes bare without the distributor. So the question is whether any special tools are required to re-install the distributor on these cars. Another mechanic whom he wants to remove old/replace the with used engine quoted $700 to do that job but insists if the distributor was removed that he can not get it right again because he says special honda equipment/tooling is required. True?

I am just trying to help my relatively poor bro. in law here and this is becoming a large headache. I thought it would be a relatively simple matter to remove the old engine and put in a replacement. The mechanic says a lift is required. I'm almost tempted to jump into this myself although I don't need the hassle. I would probably jack it up all 4 corners so I can slide underneath fwiw.

Any info or experience with this car would be appreciated. Especially the timing question. The junkyard won't let me do a compression test and insists the motor is good but will only give a 30 day warranty. And the mechanic may not be able to even get it in in that time as he is busy. LOL Grrrrr.

Please help....... thanks George

 

Noone has replied so maybe noone saw my post...

It seems to me that if I put the original engine at #1 TDC and I remove the distributor that I should be able to put the replacement engine in the same #1 TDC position and re-install the distributor. I really don't see why that would not be the case.

Anyone?