Hello all. Ok, so I have this 91' CRX HF. Super slow.
This winter I am looking to do an engine swap of some kind. The factory D series I have now is blowing smoke pretty heavily and is absolutely gutless. I am looking to have some fun with this car. Not necessarily be a drag monster or anything to that effect, but something fun to drive.
I would like to keep the costs at a minimum and still get 170+hp. This is why I came here. I am in need of assistance as to what I should go with. I want to keep my A/C and all other functions as stock as possible.
I have heard the H22 with a B series tranny is a fantastic way to go for great power. But, I would rather get some outside opinions before I start getting parts.
Second question, and currently the most important. I need new suspension. I want to just get some factory replacements at the moment so I can use most of the capital I have on the engine. In the spring I am hoping to get into something real. But as it stands, I just need something so I don't start breaking parts as it is very sloppy and rough.
I have gone to local autoparts stores and am a bit surprised at the cost. Then they told me that all oem grade stuff was discontinued and that monroe sensatrack was the cheapest option. Where can I find some cheapos to get me by?
Thanks for all views, and hope to get some valuable info.

 

Well as for the engine, yes a 2.2 liter will give you great power (the whole no replacement for displacement argument) however you might want to look into what the swap entails. If ac is a must forget it. I would reccomend a obd0 b18a1 out of the 90-91 teg. However for ac you still need a special hasport ac bracket and use a d series compressor. I always reccomend 2x20 (and don't say its too hot, I live in Florida). Also i would say 170+ is a little optimistic unless you get a gsr $2000 here, or head work on the ls imho.
As for the suspension, monroe is the cheapo. You can prolly get some untested crap from taiwan off ebay though... Make sure your spring rates won't blow the seals on your shocks. Cheap springs for whatever reason tend to have high spring rates and of course cheap shocks have a low compression rate. O and very important DO NOT forget ball joints. When they pop out going 70 down a bridge and your front tires go sideways you are now in a rocket sled and say goodbye to your limited edition electric blue slipstreams. (sorry that was me.)
sorry for the essay bro, hope you can use some thing outta it...

 

I'm going to recommend that you just purchase a decent setup now (or later) instead of buying OEM replacements and then upgrading again. It might be a little more money up front, but it will cost less money in the long run.

I'll suggest Tokico Illuminas and Ground Control (GC) Coilovers. I got this setup brand new for $550. You can find the GC coilovers for $250 shipped. As for the Illuminas, keep a look out for someone selling a decent used (or new) set. The illuminas are adjustable (1-5 settings) and the GC come with spring rates of 380F/250R. The nice thing about this setup is that GC has springs with different rates you can buy and interchange with the ones that come with the kit, should you want to increase or decrease the spring rates in the future. This setup should be great for daily driving and still perform well at the track.

I'll also recommend Progress CS-II coilover setup. You can find these for $500 shipped. The dampers are non-adjustable, but the ride height is. The spring rates are 350F/250R. They have an odd free length, which could make finding the correct springs exhausting if you want to upgrade.

 

well how much experience do u have, the easiest and cheapest swaps are d series but your not gonna make 170 whp off a stock single cam

For suspension if your stuts are that bad hit the junk yard up or craigslist. or just go with what he said ^

 

I am capable of doing the swap myself.
I just don't want to get tied up in a big mess of parts and headaches. I want the old engine out and the new one in as quick as possible as I use this as my regular driver. I do have a van I can drive, but nobody wants to deal with that.

I like the info I was given, and it made a lot of good sense to me.
A guy about an hour and a half away is selling his 89' si with a bad engine. Yeah, that doesn't help with the engine situation, but I might be able to get a lot of parts I need to make this one complete. Only $500.
I need fenders, hood, all kinds of stuff.

I think it would be wise to just get the good stuff for the suspension right away as recommended. I don't really care for wasting money on something temporary. I have always been interested in the ground control sleeves, but heard a lot of good about Tien. Did I spell that right? I think you guys get the point.

The one thing to consider is that I plan to make this car my everyday all around fun machine. That means, full a/c, audio system, and sound deadening. I know that the car is affected by weight terribly, but I can sacrifice acceleration for all around fun.
A controlled ride suits me fine. I am not a whiner that complains about their back problems after a ride in a tight handling car. I love it.

With the info you guys gave me (instead of making me look through the entire forum to find a similar post, THANKS FOR THAT!) I think I have better grip on what I need to get. Thanks a ton.

 

As for the swap, I'd say the best starting point for anything would be an OBD1 SiR b16a swap, it might be a bit pricier yes, but you can still find great deals. It's bseries, obd1 which is a must have for most, and you can build it into anything or use it to swap out the motor later and get the h22 with the h2b adapter.

As for suspension, if you can't spend much, buy used. Some of the ones mentioned above a great suggestions as well, the GC/koni setup is always a good choice, and the progress coilover offers good bang for the buck. You mentioned Teins, they're good but expensive, try finding a used set, but you might be able to get the gc/konis or progress for new at the same price you'd pay for the used Teins.