Hey Guys,

A family friend just gave my a 1993 Honda Civic CX with 109k miles. The car is pretty clean, except for the usual rust on the rear fenders and it burns a considerable amount of oil. I would like to keep the car and keep it as a "mileage" car as I already have another boosted Honda for my speed addiction.

I am pretty sure the motor is shot, with at least the oil rings bad, as its going through about 1qt of oil in 100-200 miles. I live in central jersey and want to get a replacement motor. Does anyone have any recommendations on a cheap build that could help me out. The car currently has a D15B8 and a 5 speed manual with no powersteering and no a/c.

Thanks in advance!

 

if you go cheap you're gonna get what you pay for. what's your budget on this build?

 

A cheap build? Like a cheap swap you mean? There are plenty of cheap D series and LS motors if you search around.

 

I'd be looking to spend up to about 1k to get a good running motor. Really though, i'd be looking for fuel mileage and efficiency instead of overall acceleration.

Just search in this for sale forum?

What is the most fuel efficient setup? Is it the motor i have now, running at 100%?

I know a lot about F2*c1 motors, but nothing about any other Honda block.

 

http://www.jdmenginedepot.com/jdm_engines/Honda

 

I'd find another D15B8. It's prob your cheapest and easiest bet. Unless you wanna go a lil further and do the D16Y8?

 

I would be selective and get a d15B7 locally (pretty cheap and abundant here in tx)from a part-out car that has been wrecked(obviously running pretty good to get in a wreck- confirm by doing a compression test) and either keep it whole or if you want that extra cash saving put the B8 head on it. (the B8 and B7 shortblock are the same thing)
Slowyly I would buy all the parts here on H-T at a very low price and ebay and rebuild the B8. And yes the B8 is the most fuel efficient.

 

^pretty much what I'd recommend outside of getting a VX engine (D15Z1). Quick way to get your car back up to good running shape without rebuilding it is to get a D15B7 block that is in good condition and reuse your head. If you intend on swapping an entire D15B7 I would only recommend it if you swap transmissions too. I did the conversion and it felt like even though I gained a substantial amount of power it shifted the entire powerband further up in the RPM range. With a CX transmission it dropped out of the powerband with every shift (it was still driveable but it really really sucked going up hills...and it already sucks going up on a stock B8).

 

Thanks for the help everyone! I will start scouring the "for sale" threads and see if i can pick up a block for cheap. You think i could do a rebuild on my actual motor for even cheaper? I'm guessing the valve seals would need to be redone, and rebore the cylinder walls?

Even with all the oil burning, I still hit 41mpg on my last tank.

 

yeah, new valve seals and head resurface at a minimum but I would have the machine shop refresh the head and hone the cylinders on the block.
I also have them install the rings and pistons into the block (I just make sure that I take the block home sideways so the pistons don't fall out) once home I place the block upside down on a flat surface and start doing the bottom end. also have your crankshaft checked out and micropolished by the same machine shop. Some can even hook you up with the size bearings that you will need. If not then Plasticgauge is your amigo.
Yeah with time on your side you can get bearings at a very low price here on the H-T marketplace along with everything else you might need saves mucho dinero which is very bueno.
Gasp I wish the cx hatch that I bought did not have that huge hole on the side of the block on the d15b8 cause I too would be racking the high mileage per gallon & racking dough into my bank account.