What up peeps. I got a 91 CRX and totally stoked because i just may have a B18 motor and tranny coming to for next to nothing. Been doing some research and this swap seems pretty legit. Just trying to see if anyone has done the swap into a DX model instead of the HF or Si models (I know, how could someone possibly buy a CRX and not get the SI, my bad). I know I gotta do the MPFI swap and get new mounts before some ___hole says "you are gonna have to buy new mounts". I just wanna know if this is like a 1000 man hour type job. thanks in advance.

 

You're gonna need new mounts...





Axles, shift linkage, and ECU is the basics. Also wiring VTEC. It's not a huge undertaking. It's a pretty straight forward swap.

 

Sorta right, sorta wrong. Depends if it's a B18C or a B18A/B. The C is a VTEC motor, the A and B aren't.

OP, check the FAQ section. The B-Series swap has been done a million times. The DPFI to MPFI swap has been done two million times. People mod non-Si cars more often than Si model cars. Shoot, my standard 4 speed hatch back has a B-series motor and a turbo now. Started from the bottom...

CHECK THIS OUT YO

 

This swap has been done tens of thousands of times. Just google "B18 ef" and read for days. Every single little detail has been mapped out for you, all you have to do is read.

 

Yup. Unless you get unlucky like I did and have one of the strangest misfires ever. Or you get axle binding that causes your suspension to compress for no reason. Then you are in my boat and you have to figure it out.

But mostly it's been done for you. shoot, shops will do it for you if you want to pay them. One day and a grand later, done.

 

I work with a guy who has done the swap into his CRX and he says it took him today when he first did the swap. As far as the engine goes it belongs to a buddy of a friend of a friend of mine and all dude told me was "I know of a B18 for sale with a tranny for like $500 cheap", so I'm gonna jump on it if I can get it.

Thanks for that link btw.

 

There's no way I'm paying a shop to do it ha ha especially if I can. Now if i was swapping in an EJ20 with the AWD setup as well, I might pay someone to do that just cause fab wasnt my major in school.

 

Don't want to be overly mean, but I can give some real talk advice. Don't bite off more than you can chew. A motor swap isn't much, but if it's your buddies buddy dude from down the street's cousin's mother sister brother daughter father in law from down the road with the guy he use to work with's motor, it may have problems. That price seems fishy to me too.

Not saying you should pay a shop or you can't do it, but it isn't the easiest thing in the world. If you haven't done it before, it probably won't go smoothly.

 

If it runs and passes smog its a start, but I also have my suspicions. I have done engine swaps before but they were always bigger engines in larger cars.

 

Just mount the engine yourself and then if you can't figure out the wire which is a pain just pay a shop to do it. Also what OBD are you going?

 

Pay a shop to do wiring? It's pretty expensive to go to a place and say, "Hey, I did half the job, fix what I couldn't." And I wouldn't just go to any mechanic, wiring conversions on a Honda aren't really something the tire guy knows very well.

Staying OBD0 or going with OBD1 are pretty much the same if your motor swap doesn't come with a distributor or ECU. So remember that.

 

well going off the thread he doesn't know where to start and its better to take it to a shop for wiring instead of hacking up the harness and making out more complicated

 

I was planning going OBD1. also I am certain of my wire diagram reading skills would be more than sufficient to handle the job. besides no luck with the b18 so still on the hunt for a better motor... gotta get rid of the d15 for sure

 

I just did an OBD0 to OBD1 write up! It's very easy. Most people will tell you not to get the B16A because there are better swaps. I won't agree or disagree but it is a very good swap. See if the H2B or F2B swap is in your range. A F20B with a B16 cable transmission in an EF civic is very VERY nice. Same power as most of the K-series swaps.

The main thing to consider for your swap is budget. What's your max budget for a complete swap?

 

Nice write up man.

 

Thanks. Maybe I'll add pictures sometime haha.

 

I don't want to spend more then 1500 atm I got bills and other stuff that requires my money... but in the long run I wanna build it for rally racing but thats a few years down the road.

 

1500 is a very cheap budget for a B16 swap. You may want to look into the B18A or B18B non-vtec swap instead. Probably be had for a better price. Just try and find a good price on a motor/trans.

Or if you want to go cheaper, the D-series motors are a much MUCH cheaper swap due to the mounts being stock and the shift linkage bolts right in, ect. The d16Z6, D16Y8, D15B (JDM) are all 130 BHP from the factory motors that will be much cheaper to swap in.

http://www.hmotorsonline.com/shop/sc...age&item=30021

$800 or so for the motor. I don't know if you have a trans. But the D series SOHC swap will be much cheaper and within your budget. Look at the marketplace here. Should be able to find a motor for a deal.

Whats in the car now?

 

Right now its got the basic D15B2 in it... It failed smog super bad and I'm currently trying to get it onto the road again. I thought about the mini-me swap as its fairly cheap to build and would cost me no more than about 600$ all said and done. I'd love to do the B16A swap but too much money for the budget I have atm. Long story short I need to get this car onto the road soon cause my daily(Insight *cough* garbage *cough*) will be leaving me soon...

 

I did find a ZC for about 100 bucks seized up would it be worth trying to salvage and rebuild? I could get the tranny for no more than 200$ so if its worth it i might go that route just rebuild with performance parts ha ha

 

I don't think it would be worth it. The most I've seen out of a good NA D-series is 160 whp. That's like the best I have seen. I'd just try and find a good working motor. I wouldn't try rebuilding a motor on a $1500 budget. Also, try and get a cable tranmission, not a hydro one. Easier to work with. Should be able to pick up a good swap for a grand. I got my B16 with the tranny, axles/half shaft, alternator, distributor, ACT clutch and a couple other things for $1000. There are deals out there. You just have to be patient and sometimes you'll have to piece parts together.

 

I'll keep an i out might put up a WTB thread too god knows there are other parts I should get as well since the engine will inevitably get yanked. Your B16A did you buy it off the market here?

 

Yup, sure did. The biggest pain in the butt ever. Not really the sellers fault or mine. The motor sat for about 4 months after being pulled and things got parted out, some things were old and broke, ect. It's hard to find something local, so you don't pay shipping, and something that is reasonably priced.

 

I just dropped the no-frills OBD-0 B16A into my 90 STD hatch. With a buddy it took us a combined 10-12 hours over the course of three evenings. We dropped the B16A out of one car, dropped the D15b1 out of my car, then shoved in the B16 into my car. I'd also advise to possibly purchasing a custom wiring harness for whatever swap you go with. I got one custom made from Monotech and it worked perfect. Also ran an OBD-0 to OBD-1 wiring harness. All the info I gathered was thanks to all of the threads here on honda-tech. Like others have posted: search and read, search and read! Lots of good info on the web.

 

LOL the sohc non vtec ZC is now $775?! That's pretty much bullshit, I did my swap like 2-3 years ago and it was like <$500

http://www.hmotorsonline.com/shop/sc...age&item=30020

Glad I've sold it and moving on to better things haha