When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
this has been brought up many times but I want a clear answer on if doing a b20b swap into a crx can get BAR’d? I’ve heard that you can use b20b as long as you use b18b1 compenents?
Yes. I actually had a phone conversation with a state ref a couple months back because my buddy is needing to swap his B18a out (Ef is bard for the b18 swap already). And from what the ref told me it is absolutely doable. Treat the b20 like a 92-95 b18a/b swap that is obd1. With an obd1 p75 ecu. And you will be good. Now as far as the cleanliness of the wiring and swap, that will depend on the referee and if they will allow the use of a jumper or req a hardwire. I suggest talking to the tech at the location you plan to go and get their answer on the jumper.
Yes. I actually had a phone conversation with a state ref a couple months back because my buddy is needing to swap his B18a out (Ef is bard for the b18 swap already). And from what the ref told me it is absolutely doable. Treat the b20 like a 92-95 b18a/b swap that is obd1. With an obd1 p75 ecu. And you will be good. Now as far as the cleanliness of the wiring and swap, that will depend on the referee and if they will allow the use of a jumper or req a hardwire. I suggest talking to the tech at the location you plan to go and get their answer on the jumper.
Is the ref available for appointments right now? I'm up for smog this august and was hoping to go legit this year.
yeah but only some ref stations are open. when you set up an appointment they will do a “virtual” appointment first and then set up the real one after that one.
i called the state ref again today and the guy told me i couldnt do the b20b swap simply because it is a jdm motor. i spoke to him about treating the swap looke a b18, but he said it wouldnt matter cause the b20b is not usdm. Im so confused
Yes. I actually had a phone conversation with a state ref a couple months back because my buddy is needing to swap his B18a out (Ef is bard for the b18 swap already). And from what the ref told me it is absolutely doable. Treat the b20 like a 92-95 b18a/b swap that is obd1. With an obd1 p75 ecu. And you will be good. Now as far as the cleanliness of the wiring and swap, that will depend on the referee and if they will allow the use of a jumper or req a hardwire. I suggest talking to the tech at the location you plan to go and get their answer on the jumper.
i called the state ref again today and the guy told me i couldnt do the b20b swap simply because it is a jdm motor. i spoke to him about treating the swap looke a b18, but he said it wouldnt matter cause the b20b is not usdm. Im so confused
i got no skin in this swap, but knowing someone who sells these jdm b20b's, he's always repeated that b20's cannot be swapped into civics because they are equivalent to a CR-V engine, and TRUCK engines cannot be swapped into cars as a matter of technicality.
he wished it could, because that would dramatically increase the demand and market for them.
so im surprised anyone is saying it can be, or even has been successful. so i'll believe it when i see it.
The evergreen tech told me that he does not want any jumpers at all. I am currently doing a 94 gsr into my 91 ef si in the bay area. Which is why I hit up CJ or Carlos for a custom engine harness so i dont have to deal with splicing wires and soldering them ( i am colorblind and wiring is frustrating for me). Hopefully my guy CJ is healing well and taking custom orders soon! Been waiting since november 2019!
I also need to find a way to convert my ecu harness to obd1. Maybe CJ can make me a harness that is easy to install on my car??
I have a 94 integra that i just did a drop in swap with my b20. I have the charcoal box hooked up and used all the rest of my b18 parts. I got state reffed before i got to BAR it and i realized i never put the breather chamber from behind the block of my b18. is that a part of emissions and will i need it to pass state ref and bar? Also if I need it, what do i do about the hole on top of the valve cover. do i run 2 pcv from the intake to the valve cover and breather box with a Y connector or somethin?
(this isnt mine, just a picture i found on google)
Also want to point out that i passed smog before without the braether box even being properly hooked up, the pcv valve wasnt connected to the box when i initially smogged when i first got the car
i got no skin in this swap, but knowing someone who sells these jdm b20b's, he's always repeated that b20's cannot be swapped into civics because they are equivalent to a CR-V engine, and TRUCK engines cannot be swapped into cars as a matter of technicality.
he wished it could, because that would dramatically increase the demand and market for them.
so im surprised anyone is saying it can be, or even has been successful. so i'll believe it when i see it.
It can and is done as long as you are using the b20 as a 'replacement motor' for the b18a/b.
To do an obd0 swap, you would need to install a b20 as if you were installing a b18a.
obd0 intake manifold, exhaust manifold, (Intake arm doesn't matter until obd2, so whatever intake pipe is ok as long as it has the filter) catalytic converter must have the CARB EO number for a 90-91 integra. The PR4 ecu must be for the correct year also, I know there are different 90/91 ECU revisions and it can cause issues due to an atmospheric (barometric?) pressure sensor being located in chassis on one revision ( i think an earlier revision) and in the ecu, and it will throw a code if it's not the ecu with the sensor in it.
Wiring harness is best if it's stock, no jumpers of any kind. That means re-pin your cabin side, if necessary, for the B18a engine harness to work.
As long as the car isn't throwing codes, it should pass.
Granted, we did this on an integra, but we did a manual to auto conversion, b18-b20 conversion, the verbiage on the ref sticker was B20 replacement motor using b18a1 emissions components. I've also helped people do b20 conversions in OBD2 Civics using the same practice, we're just using the b20 longblock as a replacement motor for the b18b.
And there were no hoops to jump through, like the theories I've read of 'people have to swap a b18a/b first before you can use the b20'
I just wonder why people have such a hard time and why the referees can't come to a consensus on the b20. The referee even told us that he had gone to CARB board meetings regarding the b20 and gave proof that the B20 is a 'like for like' motor regarding the longblock and that the reasoning for the longblock to be granted use as a replacement motor was due to the difficulties in sourcing b18a/b longblocks domestically or internationally. When we passed it (it was probably...2013?) we literally made one appointment, drove it in, paid our $8.25 or whatever it was, they checked the ecu, checked the carb number on the cat, checked over the swap, commented on how well it was done (it was literally a stock setup...) and passed it. No questions, no hoops like going to Honda to get an ECU verification, no arguing about truck motors.
YMMV but I would definitely fight them if they refuse to pass it because I know for a fact that there are plenty of b20 swapped integras and civics running around California with BAR stickers specifying a 'b20 replacement motor.' Maybe if somebody is willing to go fight the BAR over it they'll clear up the issue. I wish the forum was bigger at this point in time...because I literally learned it was possible from a thread on HT, in a Civic Shuttle Wagon b20 build thread.
Maybe we can proof of the stickers (I am pretty sure I've posted pics of the sticker for spAdam) and somebody just has to go to the BAR and prove their case.
ok, so we're getting closer to first hand experience, i'd still like to see more visual confirmation.
and specifically on an EF/CRX, the B20 swap works because we can update to a b18, throw in all the OEM emissions stuff, and get state inspected, right?
i'd like to specifically see it then on an EF, since this is an EF forum.
ok, so we're getting closer to first hand experience, i'd still like to see more visual confirmation.
and specifically on an EF/CRX, the B20 swap works because we can update to a b18, throw in all the OEM emissions stuff, and get state inspected, right?
i'd like to specifically see it then on an EF, since this is an EF forum.
Visual confirmation has already been posted several times. You want to see it on an EF do it yourself.
Tyson, search here for a civic wagon b20 swap build. Gunmetal chassis. He had it BAR'd. That was the first example I had seen. I was blown away because I thought it was still impossible.
B20b california BAR
