So.

I have a K24 rotrexed CRX Si. Wanted to try something different this time around..

Scored a decent condition 91 Wagon....but its fwd. This will not do.

I've done the K series...but haven't messed with the j series. The idea of a 6 cyl in a wagon intrigues me.. In a perfect world, I'd just do the j swap as a rwd, leave it stock and call it a day..

Welp, all the mounts out there (correct me if I'm wrong) are for mounting the engine transverse. This is how the j series awd Hondas/Acuras are also laid out. It's well known the manual j series trannies are unicorns...but the K is different.

So help me theorize here:
-J series mounts for EF chassis: exists, check
-J2K transmission adaptor plate: exists, check
-K series transmission with xfer case: exists, check
-Aftermarket d/s, rear diff, subframe, trailing arms, cv axels, hubs: exists, check
-ECU wizardry compatibility: hunting this down, pending

As far as major show stoppers (yes, I realize there are plenty of small details that pertain), what's to stop this from working? Am I missing some key...something here?

Only thing I could come up with was transfer case d/s alignment to the wagons tunnel.

Input?

 

Room in the engine bag comes to mind. The wagons have VERY short engine bays.

Then how integrated do you want the engine package to be? Power steering, AC, gauges. You know simple things.

 

Just go with AEM or ProEFI for the engine management, run a racepak in the cluster housing, ecu problems solved.

 

Short how?

I was under the presumption from the firewall forward, the EE/EF family (CRX, sedan, hatch, wagon)is the same, no?

Also, is anyone aware of an awd j series transmission variant that isn't unobtanium?

 

I don't think they are the same. Wagon has a shorter hood and shorter front fenders. Guess it is possible they are shorter over the end of the core support. But the Wagon core support (T Bar) is also unique.

 

EF bays are tight to begin with. But show us something...we're watching.

 

Can't provide any help, but I hope you can make it work! Sounds like an interesting setup

 

The J series doesn't fit great. It sticks up a few inches above the hood line. You need to decide if you want a closed hood or any amount of ground clearance.

J-Series - Engine Swaps - Honda Tuning Magazine

 

Hoods are overrated, just do it street style with a cut hood and a fat blower blasting out the top so everybody can hear that bish screamin'

 

Update:

The idea is still the same. I cannot seem to positively confirm that the J series even fits in a wagon - I am starting to see what some have previously mentioned (and that I was not aware of) - that the wagon engine bay has a shorter snout than its hatch or CRX brethren. Thanks for that heads up, fellas.

I'm still mulling over exactly how I want to go about this project...but that will percolate itself into existence.

BUT. BUT.

Just today, my wife's cousin decided she's done with her old SUV: a 2006 Saturn Vue. Normally, I wouldn't bat an eye at a GM, BUT....that bad boy has a Honda J35 under the hood. (130k on car/motor) With a transmission that's slowly clapping out. Handing it to us for free.

Think the universe is talking to me, boys.

 

Yeah, every one I've seen in an EE/EF, sticks out of the hood a bit. A custom hood was a given, for me. I'd rather have the ground clearance.