Honda Help?

I can pick up a $300 '89 civic DX, and i wanna know what engine swap would be cheap and easy. I say this cause i have no experience with an engine swap, but i wanna do it and i think would be a good starting point. I'm not looking for anything nuts just a quick street car with occasional autoX and track use. please if you can be detailed and tell me what i need! i really would love help. thanks guys.

I have a '91 CRX Hf (70hp) and I'm swapping in a 108hp D16A6 engine and trans from an Si model. I'm not looking for big power just a weekend autocross toy. (Since I'm new to autocross, seat time should be far more beneficail than increased horsepower).

If you want more power, the B-series swaps offer a lot of potential and are very well documented on the interwebs. The B16 swap is common but a B18 offers quite a bit more torque.

Other options include H-series, K-series and even J-series swaps but those are not likely to be "cheap" or "easy."

You will have to do a MPFI rewiring to run any decent motor. From there, the options abound. What is your budget? Do you want a bolt in or are you willing to build an engine?

The first step is called a "mini-me" swap. It involves swapping the MPFI head from the D16 onto the D15. It jumps you up to a little over 100hp IIRC. You are adding two additional injectors, so you need a new ECM, some electronic components, and have to do some wire splicing. All of the parts are pretty easy to source, I just surfed e-bay for a few months until I got a good price on everything. I did the swap in a weekend with nothing more than instructions printed from the internet and hand tools. (no prior engine building experience either)

I did purchase an engine wiring harness from someone on e-bay to make it a little easier. At the same time, I added a cold air intake and new belts and hoses. Raced it for a few years with no problems. Cheapest and easiest option.

The next option is to swap in a D16 complete, and they are pretty easy to source. I haven't done it, but I understand that if you can make a car out of Legos, you can handle the swap.

After that, you can go B-Series all the way up to a LT1 depending on your budget and patience.

Another easy swap once you've converted to MPFI is the CZ 1.6 engine. Some variations of the twin cam version make 130hp in stock form, and it virtually bolts in.

I'm thinking b-series, as far as budget i'd like to keep it lower but am prepared to spend prolly about 4K building the whole car. pinchvalve maybe you could point me in the way of some intructions so i can get an idea of what i'll need and start to gather parts/ price it out. will a b-series bolt in pretty easily? will the 5-speed in the car already be fine to mate with it? whatre some problems i'd run into? i'd prolly buy the wiring harness as i slept through most of my electrical class in school and im not good with intense wiring kinda stuff. Thanks again guys, i'm pretty pumped on the build and i with your help im hoping i can pull it off pretty easily.

1) For cheap power, a normal LS (B18B) with bolt ons would be a riot in that thing.
2) No, you need a B-series trans. I'd get one with the tighter gears. You can go GSR, 99-00 Civic Si, or a YS1 out of a 92-93 GSR. (my personal favorite.) Bear in mind that the first two are hydro, the last is cable.

It's all pretty easy and been done a million times, so the guesswork is eliminated. Cruise around Hondatech, there's some good FAQs on the swap.

would the b18b bolt right in? what about the b20? what do you guys think would be the cheapest motor that'd make good power with decent bolt ons. i'm not looking to boost, thats over my skill level. i'm looking for a NA engine that'll still move that car along quickly.

D turbo!!!!!!

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/d-series-questions/19462/page1/

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/building-a-turbo-civic/26514/page1/

Edit: just kidding. I just saw the above post. I still think a D turbo maybe just as easy.

B Series is going to need different mounts, different axles, and some wiring and shift linkage work IIRC.

DILYSI Dave wrote: B Series is going to need different mounts, different axles, and some wiring and shift linkage work IIRC.

You do remember correctly.

Luckily, it's like legos, and there's approximately 989,537 good write ups on how to swap any B-series into any Civic on the interbutz.

OP, i'm not a B20 fan. They just don't seem to have that "honda-ness" in that motor that makes me actually want a Honda. If you decide you MUST have the slight additional torque of the B20 vs. the B18, at least go with the higher compression B20Z.

In an EF, i'd go B18B with bolt ons. I've ridden in one many a time, with YS1 trans, intake, header, exhaust, and some Crower cams, and it was DAMN quick.

I'm thinking b18b now, anywhere that'd be good to grab a complete motor from or should I just head to the local LKQ?