Worth the swap???

[sweeteffx]

I recently bought a 1988 Honda Civic DX Hatch(89-93 hp?). The engine itself has over 174,000 miles on it The speedometer didnt work when I bought the car. It had supposably quit when the guy had it before me. so it couldnt have had too many miles on it. I found a guy with a 1991 CRX Si motor. The guy said that he would trade me my motor plus $100 cash for the engine, or I could find something he was interested in to trade for. I looked around and I believe its got a measly 108 hp. The motor has 60,ooo miles on it though. I would also have to buy the computer from a junk yard to match the engine. I'm guessing that the wiring harness should be the same as mine I have now. Since the two cars are very similar. What do you think I should do. I know that the Japanese version B16A1 would be the optimal choice but as money permit, do you think its worth the swap?

[Smooth_Puddin]

The wiring harness will be totally different than what you have now. Good luck wiring it up for the fuel injection of the Si motor.


I have a Tuned Si Motor, Short Geared Tranny with new clutch(less than 100 miles), Wiring Harness, 89 Integra ECU,
cluster, and axles all for $300
A very strong setup we used to race a CRX that usually led the pack.

This really is a great deal and Im sure I could assist you in the swap if need be.

[Smooth_Puddin]

Ill answer your question

Are you gonna use the dx tranny with the si motor? That would just destroy most of the fun unless you went turbo because of the longer gears.

I wouldnt personally do it because you wont notice much difference with just swapping the motor and keeping the same tranny.

i would just swap heads and do a mini me swap.

Or just buy my setup :wink:

[Feedman]

I didn't know you were alowed to post outside the For Sale Forum.... :wink:

Good advice.... 8)

[sweeteffx]

What kind of power are we talking here? the tuned Si. I want something to get me going, but I have limited funds. Would you want to trade some stuff? ha ha I could use the assistance in the swap definatly. I've done truck motors but it took me 3 days to do so. I hadnt thought about the tranny. I spose I would use my dx one but I wasnt aware of any difference between the two. I'm still quite a new bee to the engine stuff. I do mostly electronics (alarm, cd, audio/video etc...)

[ben2000formula]

go with an ls swap you will be happy and if you want to go ls vtec later or ls turbo you can.

[sweeteffx]

Is is which motor?

[ben2000formula]

90-93 integra b18a1 94-up b18b1 i would just go with a 90-91 b18a1, since it OBD0, it would simplify the wiring, and you would be happy with the torque of the ls motor.

[sweeteffx]

You can talk to me on AIM if you want to save space. :-D

[Kurt_W]

I recently bought a 1988 Honda Civic DX Hatch(89-93 hp?). The engine itself has over 174,000 miles on it The speedometer didnt work when I bought the car. It had supposably quit when the guy had it before me. so it couldnt have had too many miles on it. I found a guy with a 1991 CRX Si motor. The guy said that he would trade me my motor plus $100 cash for the engine, or I could find something he was interested in to trade for. I looked around and I believe its got a measly 108 hp. The motor has 60,ooo miles on it though. I would also have to buy the computer from a junk yard to match the engine. I'm guessing that the wiring harness should be the same as mine I have now. Since the two cars are very similar. What do you think I should do. I know that the Japanese version B16A1 would be the optimal choice but as money permit, do you think its worth the swap?


First off, the speedometer cable is probably unplugged either at the top of the tranny (by the rear transmission mount) or in the back of the gauge cluster. Easy fix.

As for the engine, no matter what you do, the car is going to have to be converted from DPFI to MPFI in order to accomplish anything. This is not terribly hard and there are numerous sites that have write-ups on how to do this convertion…basically if you can handle a soldering iron and run wires, you’ll have no problem.

Assuming you do indeed have a DX, then you have 92 hp. If your car has a four-speed transmission, you have even less. In the case of the transmission, it would definitely be best to have the Si engine with the Si transmission. You can combine them, but the Si transmission will not be nearly what it should be with the DX transmission.

Si’s are getting hard to find in the junkyard these days so finding a ECU might be difficult…I think I know of an ECU around here locally, but I don’t know if its available. Integra ECUs are slightly easier to find.

Don’t bother with building a Mini-me. They seldom if ever work out well or survive for long and you’re going to have to do a MPFI conversion to gain anything anyway so enh, why bother?

[xjoewhitex]

I didn't know you were alowed to post outside the For Sale Forum.... :wink:

Good advice.... 8)lol.. :?


But as for the motor i wouldn't figure it would be worth swaping that motor into it.. i would go with something bigger down the road if you could...

[Smooth_Puddin]

Do you have all the proper tools and equipment for the swap?

1. Beer
2. Engine Hoist or Cherry Picker
3. Impact
4. More Beer
5. Ball Joint Seperator
6. Complete Wrench Set
7. Trusty Jack
8. jack Stands


I couldnt tell you the numbers on the motor im selling, just that it is super strong.

The car that the motor came out of was an 88 Si. Strongest running Si I have ever been in. My sisters 91 Si with only 100k miles on it got blown away by it by at least 5 car lengths. My old Acura got dominated worse(sorry Joe :wink: )

When I took the valve cover off of it you could eat off of it. Cleanest head I have ever seen.

I might be using it myself though if my hatch doesnt sell but money always sways my decision.

[Feedman]

I recently bought a 1988 Honda Civic DX Hatch(89-93 hp?). The engine itself has over 174,000 miles on it The speedometer didnt work when I bought the car. It had supposably quit when the guy had it before me. so it couldnt have had too many miles on it. I found a guy with a 1991 CRX Si motor. The guy said that he would trade me my motor plus $100 cash for the engine, or I could find something he was interested in to trade for. I looked around and I believe its got a measly 108 hp. The motor has 60,ooo miles on it though. I would also have to buy the computer from a junk yard to match the engine. I'm guessing that the wiring harness should be the same as mine I have now. Since the two cars are very similar. What do you think I should do. I know that the Japanese version B16A1 would be the optimal choice but as money permit, do you think its worth the swap?

If this was my car...I wouldn't bother with anything..make it a godo daily driver and work on another vehicle...

Thats just me..... 8)

[narfdanarf]

well we all know what i would do

[xjoewhitex]

well we all know what i would do i don't share with us ... 8)

[Feedman]

well we all know what i would do

What, blow it up.... 8)

[daveb91]

Out of all the civics the dx is the worst to start off with especially with the DPFI and the tranny. if you want to tackle the task of swapping in the Si motor and also go with a Si tranny it will definately be peppier. I havent ever drove a DX civic but have driven 2 Dx CRXes and they seemed way down on power compared to the Si but this probably because of the closer gearing also. I say sell it and pick up a Hf or Si as they are MPFI and easier for swaps and mods.

[superchargedgsr]

Would go with dave on this one...the crx I had (that I sold Ben) was DPFI 89 dx i think...it was a complete mess to switch over and make it work with the LS motor...you would be better off to find a HF crx

[RobbieNelson]

<off topic>

Would go with dave on this one...

:cry: <--- Tears of joy

</off topic>

[sweeteffx]

I would throw it away but I've got a good deal of body work and other things done to it. My ideal would be the b16a1 but that's a good 14-1500 soo.. I was wanting to do the swap mainly for reliability.

[Feedman]

I would throw it away but I've got a good deal of body work and other things done to it. My ideal would be the b16a1 but that's a good 14-1500 soo.. I was wanting to do the swap mainly for reliability.

Its a honda...

If you want reliable...spend a few hunrded bucks...get a cheap d series and call it a day...

Great on gas...what more could you ask for..... 8)

[narfdanarf]

youf otn dhare with any of us

[sweeteffx]

You seem disappointed. I want a reliable engine, but i also want to be able to upgrade somewhat. I dont know about you but driving a "stock" car is a bother. There's sooo much more to it than just reliable, I just mean after i do the swap I dont want 12876128763 different electrical, fuel, economy problems with it. I want it to run like it was meant to have that motor in it.

[RobbieNelson]

12876128763

Twelve billion eight hundred seventy six million one hundred twenty eight thousand seven hundred sixty three

why??? cause I can

[sweeteffx]

HA HA, That makes more sence than just a bunch of numbers. I seriously Laughed Out Loud.

[ben2000formula]

I'm tellin' you ls swap all the way. i can get you wiring diagrams for a dx to ls swap, Josh who has the silver CRX in town just needs a tranny to get his car running and we did all thw wiring on that car, it is really not that hard, you just have to hav alot of patience

[sweeteffx]

So, what kinda $$ are we talking for the Ls swap? Also, what kind of power are we talking for that motor? Why havent you gotten a tranny for Josh's car? Are they hard to find? Open my eyes to this new area in my life...

[daveb91]

Who is Josh and why havent I seen this CRX.

[ben2000formula]

1. Josh owns a 93 GSR swapped civic, his crx used to have an aluminum wing on it, it is silver with a wings west kit.

2. tranny's aren't hard to find, you just have to have money to buy them, which he has spent on both cars,because he trying to fund two projects at once.

3. A complete LS swap shouldn't cost more then 900-1000, if you know where to look for parts and do as much of it as you can on your own. ls swap should give you 130-140 hp depending on which motor you use, b18a1, b18b1.

hope i answered i couple of questions, if you have any more i encourge you to talk to crxhybrid88, as he will be able to do all you need to get the car running

[sweeteffx]

I will also need intake, exhaust, etc correct? I have a hole in the current exhaust that creates backfire ;-) it means my car is running properly. lol Anyway, I dont have money I just went through a nice perdicament with the bank on my eclipse. I couldnt afford $320/mo for insurance. yea... :-( tell me about it. anyway I'm about 1,300 in debt for a car i dont own. soo yea money isnt going to be comming my way in the amt. of 900-1000. Is there any way to hop up the si motor i spoke of in the beginning? I'm pretty sure I cna get that engine for next to nothing.

Oh and By The Way... Meet my son, Austyn Benjamin. :-D He's the cute little fellah in my arms up there /\/\

[xjoewhitex]

Is there any way to hop up the si motor i spoke of in the beginning? I'm pretty sure I cna get that engine for next to nothing. yah you could but if i was you i would stick with the motor you have now and just wait until u get the money to do a swap thats worth paying for 8)

[narfdanarf]

You could do a mini-me swap on your SI engine for fairly cheap.
If you didn't know a mini-me is where you put a vtec head on the non vtec engine...i think those are good for around 125 hp or so, but I hear they love boost 8)

[sweeteffx]

Do you have all the proper tools and equipment for the swap?

1. Beer
2. Engine Hoist or Cherry Picker
3. Impact
4. More Beer
5. Ball Joint Seperator
6. Complete Wrench Set
7. Trusty Jack
8. jack Stands


I couldnt tell you the numbers on the motor im selling, just that it is super strong.

The car that the motor came out of was an 88 Si. Strongest running Si I have ever been in. My sisters 91 Si with only 100k miles on it got blown away by it by at least 5 car lengths. My old Acura got dominated worse(sorry Joe :wink: )

When I took the valve cover off of it you could eat off of it. Cleanest head I have ever seen.

I might be using it myself though if my hatch doesnt sell but money always sways my decision.

Yes, I have the equipment, or the access to. cept the beer you'd have to bring that if you want to help ;-) How many miles were on the engine you wanted to get rid of? I heard somewhere it's got close to 200k.

[jchouse]

You could do a mini-me swap on your SI engine for fairly cheap.
If you didn't know a mini-me is where you put a vtec head on the non vtec engine...i think those are good for around 125 hp or so, but I hear they love boost 8)

they also love to blow up

[sweeteffx]

As far as the whole "mini-me" swap is concerned, I'm not interested in tearing the engine apart to add parts, if im going to do that I might as well rebuild it, bore it out, performance cams pistons etc... but I'm most interested in the entire engine/tranny swap. I've done one in a truck.. but the whold FWD is a new thing to me. I hear its not extrememly hard but its time consuming... I'm sure I can find a couple guys that have done it a time or two to aid me in my upgrade. But, then hey! I would have something nooneelse has/does. I'd be upgrading/rebuilding a 92 hp engine. What good would that do. ha ha

[ben2000formula]

Then just put in a d16z6 you shouldn't pay more then 300 for that and it will work with your dx tranny.

[narfdanarf]

yeah you are not really saying what you want out of the car. you want to spend 150 bucks and be at 130hp or do you want to spend $2000 and be at 160, or do you want to spend $2500 and be at 350?

we are all just throwing out options...but they are unlimited...we need some insight as to what you are going to use the car for.


as far as mini-me's blowing up that is absurd...their is no more reason for them to blow up than a regular honda engine...oh wait you haven't had good luck with those either :P

[daveb91]

1. Josh owns a 93 GSR swapped civic, his crx used to have an aluminum wing on it, it is silver with a wings west kit.



Ok have seen it also has blah altezzas. Primered body kit. Knew who had it before him and if he knew what it has went through he probably wouldnt of bought it.

[ben2000formula]

he didn't buy the car for the motor or tranny, and the body is rust free so i think he got a good deal.

[daveb91]

It had rust in the rear 1/4s last time I looked. Maybe it was something else.

[narfdanarf]

my CRX doesn't 8)

[sweeteffx]

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

[xjoewhitex]

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! wrong thread y0.. but anyways merry xmas 8)