I just swapped my engine

[shinobi]

Hello peeps,

I just swapped my 4 door Civic lx engine into a JDM B16a sir2 (complete swap: motor, mounts, ecu, tranny, everything). This is my first civic so bare with some of these questions. Keep in mind that my civic is a 5th gen and it's all stock besides the b16 and an intake.

1. Why does my rpm seem off by 500rpm? (using my stock gauge)
2. When does the v-tec kick in and how do you if it's the v-tec?
3. The ac and power steering doesn't work anymore so can I just yank those two out of my engine bay without doing any harm to my engine and/or sensors? (cause i'd rather leave it in if yanking it out is gonna make my engine check light stay on forever or somthing like that)
4. How do you yank the power steering out?
5. The guy that did the engine swap for me said that the engine has been sitting around for about 6 to 7 months so drive it normal for a week or two normally, and after that i can probably feel the v-tec kick harder, true or false?

hmm..... I think that's about it, please reply a.s.a.p. if you can because i still have the warranty on this engine and his labor so if anything is not right then I can go get it fixed for free. Thanx all.

 

[Linguistics]

well, since you got a jdm b16, youll hella hear your vtec kick in in comparison to a single cam, im not sure when it kicks in on that engine (rpm wise), but youll definitely be able to hear it

 

[Team 4R]

your oem tach will usually be off by about 500rpms.... it has to do with insufficient voltage to the gauge and the counter-spring that returns the needle to zero when you turn the car off... nothing you can do about that.

vtec should kick in about 5500rpms....... and, you should hear change in volume when it happens.

the a/c and ps systems can come right out without issue...... taking both out will reduce your total weight by ~150lbs.... that's good for a few ticks off your times.

and most people will say you should be nice to the motor for a while to break it in.... i would say otherwise, but won't because nobody will listen to me anyway.........

you shouldn't actually "feel" vtec come on... the transition is meant to be smooth...... but you should notice that your car will pull harder once the cams move..... congrats on the swap.....

 

[nutt7]

If your vtec is working, you will definately hear it around 5500rpms. Keep in mind the water temp must be about 150' and you must have proper oil level and pressure for the vtec to work...oh and your knock sensor wire must be hooked up...if you dont hear it, the vtec solenoid may not be hooked up. since you have an LX it must be hardwired to the engine harness or the ecu.
I did this swap on my last hatch and if you have a stock exhaust replace it! It literally took cinsistent .4 sec off the 1/4

 

[shinobi]

thanx all,

well, when i race my engine makes a low growl tone, the only difference from this engine and my old one is that when i hit 55-6k rpm the engine sound suddenly changes to this nascar sound (like when nascar's are racing and a car is going really fast). some people told me that i needed to get a better intake and replace my stock exhaust with a after market one if i want to here the v-tec because "when it kicks, you should hear a whistling noise." anyway, i also got into some other trouble with the swap. nothing major though. my car seems to be overheating when i go 70mph on the hiway for a long period of time. i asked the guys at the shop and they said that it happens because my radiator vent or cooler, not sure wut it's called but yeah (the rectangle thing that's connected with the radiator coolant, not the thing where you pour your coolant into). yeah, they said that, that was too small and i needed to get a bigger one from a automatic del-sol, they also said it should fit right in. other than that the water temp. gauge stays below half so i'm not too worried just driving around. anyways, thanx on your input guys.

 

[Team 4R]

i had overheat problems when my swap first went in too...... my problem was that there just wasn't enough coolant in the tank. since you've pretty much got the same motor i have, i would suggest you check that first........

 

[Declectic]

congrats on the swap.... and everything Team4R said is right on target...

cant wait to hear some 1/4 mile times from a b16 in a 5thgen sedan... i'm guessin low 15's prolly kiss the 14's with i/h/e (if thats your plan...)

 

[nightkids1]

pics!!!!!!!!

 

[BioHazard the Reaper]

i envy you man lol...i have a 95 lx sedan, and iim currently saving up for a b16a2, so i at this point hate you, nothing persoanl, hoping to have mine by mid of month but ne hoot congrats, and i hope it kicks ass...haha is it a huge ass boost over the dingy d15b7?

 

[CiviKid]

EG SEDANS FO LIFE FOO!!!!!!

 

[shinobi]

Originally posted by BioHazard
i envy you man lol...i have a 95 lx sedan, and iim currently saving up for a b16a2, so i at this point hate you, nothing persoanl, hoping to have mine by mid of month but ne hoot congrats, and i hope it kicks ass...haha is it a huge ass boost over the dingy d15b7?

wussup man,
yeah, if you are gonna do a swap on your car i would suggest you buy the complete engine swap and do it yourself. just get a couple of friends that know wut they are doing, one of those haynes (not sure if that's how you spell it) manual book on the 92-95 civics, and an engine lift (i think you might be able to rent one at checkers - correct me if i'm wrong guys). it'll save you more money and i think it's better.
cuz when i got my swap they didn't take out the ac and power steering stuff out, they didn't tell me my cv boot had a big hole in it, and those bastards stole one of my breathers. so if you're gonna get the swap....

do it yourself so you can:
-polish the engine first (make it look shiny)
-take out ac and ps before dropping the b16 in (it's alot easier this way)
-clean your engine bay
-check if there is any visible damage in your engine bay
-easily put on headers and a 2.5 straight pipe (or exhaust system)

that's all i can think of right now. i'll post some pics when i get my scanner running up. ohh and yes, the b16 hauls ass. you'll feel a big difference when you get that swap. my car is bone stock with the jdm b16 and i can pull on stock si's and gsr's (gsr's have killer 3rd gear though). anyway i'll post up some times after july 11th, i'm planning to hit the tracks over at rock falls in WI.

and one more thing guys, when i pulled out my ac and ps i ended up cutting most of the tubes but i got the ac and ps out. i couln't figure were to take the whole tubings out so i just kinda let it stay in the engine with toilet paper plugging them, is that gonna do anything or is that okay. and also, my friend said that theres a box under the battery that's supposed to be connected with the ac. i haven't yanked that out yet but is anything gonna happen if i just leave it there?

 

[Je]

hey how much did the whole swap cost you i was thinking about getting the jdm b16a sir2 also!

 

[BioHazard the Reaper]

yeah man great thing abot having a dad for mechanic, he and i are doing the swap, and i have the s**t in the garage(like the engine lift) lol blew the timing belt so bought a book to change it, so have that...all iim waiting for is the moto now lol I CANT WAIT

 

[shinobi]

Originally posted by 92CivicVX
hey how much did the whole swap cost you i was thinking about getting the jdm b16a sir2 also!

well the i bought the complete swap, :engine, mounts, ecu, axles, tranny, etc. all you need to make the engine work for $2300 from this place in st. paul, mn called Bz autosportz (now known as purpulsion autosportz). my dad told me to take the car to his friends shop to put in the engine. i gave him $1200 for : dropping the motor in, complete engine flush, new belt, and he polished my throttle body. so it all came to $3500. but look around before you start buying man, it'll save you alot more money. i mean the b16 engine will run for almost the same price everywhere but if you wouldn't rather do it yourself then it's the labor cost that you have to look out for. i think that if they're just going to drop the motor in for you, the highest i would pay is probably $700 and not a dollar more. and one more thing, if you buy the engine don't be surprised if they tell you it only has 35k miles on and when you see it the engine kinda looks like crap. the miles on the engine is probably correct (give or take a couple thousand miles) but the engine is old, maybe even 1991 old. it's because the Dohc V-tec engine was first introduced to the U.S. civics in the 99-00 Si's but i heard many people say that it's the stock engine of the japanese 91 si hatch and the 92-95 si's and ex's. but still a great engine so take it. the jdm puts out more horse than the u.s. engine anyay.

 

[BioHazard the Reaper]

blah im confused does ps=power steering??? if so do you have to replace it or do you just leave it out???

 

[Je]

ya but he jdm b16 is more expensive.
But thanks for the info, that is pretty cheap, my dad is a mechanic so i'll get the swap installed for free.

 

[shinobi]

yes, ps stands for power steering and i don't think you have to replace it with a new because it wouldn't fit in the engine bay with the b16 in it. i just yanked all the tubes and stuff out. i cut some piping right where it reaches the cruise control and just plugged it with toilet paper. there will be liquid that keeps on coming out giving your car a funny smell but after a week of driving i guess all the liquid drained. well don't know if it'll harm the car like that but we'll see wut happens.

 

[Je]

so have you gone to the tracks yet?

 

[b18c/type-rhead]

Would a b18/c be good on a 95 civic ex?

 

[BioHazard the Reaper]

you tell us lol, your name is b18c/typer head, and you have a 95 civic ex lol....shinobi you have the same car as me right, 95 lx sedan....so did you have to get a new rack and pinion or do anything for steering when you took the ps out?? or did you just yank the pump out and call it done?