EGProject
YEEEEAAHHHHH
Okay, I've been putting this off a while due to the number of pics and length of the article - but I finally decided to sit down and write it up. I posted a day-by-day cycle of events on this when I actually did the swap (about 2 months ago) but the thread has dissapeared into the archives.
Here we go.
Old setup. D15B7. Very tired, and had a slow leak in the HG. I considered a swap to a DOHC motor, but I found a killer deal on a Z6 head. These parts you *will* and I mean WILL need.
-Oil
-Z6 head (obviously)
-New timing belt for a D16Z6 (B7 belt is too long)
-New gaskets
-Felpro or Honda OE HG
-New studs if you want
-P28 ECU, or a VTEC converted P06.
-Wire (preferably 10-guage double sheilded - for VTEC wiring)
-Tools
-A few friends to help out
-Awsome garage (optional)
I took 3 days off from work to do the swap - but technically the swap could be done in a day. I took my time, cleaned parts and did some other TLC on the motor that is optional (new water pump, tensioner, main seal, gaskets, etc)
Head on the workbench, cleaned and ready. Note - you can clean the head with water, or whatever you prefer - but wash it out a good deal and make sure you have no shavings in the head by blowing it out with compressed air.
Fluids ready to go. Since you need to drain the coolant, a good flush and maybe some Seafoam would be a good idea.
Dizzy taken off, oil drained, coolant out. Be sure to use the drain plug at the bottom of the radiator to drain most of the coolant out. (Also, don't completely unscrew the drain spigot - like I did. )
Take off the header first, but be sure to use penetrating lube and HAND tools. Air tools will break bolts faster than you think - a breaker bar and some llube go a long way...
Header off, cleaned up the block. A good deal of dirt and oil had caked to the block - so much that I couldn't read the block casting.
IM manifold off. Bolts are easy to take off, though some need a flex joint to get to. Be sure to clamp off coolant lines before you disconnect them to prevent a huge spill. (Had a glob of coolant hit me in the face while taking off a hose going to the IACV from under the car.) Until you actually go to pull the head, make sure you keep rags or paper towels over the open head - or just keep the valve cover on.
Holy sludge batman! Witht the Im off, I saw the buildup on the inside of the IM. Hello Mr. SimpleGreen. Meet Mr. Powerwasher.
Head off the block. Remember to follow the required de-torquing sequence. Check studs for stripping or stretching. Before pulling the head, make sure the engine is at TDC by rototating the crank. Put them aside, but try to keep them in oil. Paper towels placed in the cylinders to sop up remaining coolant. Block was pretty clean, and all the HG material came off with the old head. Teh win!
On the back of the block, between the 2 and 3 cylinders is an oil jet restrictor. It is held into place by a tight O-ring. Jam a screw in there, and pull er out. You now have oil to power your VTACCC!!!
Clean the block and make sure it is clean. If you have to take off the old HG material, you can clean it with a vac and some compressed air - but don't put it near the coolant jackets. Set the dowel pins in the block, lay down the HG (remember to read which side is up) and pray. Carefully lay the head onto the dowel pins and down onto the block. Be gentle to make sure the head is seated correctly. You can ease it along with a rubber mallet - but be very careful. Be sure to set the head to TDC before dropping it on - to easy with timing belt installation and valve clearence.
Sucess! Drop in and torque the studs in the proper sequence. Make sure to coat the threads in oil so the torque readings are true torque - not friction. Go halfway, then back and all the way down.
Cleaned up the IM, and reattached most of the sensors, and replaced some tubing while I was at it.
Exhaust manifold after some porting and cleanup. Bolt that sucker on!
Done. Bolt up the IM along with the new gasket. The IM actually goes on way easier than it came out. Double check sensor connections and coolant hoses. New clamps are highly recommended.
Fabbed up a new coil mount and radiator overflow mount. SS hardware and plate FTW.
NGK Iridium plugs - new plugs are highly suggested, although you can reuse your old ones.
Reattach your spark plug wires and check bolts on the dizzy and valvecover. Reattach the intake and the header downpipe. Double check TDC and the cam gear. This would be the best time to replace the timing belt. Follow instructions and make marks on the cam gear and crank pulley to make absolutely sure you got it at true TDC. This can mean the difference between you engine running or not.
This would also be a good time to replace the serpentine belt and waterpump. I replaced my main seal and oil pan gasket as well.
Most stuff back on, but realized my MSD wires would not work. Had to go to a local parts store and grab some new wires. D16Y8 wires work the best. I was in the middle of reinstalling my intake when the pic was taken - ignore the spray paint cap on the TB -
JDM POSE!!!11111111(Thanks to my friend Joe)
Refil the oil and coolant, change the filter and bleed the cooling system. Mechanically, you're done.
As for wiring - I won't go into specifics, but provided you have an ECU that supports VTEC - it's not all that hard. You have to run 3 wires -
VTEC oil pres sensor
Ground
VTEC trigger
Two must go into the cabin, and into the ECU - most easily via a grommit near the A/C fitting in the firewall (if you have A/C or not, the grommit will be there, behind the battery). The third should be grounded to a common ground either on the head, or on the thermostat housing. Tons of ECU pinout guides are available for VTEC swaps, so that won't be a problem. Clips and wire can be had at any Radioshack or electronics specialist.
Double check all connections and reconnect the battery. Crank the engine a few times with the injectors disconnected (until the oil pres light goes out) and then start 'her up. I suggest taking it easy for a bit and not immediately beating the shit out of it. Double check lines after a quick drive.
I also suggest retorquing the head studs after about 50-100 miles when the engine is cold.
I had a few small problems at the end ( my friend wired my SS coil wrong, frying it - and then spliced the trigger wires poorly, leading to missing at higher RPMs.) I worked out the bugs and it runs awsome. I'd put about 4k miles on it since the swap and I've had no problems at all.
Setup as it stands now...(for now...muhahahaahah)
EDIT:: Thanks to Chris and Blanco for the head and VTEC Wiring. Also thanks to Matt for the socketed P28!
Here we go.
Old setup. D15B7. Very tired, and had a slow leak in the HG. I considered a swap to a DOHC motor, but I found a killer deal on a Z6 head. These parts you *will* and I mean WILL need.
-Oil
-Z6 head (obviously)
-New timing belt for a D16Z6 (B7 belt is too long)
-New gaskets
-Felpro or Honda OE HG
-New studs if you want
-P28 ECU, or a VTEC converted P06.
-Wire (preferably 10-guage double sheilded - for VTEC wiring)
-Tools
-A few friends to help out
-Awsome garage (optional)
I took 3 days off from work to do the swap - but technically the swap could be done in a day. I took my time, cleaned parts and did some other TLC on the motor that is optional (new water pump, tensioner, main seal, gaskets, etc)
Head on the workbench, cleaned and ready. Note - you can clean the head with water, or whatever you prefer - but wash it out a good deal and make sure you have no shavings in the head by blowing it out with compressed air.
Fluids ready to go. Since you need to drain the coolant, a good flush and maybe some Seafoam would be a good idea.
Dizzy taken off, oil drained, coolant out. Be sure to use the drain plug at the bottom of the radiator to drain most of the coolant out. (Also, don't completely unscrew the drain spigot - like I did. )
Take off the header first, but be sure to use penetrating lube and HAND tools. Air tools will break bolts faster than you think - a breaker bar and some llube go a long way...
Header off, cleaned up the block. A good deal of dirt and oil had caked to the block - so much that I couldn't read the block casting.
IM manifold off. Bolts are easy to take off, though some need a flex joint to get to. Be sure to clamp off coolant lines before you disconnect them to prevent a huge spill. (Had a glob of coolant hit me in the face while taking off a hose going to the IACV from under the car.) Until you actually go to pull the head, make sure you keep rags or paper towels over the open head - or just keep the valve cover on.
Holy sludge batman! Witht the Im off, I saw the buildup on the inside of the IM. Hello Mr. SimpleGreen. Meet Mr. Powerwasher.
Head off the block. Remember to follow the required de-torquing sequence. Check studs for stripping or stretching. Before pulling the head, make sure the engine is at TDC by rototating the crank. Put them aside, but try to keep them in oil. Paper towels placed in the cylinders to sop up remaining coolant. Block was pretty clean, and all the HG material came off with the old head. Teh win!
On the back of the block, between the 2 and 3 cylinders is an oil jet restrictor. It is held into place by a tight O-ring. Jam a screw in there, and pull er out. You now have oil to power your VTACCC!!!
Clean the block and make sure it is clean. If you have to take off the old HG material, you can clean it with a vac and some compressed air - but don't put it near the coolant jackets. Set the dowel pins in the block, lay down the HG (remember to read which side is up) and pray. Carefully lay the head onto the dowel pins and down onto the block. Be gentle to make sure the head is seated correctly. You can ease it along with a rubber mallet - but be very careful. Be sure to set the head to TDC before dropping it on - to easy with timing belt installation and valve clearence.
Sucess! Drop in and torque the studs in the proper sequence. Make sure to coat the threads in oil so the torque readings are true torque - not friction. Go halfway, then back and all the way down.
Cleaned up the IM, and reattached most of the sensors, and replaced some tubing while I was at it.
Exhaust manifold after some porting and cleanup. Bolt that sucker on!
Done. Bolt up the IM along with the new gasket. The IM actually goes on way easier than it came out. Double check sensor connections and coolant hoses. New clamps are highly recommended.
Fabbed up a new coil mount and radiator overflow mount. SS hardware and plate FTW.
NGK Iridium plugs - new plugs are highly suggested, although you can reuse your old ones.
Reattach your spark plug wires and check bolts on the dizzy and valvecover. Reattach the intake and the header downpipe. Double check TDC and the cam gear. This would be the best time to replace the timing belt. Follow instructions and make marks on the cam gear and crank pulley to make absolutely sure you got it at true TDC. This can mean the difference between you engine running or not.
This would also be a good time to replace the serpentine belt and waterpump. I replaced my main seal and oil pan gasket as well.
Most stuff back on, but realized my MSD wires would not work. Had to go to a local parts store and grab some new wires. D16Y8 wires work the best. I was in the middle of reinstalling my intake when the pic was taken - ignore the spray paint cap on the TB -
JDM POSE!!!11111111(Thanks to my friend Joe)
Refil the oil and coolant, change the filter and bleed the cooling system. Mechanically, you're done.
As for wiring - I won't go into specifics, but provided you have an ECU that supports VTEC - it's not all that hard. You have to run 3 wires -
VTEC oil pres sensor
Ground
VTEC trigger
Two must go into the cabin, and into the ECU - most easily via a grommit near the A/C fitting in the firewall (if you have A/C or not, the grommit will be there, behind the battery). The third should be grounded to a common ground either on the head, or on the thermostat housing. Tons of ECU pinout guides are available for VTEC swaps, so that won't be a problem. Clips and wire can be had at any Radioshack or electronics specialist.
Double check all connections and reconnect the battery. Crank the engine a few times with the injectors disconnected (until the oil pres light goes out) and then start 'her up. I suggest taking it easy for a bit and not immediately beating the shit out of it. Double check lines after a quick drive.
I also suggest retorquing the head studs after about 50-100 miles when the engine is cold.
I had a few small problems at the end ( my friend wired my SS coil wrong, frying it - and then spliced the trigger wires poorly, leading to missing at higher RPMs.) I worked out the bugs and it runs awsome. I'd put about 4k miles on it since the swap and I've had no problems at all.
Setup as it stands now...(for now...muhahahaahah)
EDIT:: Thanks to Chris and Blanco for the head and VTEC Wiring. Also thanks to Matt for the socketed P28!
