96 Civic ex swap help

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ryanlamberg

New Member
Hi i'm new,
I have a 96 Civic EX and I considering an engine swap. I dont have any swaping experiance and I was wondering how much of a hastle it would be (if possible) to fit a K20a (out of a Civic type R) into my car. I read up on the common engine swaps and the "engine swaps 101" section and the k20a isnt mentioned. The higher torque output of the k20a is what I am after.. and the sixth gear is nice too. Can anyone with experiance give me more info on if this swap is worth the hastle or should I settle for one that is more strait forward, like a B18C5 and then tune it, or something else? Any info is greatly appreciated
 
The K-series swap into a pre-2001 Civic is definitely NOT a good swap for beginners. It requires expensive after-market mounts, fabrication, and some decent wiring skills. If you have no engine-swapping experience whatsoever I'd either pay a reputable shop to do it or go with a B-series...
 
If i were to go with a B18C5 and given that I have all the tools and equipment, is there a place you can get detailed instructions on this specific swap? and would a couple people with basic mechanical sence be able to handle the swap from start to finnish without much trouble? Thanks a lot man
 
I would say so, yes. B-series swaps into that chassis are a lot more straight-forward then K-series swaps. There's no fabrication required, and you don't necessarily have to use after-market mounts (although there are plenty of them available); you can use stock mounts if you choose.

As for instructions, they're all over the place. Check the FAQ section on this site actually, I'm pretty sure we have some write-ups...
 
There's nothing specific in the FAQ section but I found it elsewhere. Another quick question.. How much boost can you run on a stock b18c1 before you need to upgrade parts? The b18c1 is significantly cheaper than the b18c5 and I hear it is a better set-up to take boost.. put the money saved by getting the cheaper motor into a turbo for your gsr and you'll end up with faster car in the long run (assuming the tight budget) True?

Also If so, what role does the turbo gsr vs. N/A type R play as far as longevity is concerned? I would think that the higher compression of a turbo would wear down on a car significantly more than a N/A would. So is the N/A type R the way to go in terms of the "long run" (i.e getting the most miles out of the motor) or does the forced induction not make much difference (assuming you put enough boost into the gsr to make it at least as-good as the type R)?
 
It won't take much boost to make the B18c1 as fast as the B18c5. As far as longevity though, I can't say.
 
|Chaz| said:
It won't take much boost to make the B18c1 as fast as the B18c5. As far as longevity though, I can't say.
Click to expand...

:werd:

A turbo'd GS-R will spank a stock Type R all over the place, even on fairly low boost. As for the longevity, yes it is more stress on the engine. With proper tuning and maintenance though, a turbo Honda can still be quite reliable...
 
What is a safe psi to run though a compleatly stock gsr? (less than 10?..)
And what kind of power can I expect at its best (without any mods beyond the turbo)?

If i do up the boost what are the most important upgrades beyond i/h/e?
 
ryanlamberg said:
What is a safe psi to run though a compleatly stock gsr? (less than 10?..)
And what kind of power can I expect at its best (without any mods beyond the turbo)?

If i do up the boost what are the most important upgrades beyond i/h/e?
Click to expand...

How much boost you can throw at it depends on how healthy the motor is.

Obviously you need to do more research before you go anywhere with this. You have to get turbo specific i/h/e. You can't just use i/h/e that are designed for an N/a.
 
|Chaz| said:
How much boost you can throw at it depends on how healthy the motor is.

Obviously you need to do more research before you go anywhere with this. You have to get turbo specific i/h/e. You can't just use i/h/e that are designed for an N/a.
Click to expand...

:werd:

If you're thinking about turbo then don't buy any other parts yet. Stuff like an AEM intake or DC header won't work with a turbo setup. As for how much PSI to push, it's actually better to pick a power goal rather than a specific PSI number. PSI is somewhat irrelevant due to the different turbo sizes available.

And like I said, the longevity of your turbo build will depend greatly on the quality of the tuning. You could blow up your engine making 200 wheel horse on a crappy tune, or you could pretty safely make nearly 300 wheel horse on a good tune.

You might want to call around to the shops in your local area and see what's available for dyno tuning turbo setups. Ask them what kind of software programs they use, costs, etc...
 
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