B16A into MA9 (ex-D15 VTEC-E)

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drew555

New Member
Hi folks.

Just stumbed across this forum, and it seems just the place I ought to be :)

The swap involved is a JDM B16A from a Del Sol SiR into a UK-spec MA9 civic that originally had a 1.5 SOHC VTEC-E engine (I believe this was a model that didn't hit the U.S., so knowledge on the subject may be a little limited).

I'm on the beg for help - the conversion itself is done (if anyone is interested, I can post up a pretty specific guide to what we've done, just ask :) ) and we're at the 'electrical gremlins' stage.

We've got two minor issues that need adressing - 02 sensor error code and knock sensor error codes.

The car smells 'fuelly' and is using a shedload of fuel, and the idle is anything from a rock steady 750 - 850rpm to a slightly manic 3000rpm, apparently whatever it feels like, whenever it feels like it. The engine management light is off when the car is first used, but comes on after a few mile sof driving (spirited or gentle).

VTEC engages as it should, and it goes like a little rocket.

We are using the original B16 engine loom and the original B16 ECU.

We assume it's the 02 sensor issue that's causing the erratic running.

The knock sensor is buried under the inlet manifold, so is a pig to see - does anybody know what colour the wires are that I need to extend and run to the ECU from the canon plug on the suspension turret, and which pin on the ECU plug I need to run it to?

Onto the 02 sensor...

The B16 engine has an 02 sensor mounted on the exhaust manifold (4 wires), and as this is original to the engine and runs straight into the engine loom we assume this is wired correctly (the error code we are seeing is error code '1', apparently relating to the second 02 sensor).

The Del Sol had a second 02 sensor mounted after the catalytic converter with a braided metal shield over the two wires coming from it going into the car in line with the a-pillars - we think this is 02 sensor '2', because it's not even attached to the car any more (hence the error code), and we can't figure where to run the wires to.

Can anyone shed some light on where we need to run these two wires attached to the second 02 sensor?

It feels like we're 3 or 4 wires away from having it all sorted, but we're struggling at this last hurdle.

Little help please? :)

Thanks.
 
I'm not to familiar with edm wiring diagrams or edm chassie per say. Our obd chassies are 92-95 obd1, 96-up are obd2. We do have a vx with a 3stage vtec with a 1.5liter. Your del-sol with a b16 must be a obd2 chassie, since your saying you have two o2 sensors plus a knock sensor.

What we do normaly here up in the U.S is go obd1 if the engine is obd2. OBD1 will not look for knock sensor and the secondary o2 wires. If this is what your trying to do then I suggest look into going obd1. I cannot understand what you mean using the loom from the b16, If I think you mean using the harness from the delsol to the new vehicle with the del sol ecu. I would think pluging every sensor from the del sol will sold the problem.
 
Sorry about the incorrect termninology, I'm pretty new to Honda stuff, and throw the UK - US differences into the mix and it has the potential to get... interesting :)

When I say loom, yes, I mean harness.

The Del Sol and the Civic are both ODB1 - it turns out that the second O2 sensor was actually the CAT temperature sensor... duuuuuuh @ me :huh:

And yes - I mean the B16 loom is the engine harness from the Sol. We literally unplugged the engine and ECU from the Sol, plonked it in the Civic and plugged it in using the plugs that were already there. Apart from some things that the Civic didn't have (VTEC pressure switch, electrical load detector and an incompatible MAP sensor) it was relatively simple.

With a lot more googling it appears that the wire from the knock sensor (that disappears into the harness) is only a single red/blue wire that I hope to find the other end of in the strut top connector and then connect to pin D3 on the ECU and hopefully kill the knock sensor error code.

If it's not that simple, I'll post back, probably crying :D

But I'm still at a loss with the 02 sensor error code. It's giving me error code 1, and the 02 sensor is a 4 wire jobbie.

I think I might have misseed summat there... SOMETHING is causing it to tickover at 2000rpm+.

A blip of the throttle settles it down again, but it's back up there after you pull away again.... grrr.
 
Gaaah.

Just went to the car to hoiok up the blue/red wire to the ecu pin D3 - only to find that pin D3 already has a yellow wire in it...

Now I'm officially lost :(
 
Have you bled the cooling system? This may also be why your idle is a bit erratic. Air pockets or a bad idle or cold start valve can make the car do funny things. Hondas are very particular about this. I have been through quite a few old Hondas and I have had this problem with most of them after doing a service to the vehicle, etc. The 92 Accord had three of these valves :eek:. Either can cause the idle to surge or can cause it hang up at a certain RPM, which is what yours seems to be doing. Try bleeding it first since that's the easiest. Second take those valves off and clean the screens with some brake cleaner and let them dry. Also check to see if the little rubber plunger/seal in side hasn't come apart (this happened on my Accord cold start valve before or maybe it was the fast idle.. too long ago). Put them back on and bleed it again. If it gets to normal temp and is still doing it this isn't your problem. I wouldn't think the Lambda sensor would cause it to idle funny but I guess it's possible. I haven't personally run across that as being the source of an idle problem in any of my cars.
 
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