best "on the cheap engine" for a 98 dx hatch

[Aahz]

Of course I would love to throw in a jdm b16 but I just dropped about 5k for the car and I don't have all that much left for tuning currently. I have around $1K for the engine which I am fairly confident I can swap with some help from my friends in exchange for beer. I am wanting this to basically be a fun daily driver so mild tuning on the cheap is the order of the day. I sat down and checked out the various articles and the engine list and the two engines that seemed like they would be a good swap were: D17A2, D16Y8 or possibly the mini me hybrid engine. I kinda liked the D17A2 motor because it had slightly more horsepower and more torque the the D16Y8 but when I looked for aftermarket cams and valves I couldn't find anything for it, while I could find em for the D16. Iv done a little looking around and I think I can come by the engines for around $650 (does that sound about right?) though Im not sure if the ecu is included in that. According to your engine swap guide the D16 engine is a bolt in swap with direct hookup to my tranny. I think there is a guide to the vtech wiring so that shouldn't be too much trouble... So basically Im just askin if any of you guys have any advice on what the best option would be. I will be tuning other parts of the car as well but I figured the motor would be the best place to start for a flat out horsepower increase. I may pull the head and have it worked on but thats too pricy right now.

A list of other things I would like to do as well:
integra brake conversion
short throw shifter
momo steering wheel and remove both airbags
bigger throttlebody and port manifold
coil over suspension
new master cylinder to shorten clutch travel
exhaust systom preferably NOT a coffee can cat like you see on all the ricers here in MN
?will putting this engine in prevent me from being able to get an intake??? if not I can live without it
light fly wheel
and maybe a carbon fiber hood and rear hatch if the weight savings r big enough to seem worth it and they turn out to be sturdy(IE not crappy or a pain in the ass to install)

all of which will be done later and probably with credit "sigh" If you have any other mods that would fit well with a daily driver to make it a better IE more phun car feel free to recomend them as well.
Thanx in advance to all who reply!

 

[a_integra_87]

Quoted post[/post]]
Of course I would love to throw in a jdm b16 but I just dropped about 5k for the car and I don't have all that much left for tuning currently. I have around $1K for the engine which I am fairly confident I can swap with some help from my friends in exchange for beer. I am wanting this to basically be a fun daily driver so mild tuning on the cheap is the order of the day. I sat down and checked out the various articles and the engine list and the two engines that seemed like they would be a good swap were: D17A2, D16Y8 or possibly the mini me hybrid engine. I kinda liked the D17A2 motor because it had slightly more horsepower and more torque the the D16Y8 but when I looked for aftermarket cams and valves I couldn't find anything for it, while I could find em for the D16. Iv done a little looking around and I think I can come by the engines for around $650 (does that sound about right?) though Im not sure if the ecu is included in that. According to your engine swap guide the D16 engine is a bolt in swap with direct hookup to my tranny. I think there is a guide to the vtech wiring so that shouldn't be too much trouble... So basically Im just askin if any of you guys have any advice on what the best option would be. I will be tuning other parts of the car as well but I figured the motor would be the best place to start for a flat out horsepower increase. I may pull the head and have it worked on but thats too pricy right now.

A list of other things I would like to do as well:
integra brake conversion
short throw shifter
momo steering wheel and remove both airbags
bigger throttlebody and port manifold
coil over suspension
new master cylinder to shorten clutch travel
exhaust systom preferably NOT a coffee can cat like you see on all the ricers here in MN
?will putting this engine in prevent me from being able to get an intake??? if not I can live without it
light fly wheel
and maybe a carbon fiber hood and rear hatch if the weight savings r big enough to seem worth it and they turn out to be sturdy(IE not crappy or a pain in the ass to install)

all of which will be done later and probably with credit "sigh" If you have any other mods that would fit well with a daily driver to make it a better IE more phun car feel free to recomend them as well.
Thanx in advance to all who reply!

I guess ill take a shot at trying to answer a few questions. The first, is that some people like coilovers, some dont. I own a 97 cx..., when i eventually get around to suspension ill just be using some koni yellows and some springs. If you do go the coilover method PLEASE stay away from the ebay junk. Thats exactly what it is is 100% garbage. Im referring to the "full coilver" systems for like $20-100. Stick with a name brand so you wont have to replace it all over again.

I dont want to give you any wrong info, but isnt a d-series a d-series? Im assuming the intake would be the same, if thats the case and you want a cheap AEM SRI off my d16y7 make a offer and its yours. I also have a true 5zigen exhaust if your interested, not the ebay 5zigen style junk.

 

[vtecsir1]

you should be able to get a ls in there maybe for 1000 or maybe a tad more.

 

[Aahz]

problem with an ls swap is that it's a pain in the ass (for me at least) I don't want to worry about engine mounts or drive axles and the ls is two heavy anyway for my tastes.


and also... are the aftermarket intakes for the d series engines all alike? so one that would work on my d16y7 hatch would also work on a d16y8 transferred from a civic ex?

 

[trappd-in-859]

The ls engine is not that much heavier than the d-series. Even if it was, the added hp numbers as well as the amount of potential you can get out of the ls greatly outweighs the weight difference.

Just save your money for a while until you have enough to get what you want done with the engine you choose all at once. I say this because it will just be a waste of time having to keep taking apart the motor to add anything other than bolt-on parts.

 

[posol]

y8 head swap.
DIY turbo kit.

best way to go fast for 1000 bucks.

 

[get_nick]

why the hell would you want to remove the airbags? have you ever been in serious car accident? obviously you have never had them save your life. I have, and wouldn't buy another car that doesn't have them.

 

[trappd-in-859]

Quoted post[/post]]
why the hell would you want to remove the airbags? have you ever been in serious car accident? obviously you have never had them save your life. I have, and wouldn't buy another car that doesn't have them.

Isn't it also illegal to remove your airbags if your gonna be driving the car on the street?

I know for sure that your insurance company will drop you if they find out you removed them.

 

[E_SolSi]

fuck airbags

 

[Aahz]

So what is the difference in weight between a 93 b18a1 and a d16y7? Iv heard that the heavier engines are good only for drag purposes due to the increased weight in the front end which is already a bit heavy anyway. good for straight line but shitty for the curves...

and in response to pissedoffsol- I want to stay far away from forced induction as I can, I dont have the money to deal with the various headaches that come with a cheap homemade turbo job. Though that mini me head swap sound cool and fairly easy... is it sturdier then the ls vtech swap? Iv heard those are kindo delicate due to insufficient oil circulation through the bottom end. And second question about the mini me thing... Would I be able to just throw on a freshly lapped d16y8 head thats in good shape onto the y7 bottom end or would I have to rebuild the bottom end as well? if so then it gets expensive as I don't have the experience for that. I can unbolt one head and bolt another on but much more then that and Im in trouble.

 

[Aahz]

In response to the airbag thing... up till now Iv never driven a car with em and so far I havent missed em much and I have had a few collisions over the years. As for the legality of the issue- wouldn't that make anykind of aftermarket steering wheel illegal then? Remove the wheel and you remove the airbag contained therein. Im not sure about the insurance company so I may have to do an anonymous call just to check up on that one. I just figured that removing them would be a decent weight savings in the front as the car doesn't have ac or powersteering to remove being your very basic dx.

 

[vtecsir1]

Quoted post[/post]]
fuck airbags

I was in a serious accident in my prelude and the airbags burned the shit out of me and gave me a bloody nose. seat belt is what saved me and if not for the airbags i probably would have just been sore.


so fuck em +2

 

[92dxhatch]

you have a few good options to go by, one...go with another d series, and get a little power of it, but your best bet is the ls for around a $1000. you can take the car and swap everything you need, the engine, the brake system, possibly the seats, you'll get more out of that integra than you think, plus if you buy all that crap seperatly, you'll be spending twice the cash. then when your done with the car, have it junked or sell the shell for a few$$$ to put back in your car, go with the ls, you'll be plenty happy, belive me. plus theres so much!!! potetial in an ls motor anyways. well anyways, good luck

 

[trappd-in-859]

The only motor that would put you at a disadvantage would be the h22 as far as auto-x is concerned. Even that can be fixed with some good suspension.

Really, in any type of motorsport, b-series>d-series any day of the week.