Help me choose Civic for engine swap

We may earn a small commission from affiliate links and paid advertisements. Terms

A

arielb1

Junior Member
:worthy:


I hope I am posting in the correct place. My apologies if I made a mistake.

I am doing some research before I go out and buy a civic. Can you please give me your experience? I would appreciate it.

I am looking to purchase a honda civic with a high mileage. I have a desire to learn how to do an engine swap. I plan to remove the engine and replace it with a rebuilt engine of the same stock to avoid problems. I want the engine swap to be as easy as possible, being my first engine swap. Once I learn how to do it, then I can later experiment. One step at a time.

What is your opinion on the year civic I should look for with the following in mind;

1. It needs to pass smog once I do an engine swap. Can I use JDM engines being in Southern California? Is it a good idea to buy jdm?

2. Easy engine swap with the same type engine.

2. Is a used engine easy to find on the net or ebay?

4. I need airbags.

5. What engine number? This is so I can find it on ebay or net.

6. Is there a business you have had experience in buying an engine.

7. Am I out of my mind?

Thanks for your time. Your opinion is valuable to me.
 
If you want to swap in the same motor, save yourself the troubles and get a low milage car.
 
^^^:no: Too heavy

I say get a Later 90s hatch or an early 90s CRX. For the hatch, go with a GSR engine and go with an LS (b18a or b18b) or b16 (SiR) with the crx.

If you're buying an engine, don't get an ebay one. Buy through hmotorsonline.com. Steve is the shit and offers a great warenty.

Finally, no your not out of your mind. I'm 18 and I just did my first swap this spring. I didn't have any prior car experience and I also used only hand tools. ITs not hard, just time consuming, money consuming and FUN!
 
It has to be a civic 96 and above because of safety and OBD 2.

Thanks all...much gratitude to your advise.

As for buying a low mileage car, it does not teach me anything. I am 38 yrs old with $$$, but my objective it to learn how to swap engines so I can do more in the future.

No offense, but a crx is too boxy and small. I would like a bigger vechile, with good mileage like to civic.

If I purchased a 96 to 98 civic and bought a vtec engine of the same year, will I have an issue if it is a JDM engine? If I purchase a JDM engine, will I have any problems passing smog in Los Angeles. I've tried search the threads, but I could not get a straight answer.

thanks again

Any other opinions.
 
Why will a jdm not pass smog? After all, think about it. The engine is from Japan with 30-40 miles. I will be using the same cat converter. What is it about JDM engines that will not pass smog. I called a sales person that sold JDM engines. He did not guarentee the engine will pass smog.

If so, how do I find a USDM engine?

thank you... you are teaching me.
 
the jdm motors have to oblige(spl?) to a different smog standard. yes they still get good mileage but i think they are allowed higher carbons(or whatever comes out that tail pipe). i dont know if they have egr, pcv, and all the other emissions stuff.
 
JDM engines are everywhere, the people that buy them in LA, how do they pass smog? I am getting the sense to leave JDM out of the picture. If so, where can I get a USDM engine?
 
I'm almost positive you can pass smog, I'm just not sure how. Most engine dealers have USDM engines too, so keep a look out for a nice GSR or LS motor. If you're going to be boosting, either is a good choice, but if you're going N/A then you will want the GSR as it has about 40 more hp.
 
No, I will not be racing. I want a basic swap. Old engine out, new engine in. The car will be used for commuting to work. I need it to have good gas mileage and pass smog. The swap has to be as easy as possible. More importantly, it has to pass smog.

I am learning alot here. Please keep posting. I will be watching and learning.

thanks again
 
So let me get this straight...you WANT obd2? Why? I understand everything to that point. If you want a 96-98 civic, go with a four door and swap in a b16a. Civicious had one until he flipped it, and he could tell you the mess he had on his hands. I also don't understand why you would want to swap the old high mileage engine for an engine that is exactly the same only with less mileage. That would only give you a head ache knowing that you just did all that work for nothing but the knowledge of how to pull out a motor and then put it back in. I can understand you wanting more knowledge of cars, but if I were you, and didn't want to swap in a different motor, i.e. swapping out a d16 and then dropping in a b16/b18/whatever, I'd think that I'd gett a lot more experience pulling the original motor out, disassembling it, then rebuilding, getting the block and head machined to zero mile status, getting some new rings, and maybe even up the compression with some new pistons, and getting some hondata and tuning it a bit. That would probably make you more knowledgeable than just doing a swap. but that is just my .02 . Jdm motors will pass smog, provided they use the require emmissions equipment for the closest usdm motor equivalent. For example, I am going to be swapping a b16a into my 91 integra one of these days, if bad stuff stops happening to me. TO do it legally in california, I have to use the ecu and obd1 electronics used in the 94-95 civic del sol vtec, the only obd1 b16a powered usdm car. I could also use obd2 stuff, but why? Anyway, also talk to Tdaddy or Starbellieangel on this site, they just got their swapped inegra legalized.
Good luck bro, I am glad you are not into rice :)
 
92-95 VX/CX. They are light, get great gas mileage, have a better wheelbase than CRX's, there is more engine room than CRX's (incase you want to turbo it later on), they are obd1 so you can chip the ECU yourself with a free ROM editor (obd2 is ghey). Should have no problem passing smog and you could probably find another CX/VX motor for 40 bucks.
 
More info that's not posted here yet...

You CAN pass smog in California with a JDM engine, but it's not easy. You generally need to use all the USDM emission controls, then take your car to a smog ref to have it inspected. You'll have to do this anyway with pretty much any swap regardless of origin, but it's harder with a JDM engine.

The "normal" rules in California basically state that the engine must be of the same country of origin as the car's home market (US), and that it must be from the same year (or newer) as the car it's going in to.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top