engine/transmission compatibility 1st gen CRX DX

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

I

itjstagame

New Member
Just as the title says, I haven't seen a list (or even a partial list) or what exactly will fit directly, easily or at all and where it came from.

I'm very new, I just bought an '87 CRX DX automatic, the front end is completely apart and ready for engine swap and I really want to get a manual and EFI engine in there. I realize that I will have to completely change the wiring harness and use the ECU from the car I pull the engine front because my 1st gen is a carb, but I don't want that to affect the definition of 'directly'.

directly: means I can use my existing motor mounts and existing transmission
easily: means I might need to change 1 or 2 mounts but there are kits or very easy ways to do this and I may have to switch the transmission and axles, but I can use existing tranmission mounts.
possible: means that it's been done, I may have to change all the motor mounts and also spindles, wheel hubs, rotors, brake assemly, suspension, who knows! But should not involve any metal cutting/fabrication, maybe welding a mount or two, but no firewall modification, etc

Anything above this, even if it's been done, I mean I've see entire different front ends welded on, I don't care, that doesn't apply. I just want stuff that is a motor swap not I built a new car :).

Anyway I'd really like as much information and engines/trannies that people can list and I'll edit the list and make it all nice and maybe we can sticky it. If there's a previous thread like this or existing list please point me to it.


And now for the main question. I'm looking for economy and would really like an HF tranmission, most preferable would be an HF tranmission and engine from a 2nd gen, because they're EFI and have the taller gears, will this fit in my 1st gen with axle changes, etc? I saw in another thread that D16s won't bolt up to an HF tranny, is this true? Because my other plan was to find a D16A1 since I heard they were a pretty easy swap and seemed like a nice engine, will this really not fit the HF tranny, neither 1st or 2nd gen?

Additional information like gear ratios in common transmissions that come with common swaps would be nice, so like if I find a full D16A1 and tranmission I want to know how that tranmission compares to an HF, etc.

THANKS!
 
first off, to swap any fuel injected engine into the 1g CRX DX or HF, which were both carbed, will require the installation of the fuel system and most of the wiring from a 1g CRX Si or 3g Civic Si

the easiest engine to install would be the Si engine from the 1g CRX or 3g Civic - with that engine, you could use the manual transmission from any 1g CRX or 3g Civic - the axles, shift linkage, knuckles/hubs would all remain what you have now - 2g CRX or 4g Civic transmissions will not bolt into the 1g CRX chassis and won't bolt to the 1g CRX or 3g Civic engines - the bolt patterns for engine to transmission and the mounts are completely different - the Si exhaust will bolt right up

the next easiest would be the 86-87 Integra D16A1 engine - with it you need to use the 86-89 Integra transmission, intermediate axle shaft, axles, knuckles/hubs and shift linkage - all of these thing bolt right into the 1g CRX since the 86-89 Integra used the same chassis platform as the 1g CRX and 3g Civic - the 86-87 Integra used a vacuum advance ignition distributor with an external coil, similar to the 1g CRX/3g Civic Si and uses a different ECU than the 88-89 (both are PG7, but they are different) - the 88-89 Integra D16A1 will bolt into the car just like the 86-87, however, the 88-89 D16A1 used an electronic advance ignition distributor with internal coil - you would need to do some additional wiring and use the 88-89 PG7 ECU - you will not find any longer gears for the 86-89 Integra transmission - it is basically the same gearing as the 85 CRX Si, which is pretty short - you will need custom exhaust work

you could also use a JDM "browntop" DOHC ZC engine - the swap is almost the same as the 86-87 D16A1

installing any of the other D-series engines from 2g CRX or from 88 and up Civics will require the fabrication of all of the mounts, custom axles and custom shift linkage - the wiring would be similar to the 88-89 D16A1 swap

you could also swap a B16A or B18A/B engine/transmission into it (B18C1 intake manifold will hit the firewall) - it would require a mount kit (like Hasport), shift linkage and custom axles - you would need the 86-89 Integra knuckles/hubs - the B16A requires more wiring changes due to the VTEC - you would need custom exhaust work and i would highly suggest bigger torsion bars due to the extra weight of the B-series engine/transmission

gear ratios:

86-89 Integra
1st - 3.181
2nd - 1.944
3rd - 1.347
4th - 1.033
5th - 0.848
Final Drive - 4.214
 
Last edited:
itjstagame said:
Just as the title says, I haven't seen a list (or even a partial list) or what exactly will fit directly, easily or at all and where it came from.

I'm very new, I just bought an '87 CRX DX automatic, the front end is completely apart and ready for engine swap and I really want to get a manual and EFI engine in there. I realize that I will have to completely change the wiring harness and use the ECU from the car I pull the engine front because my 1st gen is a carb, but I don't want that to affect the definition of 'directly'.

directly: means I can use my existing motor mounts and existing transmission
easily: means I might need to change 1 or 2 mounts but there are kits or very easy ways to do this and I may have to switch the transmission and axles, but I can use existing tranmission mounts.
possible: means that it's been done, I may have to change all the motor mounts and also spindles, wheel hubs, rotors, brake assemly, suspension, who knows! But should not involve any metal cutting/fabrication, maybe welding a mount or two, but no firewall modification, etc

Anything above this, even if it's been done, I mean I've see entire different front ends welded on, I don't care, that doesn't apply. I just want stuff that is a motor swap not I built a new car :).

Anyway I'd really like as much information and engines/trannies that people can list and I'll edit the list and make it all nice and maybe we can sticky it. If there's a previous thread like this or existing list please point me to it.


And now for the main question. I'm looking for economy and would really like an HF tranmission, most preferable would be an HF tranmission and engine from a 2nd gen, because they're EFI and have the taller gears, will this fit in my 1st gen with axle changes, etc? I saw in another thread that D16s won't bolt up to an HF tranny, is this true? Because my other plan was to find a D16A1 since I heard they were a pretty easy swap and seemed like a nice engine, will this really not fit the HF tranny, neither 1st or 2nd gen?

Additional information like gear ratios in common transmissions that come with common swaps would be nice, so like if I find a full D16A1 and tranmission I want to know how that tranmission compares to an HF, etc.

THANKS!
Click to expand...

Did you do any research on this at all before asking this question? Or are you just expecting that someone will write a complete 1st-gen CR-X Swap FAQ for you?
 
I've been researching for a week, as many forums as I could find and gathering as many bits of info as I could find. I was really hoping someone had a faq or tranny list and it was just not easily found.

jlicrx, thanks for the info, that is basically what I had found so far just didn't have confirmation on the fact the 2nd gen stuff would completely not fit, that sucks. Oh and I meant the 2nd gen HF which is EFI, I realize only the 1st gen Si is efi. For some reason I didn't think about using the 1st gen CRX wiring harness but that's the smartest idea because it'll mate up with my 1st gen dash and have EFI so no fabbing, good idea.

So I'm basically stuck to the 3rd gen civic, si, or prelude and I'd have to use a 1st gen HF tranny (whose gears aren't all that tall compared to the 2nd gen's). I don't want to deal with the B series, the weight isn't worth it for what I'm trying to achieve.

Any idea if gears can be swapped between the transmissions on 1st gen to 2nd gen? That is even though bolt patterns and everything else doesn't line up can any internals be changed around?
 
itjstagame said:
Any idea if gears can be swapped between the transmissions on 1st gen to 2nd gen? That is even though bolt patterns and everything else doesn't line up can any internals be changed around?
Click to expand...
the gears can't be swapped between the 1st and 2nd gen
 
So that's really depressing that stuff isn't compatible with 2nd gen/4th gen stuff. There are many more engine options available to that generation including the VX engine (D15Z1 ?).

So even though nothing is compatible between the two drivelines, how far off is a complete 2nd gen driveline from fitting? Do I have to change all motor and tranny mounts and change the entire spindle/hub/suspension out or what? I'm just curious how infeasible it is and if it's been done before.
 
the older HF engines do the SAME job. Roller heads, taller gears, lighter components. You dont' have to make things harder than they should be for no reason.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top