maverick_990

I have a 1989 Civic Hatch Si...I am wondering what kind of upgrades can I do without having to pull the motor?? Can I change the head for a different one?? Will that give me more power... I have already done DC Sport headers, Intake and a 2 1/2" Custom Exhaust.. IF I need to do a swap I have an 1986 Acura Integra LS with the DOHC D16A1..Would that motor make a noticable difference?? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Exempt

Yes, u can do whats called a mini-me... Basically taking a SOHC VTEC head and put it on your block... But its not a good setup for the faint of heart... It takes alot of tuning and mechanical know how to get it to run just right, or itll be unreliable... As for the engine, its only 113 HP (the comparable DOHC ZC is 130 and will swap right in), and no it will not directly swap into that chassis... You have to do some modications with the mounts... Not sure exactly what... But i hear its not worth it for only 5-8 more HP...

maverick_990

Sounds like I will go for the Mini-Me Swap..How much more horse will I gain with it... And where could I find a SOHC VTEC Head? And The Acura Motor is Fuel injected..It has the same setup as the civic..

Exempt

Well the SOHC VTEC heads from a D16Z6, D16Y8, and D15b VTEC will all work... Ins tock form (the engines with the head and the block) are all roughly 125-128 HP, so they be about 20 more HP give or take... Plus, depending on the head you choose, you may have a higher compression... With either of these heads its best to change to OBD1...

The heads come from these cars:
D16Z6 - 92-95 Civic EX/Si
D16Y8 - 96-00 Civic EX
D15B VTEC - is a JDM engine, so it will be harder to find just the head for... But its essentially the Z6 head with a more agressive cam...

EH339

Congrats on the car! I'm hoping to buy one tomorrow. My plans are to take the JDM D15B VTEC engine that I just put into my 94 Si, and swap that over to the 89 Si this fall. Maybe with a small turbo on it. It's a great engine, but there's just no power in the lower rpms.

Otherwise, my 94 Si has 350K miles on the chassis and we just pulled the original engine out to rebuild it over the summer.

maverick_990

Thanks for all the help.... Which head would you guys suggest to put on??? I want to do the best one so If there are any preferences please let me know...and again Thank You!

daveb91

The acura motor will not work in the civic. The motor mounts are not going to line up unless you make some custom mounts. Either way the motor will only give you about 4 more hp over the motor thats already in the car. The A6 can be built up to a very impressive motor. I would suggest FI but if not you can use zc pistons and a exospeed cam to really get the car moving with little cash. The head swaps are alright but the A6 head is a very nice piece also.

EH339

I really can't wait to swap the JDM D15B vtec motor and tranny into my 89 Si. That engine pulls hard and is really fun to drive in my 94 Si. It's an 0BD2 one and I bought the longblock off a guy in NY for only $200. We changed the timing belt, water pump and oilpan gasket before installing it into the car even though it was a low mileage engine. I think that should keep your options open and just see what you find for engines and parts. Don't rush the process. Do a lot of reading. Also check out www.d-series.org for more info on these engines.

EH339

I would also avoid a B-series swap as they are heavier by enough to effect the handling of an EF hatch in a negative way. It's the same reason that it's not recommended to put an H-series swap into an EG hatch. I suppose if all you want is speed in a straight line, then go for it... but part of the appeal of Honda Civics (for me) is how well they handle on twisty roads. You want a light quick car with good weight distribution for the most driving pleasure imo.