the only reason i considered it is i can probably get a practically brand
new engine with only 3000 miles on it for very cheap but then i'd need
everything else and my current engine has a slight tick in it but it still
runs strong and doesn't burn or leak anything. my transmission shifts a
little rough into 2nd gear after the car is warmed up but that's even
starting smooth out. i bought the car from NY and i'm only the 2nd owner but
i'm fixing it up a little at a time. it would be great to have that new
engine/transmission in my car but like you brought up the speedometer would
be a major issue by itself and the engine i was thinking of buying doesn't
have much more hp than the older sohc 16 valve engine in my civic. its not
even a vtec its one of the ordinary civic dx or lx engines honda still uses.
thanks for your help.


jeff
"jim beam" <nospam@example.net> wrote in message
news:1113796024.4180999a774a7756e1d76c39c5cc49d4@t eranews...
> hondaman wrote:
>> I'm thinking about swapping the engine in my 1989 civic lx with a much
>> newer civic engine. i don't know if its even possible or if it would be
>> worth it and need advice. the engine i would like to put in it is an
>> '01-'05 sohc d17a1. i know they have a much more updated distributor and
>> ecu but the engine looks about the same as an older civic engine and i'm
>> wondering if it's possible to mount it into my 1989 civic body. i know
>> some modifications will need to be done and alot of things will need to
>> be changed over. my car is an automatic so i'll need to buy a newer
>> automatic transmission along with axles. is there anybody that has done a
>> civic engine swap or know anything about the major problems i'll run into
>> swapping with such a newer engine? currently the '89 civic has a d15b2
>> engine. please respond and thanks for your input.
>>
>> -jeff
>
> you can do it, but the wiring is utterly different. depends how much of a
> project you want to undertake. i've considered it for my 89, but the
> thing that's held me back is the speedo - apart from the fact that it's
> electronic, not mechanical like yours, it doesn't physicaly fit the
> console. you could have a console made, but unlike most engine swaps,
> this vital component is /not/ a plug & play swap. back burner.
>