16 replies to this topic

[Aaron]

So blown headgasket. Time to pull and rebuild the motor or just replace it. I have a couple questions though.

1) Is this the Carb'd motor for the 84' Honda CRX DX 1.5?
http://cgi.ebay.com/...1QQcmdZViewItem


2) Or should I just buy a rebuild kit from this site?
http://www.rpmrons.com/Hondakits1.html



Thanks. If the ebay auction is the right motor then I will most likely go for the 1st option. And is it a direct swap in? Just have to bring the other parts over to the crate motor?

Answers ASAP would be perfect, since the auction is over on the 13th thanks

Edited by Aaron, 10 November 2007 - 12:51 AM.

[zakats]

yeah the ebay auction is a direct replacement for a 84-87 usdm carb'd civic/crx that isnt 4wd.

but that thing is waaay too expensive! JISengine.com has fresh rebuilds for less than that. $250 by my last look but that was without the head but forget that waste of time, Put a SI, CDM non cvcc DX, or d16a1 head on it and you're set.

after shipping, the cost will be over $850, that is an insane price for that stock motor. maybe if it had a flow benched professionally fully port/pollished head, but no thats borderline unreasonable.

also those rebuild kits were insanely over priced. Check out JISengine.com for a good priced set. for that price on the site you could have a HONDA rebuild set for about the same cost. look into a fel pro rebuild set, it should be cheaper and is a better name than JIS.

...why not just have the head milled and replace the head gasket?

[DEIVIONCRX]

Both of thoes are seriously overprized like zakats said. Id check out Majestic Honda www.hondaautomotiveparts.com, and just order everything you need/want to rebuild from them, genuine honda parts.

Upper complete gasket kit (Headgasket, every oring, seal, gasket ect in the head) is $107
Lower Complete Gasket Kit(Oil pan gasket to the head) is $40
Main bearings $95
Rod Bearings $66
Rings $85

Total $393

I would buy the Bearings and Rings from Honda, but you could knock off a few bucks and get a Felpro Gasket kit from Autozone ect for $84. Total $330

[Aaron]

So if I buy the shortblock from JIS, will the SI or D16a1 head be a direct bolt on? And will all the parts that you have to take off (Carb, etc) will it be a direct bolt on back on the diff head?

p.s- I would like a new motor or complete rebuild kit because the rex has 250,xxx miles on it..... yeah lol

p.ss- Thinking about just getting that shortblock from JIS with the core charge. Then take the head to a machine shop to get milled, resurfaced, etc. Maybe buy new valves from Majestic.

Edited by Aaron, 10 November 2007 - 11:45 AM.

[Super_Cricket]

yes exact fit on the motor... its is priced high but you are getting a brand new motor professionally rebuilt. Its not a bad deal if you think about it. The rebuilt kit... I considered buying from them before finding a motor to put it but for some reason after considering for so long I decided that it was easier to get a low miles engine due to the fact of the price and labor involved... it would end up costing about the same as the motor.

[zakats]

it really isn't worth bothering with the cvcc head, it takes too much work to have the cvcc junk all in working order.(the aux valve is kind of a bitch and often leaks IIRC)
my car has a dx block with SI head/cam- and uses a cvcc carb and intake from the DX. this combo works, a little on the rich side I'd estimate though. It'd be better of course to go with the CDM intake and carb for the SI head (or cdm dx which would be better compression with dx pistons) but it isnt exactly manditory, I've had my CRX for upwards of 4 thousand miles now with no problems.

for the d16a1 head, you will have to:
A-find a rare(or at least to me) carb'd d16a1 intake manifold and carb
B- take a d16a1 fi intake manifold, chop it, and run bike carbs aka ITC's or
C- convert to fi.
D-buy a weber setup (most expensive option)

SI/CDM/D16 heads can be had for 50-120
just about every member here and their mother has an si head or two

[Aaron]

I don't have the time right now to do any custom or to fab anything up or money. I have work and school and just finished swapping a crate/remanufactored motor into my mazda. I just want to get my Honda running again. I don't really care about speed or anything for the honda. Just going to restore it (new engine, paint, and interior) I just want to get it out of my garage and on the street for a DD! Its a fun lil car to drive, and its very rare around here and its been almost 6 months since i've driven it tired of putting it off, just want to get it done lol.

So with that said, that is why I am just looking to most likely get the short block from JIC then take the head to a machine shop. But thank you for the info about the heads, If I ever want to go back and do it, now I know!

But your saying the SI head is a direct bolt on? I already have a weber carb.

[zakats]

either way you look at it though, putting that head back on without a bunch of time, effort, and some considerable money wasted, you wont have a properly built engine in the long run. There is no custom anything involved with the Canadian intake/carb along with the Si head, you will be happy you did this if you decide to go that route. I rebuilt a CVCC head that was used for a while, that decision was a poor one for the sake of not wanting to change.

All of the heads I listed are a direct bolt on- only with the d16a1 head you would need to use a d16a1 head gasket. Weber manifolds aren't cheap. If you were to run a single weber, I believe there is a conversion piece that you would/could use along with your factory manifold IIRC.

[Aaron]

Its not that I am going to rush it. Its that I just want to get it done and would like it to be hassel free and easiest way to avoid trouble/problems I guess. I don't want to do a lot of lil different things just to get a diff head on it (which is time) or run into a whole bunch of fitting issues, mechanical issues, is it going to work, etc (which is more time). I have never rushed any engine rebuild, or anything with cars actually. I always do it the right way, I am going to take my time on it because its not worth making a lil mistake then having to go back in and do it all over again. And motors are a critical factor so you have to do it right.

so if I get a SI head off of a 85-87 crx, it will be a direct bolt on. and I can still use my weber carb (I trashed my original carb, it was a goner).

[zakats]

you most certainly can and should use the weber setup should you go with an SI head. for good measure have it milled down .010 or more if you are planning to have it milled, it isn't necessary but I'd say its worth it, the Honda factory service manual recommends you do not exceed removing more than .025, several of our more aggressive racing members successfully run heads with more removed than that.
the SI head was meant to be on that engine and is nearly identical to the one you have now with only small differences:
better cam, different distributor (no need for mech fuel pump lobe on the fuel injected model), higher comp pistons, oil cooler, no cvcc head ache, no "quench pad" to raise compression ratio, and it is fuel injected of course!

In order to use the Si head you will have to either:
*use the SI head with the DX cam and distributor and you can keep the stock mechanical fuel pump (cvcc lobes won't cause any trouble)
*use the SI head with SI Cam and SI distributor, you will have to use an electric fuel pump. I have upgraded to electric fuel pumps on both of my carbureted cars, they're cheap and better for a DD anyway.

[Aaron]

So no matter what, I will have to switch to fuel injected? What exactly do I need to do to switch to FI? I kinda know but I want to be 100% sure so I don't have to go back/ mess anything up lol. Would I have to use a SI Manifold?


And where can I get one of these SI beauties!

[zakats]

No I didn't say that, I just said you'd have to switch to an electric fuel pump as opposed to the stock mechanical fuel pump.- that is ONLY if you chose to use the SI cam and distributor.
Mechanical fuel pumps are a potential danger, replace it anyways! You can use your intake manifold and the Weber carb just fine with the SI head.

switching to FI.... that would mean getting an SI interior harness and engine harness, fuel pump, intake manifold, distributor, head, misc sensors/black boxes, and a new throttle cable just stick with the carb setup, you'll be fine.

[Aaron]

hahaha yeah, I am liking the Carb setup right about now Don't want to deal with all those fuel injected stuff right now.

So here is what I am going to do. New short block, Si head, then just use my current manifold and carb! Put on all my new fenders and bumpers, drive it to my buddies body shop, he will take the 2 dents out, re aline the bumpers, and then paint it! Then drive it back to my house, and put in my new carpet, then try and find new seats! Then it is complete!

p.s- My friend is going to do the paint/body work for $750!!!! I love knowing people haha. He does great work to, hes been doing body work since he was 16! I cant wait to get it done!

p.ss- can I switch to the electric fuel pump anyways? Even if I use the DX cam and distributer?

Edited by Aaron, 11 November 2007 - 03:17 PM.

[zakats]

sounds like a good plan.
to answer your question, yes you can run an electric pump with the DX cam/distributor, just pull the the arm off of the fuel pump that touches the cam lobe and keep the fuel pump on there to keep it all sealed or make a block off plate- same thing with the egr on the manifold as well as the other opening on the intake runner of cyl #1

[Aaron]

Yeah, I hope its going to look brand new again!

Anyways, now where can I find/get a SI head?