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View GarageOk so finally complete my write-up guide to swapping out the EW1 in the 85 CRX DX to the blacktop (88-89) Integra D16A1. This might be one of the more complete ones, I spent months researching and using both RPR, Sonny's page, and a few other sources to get almost all the info I needed to swap it and not have it look like a hack job, I like the clean OEM look 
Keep in mind this info pertains to the 85 CRX to a 89 Integra engine but most things will be the same for the 86-87 CRX's. You assume all responsibility and should have a good working knowledge of cars and electrical systems before you attempt a carb to fuel injected swap. This serves as a guide only.
I can email a .doc or .docx file for those who would like to print it out. If there are any questions feel free to message me, I have had this swap done now for over a year and have had zero driveability issues.
Ok so here it is:
EW1 to D16A1 85 CRX DX—89 Integra RS
Ok so finally decided to do the write up on my swap. I had an 89 Integra RS 3 door that was wrecked some years ago so I completely stripped it of everything and stored the engine and trans and a hell of a lot of parts in my garage for almost 3 years in hopes to use it eventually. I had just had the engine rebuilt some 5k miles before so didn't want to see it go to waste. SO, with that in mind, when my friend picked up an 85 CRX DX for $300, I figured it would be the perfect candidate for a D16A1 J.
The whole swap took about 8 months, since a lot of reconditioning, refinishing and restoring took place even before we got to settle the new engine into its new home. I highly recommend buying a FSM and ETM for both cars if you plan on doing this yourself as it required tons of modifications changing from carbureted to fuel injected.
Yes, we could’ve gone with a brown top which is far easier since it uses vacuum and fewer sensors, but why when I had a black top waiting? As there are quite a few build threads on similar swaps done I won’t get into everything but I will note some important things that many have left out or forgotten. Having a complete harness for the Integra and all the components help.
List of Integra parts used/needed to change over to DOHC black-top
Engine/trans, complete wiring harness from Integra w/ECU, knuckles/hubs, front brakes, brake lines, CV axles, radiator hoses, fuel pump, rubber fuel lines, speedometer cable, clutch cable, accelerator/throttle cable, emission control box, transmission mount, rear engine mount, front engine mount (need CRX one too), exhaust manifold and downpipe, Integra multi-function switch and cover, PA sensor, ICU, fuse panel.
Also used but not really necessary: Sub-frame, Power steering system (if using Integra sub-frame), custom power steering cooler (if using PS), rear axle/rear disc brakes, rear disc e-brake cables, Integra proportioning valve (for rear disc), Integra rear internal sway bar, Energy Suspension poly bushing kit 16.18101G, Goodridge stainless brake lines 20061, Aeroquip stainless braided fuel line, Edelbrock hi-flow AN fitting inline fuel filter, Aeroquip -10 AN fittings, PowerStop cross-drilled front rotors, 4”x6” conversion headlights, Xentec 10000K HID kit, Eibach rear drop springs.
Other OEM parts used:
85-87 CRX Si hard fuel lines (feed and return)
85-87 CRX/Civic Si fuel pump bracket
87 Prelude master cylinder (use Integra reservoir)
85-87 CRX/Civic Si coolant overflow tank
88-up Civic short shifter
88-up Civic shifter bushing (cage)
85-87 CRX Si Instrument cluster center panel
Explanation of modifications:
Sub-frame – CRX uses 17mm torsion bars, Integra uses 19mm factory to handle extra weight of engine/larger car. The torque tubes that hold the t-bars are longer on the Integra by 1”, so I drilled a couple holes in the frame on both sides and used 4 80-85mm M6x1.0 bolts thru-bolted with washers to secure caps.
Steering system - Using the Integra sub-frame also requires use of the Integra steering rack (driver side mounts are offset whereas CRX manual rack is aligned vertically as well as smaller in diameter). The pinion shaft will be off by a few millimeters into the body but not enough to cause issue. Use CRX steering column. A custom 3/8” 10mm tube must be bent for the PS cooler, since original Integra one will not fit properly due to pop-up headlights. Reuse Integra cooler mount, modified/bent to be able to bolt into hole behind driver side headlight. Used regular Gates clamp, OE hose clamps leak.
Front brakes – much easier to simply swap CRX knuckle for Integra than pressing out bearings. Must use Integra hub because CRX splines will not match up to axles. This gives you the ability to use larger Integra front brakes (9.5” vs. 9.0”). Use Integra front calipers, caliper brackets, rotors/pads, lines. Since Integra uses 7/8” bore MC, CRX uses 13/16”, to maintain similar brake force with larger rotors use 87 Prelude MC. Integra MC and CRX MC mount similar, CRX uses O-ring gasket, Integra uses flat gasket and Prelude uses O-ring. Used Integra reservoir simply for larger capacity. Using Integra brakes requires 14” wheels or larger, 13’s will not clear!
Rear brakes/axle – remove CRX drums, replace with Integra discs. Use Integra rotors, calipers, brackets and e-brake cables and lines. E-brake cables are longer than CRX, so we looped them a bit and ran them into opposite side holes into the body to take up some slack. Used stainless brake lines to go from hard line to caliper. This also gives you the opportunity to swap around rear internal sway bar for stiffer Integra one. Axle tube, swing bearing and hubs are all the same, but trailing arms are different (must use CRX arms). Panhard bar is same on both.
Rear springs – planned to use Integra springs for stiffer spring rate but overall height is about ¼” taller and makes rear sit high. So used Eibach spring kit (Thanks STS133!) which are about 200lbs spring rate, and cut down upper shock mount collar about ½” so it doesn’t clunk over bumps.
Shift lever - used 88-up Civic short throw shift lever, which has larger ball diameter than 1G CRX/Integra lever. Bought a new shifter bushing from Honda for 88-up Civic (doesn’t use 2 o-rings) and a couple nylon washers from the hardware store trimmed to fit as spacers. Have to use large enough ID to clear movement of the ball and small enough OD to fit inside shifter seat. Need the spacer to boost height of cage bushing so snap ring will hold in place.
Shift linkage – can use either Integra or CRX linkage, CRX linkage will maintain shifter position, Integra will put it slightly forward. Compared side by side the torque rod is basically identical the shift rod is angled slightly different which will cause the lever to sit differently in the car.
Cooling system – used CRX radiator/cooling fan, could use Integra one as well or variety of choices but wanted to keep the top radiator support uncut. Using CRX cooling fan meant changing the fan connector from the Integra to the CRX. Used Integra radiator hoses (top/bottom) trimmed top down to fit better. Heater hoses are similar on both. We used CRX Si overflow tank to free up space for air intake and easier to fill with remote filler cap.
Fuel system – changing from carbureted to fuel-injected requires high pressure lines, so used complete hard fuel lines (feed/return) from CRX Si and put in place of smaller DX/HF fuel lines. Si lines have threaded fitting in order to connect to flex lines. Also pulled CRX Si fuel pump and mounting bracket and fuel pickup tube since it uses larger diameter tube. Used Integra flex line from pump to hard line and Aeroquip stainless steel-braided line from firewall to fuel rail. Used a 45 degree fitting from firewall to line, straight fitting into Edelbrock AN style inline filter, 90 degree from filter to a banjo fitting to the rail. Use Integra charcoal canister (3 connections vs. 4 on carb cars) and regular fuel line for vapor/return lines. Remember to remove old fuel filters.
Vacuum/Emissions – on 88-89 D16A1, you can cap the resonator control solenoid and small vacuum tank. Run hose 7 to the charcoal canister and run hose 23 tee’d to the dashpot diaphragm on the TB and manifold.
Exhaust system – can use D16A1 header and catalytic converter, but requires some welding or exhaust work from the cat-back.
Air intake – had custom pipe bent to fit around battery and go into the space where original Si airbox sits, or you could use an Si airbox/filter and tube.
Front engine mount – must use the CRX front engine mount upper part (bolts to body) and Integra front mount lower part (bolts to block) and about ½” of spacers on the two bolts that join them. We used a ½” ID and about ½ tall machine collar from the hardware store instead of washers, works perfectly. Doing this means you have to cut out a notch in the timing cover since the CRX mount wasn’t made for a DOHC.
Engine/transmission mounts – front mount discussed above, rear mount and transmission mount used the Integra mounts for both as we used the Integra sub-frame so no modification had to be done to the rear mount.
Instrument cluster – Use the DX cluster, but modify to work with ECU/PGM-FI light. Went to junkyard and got a CRX Si cluster to take the center panel out of and trimmed barely to fit in between DX tach and speedo. DX cluster has hole already made and pre-wired for PGM-FI light, just scrape off contacts and install a bulb in the right spot. The DX cluster does have a slightly lower redline than the D16A1 and speedo is off by a bit. Use an Integra VSS (little circuit board on the back of the cluster with two wires going to speedo).
Wiring harness – Use complete 88-89 Integra body/engine harness. Remove CRX harness back to front is the easiest way and lay out next to Integra harness to compare. Route harness in place of old one, ECU runs along passenger side to underside of passenger seat.
Changes in plugs (1985 CRX DX to 1989 Integra RS, others may be very similar)
- -Taillights (5 wires similarly colored)
- -Tailgate/Hatch open switch (bullet to spade)
- -Rear defrost –CRX located driver side, Integra passenger side (4pin for 3rd brake, rear wiper driver side) must run extension for Black/Green wire.
- Dome light
- Ignition key-in beeper
- Washer pump
- Radiator fan motor
- DASH*
- Heater function/mode motor
- Recirculation mode motor
- Dash to fuse panel/main harness
- Blower motor resistor (unless using 4 pin resistor)
Plugs that don’t change:
Front and rear speakers (did put in disconnects for ease), license plate, door switches, fuel level sending unit (has 2 additional for fuel pump), headlights (for H4 bulb conversion only), front turn signals/markers,
Plugs that were not used:
AC, headlight retractor control unit, retractor relays, retractor motors, front parking light, 3rd brake light/rear wiper, rear washer pump.
DASH wiring changes*
See diagrams attached. Much easier to have dash removed during this process as it will be required when putting in new fuel lines.
CRX dash wiring changes (3 connectors to 4 connectors on Integra)
A1 - D3 -- B/R recirc motor
A2 - D5 -- B recirc motor
A3 - B8 -- (CEL)
A4 -- unused (A/C)
A5 -- unused (crx amp)
A6 -- unused (crx amp)
A7 -- unused (console shifter light)
A8 - B9 -- RR spkr (+)
A9 -B20 -- LR spkr (+)
A11-A22 - seat belt light
A12-A14 -- RF spkr (+)
A13-A24 -- LF spkr (+)
A14-D10 -- B/O recirc motor
A15-D12 -- B/G recirc motor
A17- A5 -- hatch open light
A20-B10 -- RR spkr (-)
A21-B11 -- LR spkr (-)
A23- A1 -- RF spkr (-)
A24-A13 -- LF spkr (-)
B1 - D1 -- Y heater mode motor
B2 -D13 -- blower switch (LO)
B3 - D6 -- blower switch (MED)
B4 - D4 -- blower switch (HI)
B5 - D4 -- blower switch (HI)
B6 -A11 -- heater panel (+)
B7 -A23 -- fuel gauge
B9 - A7 -- tachometer
B10-A17 -- right turn ind.
B11-A21 -- left turn ind.
B12- A6 -- to alternator, voltage reg.
B13-A19 -- oil pressure light
B14- A4 -- coolant temp gauge
B15-A18 -- brake warning light
B16 -- not used (A/C)
B17-A12 -- defrost switch to relay
B18- D8 -- O heater mode motor
B19- D9 -- R heater mode motor
B20- D2 -- G heater mode motor
NO Changes to Connector "C" (8-pin)
I simply took out all the wires to the heater function/mode motor and recirculation motors from the Integra and re-pinned connectors A, B and D to move around the speaker wires, add in the CRX heater function/mode and recirculation motors. It’s very good to have a FSM and/or ETM on both cars when doing this.
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