B16a Driving Impressions

Well folks, it's up and running and got my first impressions

First a few Pixs

http://members.rogers.com/dlsp/swap12.jpg
http://members.rogers.com/dlsp/swap13.jpg

Ok First of all since I have not been able to drive the ZC and the B16a in the same day it seems my view is kinda skewed, however here goes.

The power the B16 puts out is great, I find it difficult the first little while not to Squack the tires as I take off, due the the increase in power. the Shifting I'm gonna have to get used to, since my shifter not does not have the ammount of play in it that my last one had. The transmission shifts nice and clean and drive quite nice, speeding up is quite easy though I tried not to go too fast due to lack of Speedo (seriously officer I did NOT know how fast I was going my Spedo is Broke!:icon16: ) and also taking it kina easy on it for the first little bit.

The Butt-o-meter reading that the increase in horsepower is quite nice, however I need to get used to Driving around town in 5th gear:biggrin:. I still have some tuning to do to extract a little more power from this thing.

I was expecting alot of vibrations with the Motormount kit However the HCP have kept vibrations to a minimum... shit I swear it's not worse than the D16A6 !

so far I am pleased with the outcome, however wish I could have done the thing I wanted to to to it first
- Flywheel
- Stage 2 clutch
- Lighten Crank pulley
- Cam gears
but the unfortunat early demise of my L3 forced me to push forward the agenda.

so far I am happy with the swap

also as a side note, those who do Swap a B16 in place of a D15 or D16, save your aftermarket Spark plug wires as they fit the B16... I found that out today:tongue:

Sounds great what are your next moves? I can't wait till i get one in my STD gaining 90hp :sunglasse

looks good man ... glad you are enjoying your swap ... cars lookin good too ...

yea i like it, very nice this will be a usefull thing once i get my hatchi and swap (hopefully)

also like how your engine bay is white..goes really neat with the car,you should get your whole interior white and blue

HCP mounts :bigthumb:

looks good dude.

swap looks good! again, i give props to anyone who does the swap themselves. much props and good luck with everything :bigthumb:

Originally posted by Kunundrum
The Butt-o-meter reading that the increase in horsepower is quite nice, however I need to get used to Driving around town in 5th gear:biggrin:.


Now you know why most people who have B16s love them so much. The longer you have it, the more you'll love it. They're a good motor. :smile:

BTW - What tranny are you using? With my S1 I'm sometimes in 5th gear at 60km/h.. :eek7:

Nice swap - just wait until the "more power" bug kicks in :)

Hey glad you like it! Yeh did u get the 4 mount kit by HCP? Well HCP is still a very good choice. IMO i like them better than Hasport.

does hcp position there motors back like hasport ? how much hcp mounts cost ?

HCP 3 mount kit $265 shipped, but you can find them on ebay for $255 shipped... and they come with a billet aluminum engine mount like hasport, however the rear and tranny mount is welded steel. still the cheapest and best bargain motor mounts, IMO.

:crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying:

I miss my B16a
I miss being able to pull in any gear from 1,000rpm.
I miss being able to pull into a lane in any gear and just cruise past all the other traffic.
I miss being able to go around corners and through round abouts with out having to change down a gear.
I miss being able to pull into traffic and having to hit the brakes so I don't hit the car in frount.
I miss being able to rev it to 4,000rpm as I get away from the lights, then going ah fuck it, and revving it another 4,000rpm before changing gear.
I miss being able to tool around in traffic in 1st gear at 6,000rpm while I changed CD's
I miss the sound it made at 3am on an empty road on my way to work.
I miss the long smooth easy relaxed pull of torque between 2 and 4,000rpm, and manic instant response it gave above 5,000rpm.
I miss being able to light up both frounts at the exit of the wendys drive trough, change to 2nd, and keep the tyres squeeling for the 200m out of the car park, around the round about and up to the lights for the main road.
I miss popping it into first at 35kph to get around slow moving traffic.
I miss being able to play with the car and steer it around corners useing only the throttle at 7,000rpm on 2nd.

I miss my baby B, her granddad is such a lazy old bastard.


:crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying:

congratulations on the finished swap k-drum.

that speed bug has gotten me before i even tested the stock motor, i wish i can get my motor done soon.

i'm very happy for ya! that is awesome :biggrin:

Even at low RPM's, the B16 feels better than a D16 / ZC?

I wish I could afford a B16:frown:

Originally posted by Tanked
Even at low RPM's, the B16 feels better than a D16 / ZC?

Ya.

Originally posted by civickiller
does hcp position there motors back like hasport ? how much hcp mounts cost ?

Well i dont know about the HCP 3 mount kit but i have the 4 mount kit and it sits a bit lower. I compared it with my boys old rex with hcp mounts and u can tell the difference on how it sets. Its more roomy in the engine bay with HCP kit.

NEED TO DO A MATCHING VALVE COVER :ylsuper:

Originally posted by Setanta
Nice swap - just wait until the "more power" bug kicks in :)

Oh I already know the feeling, after the first three weeks of driving with b16 power, I was ready for more. Seriously, it feels so slow now, but then I drove my buddy's '98 Civic DX, and I remembered just how quick my car was. I can't wait to finish piecing together my turbo kit so I can get more HP.

looks good m8, man how i want to do a swap :(

Originally posted by Kunundrum
speeding up is quite easy though I tried not to go too fast due to lack of Speedo (seriously officer I did NOT know how fast I was going my Spedo is Broke!:icon16:

now correct me if i am wrong but if your speedo cable is broke, vtec will not engage. cause it the car has to show that it is moving for vtec to work.

Originally posted by walt0023


now correct me if i am wrong but if your speedo cable is broke, vtec will not engage. cause it the car has to show that it is moving for vtec to work.

Its true.

No its not.


The Speedo in the EF8/9 is driven from the ECU, which gets a signal from a VSS (vechile speed sensor).
So its possible to have the VSS hooked up to the ECU so it will still engage the VTEC, but not have the speedo out put hooked up to a speedo.


Knowing Kunundrums knowledge of Civics and things mechanical in general I would assume this is what he's done. :)

the speedo Works now turns out I did not put it quite far enough In the transmission. Vtec Engages Without the Speedo Being hooked up because it uses the RPM not the speed.

all in all so far i like it... I need a new axle though since my one of my inner joints are clicking... damn used axels.

Oh well.

so far so good, however the fuel consumption of the b16 is much greater than my old ZC.

Originally posted by Kunundrum
the speedo Works now turns out I did not put it quite far enough In the transmission. Vtec Engages Without the Speedo Being hooked up because it uses the RPM not the speed.

all in all so far i like it... I need a new axle though since my one of my inner joints are clicking... damn used axels.

Oh well.

so far so good, however the fuel consumption of the b16 is much greater than my old ZC.

so by that your saying that you could but at a dead stop and rev up your car and vtec will engage??

Originally posted by walt0023


so by that your saying that you could but at a dead stop and rev up your car and vtec will engage?? no you have to be moving for vtec to engage.

thats what i have been saying

I cant see why it wouldnt engauge at a dead stop

Originally posted by Melt
I cant see why it wouldnt engauge at a dead stop

It doesn't.
Your oil has to be > a certain temp. (not sure exactly what)
Your speedo has to be working. (apparently it will work in EFs, but I think it won't if your car has an electrical VSS)
And throttle has to be engaged a certain percentage.. Like, if you just let the revs go up because you aren't shifting, VTEC doesn't engage.

....unless you use an rpm activated switch :tongue:

Before the 2nd cam profile will be engaged the ECU needs to know:
Engine temp
Oil pressure
RPM
Wheel speed
Throttle position.

If all are with in paramaters it will engage.

This means that it actualy egages it over a range of about 400rpm starting at 4,800. Its normal activation point is 5,000rpm.
But if you lift off a sustained WOT it wont disengage untill 4,800rpm, which helps prevent you hitting a flat spot when corering hard.
And at partial thorttle openings but at high speeds in 5th it wont engage untill about 5,200rpm to aid in fuel economy.
Its a very clever set up, and messing with it useing a manual switch, or a controller can do bad things.
You have to remember that when the VTEC is engaged the ECU switchs to running a completly differnt fuel map, and if you are switching it on or off manualy with out any intervention from the ECU then there is no way you are getting the best performance out of the engine, and you may even damage it.

well put moppie. I was saying that becuase, although an rpm activated switch works its purpose, activating VTEC, its GHETTO.

Little late but anyways, thats a very nice swap you've done there.