Our Community is 940,000 Strong. Join Us.


1987 CRX HF engine swap


Keith Torbett
02-18-2004, 12:34 PM
I have an 87 CRX HF, 5 speed manual, stock engine. I'm looking to swap this engine out, and have found a ZC engine with the brown valve cover... how difficult would it be to swap these? And what would I need to do this?

Also, I've been having some problems getting the car to idle right... it seems to act differently each time you start it. Sometimes it will idle around 1000 - 1100 and seem fine, then other times it will go up and down between like 700 - 1200, and at other times it will just die every time you stop, unless you keep giving it gas. I believe this is a carburetor problem, and I've replaced the carburetor twice(not with a new one, but both of them were in good condition). I don't have a vacuum hose diagram, so I'm thinking maybe I've got them on wrong?

turbopitbull
02-22-2004, 02:51 AM
how much for the motor?

turbopitbull
02-22-2004, 02:56 AM
how much for the engine? its a 1.5l carb right? let me know.my name is lucy.

lxndr
02-23-2004, 05:17 PM
Read this to anwer your question:
http://www.redpepperracing.com/gallery/SCC-ZC-Article

But you must be a glutton for punishment! In order to put this engine in an HF you will also need to adapt all of the brown top wiring and ecu into your car.

Also...Check your fuel pressure to see if you have a bad fuel pump.

87civicswapking
02-29-2004, 11:27 PM
you need a lot of dedication and a new tranny axles hubs wire harness ecu fuel pump but it can all be done by you if you have the heart i have done it three times already no shop or tech support good old time as you go. want help email me i can show you the world of 85-87 swap to ZC or D16A1 sssss

misfit_mafioso
03-08-2004, 09:51 PM
hey i am about to buy an 89 integra donor car....and swap the motor into my crx hf.i need help on a guide to swapping it, since i know its way more difficult with the carbed setup. all guides online are for the si. any halp appreciated.

cvcc_wagon
03-09-2004, 12:53 AM
look at my sig :)

misfit_mafioso
03-09-2004, 07:02 PM
but that guide on muller.net is for a si. where can i find guides for the hf. and how to do all the fuel stuff and everything

cvcc_wagon
03-09-2004, 07:40 PM
it shouldn't make a differance, you will be using the fuel system form your donor car anyway, the motor will be most happy with its origional fuel system :) you are basically gunna gut your crx of everything that supports its current motor and replace it with integra parts.
also may i direct you here, i have created a new thread with the hopes of answering questions like this with one resource
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=1621013#post1621013

misfit_mafioso
03-10-2004, 11:16 PM
thats a little more clear....just a few more questions....what is the order that i should do things? fuel sytem first or the wiring with the ecu and the teg wiring harness?

and how is the wiring done differently with the carbed motor, replacing the whole harness. this is my first swap and a big learning experince for me, but i want to be prepared.

CRXdan
03-11-2004, 01:13 AM
I would STRIP THE CAR COMPLETLEY, go to a yard and buy a crx si harness, install the crx si harness, do the necesary wiring changes listed on the sites provided (TJ's is the best one), and then go from there. Youll have one hell of a fast sleeper.

misfit_mafioso
03-11-2004, 02:15 AM
oh i know that. people wont expect that out of a hf.esp since the engine will be done before the body and all that.

so the si harness is a better option over the teg harness? thats good to hear.how complex is relacing a wiring harness? ive never done this before and arent clear on everything. sorry about my naivete.

QuackerStacker
03-11-2004, 04:16 AM
you might want to download some drawings for the wiring so you have some thing to go by the wiring should go ok long as it is the si harness

CRXdan
03-11-2004, 10:31 AM
Ok u have 2 choices. U cn either use the Si harness, and do the necesary wiring changes, and install the fuel pump and high pressure fuel lines, (which will be easy since u have a donor car, but for the fuel lines I reocmend bending up your own, as the old ones will be rusty, or try to get a crx si fuel line) This is my option of chioce as the CRX harness is know to fit without problems, and once you convert everything to si spec, youd just have to do the wiring changes to switch it over to run the 88 teg engine. You have an HF, and the HF cluster is needed for the d16a1 swap (88-89) because of vehicle speed sensor (VSS). I woudl switch the brakes over to the 88 teg ones, and if u want to make some money, sell the rear aluminum drums on www.redpepperracing.com. Youll sell them in no time. A wise idea woudl be to remove the whoel hf subframe, and switch over everything (including the stiffer torison bars) for the better teg subframe.

Another option is to simply use a 88 teg harness, although I have never heard of anyone doign this in a crx (its been done in a civic) And all thats needed is some reqiring for the guage cluster, rear defroster and some other jazz.

Either way, youll need to drop the fuel tank, rmeove the interior, you gota alot of work ahead of you. I would go the Si hraness, do the wiring changes, wire in the eld, vss, etc, and you shoudl be good to go.

CRXdan
03-11-2004, 10:34 AM
Ah, theres one more thing, if you want to make you car a real, and i mean REAL screamer, install the d16a1 and get rid of all the F/I stuff, and start looking for some dual carbs for that thing. Apparentley those motors runs best carbed. This woudl be good for summer driven car or racecar, and belive me, it woudl haul !

misfit_mafioso
03-12-2004, 01:56 AM
so do i use the fuel tank out of the integra? or can i use mine.

and the si harness will plug right in, right? the only changes will be on converting it for the teg, correct?

and also, the hf doesn't have a ecu, right? should the new one from the teg be placed under the passenger seat like they're supposed to, or does it matter where i put it.

sorry i got so many q's. this is my first time doing something like this and my first honda, let alone crx.

Add your comment to this topic!