Engine swap on an '83 Accord

Hi. I have been thinking about replacing the stock 1.8L engine in my '83 Accord with something both more powerful and more fuel efficient. After doing some research and asking around, it seems like some sort of VTEC engine would provide this. However, I cannot get a clear consensus as to whether or not this would be too difficult to do, or even impossible. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions on how to make this work? Would a VTEC work with a carbureator? Would I have to replace the transmission as well? Would it be simpler, or work at all, to replace the innards of my current engine with the innards of the same displacement VTEC engine, and would it really accomplish what I want? Any other advice? Thanks in advance! :D

In order to do VTEC, you're going to have to swap the entire engine, no exceptions. Since you're running a carbed fuel system, that's gonna hve to be upgraded to handle EFI pressure as well...

Your piggy bank is sweating bullets right now.

-5150 :bandit:

There's no engine that will easily swap into your car, although all of Honda's B-Series engines will physically fit under the hood. It would all be custom work, and I don't know of anyone in the world who has ever done the swap so you'd be going into uncharted waters. A different transmission would have to be used, and if you're going for a VTEC engine you're going to have to convert to EFI. Not to discourage you or anything, because I think a B-Series in a 2nd gen would just be friggen amazing.

If you have access to (and experience with) a plasma cutter and welder it wouldn't be hard for you to fab up some mounts, hack the subframe up and swap in a carbed B20!

Basically, though, any swap into that car isn't going to be cheap. You can get a lot more performance out of it's current engine than you think however. Your car only weighs ~2100lbs. at most, so the 75hp goes a long way! There are also aftermarket parts for it as the EK1 is a common swap into 1st/2nd gen Civics.

Custom mounts, custom axles, efi conversion (84-87 prelude si has what you need for that), and alot of money. There is no "better" motor that easily fits into the 83 accord. The 1.6 from the earlier accords does along with I believe the little tiny engines from the old 70s civics, what were they 1.2 or 1.3 or something like that. If you want to do anything to the car your going to have to go with custom parts, so you might as well make it a vtec. Its not going to be cheap, unless you or a friend are an expierenced fabricator and can design and make the custom parts your self. Its a light car, but I would still recomend a b18 over a b16 if you can get one. Get it going fast and it'll be a real head turner. "WTF is in that old pos, it sure can move"

andy

ya.. I can agree.. on a 2gen accord.. that would be alot of work.. but then again...

if ya got the $$$$ anything can be done...

when I went to the Import show here in Van last week.. there was a 1st gen civic... yes thats rite a 1st gen civic wagon, with a b-series V-tec engine in there!!! and nitros... the shittin kaboodle...

that was pretty friggin sweet...
so if it has been done to a 1st gen civ... can prolly be done to a 2gen accord.


Good luck

3rd GEN - Was it a candy apple red wagon with Civic Si wheels? If so that's one of Justin March's Civics, he has a bunch of really cool old Hondas including that '77 wagon with a ZC engine and a nitrous oxide system. He also did a custom convertible out of one of them, and I believe he's working on a D16 SOHC VTEC swap currently.

Some of his cars are shown on this page....

http://civic1200.hypermart.net/album.htm

found this through a search, i was looking to do the same, i have the exact same car, but with a 1.6L. A swap has been done, although no details so it could be a lie. Saw it on CarSurvey, someone put a 170hp motor, no models, just that in an 83 accord hatchback, like mine. Cant find out anything else coz its carsurvey.com and it sux. Let me know if u have done anything to yours coz im looking to do stuff to mine.

CHeers.

DEAR IAMRICO

THE A20A3 ENGINE OF 3GEN ACCORD IS THE SAME AS YOUR 1.8L, OVERBORED AND
WITH EFI.
SO I THINK, IS EASY FOR YOU, TO SWAP AN A20 EFI TO YOUR ACCORD ( WITHOUT
NEW MOUNT KIT) USING SEAN'S EFI KIT...................AND MAYBY LATER THE TURBO KIT, FOR MAJOR GAINS IN HORSEPOWER AND PERFORMANCE...........................

IF YOU WANT A VTEC ENGINE, IS POSSIBLE BUT WILL COST MORE..................

HERE ONE CIVIC 2G:http://hcoc.2u.com.my/2gen.htm

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lok

DEAR IAMRICO

THE A20A3 ENGINE OF 3GEN ACCORD IS THE SAME AS YOUR 1.8L, OVERBORED AND
WITH EFI.
SO I THINK, IS EASY FOR YOU, TO SWAP AN A20 EFI TO YOUR ACCORD ( WITHOUT
NEW MOUNT KIT) USING SEAN'S EFI KIT...................AND MAYBY LATER THE TURBO KIT, FOR MAJOR GAINS IN HORSEPOWER AND PERFORMANCE...........................

IF YOU WANT A VTEC ENGINE, IS POSSIBLE BUT WILL COST MORE..................

HERE ONE CIVIC 2G:http://hcoc.2u.com.my/2gen.htm

---

you are wrong about easy swap for A20. his engine has diff engine mounts. anything before 84 had diff engine mounts, so he can't even drop A20 into his car.
Everythink will be custom made.
I think you should sell the car and get 3geez.

which year of the earlier accords can take the a20? I thought somebody swapped an a20 using the E mounts on the A20 and it worked. Wasn't that you Phydeaux?

i think the earliest you can swap is 84 accord. i remember when Phydeaux said that engine mounts are diff in diff years on 2 geez.

Yeah it was me. I tryed it with an 83 sedan first, then scrapped it and put the motor into an 85. The accord got a whole new engine in 84, nothing in the engine bay carries over from 83, frame rails, sub frame, cross members, motor mounts, everythings diferent. The engine bay is also longer and wider then the 83.

andy

is it possible, with a money and custom work to put a B18 or something like that in an 83 accord?

You can put a big block in it if you've got enough money.... For something like an a20 or b-series you're looking at custom axles, mounts, and such.

andy

well i was thinking bseries as its not ahuge engine but has some go, and im not really interested in drags and racing.........well not yet anyway.

Could u give me some details, looks like u r probably the man to talk to seen as u have had some experience with my model car. I'd rather do this than buy a new car, want to do something new. Has this been done before?

its simple guys, use the best engine ever made... the small block Chevy. or big block if you want more power...

I've gotten 400 HP outta one for 1200 bucks, including a full rebuild. then your little rice rocket will atually.... go somewhere...fast.

rice rocket? nice reply, love the detail.