Hi guys, I'm from Malaysia, have an '89 CA5 3rd gen Accord running the A20A carb engine. The current engine hasn't been working optimally for the past few years now and as such hasn't been able to serve as a reliable daily driver as before. Currently it runs just okay but the fuel consumption is unacceptably high, I'm told that this is most likely due to the dodgy carbs that this gen of Accords are apparently infamous for.
A B20A swap seems like an attractive solution since it runs fuel injection and has much more power. I've been on the lookout for a B20A motor for a while now and recently found one "Blacktop" model from an '87-'89 CA3 model. The motor comes as a "halfcut", meaning it's complete with an auto tranny, front and rear axles, wiring and ecu, dashboard, fuel tank and the like. These motors are pretty rare where I live, I come across only one or two every year.
I've always been under the impression that every single thing from the B20A "halfcut" should bolt right into my Accord since they share the same chassis and all. However when I discussed this potential swap with my mechanic, he warned that I shouldn't expect everything to bolt on because my Accord comes originally with a carb engine, and modifications will be required in regards to the fueling, engine mounting etc.
So, my first question is this - what modifications are required for an A20A carb to B20A complete swap? I apologize if this has been discussed before as my search yielded no results. I would appreciate it if those with experience could list the modifications needed for such a conversion, or whether it is merely a plug and play affair.
I would like to clarify that the purpose of this swap is not to look for crazy power or outright performance; but merely to revitalise the car for trouble free, everyday driving. I must say that my mechanic is rather discouraging with regards to this swap, as he thinks that the car is not worth restoring considering its age and similarly weakened chassis, and reckons that it does not make economical sense to spend more on the car that it is currently worth. It is hard to argue with him on that, but the cost isn't exactly prohibitive, and if this could give the Accord a good many more years of life on the road as a reliable performer then why not? Besides, the car has sentimental value for me and my family, and was a pleasure to drive before it started giving problem after problem.
My mechanic also warns that these motors, even the B20A (which is less common than the A20A here in Malaysia) are almost obsolete and should I run into any problems, finding parts will be quite a nightmare. With regards to that, my second question is this - similar to how carb issues plague the A20A, what are the commonest issues, or problems running the B20A? Are parts such as driveshafts, a/c compressor or gearbox, just to mention a few, prone to failing? Is it a headache to run and maintain?
Your opinion and advice are much appreciated, thank you and cheers
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