Seeking Advice for engine swap

[Sundaze]

Hello,

My Name is Christopher Bowes and I own an '87 Accord LX. While I love the car and have grand plans for it, the 98 HP hasn't been cutting it for me, and I'm looking to upgrade.

I'm a little confused as to what I should upgrade into- the B20A looks nice, if I can find the one with the right mounts, but I'm not sure what else I would need to buy. I'm not much of a shop guy- my ambition is to do custom intertior and exterior work- and I'll be paying a mechanic to instal the new engine.
I'd be doing everything else that I can do- best way to learn.

What else would I need to buy to make the B20A work in my car?

Is there another engine that would help me out in the HP?

I need to install a new engine by March and would instal lanother motor is there were options of adding parts later.


I am willing to spend $1000+ for an engine and components, and have found most engine float around the $500 mark.

I would greatly appriciate the help of anyone who could provide a list of parts that I would need for each possible engine.

Thank you for your time,

Christopher W. Bowes

www.ariakalsan.com

Worst comes to worst... is there anything I can add to the A18A to make it go faster?

I thank all who have time to help,

[SteveDX89]

Welcome to the board. Please use the search function. A lot of threads have been started about the B20 swap. Also, look under the engine swap forum here. It's buried under the Performance forum. That will give you a great start. The B20 is getting harder and harder to come by these days so you might not have that option. One nice thing to boost the HP of the A20 is to convert to fuel injection. That will give you a nice 10 hp boost.

[Sundaze]

I was actually hoping for some personal advice- my LX is dying (mostly some messed up gaskets and oil leaking everywhere, at 250,000 miles), and I'm in need of either a new engine, or a new car- I'm thinking 93ish accord, if I go that route. I'd rather save this car, however, but I don't really want to shell out the money for an engine and installation if it'd be the same 98 HP.
I'm also not that mechanically informed.
If anyone has tiem to write up a pointer, I'd appriciate it.

[buds302]

dude no need for a different engine
you first need to do the carb the efi swap and get a new a20 engine. then turbo it youll have plenty of hps after all that.

[phrenology]

I was actually hoping for some personal advice- my LX is dying (mostly some messed up gaskets and oil leaking everywhere, at 250,000 miles), and I'm in need of either a new engine, or a new car- I'm thinking 93ish accord, if I go that route. I'd rather save this car, however, but I don't really want to shell out the money for an engine and installation if it'd be the same 98 HP.
I'm also not that mechanically informed.
If anyone has tiem to write up a pointer, I'd appriciate it.

To do a complete swap and rebuild for under $1500 is going to be a bit tough, labor alone for an engine swap (if you don't have a mechanic friend) may set you back $800 without the engine. I saw a B20A (Accord JDM) on ebay last week for $1500 but I bet its been snatched up. I would try to buy a used A20A3 and have it rebuilt if you want reliability. Save your A18 head, rebuild shave, port, polish and get a valve job. You can have a head gasket made to match the A18 with the A20A3, check your valve clearances but I think it can be done. There is at least one user I know of that's running an A18/A20 combo. That combo should give you some killer compression ratio. Going EFI if you are not mechanically savy can be trouble. There is plenty of support here but I wouldn't touch EFI conversion with a 10 foot pole. Everyone here seems to go EFI/Turbo but if you don't have the money forget it. I'm going to be running dual Weber DCOE carbs on my set up, plenty of power/tunability, loads of torque and power depending on your jetting. Ask user Phydeaux, he's done the Webers. Used Weber DCOEs can be found as low as $150 a piece, but be aware its can be pricey investment for Webers too (jets/linkage/accessories). If you want to just save your motor and go cheap, rebuild or fix your current engine and use Weber DGV or DCOE. If I'm not mistaken the rarer Accord you have with the A18 motor has dual single barrel sidedraft carbs? This would make you a good candidate for the Weber DCOEs. If you have Weber questions or comments you can ask.

[A20A1]

How'd you end up with an A18 in an 87?

There are plenty of mods for the carbed accords... depending on where you live and what the emissions regulations are.

[Sundaze]

I had been told that I have an A18, though I looked through my book and found that I most likely have an A20A1 or the A20A3- it is the 2.0 liter for sure, so that would rule out the A18.
I have found A20A's in manual for $500 and the A20 automatic for $575 online, as well as the A18A carburated, and fuel injected types for $425, each.

There is a list on the bottom of what I have found. I will gladly notify any interested party of where I found this list, after I have solved my problem- I'd hate for kindness to leave me on a bicycle, at the moment.

Right now, I'm looking for which engine would be the best to build on, in the future.

Should I bother with the A18 or A20? the A18 appears to be less powerful, being 1.8 liters... is that correct.

While I have been looking over this site for the past year, I've unfortunatly had very little time to "study"- as I somehow managed to get a contract for a book- and only a slight amount of application of knowledge.
I have, however, read some very cool sounding things on here, one of which involves changing the valves, rings, ect, so that the car gains massive (comparitivly) compression compared to its economical stock nature.

I guess this would be more of a "poll" question that anything... are any of the engines on the list "good options," or should I park the car, buy a new car, and rebuild the '87 myself as a practice car?

I know most of these will not fit my car, but I enclosed the entire list for any who are interested- I can send the name of the business when I have either secured an engine, or decided to park the car.

I thank you all for your time,

Christopher Bowes


Make Engine No. Size (L) Application Price U.S. $
Honda A18A 86-87 Accord, Carb Type, 1.8L eng, Fits US 2.0L $425.00
Honda A18A 86-87 Accord, Injected Type, 1.8L eng, Fits US 2.0L $425.00
Honda A20A 86-87 Accord, 2.0L, Auto $575.00
Honda A20A 86-87 Accord, 2.0L, Manual $500.00
Honda B18A 90-95 Integra, DOHC $700.00
Honda B20A 88-90 Prelude, Carb type $425.00
Honda C25A 87-87 Legend, SOHC, 2.5L $475.00
Honda C27A 88-90 Legend $525.00
Honda C32A 91-92 Legend $1425.00
Honda D15B 88-95 Civic $550.00
Honda ES 84-85 Accord $475.00
Honda EW 84-87 Civic, 1500cc,12 Valve $650.00
Honda F20A 91 Accord, 2.0L, Replacement for the 2.5L $450.00
Honda ZC Hot Rod Drop Outs $Call

[buds302]

Honda ZC Hot Rod Drop Outs $Call

is that?

Honda B20A 88-90 Prelude, Carb type $425.00

will not fit whatsoever!!!!

[A20A1]

What I want to know before I vote is if you're manual already or it you have an Auto.

As for swapping motors... you havew an LX so you're naturally going to have an easier time sticking in a carbureted motor. Preferably an A20. Yse the A20 has more power then the A18 or should anyway.

The B20 you listed is not the JDM accord B20... most in the US are not.

[A20A1]

...I'll be paying a mechanic to instal the new engine.
I'd be doing everything else that I can do- best way to learn.
What else would I need to buy to make the B20A work in my car?
Is there another engine that would help me out in the HP?
I need to install a new engine by March and would install another motor is there were options of adding parts later.
I am willing to spend $1000+ for an engine and components, and have found most engine float around the $500 mark.
I would greatly appriciate the help of anyone who could provide a list of parts that I would need for each possible engine...

Worst comes to worst... is there anything I can add to the A18A to make it go faster?...

The A18 and A20 don't have much off the shelf aftermarket support... most will have to be custom made or custom fitted.

The A20 is a better starting point then the A18, IMO
The jump in compression you talked of is from the A18 head being placed on an A20 block.
You have an A18 head already... or I assume you do cause you said so.
You can buy the A20 short block ( Block only, no cylinder head ) and that will be cheaper then getting the A20 long block... swap the head onto the A20 and you'll have your higher compression. But then you're still stuck with the A18 dual carbs unless your A18 has the A20 ports and manifold then nevermind.

If you want to get the long block ( block and cylinder head ) A20 and go EFI that will take more work becasue you need the A20 EFI ecu and other parts like the fuel tank and fuel pump and fuel lines. But with EFI you have the ability to swap on intake manifolds from other cars... so you get some off the shelf aftermarket support but there is some modifications envolved.

[phrenology]

In my opinion if you have the money buy an A20A3 (carb or efi) to start with. From my own experience with tearing down two A20s I have seen little or no differences between the carb and efi short blocks. There is however a difference between the A20A1 and A20A3 according to users on here. There are differences in the efi and carb head. You definately want to start with the latest block possible. Shoot for an A20A3 out of an 88-89. Depending on where you live and emisions standards you might want to consider Weber sidedraft carbs (DCOEs) they will give you the most bang for the buck without going efi & turbo. I promote this because I am doing a complete A20A3 rebuild with dual Weber DCOEs and don't want to mess with retrofitting a stock efi system. In fact my A20A3 came from an LXi and now I'm going carbed. If I can be of any help let me know.