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Thread: 85 accord engine swap

  1. #1
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    85 accord engine swap

    Is there any bolt in engine swaps for a 1985 honda accord? I am lookin for somthing that will bolt in that is newer and fule injected. Rather than the 3brl 1.8 with all those hoses. I just poped the motor.



  2. #2
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    Re: 85 accord engine swap

    Quote Originally Posted by biker11sk8er11
    Is there any bolt in engine swaps for a 1985 honda accord? I am lookin for somthing that will bolt in that is newer and fule injected. Rather than the 3brl 1.8 with all those hoses. I just poped the motor.

    From what I have herd the 3rd gen (86-89) accord A20 motors will bolt into the car. You would need to convert the whole car to FI and I dont know if the axles and shift linkage bolt right up or not.
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    Re: 85 accord engine swap

    Even the B20A would work. Honestly, I wouldn't bother with this one and install a turbo A20A

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    Re: 85 accord engine swap

    Quote Originally Posted by biker11sk8er11
    Is there any bolt in engine swaps for a 1985 honda accord? I am lookin for somthing that will bolt in that is newer and fule injected. Rather than the 3brl 1.8 with all those hoses. I just poped the motor.

    Well you could swap in the A20A1 & A20A2 2BBL Carbed Engines
    From 1986-89 Accord and 2nd Gen Preludes
    & the A20A3 & A20A4 FI Engines From 86-89 Accord
    SE-i's & LX-i's.

    Or the VERY HARD TO FIND But wonder JDM B20A that came in the
    1986-89 Accord and 2nd Gen Prelude

    I think the 1.8L in yours should be the A18

    so from what i've heard you could just swap the head, intake mani, Carb, Vacuum Box, ETC

    All of the A20's and A18's will bolt up to your stock tranny.

    I think this thread will help you out: https://www.3geez.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46632
    Last edited by forrest89sei; 05-31-2006 at 10:03 PM.
    2004-2011?

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    Re: 85 accord engine swap

    the engine code is FH1.8V3FXF5 what ever that means

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    Re: 85 accord engine swap

    Quote Originally Posted by biker11sk8er11
    the engine code is FH1.8V3FXF5 what ever that means
    nope. ES2. iono where you got that number, but the engine code is on the rail right above the drivers side headlights under the hood.

    BTW, personally id like a USDM B20A lude engine with dual carbs.

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    Re: 85 accord engine swap

    Quote Originally Posted by biker11sk8er11
    the engine code is FH1.8V3FXF5 what ever that means

    you use the ES (A18) engine:
    The ES displaced 1.8 L (1829 cc). All ES engines were SOHC 12-valve engines. The ES1 used dual sidedraft carburetors to produce 100 hp (75 kW) @ 5500 rpm and 104 ft·lbf (141 Nm) @ 4000 rpm. The ES2 replaced this with a standard 3 barrel carburetor for 86 hp (64 kW) @ 5800 rpm and 99 ft·lbf (134 Nm) @ 3500 rpm. Finally, the ES3 used PGM-FI for 101 hp (75 kW) @ 5800 rpm and 108 ft·lbf (146 Nm) @ 2500 rpm.

    ES1
    1983-1984 Honda Prelude
    ES2
    1984-1985 Honda Accord
    ES3
    1985- Honda Accord SE-i

    So you Could just swap in a A20 Head, Carb, Vaccum Box, ETC

    But I think i'd be best to just swap in a Fresh Rebuilt A20A1-A1 if Carbs ok
    or the A20A3-A4 if you wanna do a FI Swap.

    Honda A series engines displaced 1955 cc and included:
    A20A1: US version, carbureted.
    A20A2: European version, carbureted.
    A20A3: US version F.I.
    A20A4: European version F.I.
    Power outputs range from the 86-87 A20A1 with 98 hp (73 kW) to the 88-89 A20A3 with 120 hp (89 kW).
    The Honda A-series engines had a cast iron block and closed deck, with an aluminum 12-valve head (2 intake, 1 exhaust).
    One application of the A-series engine was in the 3rd Generation (86-89) U.S. domestic market Honda Accord.

    The A20 engine was the last engine series made by Honda to use an iron block. From 1990 onwards, all Honda engines have an aluminum block and cylinder head.
    2004-2011?

  8. #8
    2ndGenGuy
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    Re: 85 accord engine swap

    Yeah from what I've found out through these forums, it can be done. If you're doing an A20 swap, you need to either get the '85 SEi steering knuckles or get the bearing from a 2nd gen prelude pressed into your current steering knuckles. Also, you will need the 85 SEi halfshafts.

    All this I learned from PhydeauX and Phrenology. They are the gods of the 2nd gen engine swaps. Search up thier posts, and you'll find a ton of information. They've even got Weber carb swaps.

  9. #9

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    Re: 85 accord engine swap

    hey!

    I did the research and posted the info on the axle swaps!

    just kidding, but I'm working my way through the swap as well and have figured a few things out as well.

    Also, remember that the A18 carried on until 1987 in the preludes as the dual carbed ET series.
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  10. #10

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    Re: 85 accord engine swap

    The hands down easiest swap is an A20A1 using the stock 2g transmission and a weber dgv carb.

    The swap goes as follows...

    Pull the ES and strip the motor mounts, transmission, flywheel, alternator bracket, powersteering pump and crank pully from it. You'll loose your a/c this route. If you want to keep the a/c you'll need to figure a way to use the ES crank pully on the A20. It probalby can be done, just no one's tried it. The problem is the water pump pully, 2g uses a 4 rib belt, and the 3g uses a 5 if I recall correctly. The 2g ac uses a v belt where the 3g uses a ribed belt, otherwise the 2g compressor will bolt right up to a a20 block. You just have to use the 3g crank pully which won't drive the 2g compressor. If you could get the 2g water pump with the 4rib pully then you could use a 2g alternator and crank pully and have the a/c. The solution might be as simple as swapping the waterpump, but it is not possible to just swap the pullies.

    Anyway bolt the 2g motor mounts, flywheel, and clutch to the A20A. Bolt on the 2g alternator brackets and put the 3g alternator in them. You'll need grind the slot in the top bracket slightly to get full travel from the alternator. Then bolt on the 3g crank pully.

    Bolt on the 2g tranny and the whole thing will just drop right in like was ment to be there. If you use a 2g accord or carbed 2g prelude tranny then you're stock axles will work and you don't have to bother with the se-i parts.

    The 2g power steering will bolt right up and then you'll just have to install the weber carb, 1 wire and 2 vacuum lines, alot easier then the stock carb. You can even keep the 2g exhaust manifold and pipe if you don't want to be bothered redoing the exhaust. The 2g and 3g use the same ignition so you can just hook up the 2g ignition to the 3g distributor, or you can use the 2g distributor, they're interchangeable.

    This definitely isn't the highest performance way of doing the swap but its quick and dirty and should be able to be done in a weekend.

    andy


  11. #11
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    Re: 85 accord engine swap

    Quote Originally Posted by PhydeauX
    The hands down easiest swap is an A20A1 using the stock 2g transmission and a weber dgv carb.

    The swap goes as follows...

    Pull the ES and strip the motor mounts, transmission, flywheel, alternator bracket, powersteering pump and crank pully from it. You'll loose your a/c this route. If you want to keep the a/c you'll need to figure a way to use the ES crank pully on the A20. It probalby can be done, just no one's tried it. The problem is the water pump pully, 2g uses a 4 rib belt, and the 3g uses a 5 if I recall correctly. The 2g ac uses a v belt where the 3g uses a ribed belt, otherwise the 2g compressor will bolt right up to a a20 block. You just have to use the 3g crank pully which won't drive the 2g compressor. If you could get the 2g water pump with the 4rib pully then you could use a 2g alternator and crank pully and have the a/c. The solution might be as simple as swapping the waterpump, but it is not possible to just swap the pullies.

    Anyway bolt the 2g motor mounts, flywheel, and clutch to the A20A. Bolt on the 2g alternator brackets and put the 3g alternator in them. You'll need grind the slot in the top bracket slightly to get full travel from the alternator. Then bolt on the 3g crank pully.

    Bolt on the 2g tranny and the whole thing will just drop right in like was ment to be there. If you use a 2g accord or carbed 2g prelude tranny then you're stock axles will work and you don't have to bother with the se-i parts.

    The 2g power steering will bolt right up and then you'll just have to install the weber carb, 1 wire and 2 vacuum lines, alot easier then the stock carb. You can even keep the 2g exhaust manifold and pipe if you don't want to be bothered redoing the exhaust. The 2g and 3g use the same ignition so you can just hook up the 2g ignition to the 3g distributor, or you can use the 2g distributor, they're interchangeable.

    This definitely isn't the highest performance way of doing the swap but its quick and dirty and should be able to be done in a weekend.

    andy
    That is awsome dude, I bet the 2gs are quick with the a20 in them. Good to know all this I am going to make this my next project after I am done with the 3g.
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    Re: 85 accord engine swap

    As far as hybrid engine setups go, an A20A block with the ES head mounted to it would give you more displacement, and also higher compression ratio than any stock A20 head. All this while retaining the stock emission and intake/exhaust setups for ease of installation. I may just keep this A20 block for the next random 2G Accord or Prelude Project car that comes through...
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    Re: 85 accord engine swap

    in theory what displacement and C:R would it be at if said hybrid swap was to be performed?

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    Re: 85 accord engine swap

    I think rjudley (maybe spelled wrong) is or was at one point running an a18/a20 hybrid. There is a discussion of the advantages to running either head some where. You should be able to dig it up if you search enough. I don't see how there will be a diference in displacement, it'll be 2.0L just like an a20. I forget what the cr would be, but I believe it was advised to have the combustion chambers matched to the new bore size. The big diference between the 2 heads is the intake port shape. It was a while ago, I think sean was involved in it so that makes it pretty old. Anyway take a look see if you can dig it up.

    andy


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    Re: 85 accord engine swap

    I found a 2.0 motor out of a 1988 accord FI. But it dosent have a ecu or harness if i found this stuff would it work? I am checking if it is a20.

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    Re: 85 accord engine swap

    The whole point of using the original head with the smaller combustion chamber would be for the increased compression. So making it match would just reduce the amount of power it is going to make. You would probably still want to port and polish the head and intake manifold to maximize throughput.
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    Re: 85 accord engine swap

    Leaving the chamber it's original size would add some quench area to the top of the piston, something it probably needs anyway.
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    Re: 85 accord engine swap

    I can't find the original post that discusses the a18/a20 hybrid. You can find some of rjudgey's comments on it here: https://www.3geez.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40706

    andy


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    Re: 85 accord engine swap

    Hey all, im fairly new to working on cars but determined to dive into it all. Ive been studying up on what's been saod above but I just recently bought an 85 Accord Hatch LX 1.8L carb as a project car. Obviously I want to do a swap and have looked everywhere for an engine.

    I did find an 89 Prelude SI coupe for sale. I know that has the B20A engine in it. Its selling for about 2k and can probably knock it down a few hundred. Would it be worth it to use the car for parts?

    What do you all suggest? Again, im new to the community. All the knowledge and guidance helps.

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