[EcoCivic]

I am working on converting my 2005 Honda Civic to EPS from the hydraulic assist that it came with. Unlike most people on this forum, my primary reason for doing this is performance and cleaning up the engine compartment more than gas mileage. I have been building this car for better performance mostly. Specs for my build will be posted soon. However, fuel efficiency was a reason to convert to EPS too.

Also, another reason that I am converting to EPS is so I don’t have to worry about getting power steering to work or getting compatible hydraulic hoses when I swap to a K20 or K24 engine in the future. So in a way, I am futureproofing for a K swap in the future.

So the first step was to find a used EPS system to install. I found an EPS rack and an EPS module from a 2004 Civic hybrid for a total of $90, which seems like a good price to me. I don’t have the wiring harness yet though.

I ended up installing the EPS rack anyways though. The install was pretty straightforward and easy except for one a couple of things: First problem is that I had no room to work with the D16Y8 intake manifold that I installed, so I had to remove the intake manifold to get it in. Second, I didn’t get the brackets that go with the new EPS rack, so it didn’t fit correctly. The passenger side of the rack had a random chunk of metal under the mounting hole, which kept the rack from sitting flat on the bracket. But once I chopped off the random chunk of metal, the rack bolted in perfectly just like the OEM rack. I will upload pictures when I get home.

However, if you choose to do this swap, I would suggest getting both brackets just in case. You could probably get away with just replacing the passenger side bracket, but I am not certain since I never tried it. For all I know, the rack might not sit straight if you replace only one bracket, so I would suggest getting them both just to be safe.

But other than that, the installation of the rack was easy. I used the OEM tie rod ends and the tie rods that came with the rack, but I am pretty sure that they are the same.

I still need to get an alignment since I aligned it by eye, but so far so good. The car drives fine with this rack. The steering is easier than it would be with the OEM rack when the assist isn’t workiing, but it is still pretty hard to turn since the electric assist isn’t connected yet.

So the last step is to connect the wiring. From my understanding all I need to connect is constant power, power when the key is on, RPM signal, VSS signal, and ground. It probably would be a good idea to connect it to the OBD also so it can be scanned for codes if there is a problem. Also, I have no idea why the control module would want an RPM signal since there is no pump running off the engine, but whatever.


So that’s where I am at right now. The rack is in, so I just need to find a wiring harness and connect it.

Anyways, that is what I am working on right now. If anyone has any questions, comments, or suggestions, feel free to post