Ingegra with Lean Burn VX motor?

[The Rooster]

I know a lot of Civic tuner guys like to take the Integra motors and stuff them in their Civics, so I was wondering if the inverse would be just as possible and relatively easy. Take a Civic VX lean burn motor, transmission and ecu and toss it into an integra. I'm thinking I could do this nearly for free as I should be able to sell or trade my B18/tranny and ecu for the VX stuff, and maybe have some cash left over.

Thoughts? Experience?

[Jim-Bob]

I can't see why not. Then again, I don't see why you would do it. If your purpose in building this car is max MPG, the Civic hatch is a better choice because it is a lighter car.

[Ryland]

I'm not sure abut the wiring harness matching up but the engine should bolt in just fine with plenty of room as the intergra has lots of extras like power steering that you might as well get rid of as well to save weight and take the load off the engine.
If you can however, you might try doing outright trade to some kid who has a civic VX and wants a faster car.

[d0sitmatr]

Originally Posted by Ryland

If you can however, you might try doing outright trade to some kid who has a civic VX and wants a faster car.

that would be my advice, unless your just aching for a major project.
plus, no matter what you might think, something ALWAYS comes up that would force you to spend more $$ than originally planned.

[TomO]

The D-series Engines (civic motors) have been swapped into Integras before, it basically comes down to wiring.

Heck, In Japan, they even have a D-Series powered four wheel drive Integra:
Integra ZXi
But in the newer "DC" chassis, they had D-Series powered ones as well. Although they had the 127HP D-Series motors in them.

the D15Z1 from the VX coupled with that long gearing and heavier chassis would make a for very slow take off from any dead stop, but if you have the means and the know-how and the patients for it..go for it!

[Ryland]

The Rooster's Integra appears to be the two door hatch, correct? I think it's a 2,500 pound car so about as heavy as the vx with it full of people... dropping the power steering, a/c and putting lighter weight wheels on it will help a fair amount but then again doing that with his stock engine will help as well.
The advantage of trading for a stock civic vx is that you get more cargo space, larger back seat, stock wiring harness and nothing is hacked together so trouble shooting any future problems with the car will be easier.
Advantage of an engine swap is that you get to keep your current car along with knowing what work has already been done to it, you get the sporty feel of the lower bucket seats, sleeker dash and sporty outer appearance.
I would personally wait until you found an Inegra that had a blown engine, altho my neighbor though that was the case with her's (same year as yours) and I was temped to buy it for an engine swap but it turned out that with 340,000 miles on it it just needed a tune up.

[The Rooster]

This is my go-the-cheap-route option. I've thought of getting a VX or CRX but those cars are already as old as mine, or older. The other option I was considering was picking up a used 1st gen Insight. That way I at least get a car less than 10 years old with less than 100k miles on it. Been seeing them for sale in the $6-9k range. But the whole battery thing worries me. But something like this;

Cars for Sale: 2002 Honda Insight Hybrid in La Puente, CA 91744: Hatchback Details - 290173215 - AutoTrader.com

or this;

Cars for Sale: 2002 Honda Insight Hybrid in Whittier, CA 90605: Hatchback Details - 284627160 - AutoTrader.com

[Ryland]

that blue Honda Insight with the 5 speed... I can't figure out why it is that cheap! if it was around here with twice that many miles on it it would already be gone for that price.

[The Rooster]

Originally Posted by Ryland

that blue Honda Insight with the 5 speed... I can't figure out why it is that cheap! if it was around here with twice that many miles on it it would already be gone for that price.

It blue books for $8,330 Retail. Private Party in Good condition is $6,280. It does seem like a good deal. Is there a way to tell if the battery still has decent capacity left in it?

I liked the CVT with 57k miles...because of the miles.

[Ryland]

The CVT insights only got around 55mpg while the 5 speed could get 70mpg pretty easly, check the EPA numbers for sure.
someone a few weeks back had asked how to check the Honda Civic Hybrid battery while doing a test drive, the drive train on the two cars is of the same design, just different size engines and motors, that thread should be pretty easy to find, but I think it basically came down to accelerate hard a few times so it's using the battery and see how it responds.