Have a '97 Accord EX VTEC/auto that developed a bad knock. Plan on replacing engine with a JDM. Have replaced engines in rear drivers many times, but this is my first front driver. Need some good info on the best way to go about the engine swap. Some questions: Leave tranny in car, or better to pull tranny with engine? Better to drop engine/trans out the bottom, or pull it out the top (I am better set up for pulling up)? I plan on replacing timing belt and water pump before I put JDM in. I read somewhere that I may need to swap the oil pump, crank sensor & crank pulley from the old engine. Is this correct? Any other things I need to be aware of? Thank You

 

I have seen the engine swap done both ways (bottom or top) personally I'm a fan of removing the hood and pulling it out the top (engine and tranny as one) my friend on the otherhand dropped it out the bottom and swears it was the easiest thing in the world to do. So basically, either way will work it just depends on your preferance/comfort level. Don't forget to pull you half shafts (cv axles) out before you start trying to lift the motor, make note of all wiring harneses and possibly mark them unless you have that good of a memory. You shouldn't have to swap the crank pulley. As for the oil pump and crank sensor I have no idea.

 

So JDM is the way to go? The halfshaft thing is what has me nervous. I have never done that before, though I have done just about everything mechanical on rear drivers. So the truth be known I "race" late model Mustang cars so my mechanical knowledge is quite extensive.

Our summer drivers are Mustang cars, winter drivers Honda's. We do have several Hondas, 98 and 05 Civics, the hurt 97 Accord. In the past an 82 Accord, and 85 Civic.

 

As for what engine to use (sorry it looked from your first post you were set on the JDM...) I'd either replace it with a stock, beef up a stock (www.f22parts.com) or do an H22. The half shafts aren't that hard to do but having a large flathead screwdriver or small prybar on hand helps a lot. The link below should allow you to download a free manual. Here's a down/dirty breakdown of halfshaft removal: Jack it up, pop off the tire, Remove the nut on the end of the shaft in center of rotor, seperate lower ball joint, pull the rotor/brake assembly out and that drops out one side of the shaft, then gently (sometimes not so gently) work the shaft out of the tranny, don't pull on the end of it be sure you're only applying force to the end closest to the tranny. use the large screwdriver or prybar to work it out if need be, slide it between tranny and shaft. I don't think you'll have any issues.

http://hondatech.info/downloads/Auto/Manuals/Accord/

I used to race oval years ago, my friend raced pinto's and mustang II's (compacts) for quite some time before moving into hobby stock last year. This engine pull is a bit more extensive just because there's more wires and less room to work with.

 

Thanks for the link and info. I don't do oval, I do road couses like Road America, 4+ miles of twisty track. I LOVE it. I plan on getting the Accord back on the road within the next two weeks. We will be pulling the engine/trans out the top. Thanks

 

Let us know how it goes!

 

That's REAL racing as far as I'm concerned! that's awesome I'd love to do that but the closest thing we've go around here is Auto X (the cones in the parking lot)

 

Little change in plans. I will not be able to order the engine for two weeks, so I will pull the old one and get ready to install the JDM. Hopefully the weather holds (stays warm).

There a lot of clubs that run road course tracks around the country. I run a Mustang GT, it's a Ford club, but we open registration to all cars after a certain point. I have found a few other orginazations that run on different courses at various times of the summer (northern Midwest). I had my hands full chasing a Miata around the Milwaukee Mile Road Course this spring. I had no problem on the straights, but I had the old Mustang screamin' in the corners. I stayed with him, though I scared the crap out of my daughter who was a passenger.

Another daughter has a '98 Civic with coil-overs and such. I wanted to run that on track, but it's her only car so she was not so sure about letting the old man beat it around the track. Can't wait for spring to roll around and get back on track.

 

You asked me to keep you informed on the engine swap, IT SUCKS!!! I am really learning to HATE Honda's every time I try to get more items disconnected for the swap. The time I have wasted on this engine swap so far, I would have been able to remove, rebuild, and replace an engine in a Mustang car, and I am not even far enough to drop the Honda engine out yet!!! Right now I cannot figure out how to detach the auto trans cable. I have the trans cover removed but I have no idea on how to detach the cable from the trans.

I also am required to remove the subframe. I have the frame that runs under the engine from front to back out, but it looks like I also need to remove the bars that run from the front subframe to each wheel. And how do I remove the bolts from the top of the arms that attach that arm to the wheel, an open end wrench?

Looked at my daughters 97 Civic this morning and it looks like there is a LOT more room to work on that than there is in the Accord. Just the opposite that I would have thought.