D15Z1 Engine swap project log

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by DaX

Why are you trying to remove the condenser? Are you taking AC out of the car completely? Or are you talking about the AC compressor?

Compressor, sorry.

I'm trying to remove the A/C from the engine so that when I pull it out the entire A/C system won't come with it. I've removed two of the bolts holding the A/C bracket on, but I can't get to the other two. I'm certain there is an easy way to remove the compressor from the bracket, but the engine is so caked with old oil that I can't see anything.

I did just find my official honda shop manual (thanks Diemaster) so I think they'll have something useful in there.

As soon as the compressor is unbolted I'm going to go to Autozone and get the balancer chain. I will then yank this sucker. The rest of the day will be wiring MPFI and obd1 into this car. I'll also spend the day transferring things like A/C to the new engine, as well as the PS bracket. Maybe if I'm ambitious I'll be able to put the new engine in tomorrow, but don't hold your breath

[GasSavers_DaX]

There are four 12 mm bolts (very long) that hold the compressor to the bracket. They are between the radiator and the compressor. Take the bottom ones out first, or you'll be sorry. Two on top, two on bottom.

Once you unbolt the compressor, you can simply let the compressor sit on the front crossmember, or if you decide to remove the front crossmember, you can zip tie the compressor to one of the hard lines on the chassis nearby (what I currently have done for my 5-spd conversion).

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by DaX

There are four 12 mm bolts (very long) that hold the compressor to the bracket. They are between the radiator and the compressor. Take the bottom ones out first, or you'll be sorry. Two on top, two on bottom.

Once you unbolt the compressor, you can simply let the compressor sit on the front crossmember, or if you decide to remove the front crossmember, you can zip tie the compressor to one of the hard lines on the chassis nearby (what I currently have done for my 5-spd conversion).

Cool. Just looked at the helms and it looks good. I'll be going out shortly to try to remove it, just as soon as I get my coffee.

[Matt Timion]

more work done today. I'm afraid I'm not going to be done by tomorrow like I had planned. THis may roll into the weekend or next week, which is unforunate.

Anyway... pictures.



All chained up and ready to go.



I had to drive to four places before I found someone who had the engine balancer. I ended up just buying it at Checker for way too much money.

It kept raining off and on today, which was REALLY annoying.




Here is the engine part way out:



Getting this thing to tilt and not hit the master cylinder with the alternator and avoid the A/C lines is next to impossible...



All out!



Here is the engine in it's resting place.



Look how dirty it is.



Next I need to transfer the starter, alternator, wiring, A/C bracket, PS bracket, engine mounts, and other fun things to the new engine.

Oh, here was the one casualty of the removal:



I'll be going to the junkyard tomorrow or Saturday to get a new radiator fan and see if I can track down a rear transmission mount for SVOBoy.

Advice to anyone reading this and thinking of swapping their engine:

Remove the master cylinder AND the radiator first. I probably could have saved 3 hours today had I just done that to begin with.

[95metro]

Nice work, Matt. I'm jealous...it looks like so much fun (once you ignore the obvious problems)!

[Gary Palmer]

Matt: Glad to see you got the engine out. After seeing your picture's, I think I am going to stick with pulling the cross member from underneath and bring the whole thing out the bottom. However, I would recomend pulling the radiator in any case. It just gives you a lot more access and you don't risk putting a hole in the radiator.

On your fan, what's broken? If it's just that one spar on the housing, maybe you could fix it with some fiberglass in the one section.

On your 600, I woke up in the middle of the night, and it ocurred to me that if your changing your ecu and the dpfi, maybe you could hang onto all of your part's and use that for your 600. Since the DPFI put's the fuel into the throat, based on the throttle position, maybe you could just cut off the two outer intakes and seal them shut, and just use the inner two on your other car. Anyway's, a thought.

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by Gary Palmer

Matt: Glad to see you got the engine out. After seeing your picture's, I think I am going to stick with pulling the cross member from underneath and bring the whole thing out the bottom. However, I would recomend pulling the radiator in any case. It just gives you a lot more access and you don't risk putting a hole in the radiator.

On your fan, what's broken? If it's just that one spar on the housing, maybe you could fix it with some fiberglass in the one section.

On your 600, I woke up in the middle of the night, and it ocurred to me that if your changing your ecu and the dpfi, maybe you could hang onto all of your part's and use that for your 600. Since the DPFI put's the fuel into the throat, based on the throttle position, maybe you could just cut off the two outer intakes and seal them shut, and just use the inner two on your other car. Anyway's, a thought.

HAHA... I actually considered using the DPFI for the n600, but I couldn't use the ECU unless I chipped it. There is a huge difference in displacement.

As for the engine, I think dropping it through the bottom might be the best bet for hondas, especialy since that's how they were put in the car.

Oh well... as least now I have a cherry picker to play with :P

[thisisntjared]

removing the radiator yes

master cylinder no, waaaay too annoying.

[Gary Palmer]

Matt: I think that the cherry picker would be a great tool, anyway's. You could just drop the motor down, instead of lifting it up.

Anyway, on using the DPFI system, I would think that the smaller volume would be handled by less throttle plate opening?

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by Gary Palmer

Matt: I think that the cherry picker would be a great tool, anyway's. You could just drop the motor down, instead of lifting it up.

Anyway, on using the DPFI system, I would think that the smaller volume would be handled by less throttle plate opening?

I'll start a thread about this, as I've been thinking of converting the n600 to EFI.