I'm in the middle of tearing down a JDM VX engine I got, rebuidling it w/ hopefully a slightly higher compression ratio (shaving a bit off the head and aiming for a bump from 9.3:1 to 10:1...this supposedly works for 87 octane), then swapping it into my '92 civic DX hatch...thought I'd keep track of the progress on here.
*feel free to ask questions or offer pointers...this is my first full engine build. (I've done an engine swap before, but nothing this extensive)
I bought the engine for $400 shipped to my door - it's one of those 40-60K mi JDM engines....got the contact from someone on this forum:
JDMSOURCE
www.jdmsource.ca
1 866 717 4252
car: 1992 Honda Civic hatchback DX w/ 155K miles (currently gets 40 MPG)
Goal: 55-60 MPG.
intial pics:
the engine block ID has "D15B"...a bit confusing
b/c the USDM VX engines have the "D15Z1" marking, but the JDM ones don't (JDM "D15B" were marked on several different trim levels...).
http://www.gassavers.org/showthread.php?t=5895
*I confirmed that this is the JDM version of the D15Z1 once I removed the valve cover and saw that only 1 of the intake valves operated while rotating the cam pulley)
Engine mounted to stand:
previous engine's I've worked with had holes through the rear of the engine to allow many different type of bolts to be used for mounting on an engine stand...this one require the proper threaded bolts...took a few hours to run around and find them, but eventually I got it at a local Ace Hardware. Here's the specs:
length: 120 mm
thread pitch: 1.25
diameter: M12
flywheel bolts: the 6 bolts to remove require a 12 sided 17mm socket. (I found it at Sears). I used a long bolt to restrict movement of the flywheel (this engine is from an automatic...so it's technically not a flywheel, but I forget the real name
)
updated 12-307:
Crank pulley removal:
this was a bit of a pain - I ended up putting a bolt through the auto flywheel to hold the engine from rotating...I forgot that I had an adapter (1/2" to 3/8") on the breaker bar, and ended up snapping the adapter (first broken tool for this project!
). But after that, I got it off w/ ease. (FYI - it's a normal threaded pulley...I had started to get worried that it was a reverse threaded pulley, but after checking online, I confirmed that I was at least going the right direction)
crank pulley:
broken adapter:
Victory (pulley removed):
removal of crank/rods/pistons:
here's the block w/ the head removed (the block was in great shape, crank/pistons rotating w/ little resistance and minimal play):
1) I unbolted the rods from the crank, and had to bump the rods w/ a soft hit to get them loose...the pistons were then removed (I think they would have stayed in place even w/ the engine up-side-down, but I was worried that they'd fall out).
pic of block up-side-down w/ crank/rods/pistons still in it:
2) removed crank (after removing flywheel, rear main seal, and oil pump).
12-5-07:
back to where I started...engine wrapped in plastic!
*I had washed the engine thouroughly, re-oiled the cylinders, then wrapped the block to prevent an oxidation (I should have all the rebuild parts within 2 days, so there's not too much of a risk w/ rust...but things tend to take longer than expected when working w/ cars
)
12-8-07
finnaly got enough parts to start...the Weather had caused the main freeway bewteen Portland and Seattle to be closed for several days...and guess where my parts were coming from?!
I installed the pistons, crank, and rear main seal tonigh
:
the OE piston...taped to prevent damage to cylinder walls:
last piston being tapped into place:
bottom of engine w/ piston in and blue tape:
12-11-07:
oil pan painted and installed:
Got the head last night...it looks pretty!
shaved head w/ 0.02" shaved off (a bit more than this was shaved off...it was slightly warped, so it was flattened, then another 0.02" was taken off):
head installed:
the lube that I've been used...the machine shop rec'd it.
Compression Ratio Calculations:
VX engine specs: Bore 2.95", Stroke 3.33", OE CR 9.3.
Vol. of 1 Cyl: 22.74877013 in^3 =BDC Vol. of 1 cly
OE TDC Vol. of 1 cly = TDC Vol / CR = 2.446104315in^3
shaved 0.02" --> Delta Head Vol. 0.13662925 in^3 (area of cylinder cross-section *thickness shaved)
New TDC Vol. of 1 Cyl: 2.309475065 in^3
New CR 9.85019084
I'll be uploading more pics as time allows...here's where I'm at as of 12-11-07:
1) engine is almost done (need to do: timing belt, valve cover, intake/exhaust manifolds,...)
2) Cleaning/Painting valve cover...
3) got a VX ECU
4) Found a shop to do the swap for me...work has picked up considerably, so rather than letting this sit for a month, I opted to have someone do it.
I still need:
...the list will grow as I do more work...it always does
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