Project: KDA (Engine and Auto to Manual Swap)

[SVOboy]

KDA standing for Kick Dan's ***

I'm hoping my longer tranny, lowed Cd, lower weight, more economical engine, and randomness will help me beat Dan's l33t skillz and route, but I dunno, we'll see.

First thing I must say is that this project will be limited mainly by money. I think I can set up the stuff in the shop where I'm interning, I'm hoping very hard. At the very least I'll try to borrow their super duper engine hoist.

Anyway, the specifics:

Gonna pull my D15B2 auto crap and stick in a D15B8 (92-95 Civic CX, 70 HP, blah blah) along with a CRX HF tranny. This'll be nuts, to say the least, but it's gonna happen. Just picked up the engine today.

Now, for the money situation, I basically need a clutch and nothing else, grr, so someone help me find a clutch. I'll post pictures of the stock clutch tomorrow to see what ya'll think, but I'd say it's done for.

The plan:

Stick the engine and everything together in the garage and then haul it all as one junk to be put into the CRX. I'll be doing all the work with mehbe a person who doesn't know cars to keep me company,

Add or comment as needed to the below...

New Shopping List:


Timing Belt: $27.99 Bought!
Water Pump: $28.99 Bought!
Valve Cover Gasket: $28.99 Bought!
Clutch Throwout Bearing: $21.99 Bought!
Coolant Drain Pan: $7.99 Bought!
EG Civic Manual: $16.99 Bought!
Valve Cover Paint: $5.99 Bought!
Paint Stripper: $6.99 Bought!
Crappy 5W20: $8 Bought!
Oil Filter: $3 Bought!
Brake Cleaner: $3 Bought!
Wire Brush Set: $5 Bought!
Some Just-In-Case Oil: $6

Total: $244

Picture time though. So many more will happen tomorrow when I unload everything. Wish me luck!

What a pain this was:

[SVOboy]

PS: That cluster picture is a little preview of the in progess DIY LED 2. I need to finish the wiring up and then go ahead and figure out how to spread the light a little more evenly, though I have an idea. I'll try to test that out tonight and write up DIY LED 1.5,

[The Toecutter]

I was under the impression earlier you were going to shove a Kubota diesel into it.

In any case, the more efficient engine and taller gear ratios will help immensely. Gas prices will keep going up. Don't be surprised if they are $6-7/gallon in two years.

With the aero mods, the taller gears, and the efficient engine, 70 mpg is not out of the question with a gentle driving style.

If you want to go balls out on aero mods, contact Phil Knox. He has gotten his CRX to 90 mpg with no gear ratio changes, no LRR tires, no new rims, and no engine mods. It was all 100% aero mods. You can find him at the "maxmpg" Yahoo group.

If you do his aero mods combined with your engine mods, taller gears, some LRR tires, your lighter rims, my best guess is that you'll be in the 100 mpg region. Take THAT, Honda Insight!

[SVOboy]

I was under the impression earlier you were going to shove a Kubota diesel into it.

Nah, it's been mentioned but I'm not at that level of fabrication work.

Anyway, we'll see what I can get, it's mainly having things run properly that concerns me, and the fact that I killed my back lifting it out of the car this morning.

[Matt Timion]

Was the tranny left out in the rain? I see rust I think.

[SVOboy]

Nah, it was under a tarp. There's no rust, mehbe a bit of dirt though. It all looks to be in good shape. I'll post pictures of spark plugs to be read pretty soon.

[SVOboy]

Cylinders 1-4, Left to Right. What do you think, too rich?

[SVOboy]

Just soldering ironed the hell out of my broken sensor. Hopefully it'll work, I'll try it in a few hours I guess.

[Compaq888]

Love the thread!
Dan is getting a lot of competition. I did say before that SVOboy's car had the best potential. So does Bunger's.

I just wish I had a manual, i would keep up with you guys.

[SVOboy]

More engine shots, and some questions:

1. Best way to clean the engine of crap?
2. How do things look under the valve cover there?
3. What kinda tests should I do on the engine before sticking it in?
4. Is there any particular order by which I should go sticking the stuff I took off back on? I imagine the alternator and all I'll just slap right on there.
5. All my previous questions still stand.
6. Oh yeah, my clutch is totally gone, right?











Thanks a ton for all the help. I wanna do it right!