Motor Swap

[cearnan]

Hi, I'm Cameron and am here looking to find info on where to find a city turbo II motor. I live in California in the U.S. and am trying to do a swap into my first gen honda CVCC 1500. Thank you to all of you who may be able to help me with relevant info! Sorry, I am desparate and have no leads after a week of online researching. I am hoping to find a place that imports/exports engines, or something!

[trustpower]

Yeah, i think your best bet is to try and source a city turbo engine/box or halfcut from a jap autowrecker and get it shipped. Im not sure if you have many jap auto wreckers in the states where you are, if so, then try and get them to source you one first.

Dont be surprised if it proves a little bit of a challenge though. Even over here in Aus, it can be tricky to find an engine.

[James]

I can say that you have about a 0.1% chance of fiding one in a wrecker in the US. They only came in as a very rare personal import.

Your best bet is sourcing one from New Zealand or Japan if you can speak japanese as these countries have the best parts availability.

[cearnan]

Thanks, I spent yesterday trying to source one from Australia and Japan and even New Zealand. No luck though. I was surprised at how many of them said "what the hell is a honda city?".  ??? Oh well, I know my cvcc would just scream with this motor, so I will keep trying. My mechanic friend told me that he remembers a time when the motors were being imported from Australia for around $900(US)! I'm salavating just thinking of that!

[James]

I have a couple available in New Zealand. I might be willing to package one up for you and send it over.
The ones I have available are only series one tho, minor differences to series 2 in compression, valve size and intake.

[kartracer]

yeah there are definitely engines floating around in new zealand. you see then now and then on trademe.
we picked a spare T1 engine for $90nz complete with turbo and everything.
they are out there.

[James]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Car-parts-accessories/Honda/Engines-drive-trains/auction-39655573.htm

Thats really what you need, a front clip of that, then you get an engine, loom and ecu and brakes and stuff.

Just for your interest, the honda city turbo hubs bolt onto 1st gen civic uprights and control arms and give you bigger vented brakes and a 4*100 swap, pretty handy aye.

[John_S.]

Ahhhh, so the uprights Colza is using on his 1st Gen fit into alignment spec...I WAS wondering about that. Won't help us much in the U.S. but it sure will help you guys. Another well done!!!

[John_S.]

cearman...look up the thread on building a 1500-1600 Turbo motor based on your factory block. There are still lots of those parts available in California.
There are more than one of us looking at it from that angle, Stateside. It's not just a drop in though, but  then again nobody knows for sure what the power capability is as yet, but it's UP there. You'd still want at least some of the Turbo parts, but you could them either by finding a high mileage motor, or parts from a junk one.
There again...no one should be throwing away Turbo specific intakes or exhausts etc, even if you decide to upgrade. Someone may quite well be looking for any/all parts at a later date. (just my 2 cents) ;D

[Colza]

Hehe, yeah i will be taking some photos when ive got it all sorted. The camber is not perfect, about 1-2deg positive, but it is MUCH less of a problem than the 2nd gen civic hubs! The thing i havent sorted out yet is the lower control arm mounting. The city hub has a different arrangement, but until i have got round to seeing how it actually goes together on a city i cant work out how to make it work on a civic

Ill get onto that shortly.

(mwhaha thats a thread hijack if ever i saw one )

[John_S.]

If you've never seen it, Adrian Frankel has a site that details the changes he made to solve those problems on his car. It has something to do with Honda Civics in New South Wales (NSW). He has adjustable lower control arms, and I'm thinking you might be able to use the balljoint portion of the City control arm assembly(outer) with the 1stGen (inner portion) of the control arm. Might solve your mountability issues as well as your camber problem at the same time. Lets hope!
That IS one thing these cars need...more suspension adjustability. ;D

[Colza]

Yep, thats one of the options if i cant just bolt the bugger up