Highmile

My trusty Civic VX hatchback has 423,500 Miles on the original engine. The problems are mounting and I should look for a replacement. Problem is, this was a fairly scarce car. The engine is a D15Z1 which is a "VTEC-E" with 5 speed trans. What engines can I put in here and use the same ECU and wires etc. and just drop in? When I called a few salvage yards, all they cared about was if the 6th digit in the VIN was a 2 or not. It is a 2, but surely that's not all that matters.

I know how to turn wrenches but I'm not familliar with the different motors so PLEASE help. What cars (CX, DX, VX, EX etc.) will I find these motors in? And what engine codes do I look for? Any help is MUCH appreciated.

qtiger

You can put almost any engine you please in there. Any D series engine (Civic until 2000) or any B series engine in there (Integra, Civic SI, CRV).


Sorry to say you're going to need to change out the ECU though. The VX had a few strange things about its motor and thus unless you find another VX engine there will need to be some modification. Luckily for you, the VX has all the wiring for VTEC and whatnot build into the chassis harness and so no matter what engine you use you will have to add at maximum 2 wires.


Your best bet if you don't want to do any wiring is to get an engine that comes with its matching wiring harness. The VX used a 5 wire wide band oxygen sensor, and almost anything else you'll be putting in will use a 4 wire O2 sensor.

Highmile

Do Civics have a standard wire harness mounted in the body that hooks to all type ECUs and then hook to various engine harnesses on the other end? Or how does it work? And so if I find a motor at a salvage yard I need to get the engine harness and the ECU and I'm good to go? Does my S20 5sp Transmission bolt up to just about any engine?

qtiger

Your transmission will bolt to any other D series engine. That would be all Civic engines except the Civic SI.


Yes, there is a standard wiring harness. It connects to the rest of the vehicle at the firewall near the battery and near the brake booster on the drivers side. However, your harness is slightly non-standard (only due to the O2 sensor). You can modify it and make it work, or you could use the wiring harness that matches the motor you are installing.

Kai

If you look around different web boards, you can probably find another D15Z1 for cheap. Performance-wise, they are 'junk' and tend to get thrown out in favor of bigger, higher output engines.

Highmile

thanks

Highmile

Found one locally for $375 in a salvage yard. It's going in the car next week.