first timer... swapping engines advice would be nice

[True Pyroman]

well I bought a 1991 Honda Prelude si with a questionable engine... so I'm just going to take the old prone to burn oil b21 and drop in a b20a5. I'm going to do the swap myself for learning purposes... I have worked on my old eg and have changed a head gasket in it, so I know a little bit about cars, but I still want more advice before I actually attempt. I'm not sure exactly what is wrong with the b21, so I'm probably going to pull it out and tinker with the engine and get to know these little 4bangers. I have a few tools, but if there's any awkward tools that you think I would need that the normal guy doesn't have... it would be much appreciated if someone could point me into the right direction.

I'm going to have a friend help me, but he doesn't know anything about cars.

it is a 5spd and I was wondering how would I know if it has the 4ws or not? and would it be worth it to buy the 4ws stuff in the future, or does it not make that much of a difference....?

[killerdx]

no out of the ordinary tools needed to drop tha motor,some sockets,a ratchet(or wutever u wanna use to take the bolts outta the engine mounts with),engine hoist,or a jack if u wanna drop it out tha bottom, which is way easier to me :goodjob: . If i think of ne thing else il let u know

[Mangrum]

put a h23 in that biatch!

[True Pyroman]

I'd love to drop a h22 or h23 but I'm a broke college student. so I'm going the cheaper b20a5 route.

[killerdx]

I'd love to drop a h22 or h23 but I'm a broke college student. so I'm going the cheaper b20a5 route.

I feel ya on that one, it sucks. Its taken me 4ever to get mine runnin again

[Vteckidd]

You need:

SOCKETS:
10mm-misc engine ,bracket bolts, radiator mounts
12mm- misc engine ,bracket bolts
14mm- misc engine ,bracket bolts
17mm- motor mount bolts, Lower ball joint castle nut, lower strut bolt
19mm- Rear bracket bolts, lug nuts
32mm- axles

WRENCHES:
10mm-misc engine ,bracket bolts, radiator mounts
12mm- misc engine ,bracket bolts
14mm- misc engine ,bracket bolts
17mm- motor mount bolts, Lower ball joint castle nut, lower strut bolt

PLIERS:
Angled nose PLiers (hose clamps)
Straight nose pliers (hose clamps)

Flat head Screwdriver
Phillips Screwdriver
8mm punch for ***** Pin if you have a shift linkage
Hammer

Breaker Bar
2 Ton Jack
Jackstands
Engine Hoist ($100 at pepboys)

those are pretty much the tolls you have to have to do an engine swap.

Its pretty straight forward. Disconnect Battery. YOu want to start by draining all fluids from the motor, radiator, transmission. Then disconnect the wiring harness, im unsure on the preludes in that year, but there should be 2 main harness disconnects, one at each shocktower like on an EG.

Youll want to leave the harness on the motor.

After the wiring is disconnected, start unhooking all hoses that attatch from the motor to antyhing outside of the engine, like firewall heater hoses, radiator hoses(pull the radiator, gives yourself more room).

Disconnect Power Steering and AC if applicable. Usually you can unbolt the compressor with the lines attatched , just undo the 4 14mm bolts from the compressor bracket. Same with the PS.

After all thats done, disconnect the shifter cables or linkage. Remove axles, unbolt header from cat.

Once all thats done, survey the engine, and make sure there is nothing that connects from the engine to the engine bay. Double check, remember your pulling the engine so any lines you missed the first time, double check now to make sure nothing else is in the way.

Once all thats done, hook hoist up to the motor. I use the 14mm on the back of the head and the 17mm front TQ mount as places to put the chain.

Jack the hoist up to put a SMALL amount of tension on the chain. Start undoing the engine mount bolts. Use your best judgement. I usually do the rear mount first, then the tranny mount from the trans, then the bolt to the tranny mount, then i undo the driver side mount.

once thats done, have a friend help you angle the motor an pull it out , sometimes its best to remove the hood if its your first time to give yourself plenty of room.

Once the motor is out, youll have to swap everything over to the new engine including trans, clutch, flywheel, wiring harness, starter, etc.

[killerdx]

You need:

SOCKETS:
10mm-misc engine ,bracket bolts, radiator mounts
12mm- misc engine ,bracket bolts
14mm- misc engine ,bracket bolts
17mm- motor mount bolts, Lower ball joint castle nut, lower strut bolt
19mm- Rear bracket bolts, lug nuts
32mm- axles

WRENCHES:
10mm-misc engine ,bracket bolts, radiator mounts
12mm- misc engine ,bracket bolts
14mm- misc engine ,bracket bolts
17mm- motor mount bolts, Lower ball joint castle nut, lower strut bolt

PLIERS:
Angled nose PLiers (hose clamps)
Straight nose pliers (hose clamps)

Flat head Screwdriver
Phillips Screwdriver
8mm punch for ***** Pin if you have a shift linkage
Hammer

Breaker Bar
2 Ton Jack
Jackstands
Engine Hoist ($100 at pepboys)

those are pretty much the tolls you have to have to do an engine swap.

Its pretty straight forward. Disconnect Battery. YOu want to start by draining all fluids from the motor, radiator, transmission. Then disconnect the wiring harness, im unsure on the preludes in that year, but there should be 2 main harness disconnects, one at each shocktower like on an EG.

Youll want to leave the harness on the motor.

After the wiring is disconnected, start unhooking all hoses that attatch from the motor to antyhing outside of the engine, like firewall heater hoses, radiator hoses(pull the radiator, gives yourself more room).

Disconnect Power Steering and AC if applicable. Usually you can unbolt the compressor with the lines attatched , just undo the 4 14mm bolts from the compressor bracket. Same with the PS.

After all thats done, disconnect the shifter cables or linkage. Remove axles, unbolt header from cat.

Once all thats done, survey the engine, and make sure there is nothing that connects from the engine to the engine bay. Double check, remember your pulling the engine so any lines you missed the first time, double check now to make sure nothing else is in the way.

Once all thats done, hook hoist up to the motor. I use the 14mm on the back of the head and the 17mm front TQ mount as places to put the chain.

Jack the hoist up to put a SMALL amount of tension on the chain. Start undoing the engine mount bolts. Use your best judgement. I usually do the rear mount first, then the tranny mount from the trans, then the bolt to the tranny mount, then i undo the driver side mount.

once thats done, have a friend help you angle the motor an pull it out , sometimes its best to remove the hood if its your first time to give yourself plenty of room.

Once the motor is out, youll have to swap everything over to the new engine including trans, clutch, flywheel, wiring harness, starter, etc.


haha yea thats what i was sayin, thats perfect info :goodjob:

[Double_0_Rusty]

good luck on the swap. I couldn't have said it any better than Mr. Kidd.

[True Pyroman]

I won't need to get another ecu will I? and thanks for the advice Mr. KiDD.

[k20siboii]

You need:

SOCKETS:
10mm-misc engine ,bracket bolts, radiator mounts
12mm- misc engine ,bracket bolts
14mm- misc engine ,bracket bolts
17mm- motor mount bolts, Lower ball joint castle nut, lower strut bolt
19mm- Rear bracket bolts, lug nuts
32mm- axles

WRENCHES:
10mm-misc engine ,bracket bolts, radiator mounts
12mm- misc engine ,bracket bolts
14mm- misc engine ,bracket bolts
17mm- motor mount bolts, Lower ball joint castle nut, lower strut bolt

PLIERS:
Angled nose PLiers (hose clamps)
Straight nose pliers (hose clamps)

Flat head Screwdriver
Phillips Screwdriver
8mm punch for ***** Pin if you have a shift linkage
Hammer

Breaker Bar
2 Ton Jack
Jackstands
Engine Hoist ($100 at pepboys)

those are pretty much the tolls you have to have to do an engine swap.

Its pretty straight forward. Disconnect Battery. YOu want to start by draining all fluids from the motor, radiator, transmission. Then disconnect the wiring harness, im unsure on the preludes in that year, but there should be 2 main harness disconnects, one at each shocktower like on an EG.

Youll want to leave the harness on the motor.

After the wiring is disconnected, start unhooking all hoses that attatch from the motor to antyhing outside of the engine, like firewall heater hoses, radiator hoses(pull the radiator, gives yourself more room).

Disconnect Power Steering and AC if applicable. Usually you can unbolt the compressor with the lines attatched , just undo the 4 14mm bolts from the compressor bracket. Same with the PS.

After all thats done, disconnect the shifter cables or linkage. Remove axles, unbolt header from cat.

Once all thats done, survey the engine, and make sure there is nothing that connects from the engine to the engine bay. Double check, remember your pulling the engine so any lines you missed the first time, double check now to make sure nothing else is in the way.

Once all thats done, hook hoist up to the motor. I use the 14mm on the back of the head and the 17mm front TQ mount as places to put the chain.

Jack the hoist up to put a SMALL amount of tension on the chain. Start undoing the engine mount bolts. Use your best judgement. I usually do the rear mount first, then the tranny mount from the trans, then the bolt to the tranny mount, then i undo the driver side mount.

once thats done, have a friend help you angle the motor an pull it out , sometimes its best to remove the hood if its your first time to give yourself plenty of room.

Once the motor is out, youll have to swap everything over to the new engine including trans, clutch, flywheel, wiring harness, starter, etc.

thanks alot this is gonna help me do my gsr swap this weekend ..much appreciation

[Vteckidd]

Oh, another thing for you first timers is go buy some different colored tape. Like blue, orange , green, pink, yellow, etc.

If your unsure of where certain hoses are going to go or where to recconect them, put some colored tap that corresponds with the hose on the engine to where it connects on the car/engine bay.

I also use a box to put all misc bolts so i dont lose anything. Another thing is put the bolts back where they go after you remove them so you dont lose them.

[iEvo]

if my ex g/f can do it then u can do it

[JDM onlyy]

put a h23 in that biatch!

I thought the old prelude engines sit at a different angle and you can't swap an h23 into unless you have special mounts and all that crap for it. :thinking: :thinking:

[chituntang]

It is not exactly hard, but you just need to know how to follow instructions. It means you cannot miss one step. Tools, on the other hand, if you have done a headgasket job, you would have most of the tools already. Mr.Kidd have a list of tools, which are about 75% of what I owned, and my hardest job is swapping diff and axles on my S13. The only thing I have in mind is powered tool. This will make your life way better.

[True Pyroman]

I have not started my tool collection in a big way, I'm pretty much just borrowing my pops tools. but I'm pretty much in love with harbor freight. just need to make some more cash.

[xlilvi3tx]

my advice is dont drop the engine when u liftin it up lol