After engine swap, car has lost major power.

[DJDafreund]

Hey all. I just had an engine swap done a few months ago and have had issues with performance ever since.
I went from a 1994 EX Honda 1.6liter VTEC engine (about 109k miles approx.) to a J-SPEC imported 1.5liter VTEC engine (1996 or so) with about 40-50k miles on it. I'm hoping everything was swapped right. They put in a new water pump and timing belt in the process.
The problem is, most you already know this, when you drive your car all the time and for a number of years, you KNOW your car. And ever since i got my car back, it's just NOT the same. It drives very sluggest from the take off, almost like it's in 2nd gear instead of 1st, and here and there when i gas it, it almost stops like i switched the key off for a sec. or so, then on again.
So i thought maybe the original gas pump is just going out, but was told it either works,or doesn't work, not gradually goes, or sometimes goes, so i thought maybe it's something else in that case.
I also was told maybe they adjusted the timing belt wrong, as that could make a huge impact as well with overall performance.

I could really use some help here, as i am confused at what to do, or where to start checking with what the problem is. I have a friend that is usually pretty good with cars, and isn't sure what it could be from my explanation. But i would like to get it fixed, whatever it is. I only got an engine swap because it is low mileage and was told it's supposed to be slightly more horsepower then my factory engine, what i was told when ordering the engine (japan has slightly different specs on the engines, also since mine had 2ce the amount of mileage on it.)

If it helps, i still have the same transmission in it (auto), and i have a cold air intake, assuming the same fuel injectors, aftermarket exhaust manifold, highflow catalytic convertor, and aftermarket exhaust muffler, new fuel filter.

I do notice, sometimes when i'm moving, and gun it (around 5k rpms) i feel the slight power from the vtec kicking in, but then sometimes it's sluggest and don't feel much, like the difference of turning on your AC.) And again, when at a takeoff, it's most of the time sluggesh like the difference of a car (cold air intake on) in the winter, verses driving on a 98 degree hot day from a take off. And sometimes, it seems like it's stalling for a second or two like i switched the car key off, then on again.

Does anyone have any suggestions or idea's to try, or where to start with to fix this sounding problem? Thanx again ahead for any/all help. This is really irritating me. Wish i could figure this out. :-)

[DJDafreund]

I was thinking about having someone check the timing. I did recently replace the Distributor Cap, Fuel Filter, Plug wires, Mobile One Synthetic, and Distributor Rotor myself since then, but didn't notice any differences. They told me they did a tune up as part of the engine swap (including new spark plugs.) but don't really 100% trust them now. Haven't been too thrilled with there customer service over the past 2 years (been going to them for 10 years now.) Maybe also i should double check the plugs as well to make sure they spaced them right and get some good ones in instead also anyways.

Would the same computer in my car with a different engine have any impact? I thought about this also. Since it's from a 1.6liter, going to a 1.5 liter JSPEC.

[Negrodamus]

Are u using the same p28 ecu from your d16 on your d15b??? And you might wanna think about getting it tuned 1st with either a standalone or piggyback vafc or uberdata/hondata. sounds like you may either have a problem with either timing or computer and a good tune will generally corrent all the kinks. "if swap was done properly"

[DJDafreund]

I am still using the same p28 ecu from my d16. You lost my on the piggyback vafc or uberdata/hondata part. I know the engine they send me didn't come with the ecu controller as they told me it's a easy drop right in, and didn't tell me that it was needed, when i asked what would be needed and what car i had and was putting it into. So, maybe the ecu could be the problem? I was guessing it might have been, since that's what controls everything with tuning and settings and all.

I do appricate all your help with me BTW. I'd love to get this one figured out.

[Negrodamus]

I went from a 1994 EX Honda 1.6liter VTEC engine (about 109k miles approx.) to a J-SPEC imported 1.5liter VTEC engine (1996 or so) with about 40-50k miles on it.

Thats where ur trouble is you have the wrong ecu, obd1 ecu on what is now a obd2 car and initial settings such as vtec engagement, fuel etc...are still for your 1.6 liter . unless you plan on going the turbo route with a chipped p28 you need to ditch that ecu and get the correct ecu for you motor. then your car should run alot better.

Get the ecu for the d15b

[DJDafreund]

Thats where ur trouble is you have the wrong ecu, obd1 ecu on what is now a obd2 car and initial settings such as vtec engagement, fuel etc...are still for your 1.6 liter . unless you plan on going the turbo route with a chipped p28 you need to ditch that ecu and get the correct ecu for you motor. then your car should run alot better.

Get the ecu for the d15b

Ok. That looks like the answer i'm looking for then. I am for sure going to get a turbo, but not in the foreseen future until i get out of debt and money permits.

2 things remaining, can you guys confirm about the gas pump (original factory) either is working or not working (meaning, current pump is working fine if my car is drivable currently) or should i consider getting another to possible help fix anything (128k total original mileage on pump now.)

and second thing is where might i go to get the proper ecu for my replacement engine, and am i looking at an expensive part to get it? also, possible to get a revamped one in the process if it's more worth it for a little extra tweeked performance if i'm needing to get one anyway? Or even anyone here possible to get one for me? Thanx so much guys. This has been haunting me for a while now.I'm finally getting the answer i've been looking for. I would've asked way earlier but had a crash and couldn't remember the site name until i caught up with an old friend from x-car club i was in.

I don't know for sure if it's from a 1996 civic (if that is what makes it a obd2 instead of a obd1 ECU, after trying to research a little and noticed obd2 ecu's were used from 1996-1998) or how i can find out for sure what exact model engine it is by any findings i can look for somewhere on the engine. They used the polished engine head from my old engine (i forgot what reason they told me why they did had to do that though) I might still have the receipt still somewhere. I was told that from the company i bought it from. They just told me that the only info they had was it was a civic jspec engine with about 45-55k miles on it and was probably from a 1996 or so (due to mileage avg) from cars that were raced a little. That's the only stuff i know about it unfortunately. I wished i knew more now, or could know more.

[iNsTuN nOoDoH]

Does it lag when you floor it? If it does try borrowing or using your old map sensor and see if that helps out. If not then probably the ecu. Just get that p28 chipped for uberdata and get it tuned. Ask scotty for any of the uberdata chipping stuff. That might help.

[DJDafreund]

Does it lag when you floor it? If it does try borrowing or using your old map sensor and see if that helps out. If not then probably the ecu. Just get that p28 chipped for uberdata and get it tuned. Ask scotty for any of the uberdata chipping stuff. That might help.

I respecfully appreciate everyone here being nice to the fact that my knowledge is limited, and thank you again for helping me out. I love learning about cars now. Some people i talk to you get discouraged from learning cause there like "Uh, duh!!! It the xkhembqmbz that's causing the djbwbmb to act up." (Like your stupid for not knowing that.) LOL.

I can verify that some of the problem is definitely a lag when i step on the gas petal. In fact, i've had times when i gas it and it acts like it stalls for a good 2 seconds, then starts to move like i turned the ignition off for a couple seconds. But sometimes it runs ok at a takeoff, but still very noticeable slower then before the engine swap. Like it's in 2nd gear (comparing similar torque) but not QUITE as bad, but like 1.5th gear if there was one.

I don't have the old engine, so i don't have access to getting the MAP sensor unfortunately, but the ECU does make a lot of sense to me having a computer module that's adjusted and tuned for one engine, currently hooked up to a different engine. One thing i'd want to know is, if i had my current ECU chipped, would it be possible for them to redo it for matching my new D15B engine? Or would they only be able to tweek it, and still really not be right to match the new engine? Who's this scotty person? In these forums? or someone at Uberdata? SOrry if these sound like stupid questions, i just don't know and want to know more so i understand everything. Thanks guys.

One last thing, if i got it chipped (if i can still use my old ECU for my newer different engine type + maybe some tweaks) i am guessing i would be without a car during that time? Or unless i just bought one either done, or bought a used one for my engine and had them tweek THAT one. I can't be without my car, i have no other transportation to/from work.)

I don't know if Derek from Lethal Injection Tuning is on here or not, just got recommended from your friend Mark at Advanced Auto parts who hightly recommended you, and called you tonight about my car.

[iNsTuN nOoDoH]

First, I would try and find someone with another Civic and try using their map sensor. I'm not positive, but a map sensor from almost any other civic or integra dohc or sohc should be the same. It takes like 5 minutes to do...2 screws and a plug. Try it real quick to see if it solves that lag problem you have. If it does or doesn't work, contact scttydb411 on here and talk to him about chipping your p28 (tell him his other turbo d16 buddy sent ya). Since you have the p28 already it should be fairly cheap to chip and i'm pretty sure he can map out the curve to work with your d15.

[DJDafreund]

OK, i'll try doing that. And thank you so much again for the help and advice. I'll get in touch with him. I do know only one person that works with me actually that has a 1998 i think civic, but i'm pretty positive he won't go for that idea one bit. Maybe i can just buy one though just temporary for testing. Else, i'll get in touch with that guy and tell him you sent me, and get it chipped. Thanks again. I'm so happy again with my new direction to my irritating problems.

It did actually lope a few times in a row today right after getting some gas. I stepped on the gas petal, and it loped like it was dying out, so i let off, then i gassed it full again, and again it loped. I did this like 3 times, and the 4th time it finalkly started going again.
Boy, thank God this doesn't happen when i'm at an intersection, and need to move, they would for sure hit me if it happened, as my car doesn't move at all and acts like my car ignition turned off when it happens (which is freq.)

[scttydb411]

def have me socket/chip your ecu...i'm pm'ing you my number.

it could be a variety of things, but most obvious is the ecu. a lot of times ecu's will be swapped for different fuel, timing, vtec engagement. this is usually just a band/aid approach and can work, but it's usually a misconceived perception because there is a power loss before vtec and a big bump when vtec kicks in.

your timing could be way off as well. if i socket/chip your ecu and tune it that'll be corrected as part of the tune.

mapsensor is probably ok or you'd have a cel...obd1/2 mapsensors are pretty much the same.

possibly bad engine, but i doubt that if you got it from a reputable source.

plugs, cap, rotor, wires...you said you replaced that already if i read correctly. probably not the issue now.

ruling out any cel, which i didn't see in your post, i'm going to agree with prior answers that it's the ecu.

[A.P. Photography]

Or you could take your car to Mainstream and get them to check it. If they swapped out all the sensors then the ECU can work with that motor. We have done it several times in some friends Integra's. Just double check that everything is connected and there are no loose wires, vaccume lines, etc.

[biggs]

i would definately get someone to check the TIMING before i do anything....that would be the cheapest route before u spend a lot of cheddar.....if it is not the timing then its definately the ecu

[A.P. Photography]

Or it could be a faulty sensor. It really needs to be checked out at a shop.

[DJDafreund]

Wow, thatnk you guys so much for the hospitality with answers. I guess i will definitely have to get a checkup then on it. I have a friend that told me that supposedly Autozone does a free diagnostics hook up for troubleshooting. Thats will help, specially around this time of the year (Xmas). I will also most likely do the ECU things.

scttydb411, i will definitely be calling you to try to get the ECU chip thing/stuff done. I have a feeling that is it. Thanks again so much guys for the participation of helping me out troubleshoot things here. I've been trying to find an answer for over a year now, exactly. I now have a 95% answer for sure now.

Ya'll have a Merry Xmas!!!! Hope Santa visits and brings ya lots more parts.LOL

[trini_gsr]

It drives very sluggest from the take off, almost like it's in 2nd gear instead of 1st, and here and there when i gas it, it almost stops like i switched the key off for a sec. or so, then on again.
So i thought maybe the original gas pump is just going out...I also was told maybe they adjusted the timing belt wrong, as that could make a huge impact as well with overall performance.

good luck getting your car fixed. these symptoms sound just like an issue i had, after burning a valve in my head earlier this year. i pulled the head and got it rebuilt at a machine shop, but after I put the motor back together, i had EXACTLY these symptoms, real sluggish off the line in 1st, etc. The car started fine, just slow...

I changed my fuel pump, cleaned the injectors, swapped sparkplugs, wires, etc...with no luck...when i finally got it checked out, it was the timing. i had incorrectly set it when i reassembled the motor. so i think you should definitely check that out before swapping the ECU...

[anf1tch21]

definitely...my car was sluggish and i have a honda civic..it was the timing that was off...

[DJDafreund]

Well, i'm hoping the shop would've done a better job making sure the timing is correct, but it wouldn't surprise me. Maybe the one mechanic didn't realise it was a different engine he was supposed to use timing setting for, while coming behind the swap another mechanic did. People make mistakes, so anything is definitely possible. I for sure need to have sometime re-do my timing, that's for sure, along with chipping my ECU properly. I'm just looking forward to getting my car back with the power it should have.
Like getting a souped up ride, then all the sudden it's driving poor and drives like a factory volvo. Hehe. Can't wait. I love my car, and my car love's me. Oops, ok, no more drinking tonight. Haha. Almost Xmas!!!!Wow, that's quick!!!

[xext12mvx]

UMM CHECK UR TIMING OR UR DISTURBOR THE SPARKS IT THROWIN N CHECK THE SPARK PLUG N ALSO THE INJECTORS ITZ CAN B ANYTHING FROM SENSOR TO OUTTA TIMING HOW DOES IT ACT WHEN U GIVE IT GAS AT FIRST DO IT TAKE TIME TO REPONSE ?

[DJDafreund]

Yeah, when i gas it, it's kind of sluggesh. Plugs are new, wires are new, oil change, distributor cap., so far.