Hi All,

I'd like to breathe new life into my 98 Accord with a new engine. I bought it with the stock F23A4 and 5 speed manual. Regular maintenance and attentive care have brought it to about 200K. Since a number of things are ready for servicing, I'd like to completely hook her up with a new heart.

I used to know this stuff like the back of my hand, but some of its faded over time. Also, it seems Honda enthusiast forums are dieing out somewhat so it's hard to find reliable information. Can anyone clarify the following engine swap questions for me:

1. If I got my hands on a F23A1, and I have an F23A4, I would need to get the ECU for the F23A1 as well?

2. If I were to purchase a F20B JDM engine, assuming the ECU that comes with it is for a Manual trans then I should be able to bolt my existing 5-speed up to the F20B?

3. I've read in some places an F20B swap is easier than the H22 H23 swaps because it uses the same brackets, and the most of the sensors are the same. Is this true?

4. What other swaps would you recommend? Keep in mind I do not have access to very much fabrication equipment, and would like to complete the swap in a weekend.

Any help someone could offer would be greatly appreciated. Also, I would like to remain OBD2 to simplify things for the swap. I'm aware I can get better performance from a OBD1 conversion, but it is not that important to me.

 

1. You would need the f23a1 ecu

2. F20B ECU is OBD2 and has a immobilizer in it, so would need to be bypassed or run an obd1 ecu.

3. f20b swap is harder than h22. Sure the driver side mount is the same(h22 you just need to modify your driver side mount or buy the $100 hasport one), f20b distributor wiring can be quite a pain.

4. F22, h22, f20b, h23 about sums it up. K24 and J series have been done, but will cost a lot more and require fabrication.

 

Thanks for clearing that up for me.

As cheap as I could get a F23A1 with ECU, I've considered doing that with a small turbo kit possibly.
On the other hand, DOHC and the pep of the H22 has always been something I wanted to do.

 

A turbo f22 will make more power than an h22.

 

Are there any engine resellers you would recommend? Have you had personal experience doing business with any of your recommendations?

I live in an apartment complex, but I have a garage. I can store the engine until its time to perform the swap. However, I understand some places charge more if the destination is residential and/or if I need assistance removing the engine from their truck.
My main concern is finding a pressure tested engine from a trustworthy source, but I wonder if anyone has experience with freight charges increasing because they don't have a shop.