1992-2000 Civic Engine Swap Guide

[94accordex]

So you’re ready to make some serious power in your EG or EK-chassis Civic, but you’re unsure of where to start? Should you keep your stock D-series engine and build it up? Should you perhaps swap in a B16 or B18? What about the new K-series motors?

The following overview should give you a good idea of what engines are available to swap into your car, and the pros and cons of each when installed into a Civic chassis. Please note: this is not a complete list of every single engine that can be swapped into a 92-00 Civic, but it does cover most of the commonly swapped motors.

Engine	Vehicle of Origin/Source	Positives	Negatives
D15/D16	Found in a variety of 92-00 Civic models, both USDM & JDM	Easy to find and inexpensive OEM parts are cheap and plentiful Simple and easy to work on Decent potential when boosted (200+ whp is possible) Simple bolt-in swap for most 92-00 Civics	Not as much performance potential as other swap motors Very minimal power gains from bolt-on mods Forced-induction is the only means of making significant power Transmissions are typically geared for economy, not performance
B16A	Found in the 93-97 Del Sol Si-VTEC, the 99-00 Civic Si Coupe, and a variety of JDM Civic models (SiR, SiR2, etc.)	JDM B16A motors are plentiful Fairly inexpensive DOHC VTEC; 160-170 hp in stock form Good high-RPM power Aggressively-geared transmissions	Imported JDM motors may have high mileage; USDM B16s are somewhat hard to find Torque output is rather low (little more than a stock D-series engine) Must be revved fairly high to make power; performance under 4000 RPMs is comparable to a D-series
B16B (CTR)	Found in the 97-00 Civic Type R (JDM and European markets only)	Highest power output of any B16 engine (185 hp at 8200 RPMs) Phenomenal high-RPM power and response LSD-equipped transmission with aggressive gearing	Extremely hard to find and very expensive Pricing is similar to B18C5 but power output is less Torque output is still very minimal (only 117 ft/lbs @ 7500 RPMs)
B18A/B (LS)	Found in all 90-01 Integra RS, LS, and GS models	Easy to find and inexpensive (usually cheaper than a B16) Decent torque output (121-127 ft/lbs) Decent potential when boosted (200-250 whp is possible) VTEC heads can be bolted on with minimal modification	No VTEC in stock form Power output is significantly lower than B16 or B18C motors (ranges from 130 to 142 hp) Head design flows much less air then VTEC dual-cam heads LS gears are longer than any other B-series transmissions
B18C (GS-R)	Found in the 94-01 Integra GS-R	Good power and torque output (170 hp, 128 ft/lbs) Good high-RPM power Good potential for both N/A and forced-induction builds Responds fairly well to bolt-on modifications	Somewhat expensive and harder to find when compared to B16A and B18A/B engines Transmission gearing is slightly longer than B16 and Type R gearboxes
B18C (ITR)	Found in the 97-01 Integra Type R (both USDM & JDM models)	Excellent power and torque output (195 hp, 130 ft/lbs) Excellent high-RPM power and response Motors are hand built; heads are ported and polished from the factory LSD-equipped transmission with aggressive gearing	Hard to find and very expensive Due to a high compression ratio, extensive tuning is required to safely run forced-induction Use of the JDM ITR motor requires an upgrade to larger hubs; this is due to a different axle size on the JDM version
LS/VTEC	Hybrid motor; created by mating a B18A/B block to a VTEC head	Good combination of high-RPM power and low-RPM torque Hybrid build allows for customization of engine characteristics Good upgrade option for those already possessing a B18A/B engine block	Cylinder head, engine block, and ECU must all be sourced separately B18A/B redline cannot be safely exceeded without valve train upgrades Reliability can be an issue depending on the quality of the engine build
B20B/Z	Found in the 96-01 CR-V	Fairly easy to find and usually inexpensive Highest displacement volume of all B-series engines Excellent torque output (133 ft/lbs at 4200 or 4500 RPMs) Decent potential when boosted (200-250 whp is possible); a block gaurd or reinforced sleeves are recommended VTEC heads can be bolted on with minimal modification	No VTEC in stock form Power output is significantly lower than B16 or B18C motors (ranges from 126-142 hp) Cylinder walls are relatively weak B20 transmission cannot be used in a Civic; the gearbox must be sourced elsewhere Technically considered a light truck motor; will not pass the BAR inspection when installed into a Civic
CR-VTEC	Hybrid motor; created by mating a B20B/Z block to a VTEC head	Good combination of high-RPM power and low-RPM torque Hybrid build allows for customization of engine characteristics Good upgrade option for those already possessing a B20B/Z engine block	Cylinder head, engine block, and ECU must all be sourced separately B20 redline cannot be safely exceeded without valve train upgrades Pistons from other B-series motors cannot be used due to the B20's 84 mm bore Reliability can be an issue depending on the quality of the engine build
F22/F23	Found in various 90-02 Accord models	Good torque output (ranges from 137-153 ft/lbs) Iron sleeves can withstand significant amounts of boost in stock form (200-250 whp is fairly easy to obtain)	Installation requires after-market engine mounts and fabrication Transmissions are typically geared for economy rather than performance
H22A/H23A	Found in various 92-01 Prelude models and several JDM Accord models	Excellent power and torque ouput (190-200 hp and 160 ft/lbs for the H22, 160 hp and 163 ft/lbs for the H23) Higher initial power output than any B-series engine swap Not that much heavier than a B-series engine (contrary to popular belief)	Installation requires after-market engine mounts and fabrication Transmission gearing is typically longer than most B-series gearboxes Overall cost is comparable to a B18C5 swap when accounting for mounts and fabrication
H2B	Hybrid motor/transmission combination; created by mating an H or F-series motor to a B-series transmission	Allows for use of powerful F/H-series motors with the shorter gear ratios of B16 and Type R transmissions Eliminates the need for custom engine mounts and transmission tunnel modifications	H2B adaptor plates are expensive (typical cost is $500-$1,000) Problems with hood fitment may occur, requiring spacers Engine and transmission must be sourced separately
K20/K24	Found in the 03-07 Accord, the 02-08 Civic Si, the 02-06 CR-V, the 03-08 Element, the 02-06 RSX, and the 04-08 TSX	DOHC i-VTEC produces excellent power and torque output from most models (200+ hp and 140+ ft/lbs from both the RSX Type S and TSX) Respond very well to bolt-on modifications Excellent potential when boosted (300+ whp is possible) 6-speed transmissions are available Engines typically have lower mileage than B or H-series swaps	Most K-series swaps are very expensive ($8,000-$10,000 is typically required to complete a swap into an EG/EK chassis) Installation typically requires after-market engine mounts and/or fabrication Tuning requires Hondata's K-Pro or AEM's EMS, which are both expensive Fewer after-market parts are available at this point, although the list is growing at a rapid rate
F20C/F22C	Found in the 00-08 S2000	Phenomenal power and torque output (240 hp, 153 ft/lbs) 6-speed, LSD-equipped transmission with aggressive gearing Excellent potential when boosted (300-400 whp is possible) Rear-drive setup significantly improves traction	Installation into an EG or EK chassis requires massive amounts of fabrication in order to convert the vehicle to rear wheel drive (est: $10-$15,000) Engines are expensive and difficult to find Minimal response to bolt-on modifications

Special thanks to the HondaSwap Forums (www.hondaswap.com), Honda-Tech (www.honda-tech.com), and Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org) for providing some of the above information.

NOTE: The above article is open to revision. If you notice any mistakes or have any additional information to add, please let one of us know through PM.