I have a 2004 honda civic, base 4 door sedan, automatic, base (non VTEC) that my daughter put a rod through the block. Think her boyfriend was hot rodding it 🙁 I am going to replace with a used engine.The car is in excellent shape minus the hole in the block.
It has a D17A1 (6th digit of VIN is 1) engine. From forums I have read on differences is D71A2 is just internals (supporting VTEC) and that my ECU probably won't support the VTEC.
Can I swap the complete engine (keep the existing transmission, hook to existing exhaust header) with a used D17A2 engine with VTEC? If I understand it will work just fine, but won't have the VTEC feature. Also, can I add the VTEC w/out replacing the ECU or having it reprogrammed? I plan to do the swap myself.
Thanks
Physically it will fit, but you want to add the vtec engine to your civic that does not have it, you will need to add the electronics to control it. I had a B18 in my 96 Integra years ago that I had the (mini-me) vtec conversion head done by a shop that specialized in Honda's and let them do all the necessary parts and software additions
Typo...engine in the Integra was the B16
Are the D176A1 block and the the D176A2 (VTEC) blocks identical? I don't want to go to the expense of converting my car to the VTEC, but if the blocks are the same I can use the block from the D176A2 and reuse the existing head.
I hope your daughter learned to date men who can at least fix what they break. 😆
