Hi,

I have a 1999 Honda Civic that currently has 210k miles on it. I do not have much experience on cars other than changing oil, brakes, rotating tires, etc. I figure this engine is coming to about the end of it's useful life and I would like to replace it myself if for no other reason than to gain the knowledge of how this is done. I do have access to a full shop with a lift, crane, etc. I have some questions for anyone willing to indulge me:

1) How long would it take someone with my knowledge base to do this?

2) Should I get a used engine with less miles or a new one?

3) What are the majors areas I can screw up and how do I not?

4) If you've done this, what did you not know the first time around you wish you had?

5) What should I do with the old engine; that is, can I sell it for scrap or would it be best to just throw it away?

6) What is the best manual to obtain for this project?

 

What prompts you to look into replacing your motor? 210k miles is only middle of the road for these motors. I had 211k all original miles on my '95 D16Z6 before I pulled it out of my race car. And it still ran perfectly fine, probably could have easily gotten another 100k out of it. Have you done compression tests? Leak down tests? Is it leaking oil badly? Any issues with it running?

1) I consider myself fairly experienced(went to Toyota school for 2 years with 3 years of dealership technician experience). It took me about 2 days(weekend) by myself to pull my old motor out and replace it, that's with running into a couple little issues that took up a couple unexpected hours. I also have a ton of tools, air compressor, etc.. but no lift. Soooo for a less experienced person I'd say expect at least 2 full days, but expect more if you run in to issues.

2) I don't know where you can find a brand spanking new engine for a 13 year old car. If you do, it'll be extremely expensive. Your best bet is finding a low mileage, gently used motor. For reference, I found a COMPLETE(wires, hoses, manifolds, etc) D16Z6 with trans, axles, ecu, and wire harness that had ~100k miles for $550. Seller was even able to turn it over for me and I ran a compression and leak down test on it before I bought it. So expect to spend around $500 depending on what you find.

3) It's really not THAT difficult to R&R a motor. It's more or less just time consuming. Buy a Haynes manual and try to follow it to the letter. IIRC, the manual says to remove the trans first then pull the motor.

4) Nothing really.. Read the manual for the whole process before digging in and predict any problem areas so you are prepared.

5) If it still runs, you can try to sell it whole for a little bit. Like I said, I bought a complete motor with everything needed, but I only needed the motor itself. So I spent $550 but I sold everything else so in the end I really only spent around $150 for my motor said and done.. And I still have my original motor which I could probably sell for that much and break even.

6) As mentioned, Haynes is pretty good.

 

Racer,

Thanks for the info. It has a pretty bad oil leak. between leakage and what the engine's burning, I probably go through about a quart of oil every 2-3 weeks or so. I have not done any of the testing you recommended. Additionally, 2 (in our opinion) reputable mechanics have both said they think the engine is about done.

Is there a cheap or easy way to do the testing on my own or should I take it to a mechanic?

I was planning on replacing the motor at closer to 230k. This is because I'm in the military and will be traveling across the country in about a year. If I develop a major problem somewhere on the road, I worry it could be ridiculously expensive and create problems with my orders and getting to the next location--never a good thing in the military.

Also, is there an easy way to determine the cause of the oil leak?

 

Also, where would you recommend getting an engine from and what's generally a fair price to pay for one?

 

For oil leaks clean off all the oil and watch very closely for where it starts to come out again. If it is making oil smoke a lot from the tailpipe, worse when you floor it, the rings are worn out and you should replace the engine. However, such an engine can still be reliable as long as you don't let it run out of oil.

The Haynes manual is OK but it puts you through some unnecessary stuff. For example you don't need to take the axles entirely out of the car. (Undo the lower ball joints and swing the wheels out to get the inside ends of the axles out of the transmission. Then you can let them stay under the car while you lift the engine/transmission assembly out.)

 

You can buy a compression tester and leak down tester for cheap at say Harbor Freight. They work well. But, it sounds like with your issues and 2 different mechanics opinions, you may be at that point of replacing it regardless.

Best way to find the leak is to thoughly clean your motor (brake cleaner works very well, just don't get it on any paint and try to stay off hoses). Then drive for a while and trace and leaks.


The way I got my motor was by posted "Wanted" ads on a bunch of different forums. I was extremely picky with what motor I picked and turned down a couple before I got super lucky with the guy I found. I drove about an hour and a half 3 seperate times to check the motor out before buying it. So, post up exactly what you are looking for on some forums and even craigslist.

Yeah there are a couple things I skipped on the Haynes manual when doing the R&R. Like I said, read the procedure though a couple times and plan ahead before digging in so you can get things done quickly and easily.