Im swapping a D16y8 vtec in my 91 civic automatic. Need to know if i need a new ECU, or anything else for it to run good. i got new motor mounts for it to fit but need to know if i need an ECU around that yr for vtec to work and if i need new wireing harness. engine came with one but someone told me it wont work.

 

you will need to convert your car to obd1 and get a ecu for the d16y8 and get a jumper harness that converts the obd2 ecu to obd1 plugs

 

wait so how do i change the car to be obd1? is that the wiring harness for the car? because my motor came with a wiring harness so i would think that would work. and what ecu can i use cause i want the vtec to work.

 

they sell conversion harnesses on rywire.com i strongly suggest if you want vtec and to make it alot easier and way less of a headache sell or trade that d16y8 for a d16z6 and get a p28 ecu and buy the obd1 to obd0 ecu conversion harness. also does your civic have the mpfi or dpfi motor. if you have dpfi you will need to rewire the ecu and convert your car from dual point fuel injection to mpfi.

 

well the motor i have the D16y8 is vtec already. I was just going to drop it in and convert the few things i needed for everything to work. like the ecu, the wiring harness and anything else. i think the original motor had a dpfi.

 

ok, this isnt going to be a easy plug and play, no you cant just swap harnesses, and i hope you like wiring its gonna be a pita.

 

yea i kno. i got a mechanic who works with these helping me swap it out. im pretty sure its not going to be easy. do i have to throw in any Si parts as far as wiring goes or ecu?

 

you will need to this this to make the car mpfi from dpfi.

 

Ok this should help a bit. now can i use the original ecu that came with the motor?

 

nope, thats just to convert your car from dpfi which runs 2 fuel injectors to mpfi which runs 4 fuel injectors, now you will need to buy the obd0 to obd1 jumper harness and buy a p28 ecu, then you will need to trick the ecu because the d16y8 has crank position sensor where the d16z6 and other motors have a cam position sensor. like i said you are in for a head ache this swap isnt gonna be worth the bs. also you are gonna have to wire in your own vtec wires.