Swapping Different Heads...will it work????
 

Hi guys.

I have a question I would think has been asked before, but perhaps not. My head on my 1997 honda civic is shot, the exhaust valves went on it so I managed to get a rebuild head for it at a very good price.

I thought my vehicle had a D16Y7 engine. (It is a 1997 1.6l 5spd Honda Civic EX). So I ordered the D16Y7 head, when I got it I noticed all looked great except one stupid thing.....

There is a V-Tec solenoid on my old head, and the new head doesn't have a spot for this solenoid. I figured Vtec? I didnt know I had a Vtec hahaha.

Well now I am wondering if I can just ditch this solenoid and go on and install the new head. If so is there some way for me to wire it so I dont get a check light? Here are pics below of the two heads and the part that goes with them.

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/m...r/IMG_0316.jpg

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/m...r/IMG_0315.jpg

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/m...r/IMG_0314.jpg

Heres the solenoid thing,

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/m...r/IMG_0317.jpg

I would greatly appreciate any feedback!

Thanks in advance for any replies!
Mike Capanna.

you have a y8 not y7, you probally could use that head but i would send it back and find a y8 head since you will loss your vtec which is power

i'd find a d16y8 head and get rid of the y7 head

you can put the d16y7 head on, you'll just have to get the d16y7 ECU. You will also lose about 25HP from losing VTEC. You can't just put the solenoid on the d16y7 head, if that's what your asking

Thanks for your input guys.

Really what I was wondering is if I can use the Y7 head and ditch the solenoid, withouthaving the check engine light on? I am leaning generally towards ditching the Y7 head and buying the Y8 though.

Thanks again,
Mike.

You can use the Y7 head and ditch the solenoid. The CEL will come on, but the only thing you have to do to get rid of it is get the ECU (computer) for the Y7 engine and swap it out with the old one.

opposite min-me FTL :(

y7 ECU ftw....

for further reference, the engine code can be found here on hodna engines:

Attachment 22732

Great, perhaps that is a viable route to take as well. Again thanks for the info.

A follow up question to what you just posted:

Say I were to purchase the Y7 ECU, a gentalmen above said that I would lose about 25hp - if that is indeed accurate then would I gain fuel mileage as well? That is my primary concern as I drive 130 Miles a day to school.

Thanks again guys, you have helped out far more than the Honda dealer - who simply said "no, that will not work".

Thanks,
Mike.

yea you'll lose like 25 hp
gas mileage should remain relatively equal, and any differences will be caused by driving style alterations and/or the differences in condition between the two cylinder heads

call your honda dealer and tell them to "shove it"... i'm sure they know it will work, they just don't want to admit it.

look on ebay for an ECU. you need the one that corresponds to your transmission (auto or manual) and the d16y7.

Thanks sir.

Isnt my ECU right now a D16Y7? I am looking for a ECU for a D16Y8 if I use the new head correct?

Thanks,
Mike.

No, you were mistaken about your current engine. Your current engine is a D16Y8, and your current ECU is for a D16Y8. It has VTEC, hence the VTEC solenoid. This is why you will lose ~25HP if you put the D16Y7 head on.

The D16Y8 ECU will throw a code if you put the D16Y7 head on because when it goes to try to engage VTEC, there will be no physical VTEC parts and the ECU will think something bad happened that caused VTEC to not engage, or something like that. Putting a D16Y7 ECU in will make the CEL not happen. You should always match the ECU to the engine you have.