97' d16y7.

compression test showed cylinder 4 @ 20psi (wow), cylinder 3 @ 120psi, cylinder 2 @ 160 and cylinder 1 @ 160...

Was driving in down a main road during traffic. Car stalled... wouldn't start... cam won't spin, tried to replace the distributor and snapped the tooth off the drive. Restriction obviously between cylinders 3-2.

I've never done a transplant. But it's either attempt it with a used JDM imported from japan, (with the 5 year rule.... engine should last long enough.) or pay a car note. (Or a rebuild, but .... eff that. )

Is a transplant something that can be figured out? (I'm moderately adept at absorbing information and applying that information situationally... ie: not a moron.) Or will I completely screw things up? hah. I've put loads of money into the beast over the past couple of years... everything but the engine itself is brand new in the engine bay, basically..

With that being said... and the transplant projected... Is now the time for an upgrade? Should I consider it? Obviously d16y8 wouldn't be too much trouble... but what about a b16b? or even a b18c?

Any help would be appreciated gents. Even just suggestions.

EDIT: Note that there was no knocking, no sudden jolt, no sound what-so-ever when the engine died. Just a rough idle, backfiring on downshift, running rich, and a P1129 (Map sensor higher than expected.)

 

Before condemning the engine, make sure the valves on #4 aren't just set too tight, that will kill compression. I don't know what you mean by "cam won't spin", did the timing belt fail? The other problems (backfiring, running rich) are related to some sensor problem not internal engine. I'm pretty sure if you were to put in another D16 they'd still be there.

 

Don't think the timing belt failed.. since 2 cylinders are getting 160psi. And I just replaced it about 1000 miles ago.

What I meant about the camshaft not spinning... is simply that.... the rotor spun... but the camshaft didn't. so... the teeth on the rotor actually broke off.

 

If the distributor rotor bolt falls out, the rotor will get out of time and the engine will quit. That's rather common.

 

mate... I put a new distributor on.... and the rotor teeth... snapped when the camshaft wouldn't spin.

 

sounds like a bent valve in cyl 4. why not pull the head and check to see the damage. the motor is already messed up.
how much money and time do you have to spend on a swap. because if you go with a d16y8 which is an upgrade and produces about the same amount of power as the b16 it will drop right in and bolt right up to everything. now if you goto a b16 or b18 you will need way more than just a motor. you will need also trans/axles/mounts/ecu/shift linkage. so it all depends on what you wanna do.

pull the head first. because if the block is still good you can just get a d16y8 head and install it. its called the mini me swap and you will have vtec.

 

yea that's what I was thinking about.... a mini me. Only problem is... I actually have no way of determining whether or not the head is the problem or the block... I honestly don't know what I'm looking at... never messed with internal stuff... But to send my head off to a machine shop and have it tested is 600$.... hmm no thanks. Time, I have loads of. Money... not so much... which is why the mini me sounds like a plan.

I'm just worried about a possible bent rod or ring being the issue. But like I said... I have loads of time... so... I can pull it apart and learn by trial and error if need be.

If it was the head that was the issue... I could pull the head off and visually see whether a valve was the problem? would it just be bent or... whatever? Also, since I'm pulling the head, would it be viable to just go ahead and do maintenance work to the rings and such now? Just to ensure they last?

 

so your talking about a B16B (CTR) $3000 including motor ecu trans and intermediate shaft or a B18C (GSR or ITR) GSR being $2700 just for engine ecu and trans and ITR being $3700 for engine ecu trans shiftlinkage and motor mounts. but.... you don't want to pay $600 to have your head checked to see if you have a bent valve?? i wouldn't even do the b series. to much change. mini-me's are the sh*t. but thats a matter of opinion. i doubt it's the block. if your near east tn i have a guy that will check it for near nothing. and if need be do the head swap for the same price. good luck tho. keep us posted.

 

did you pull the belt off before trying to spin the cam?

i dont mean to offend but it sounds to me like you shouldnt do any of this work by yourself.
600 bucks is a ludacris price just to get a head looked at dude, and if that didnt raise a red flag in your brain i"m going to stick with my previous stament.
dont do this your self.
but if you have to

buy a chilton repair manual
pull your damn head off
and bring it to a local shop.
or as local as you can get.
they will more often then not tell you whats wrong.
and not charge you 600 bucks for it.

 

and doing the matinence on the block "like rings" isnt gonna make your head work.
and if you had a bent "rod" (i asume you mean conecting rod) your engine would have disintigrated allready (exgageration, but slightly true)