D16Y7 In a 1998 Civic EX questions
 

Hello all this is my first time here on the forum and this is also my first Honda car!

I purchased this car last week for cheap , 121,000 on the dash and auto trans it's a 1998 EX. From what I've seen it should have a y8 engine but it's definitely a y7. So I obviously made a noob mistake by not checking engine numbers first.

The mil doesn't turn on ever even with key on engine off. It will read codes and how's a code for cat converter. I started messing with it because it had a horrible low idle problem,so bad I thought it would stall. After a tune up kit it's running higher at idle but not to the 750 rpm spec.

So I'm guessing there is a y8 ecu under the dash and it's running the y7. Which explains a few funky things that have been going on. Random codes and weird idle issues.

My question is how big of a screw up was this purchase and what do I have to do to get it back to 100%? Do I need to go ahead and order a y7 ecu? If so does it need to be flashed or reprogrammed or will it be plug and play?

Thanks to everyone in advance!!


(On a side note is there a way to tell if the PO maybe used the y8 head in the swap?)

You could post a pic of your engine bay. y8 motor will have vtec solenoid on the back passenger side of the valve cover. If you purchase a y7 ECU, just make sure it's from a 1996-1998 assuming your wiring harness is factory from 1998. Honda changed from an OBD2A to an OBD2B wiring from 98 to 99 and they are not plug and play (although you could buy an adaptor harness to make it work).

I never got into messing with the D series too much other than putting a supercharger on my 1999 y8 and tuning it so I can't really speak on swapping a y7 into an EX properly. However, there should be guides out there in google land.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hon...9b4c151b62.jpg

The head has the casting number p2j-7. How can I tell a vtec y8 head from a y7 head?

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hon...66830331e5.jpg

Yep. That's a vtec solenoid. I reread your original post. What is the engine code on the block next to the transmission?

The block is a D16Y7. That's for confirming that for me. I was about to buy a y7 ecu but after finding out it has the y8 head I will stick with my stock y8 ecu

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.hon...28fddcff2f.jpg

Looks like you are running a "Mini me" set up. You also have a oil leak somewhere. I'd suggest taking a look under the distributor.

There does seem to be an oil leak back there.

It's got one in front also but thats to be expected when the timing cover is missing 3 bolts!!!

It is leaking under the dist. Also I just noticed what looks like a spark terminal coming out if the head under the distributor, what is it? Mine is unplugged.

Is there a distributor gasket I should get?