Is it very difficult to change out the motor on my 89 honda civic 1.5 liter. Local shop wants 1750 to do an engine swap with a used 30k tarco motor.I can get the engine for around 350-450 localy .The reason I want to sawp it over is because this motor is burning oil. It goes through about a quarter of a quart every 200 miles or less.The engine has 176k miles on it and it still runs great but the oil burning I dont like. I looked underneath the car and it does leak a bit but not that much. Tiny drips only.When I start it he runs a little puff of white smoke. Doesnt smell like oil but it does havesome condensation comming out of the tail pipe. I put my hand on the pipe and I see little black speks of water plus black stuff comming out. It clears up after it warms up for a bit but I'm thinking it could be oil.Do I have to pull the tranny to yank the motor out? Or pull on of the axles out. This woud be my first honda motor I have done. The last motor I pulled was my mitsubishi mighty max. I am very capable of doing the job I just need the knowlede on how to do it.Can anyone give me some info on how to pull this motor. Thanks

 

If you've done it on other cars, there is no reason why you couldn't do it on a honda civic! And a little 1.5? You can almost lift it by yourself... (without the tranny I say get a haynes, and go for it. Just make sure you have a Plan B to go to work on monday, just in case.

 

Thanks but I just never pulled a honda motor so any info that I can get to make this pull alot easier would be appreciated.

 

bump

 

come on guys I know someone must have pulled one of these motors.Can someone give me some info please

 

i dont have any experience with mine yet, but im sure the hines manual or somthing could tell you how to do it. sorry i cant be of more help.

 

If you're intent on swapping the engine and have a cherry picker, I'd say pull the half-shafts, shift linkage, hoses, exhaust, and label everything then unplug/disconnect. Then pull the entire drivetrain out as a unit. It'll make dropping it back in easier (you won't have to stab the tranny while it's still in the car - which can be a royal PITA), as well, you'll be able to see any fitment issues with the tranny and the new engine before you drop it all back in.

Is this a direct swap, or are you 'upgrading' in the process? If you're 'upgrading,' I'd suggest some heavy-duty research and make sure your wiring harness and ECU will work with the new stuff.

Given any thought to rebuilding the engine, rather than replacing? Ring kits and headwork aren't too terrible at all. I had the head in mine completely reworked for less than $200. Since you've swapped an engine before, a rebuild would be cake for you, providing you get the right folks to do your machine work.

Either way, Good luck Brutha!

 

Hey thanks guys. I was wondering if it would be eaisier to pul the whole motor and tranny togoether or just pull he motor. I am going to be swapping the motor out or another identical 1.5. Looking for great fuel mileage and it seems to get great fule ileage with this 1.5.

 

Pull it as a unit of engine and transmission. Like Typ RB said, put the car on jackstands and undo the lower ball joints, then swing the wheels out and pull the axles out of the transmission. You do not need to go thru the complete axle removal procedure unless you're going to replace an axle at the same time. Disconnect the exhaust where it goes into the front of the converter. If you can't get the shift linkage pin out where the linkage connects to the transmission, grind off and remove the rivet in the linkage u-joint (replace it with a bolt upon reassembly). Unplug the harnesses on both sides of the engine, take off the air intake hose, fuel lines, vacuum lines, throttle and clutch cables. Typically I rig the lifting chain to the top starter bolt (remove starter) and the bolt on the front of the engine where the power steering pump (if equipped) or brace mounts. You have to remove the right side and rear engine mounts completely from the transmission.

The one major trick is that you must remove the alternator to be able to rotate the engine and lift it out. If the car has a working A/C system you can remove the engine without disconnecting any of the refrigerant lines but expect to fight with getting past the compressor and lines at the front.