.:HSTuners::

09-29-2003, 08:49 AM

Has anyone ever heard of this swap? my nephew was telling me about it that it is becoming a popular swap.

he told me that it is taking a 2.0 CRV bottom end and putting a B16 or b18 Head on it.

HP is estimated at about 220 ? just curious if that is so and how easy of a swap it would be ?

I know very little about motors but want to learn any info available would be helpful thanks .

09-29-2003, 09:15 AM

This is usually called a 'Frankenstein' motor. The B20 bottom end is out a CRV usually, B20B is a 96-98 CRV and is 126hp. A B20Z is from a 99-01 CRV and is 143hp. An old one is a B20A5 and is from 87-91 Prelude Si. All of these motors are 2.0 liters and none of them have VTEC. They are used because of the 2.0 liters and torque. Pair them with a VTEC head and watch out. But these swaps are not for the average garage mechanic. Because of the size, they won't just drop into your civic without lots of modding.

*pdiggitydogg* · 09-29-2003, 09:37 AM

Yep it is a popular thing to do, but its only now that the info is seeping out. It was more of a "little-known fact" kind of thing that only the "real tuners" did.

Adding the vtec head to the b20 bottom is called "CRVtec". You might have heard that before.

No it wont put out 220hp, but it will be reasonably high. Great low end torque because of the displacement put off but the 2.0L b20 bottom end and great high end because of the vtec head. A very well rounded engine.

(That b20 from the prelude is like "the redheaded stepchild of the Bseries")

Now, you dont HAVE to put the vtec head on the b20 block. It will of course be very driveable using the plain b20 head, however you would have to change the IM (The crv IM is absolutely massive) to one from an LS 'teg.

09-29-2003, 10:01 AM

ok I do remember him saying something about frankenstein.

now with this swap i have a ex which has the d16y8 vtec do you have any idea of what I would need to swap such as transmission or ECU ? any suggestions .. i am really interested in this swap.. my nephew is from the philadelphia area and he said that motor is popular with a turbo set up there right now ..

civics are not popular where I live so anything I do is differnt cuz its a very rural area. just wondering what all modds are involved , cuz I want to research it thouroghly before I attemp it .

09-29-2003, 10:05 AM

no i had never heard of this swap before last night ..

does anyone know of any websites for info

*pdiggitydogg* · 09-29-2003, 10:29 AM

Id reccomend just buying a crv longblock from www.hmotorsonline.com (Its on the last page by the way), or if you can find one, get it at a junkyard.

Id go with a b16a or b18c tranny...never thought about the ecu...someone post their thoughts (Id concider gsr)

Yeah its great for turbo because its good downlow on torque before the turbo spools up...so you'd beat many hondas off the line and then even more speed when the turbo kicks in.

You just swap out the entire d16y8 that you have for the new engine. You can use the ex wirining harness, just add one or two things.

Go Here for the engine swap info
Go here for the CRVtec info

Now, if youre not really good with mechanics and stuff, you'll just want to read it over and get the idea of what's involved. But it is pretty simple (at least to some) and if you can read the instructions and use tools, you'd be alright with attempting either of these builds

09-29-2003, 12:08 PM

cool , i have a few friends that are knowledgable on honda motors which will help but they had not heard of this swap.

*AzCivic* · 09-29-2003, 08:05 PM

its just like an LS swap except for maybe the intake manifold bs. its not really hard/special or anything.

09-30-2003, 08:58 AM

I have heard of using the CRV intake manifold and throttle body with a civic is that something that can be done or no ?

*pdiggitydogg* · 09-30-2003, 09:56 AM

no it cant be done...the crv IM is damn huge (like i said)

see just look at the size of that inake manny...way too big, thats why you have to use the LS 'teg one

nonovurbizniz · 10-01-2003, 08:21 PM

It's not all that simple...

You have to get things done at a machine shop (plumb oil for vtec pressure switch)...

If you're just dropping in a b20 it's not any harder than some jdm swaps (you have to swap the intake manifolds sometimes)... but if you want to do a CRVtec then it's something you should research carefully before deciding on it...

It's also not your best option in my opinion...

The r/s ratio sucks nuts on the b20 as well as the b18a/b (ls which when mated with the same heads (b16a/b b18c) as the CRVtec is called a "LSVtec".) Basically the engine is NOT designed to rev as high as you have to with a vtec head... so you risk blowing the hole deal up...

I'd go with a straight ls swap and turbo or straight b20 swap with turbo... And as mentioned with either the ls or the crv block you want to mate it to a vtec tranny (better gearing)...

As far as ecu if you have a p28 (I'm pretty sure you do)... it's the best ecu for ANY swap... it just needs to be chipped which can be a p.i.t.a. getting a program that works right.

blind34_1 · 10-01-2003, 10:41 PM

^^excatly...if a CRvtec or an ls/vtec is such a good idea, honda would have made one. but for the r/s ratio problem, they didn't because you risk blowing the whole lot...here is a good article on this:
http://www.hstuners.com/news/wmview.php?ArtID=5

*pdiggitydogg* · 10-03-2003, 11:01 AM

did some searching of my own...just for fun, and found this great article on hondaswap
http://www.hondaswap.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=11

if youre not a member of the site, sign up...they have lots of great info

blind34_1 · 10-06-2003, 06:14 PM

hondaswap is awesome! i've been on there for a while.

09-29-2003, 08:49 AM	#1
Insane_civic Posts: n/a	B20 swap ( has anyone heard of it ) Has anyone ever heard of this swap? my nephew was telling me about it that it is becoming a popular swap. he told me that it is taking a 2.0 CRV bottom end and putting a B16 or b18 Head on it. HP is estimated at about 220 ? just curious if that is so and how easy of a swap it would be ? I know very little about motors but want to learn any info available would be helpful thanks .

10-01-2003, 08:21 PM	#11
nonovurbizniz Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: ECUSA Age: 46 Posts: 2,693	It's not all that simple... You have to get things done at a machine shop (plumb oil for vtec pressure switch)... If you're just dropping in a b20 it's not any harder than some jdm swaps (you have to swap the intake manifolds sometimes)... but if you want to do a CRVtec then it's something you should research carefully before deciding on it... It's also not your best option in my opinion... The r/s ratio sucks nuts on the b20 as well as the b18a/b (ls which when mated with the same heads (b16a/b b18c) as the CRVtec is called a "LSVtec".) Basically the engine is NOT designed to rev as high as you have to with a vtec head... so you risk blowing the hole deal up... I'd go with a straight ls swap and turbo or straight b20 swap with turbo... And as mentioned with either the ls or the crv block you want to mate it to a vtec tranny (better gearing)... As far as ecu if you have a p28 (I'm pretty sure you do)... it's the best ecu for ANY swap... it just needs to be chipped which can be a p.i.t.a. getting a program that works right. __________________ I am an A$$hole... take anything I say to heart at YOUR OWN RISK...

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09-29-2003, 09:15 AM	#2
GirlSolRacer Posts: n/a	This is usually called a 'Frankenstein' motor. The B20 bottom end is out a CRV usually, B20B is a 96-98 CRV and is 126hp. A B20Z is from a 99-01 CRV and is 143hp. An old one is a B20A5 and is from 87-91 Prelude Si. All of these motors are 2.0 liters and none of them have VTEC. They are used because of the 2.0 liters and torque. Pair them with a VTEC head and watch out. But these swaps are not for the average garage mechanic. Because of the size, they won't just drop into your civic without lots of modding.

09-29-2003, 09:37 AM	#3
pdiggitydogg Yahoo Watashi wa kattaze! Join Date: May 2002 Location: Meanwhile, up in The D... Age: 40 Posts: 10,579	Yep it is a popular thing to do, but its only now that the info is seeping out. It was more of a "little-known fact" kind of thing that only the "real tuners" did. Adding the vtec head to the b20 bottom is called "CRVtec". You might have heard that before. No it wont put out 220hp, but it will be reasonably high. Great low end torque because of the displacement put off but the 2.0L b20 bottom end and great high end because of the vtec head. A very well rounded engine. (That b20 from the prelude is like "the redheaded stepchild of the Bseries") Now, you dont HAVE to put the vtec head on the b20 block. It will of course be very driveable using the plain b20 head, however you would have to change the IM (The crv IM is absolutely massive) to one from an LS 'teg.

09-29-2003, 10:01 AM	#4
Insane_civic Posts: n/a	ok I do remember him saying something about frankenstein. now with this swap i have a ex which has the d16y8 vtec do you have any idea of what I would need to swap such as transmission or ECU ? any suggestions .. i am really interested in this swap.. my nephew is from the philadelphia area and he said that motor is popular with a turbo set up there right now .. civics are not popular where I live so anything I do is differnt cuz its a very rural area. just wondering what all modds are involved , cuz I want to research it thouroghly before I attemp it .

09-29-2003, 10:05 AM	#5
Insane_civic Posts: n/a	no i had never heard of this swap before last night .. does anyone know of any websites for info

09-29-2003, 10:29 AM	#6
pdiggitydogg Yahoo Watashi wa kattaze! Join Date: May 2002 Location: Meanwhile, up in The D... Age: 40 Posts: 10,579	Id reccomend just buying a crv longblock from www.hmotorsonline.com (Its on the last page by the way), or if you can find one, get it at a junkyard. Id go with a b16a or b18c tranny...never thought about the ecu...someone post their thoughts (Id concider gsr) Yeah its great for turbo because its good downlow on torque before the turbo spools up...so you'd beat many hondas off the line and then even more speed when the turbo kicks in. You just swap out the entire d16y8 that you have for the new engine. You can use the ex wirining harness, just add one or two things. Go Here for the engine swap info Go here for the CRVtec info Now, if youre not really good with mechanics and stuff, you'll just want to read it over and get the idea of what's involved. But it is pretty simple (at least to some) and if you can read the instructions and use tools, you'd be alright with attempting either of these builds

09-29-2003, 12:08 PM	#7
Insane_civic Posts: n/a	cool , i have a few friends that are knowledgable on honda motors which will help but they had not heard of this swap.

09-29-2003, 08:05 PM	#8
AzCivic Moderator Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Az Age: 43 Posts: 3,804	its just like an LS swap except for maybe the intake manifold bs. its not really hard/special or anything.

09-30-2003, 08:58 AM	#9
Insane_civic Posts: n/a	I have heard of using the CRV intake manifold and throttle body with a civic is that something that can be done or no ?

09-30-2003, 09:56 AM	#10
pdiggitydogg Yahoo Watashi wa kattaze! Join Date: May 2002 Location: Meanwhile, up in The D... Age: 40 Posts: 10,579	no it cant be done...the crv IM is damn huge (like i said) see just look at the size of that inake manny...way too big, thats why you have to use the LS 'teg one

10-01-2003, 10:41 PM	#12
blind34_1 Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: IL Age: 39 Posts: 1,813	^^excatly...if a CRvtec or an ls/vtec is such a good idea, honda would have made one. but for the r/s ratio problem, they didn't because you risk blowing the whole lot...here is a good article on this: http://www.hstuners.com/news/wmview.php?ArtID=5

10-03-2003, 11:01 AM	#13
pdiggitydogg Yahoo Watashi wa kattaze! Join Date: May 2002 Location: Meanwhile, up in The D... Age: 40 Posts: 10,579	did some searching of my own...just for fun, and found this great article on hondaswap http://www.hondaswap.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=11 if youre not a member of the site, sign up...they have lots of great info

10-06-2003, 06:14 PM	#14
blind34_1 Registered User Join Date: May 2002 Location: IL Age: 39 Posts: 1,813	hondaswap is awesome! i've been on there for a while.