honda motor swap?

[mak259]

hey hey, so im wondering, has it been done? if not, then is it possible? well i guess every thing is possible, but easily possible? ...now i know being yota guys you may have something against hondas, but they are good, and well, vtec rocks socks, so light weight mr2 (with kick ass mid-engine rwd) + crazy vtec motor = awesome sideways goodness...if its possible...

thanks for the input,
matt

[Mark_Dorman]

MR2's aren't the best cars for drifting in the first place because of the weight distribution. If you want a great handling car then mid engine is for you...if you just wanna get sideways go with a front engine RWD car.

I personally have nothing against honda motors. I just like more torque. Depending what year MR2 you were thinking of using i'd say different things. The MK1 is very light weight and would be able to use the low torque high reving Honda motor fairly well. The MK2 is too heavy for a motor with that little amount of torque. The MK3 is light enough but you can more easily do a 2zz swap (same engine in the Lotus Elise and Celica GTS) which is the same type of light weight, low torque, high reving engine that honda makes. The 2zz has VVTi which is similar to VTEC. So there really isn't much point to putting a honda motor in any of the MR2's. I have seen a K20 in a MK3. More money than it's worth honestly.

[MR2 Drifter]

Honda motor in a mr2? hahahahahahah
It would cost a lot and it really wouldn't be worth the "vtec"

Well none of us would respectfully put a honda in a toyota, but if we wanted too I'de think it would kinda tricky getting everything mounted and wired up

[mak259]

im picking up a mk1 later on this week...its got a few motor problems, and while fixing wont be to hard, i think id rather just swap...

i was figuring something like a b series motor, ez enough to find and mod, its just the fitting that im worried about

and yes while it would be better for something like a 240 or miata for drifting, i have always had fun making things that shouldnt drift, drift

[MR2 Drifter]

Im not a MK1 guy but if you look around this board and ask questions I'm betting they'll tell you about a better engine with more hp/torque that'll cost less then a b series

I think they usually go with the 20v or whatever it is

(on top of that you won't have to worry about any fitment problems)

[Mark_Dorman]

Dude...why would you put a b16 or b18 in an MK1? If you're gonna do a honda motor in the car at least do a K20. But in all honesty it'd be easier just to put in a 2zz and call it a day. Better power too and you won't look like a tool

[MR2 Drifter]

I think he might be a hondaboy that wants something a little different, a toyota with a honda engine in the back, then later on he'll but honda badges on the MK1 and a v-tec sticker on it

[killermillermr2]

^hahahahahahaha. But stickers and badges are for better HP!

To the OP:November 2008 MR2 Showcase

Just add $$$

[Basement Digital]

Oh dear; here we go again. Every couple of months someone has to ask this question and all the Honda haters come out of the woodwork. It's funny how MR2 guys hate on Honda so much.

If you want my advice - I'd say buy a 2zz. You can get them cheap because Lotus owners are always swapping them for K20's.

2zz engine/transaxle/supercharged k20 swap - LotusTalk - The Lotus Cars Community

[Davis]

If you have money go for it because it's going to be alot of fabrication! That's if you don't know how to do it yourself. Not to mention, the honda engines (k20 doesn't) sit on the driverside while the trans sits on the passenger side , totally different from the mr2s layout. As Mark said, you have way better and easier options for a swap. Doing a b16 or b18 is just ridiculous, all the time and money you spent to make it fit and work is a waste when you could go swap in a V6 or a BEAMS.

[LokiRx7]

Originally Posted by mak259

im picking up a mk1 later on this week...its got a few motor problems, and while fixing wont be to hard, i think id rather just swap...

i was figuring something like a b series motor, ez enough to find and mod, its just the fitting that im worried about

and yes while it would be better for something like a 240 or miata for drifting, i have always had fun making things that shouldnt drift, drift

If you are doing it competively you would already know that MR2s are generally looked over because they cant get the wicked angles that a 240 can. They are harder to drift then an Rx-7, I should know, and Rx-7s are notorious for being difficult to drift. I have seen MK2's get some pretty nice drifts going, but the MK1 has a much shorter wheelbase and it is possible to drift them. However they dont rack up as many points because they cant get the tail out as far without ending up spinning out.

That and they tend to grab traction at the worst possible time and send you flying straight at a wall... My 2 is a dedicated grip car, and it generates neck bending lateral grip. Oh and you also have to replace the clutch all the time, clutch kicks destroy clutchs in no time...

A 4A-GZE would be a great candidate, I know several people that drift 86's with those engines, and they can stay at relatively lazy rpms and produce more tire smoke than a 4A-GE can dream of. A 20 valve would be a more cost effective solution and is as powerful as a B-series, and it doesnt have v-tec... I have no problem with Honda... Just Toyotas kick more ass... Fanboys drive Hondas, enthusiasts drive Toyotas

[dirocyn]

I'm with LokiRx7 on this one, the 4A-GZE would be a much better choice than a B18, just from a practicality standpoint. It'll go in with minimal modification--whereas a Honda would have to go in the engine bay backwards because the engine turns opposite direction. This means a Honda engine will need lots of fabrication--everything from the motor mounts to the axle shafts will have to be custom, to the extent it would probably be easier to weld the Honda's front suspension into the back of the MR2. I will say, the B18 is a lighter engine (148.1kg vs. 155kg 4age)--though I doubt if your car will still be lighter after all the fabrication you'll have to do. Also, if you can find a way to make the shift linkage work you've probably earned an honorary engineering degree. You know, now that I think about it--it would probably be easier to rework a B18 to spin clockwise than to re-orient the transmission and re-engineer the drivetrain. Might be issues with keeping the timing belt on, but I bet its been done.

I don't have any problem with Hondas, my other car is an Integra with a B18, and I'm very fond of it. It would easily beat my AW11 off the line, (it's got so much more torque at 1,000 rpms, it's not even funny) but my Two catches back up pretty quickly. Speedometers indicate the Integra has a higher top speed, but I've never buried the needle on either one of 'em.

[EddieG]

Honda motors are amazing but I can't see it in a MR2. Then again this is coming from a man who once thought of doing a 13b in a Civic lol.

[328FTW]

Also honda gearboxes on some engines such as the b16a and a couple others are known to throw the diff pins out the housing leaving you with a blown box. Mainly due to one wheel spinning all the time on takeoff wearing the pins so a used motor and box with 200k on it in a mid engine setup with that extra traction could mean bad things for the box. There is no way to adapt another box either because honda engines for the most part run backwards. The gearboxes normally fail before the engines and because of this replacement can be difficult.

Not saying it will blow the box just that it is another risk along with being laughed at.

[Jackstand Queen]

For all the expense and trouble of transplanting an alien motor/trannny and axles . . . . . I can think of only one possibility that would be worthwhile .. .

The last gen RX7 Twin Turbo runs around 300 HP stock, and probably weighs less that a Yota SC 1.6 Litre. This is the only alien transplant that I would consider doing.

[mak259]

thanks for the in put...the only reason i ask is because, i live on a rock, hawaii, and older yota parts, such as parts cars and engines, are hard to find, while a hondas run as common as the cold...so it would be much cheaper to find not only motors, but parts as well...i do own a honda, tho it is a v6 vtec, and i must say it goes like nothing else, there arnt to many na cars on the road that can keep up, save for the 350z and domestic v8s...but since i put this post up i have found a 90 celica gt motor, so now i can at least keep it in the family...on the other hand i heard the yota v6s fit in the back of the mk1...maybe ill just wait for te next solara to pile up...lol...but can anyone tell me more about this v-tis or whatever it is?

[MR_mean2]

Vvt-i you mean. Its just toyota's version of variable valve timing.

[M.Bailey]

i would never put a honda motor in anythingbut a honda. and for the V tec its really not that impressive. I know if you go to the honda forums they are all convinced it makes an extra 30 to 40 hp over not haveing Vtec. in reality it makes maybe 10 better. rather than putting an honda motor in a toyota I would go with a toyota V6. or a 4AGZE and do some significant mods on it and call it good. then if you arent happy just bolt on some nitrous.

[mak259]

well having a heavy modified honda im no stranger to the honda world of things...just bored with fwd and dont have the money for an s2000...and vtec is awesome, maybe not in a 4, but a 6 is awesome...ive taken out many yotas, everything from is300's to xrs, not saying that they are bad in anyway...im just asking if it would fit...or if anyone has tried...i rather like yotas, my first car was a 87 corolla, never modded, but loads of fun...well, thanks for those who had good input...oh and i know vvt-i but there is t-vis or v-tis on the intake manifold, just wondering it is....

[Mark_Dorman]

Wikipedia:

Toyota Variable Induction System, or T-VIS, is a variable intake system designed by Toyota.

It improves the low-end torque of high-performance, small displacement four-stroke engines by changing the geometry of the intake manifold according to the engine rotation speed. The system uses two separate intake runners per cylinder, one being equipped with a butterfly valve that can either open or close the runner. All valves are attached to a common shaft which is rotated by a vacuum actuator outside the manifold.

The engine control unit allows vacuum into the actuator by powering a solenoid valve when the engine rotation speed is below 4200 RPM. Above this engine speed vacuum is cut off and a spring inside the actuator causes the butterfly valve to fully open. The theory behind the system is that in the lower engine speed band, the speed of the intake air will be increased because the intake runner cross section per cylinder is smaller. However, when engine speed increases, the second runner is opened, decreasing airflow speed, but increasing the airflow volume, better matching the engine's airflow needs at higher RPM. With modified engines (more flow) you may want to have your T-VIS open earlier than stock because it begins to restrict the airflow at a lower RPM, since the airflow per RPM is greater with upgraded turbochargers, intake, and exhaust systems. There is now a T-VIS controller on the market: T-VIS controller

*Doesn't necessarily work that well in reality but great in theory