Integra Broke

[Lyfisin]

I know this is off topic, but I need resources and more people probably read here than the Off-Topic forum.

We have a 96 Integra and the engine just pretty much blew. There's about a 2x3 inch hole in the block. We bought it used about 6 months ago with about 103k miles on it. No idea whether what happened was caused by previous owners or my kid.

We're not exactly from this area and other than Terry, I know zero mechanics. I am not a mechanic myself so doing something like an engine change is out of the question for me. I can't see trying to find a used engine. The same thing could likely happen and we could end up wasting money on doing something like that.

So what are my options? Take it to Acura and have a new engine put in?
Cut my losses and try and sell the car with no engine?
Anyone know some fair and reliable mechanics in North Dallas who work on Acuras who might have some insight?

Looking for any and all help here.

Doug, if you need to move the thread, I understand.

Brook

[Silver_2000]

A friend raced NSX's for a while - He knows LOTS of folks in the Acura world

I sent him an email and asked

Doug

[dboat]

I am thinking a used engine swap would probably be your best bet.. That should be pretty easy to arrange.. How much it would cost is another matter though...

Good Luck

Dana

[99WhiteBeast]

There is a great place in Lewisville that works on Honda's and Acura's. They did several things on my Honda "tool car" when I had it and I was very pleased.

I would stay away from a dealer as it will be twice as much. Replace the engine- sounds like you may only need a block so all or most of the other stuff should be reusable.
http://www.thehondadoctor.com/

[PoorSvtman]

You can go with a bigger and better motor swap for that integra for way less than it would be to take it to the dealer.

Most motor swaps are pretty cheap these days. I have played around quite a bit with hondas. I wish parts and motor swaps were as cheap as they are now when i did my honda tuning stuff.

Motor swaps in honda/acuras are easy and can normaly be done in about a day.

Got any questions ask. Im the import man, or as others here harrass me constantly"honda Lover" lol

[Silver_2000]

Brook

drop me an email - Ill forward you the response I got

Doug

[PoorSvtman]

He can get a good used motor for the teggy for about 500-600 bucks thats just the motor no tranny.

[Lyfisin]

Is there some reason to think the tranny might be bad. How do you know if a used motor is good.

Thanks for the replies so far. You guys are great.

[SILVER2000SVT]

Is there some reason to think the tranny might be bad. How do you know if a used motor is good.

Thanks for the replies so far. You guys are great.
Most salvage yards will give a 30-90day warranty, I've seen some longer...I bought a transmission from greenleaf in fortworth for my 87 honda and they gave me a lifetime warranty(I guess they don't figure the rest of the car lasting very much longer).

[PoorSvtman]

most salvage yards get the motor running before they sell it. But if you can get me the engine code off the block i can go hit up a few of my buddies shops to see if they have done a recent motor swap.

The engine code will be on the block, just left of the exhaust manifold. If memory serves me right yours should be a B18??

A swap on a honda is so easy. If you have basic mechanical skills you can do it. Alot less to worry about than on our L motors. Heck i got rid of a civic that i knew like the back of my hand and went to a L with knowing nothing and i was kinda hesitant to even change the spark plugs lol.

[L8 APEX]

LKQ may have a decent motor and warranty price.

[Lyfisin]

A swap on a honda is so easy. If you have basic mechanical skills you can do it.
I have almost no automotive mechanical skills at all. I wish I did. There have been so many times where they would have come in handy. I really should come to more meetings and hang around you guys who do that sort of thing. I could at least hand you wrenches. :)

[anglerx007]

I know this is off topic, but I need resources and more people probably read here than the Off-Topic forum.

We have a 96 Integra and the engine just pretty much blew. There's about a 2x3 inch hole in the block. We bought it used about 6 months ago with about 103k miles on it. No idea whether what happened was caused by previous owners or my kid.

We're not exactly from this area and other than Terry, I know zero mechanics. I am not a mechanic myself so doing something like an engine change is out of the question for me. I can't see trying to find a used engine. The same thing could likely happen and we could end up wasting money on doing something like that.

So what are my options? Take it to Acura and have a new engine put in?
Cut my losses and try and sell the car with no engine?
Anyone know some fair and reliable mechanics in North Dallas who work on Acuras who might have some insight?

Looking for any and all help here.

Doug, if you need to move the thread, I understand.

Brook

I see your from Allen. There is a mechanic in Celina that I would recommend if your interested. I have used them before an have been impressed with their work, price and honesty. I know they have a connection for rebuilt engines.

[Lyfisin]

I'd don't mind paying a little more for reliable service and I'm exploring every availalbe option, so if you have info, I'll take it. Post it, PM it, email it...

It's all good and thanks!

[Lyfisin]

He can get a good used motor for the teggy for about 500-600 bucks thats just the motor no tranny.
Mike,

Is this just in general or do you have a source?

[PoorSvtman]

Mike,

Is this just in general or do you have a source?


More in general... Most of the acura/honda guys yank out that 1.8L motor for a more peppy 1.8L vtec motor. Now if your motor is has vtec then the price is a little more as these motors are popular for turboing, than non vtec motors. Is your acura a Ls or a gsr?

If you cant find a motor i can go ask the few shops and my buddies shop to see if they have a motor.

[Boosted 03]

You can try these shops if you like. They all specialize in import performance and do engine swaps all day long. like poor svt said the price will vary if it is vtec or not, mileage etc.

Intercrew 214 575 6288 (richardson)
Velocity performance(formerly VSV) 972 389 9877 (carrollton)
Jotech 972 278 9744 (garland)

I've used all three in the past and they all do good work. Jotech has a 93 civic hatch running the 1/4 in the 8's. Velocity builds custome turbo's and Intercrew runs an all motor car that I believe runs 12's.

Hope this helps :tu:

[Lyfisin]

Thanks for those numbers also.


It is the VTEC engine btw. :(

[kirkmears]

i'd say motorswap...

...remembering back in the day when i had a '90 civic hatchback that ran 8.20s...and that was doin my own turbo motor swaps(1/8th mile)http://www.talonclub.com/forum/images/smilies/flthrow.gif
...countless motorswapshttp://www.talonclub.com/forum/images/smilies/bash.gif

i can personally vouch for phillip @ intercrewhttp://www.talonclub.com/forum/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif

[Broken]

I have a buddy that does honda/acura swaps. A good used GSR engine is going to run you around 3k but you can go with any b-series v-tec or non vtec engine for a replacement. btw jotech is going to have the highest prices of anyshop around.

[PoorSvtman]

i wouldnt trust intercrew and i believe they arent in business anymore. I say this from experiance. Ive been in the import world and still deal with imports all the time.

Jotech cant go wrong, yes they will be higher priced but they are the best import shop.

Redline in arlington is probly the best in the arlington area.

Alamo, wont even touch a honda but if they do i wouldnt trust them. They sold my friend a "built" motor for his dsm. Yet it was straight out of a junkyard. I called them out and they didnt say much.

I have a few friends that do motor swaps on the side. If you want i can ask them how much.

[Boosted 03]

i wouldnt trust intercrew and i believe they arent in business anymore. I say this from experiance. Ive been in the import world and still deal with imports all the time.

Jotech cant go wrong, yes they will be higher priced but they are the best import shop.

Redline in arlington is probly the best in the arlington area.

Alamo, wont even touch a honda but if they do i wouldnt trust them. They sold my friend a "built" motor for his dsm. Yet it was straight out of a junkyard. I called them out and they didnt say much.

I have a few friends that do motor swaps on the side. If you want i can ask them how much.

I guess everybody has their experiences at different shops. I've personally never had any trouble with intercrew,Phillip is a good guy and always was honest about what i did and did not need. They are still in business by the way. :D

[L8 APEX]

Isn't this Brooks' kids beater? I wouldn't think he would want a ricer performance shop just an honest mechanic. We can do it if need be let me know:tu:

[PoorSvtman]

I guess everybody has their experiences at different shops. I've personally never had any trouble with intercrew,Phillip is a good guy and always was honest about what i did and did not need. They are still in business by the way. :D

That is true. But when i was in the import crowd the whole intercrew car crew and the shop was pretty shady from what i saw. Times do change tho. They used to be expensive as well.

[Lyfisin]

It is my kids car and it's still broke.

I got a lot of great info and passed it on to him. One great piece of news is that it actually wasn't the VTEC. I had a picture of that vividly in my mind when I was calling around looking for options, but it must have been in one of the other Integras I looked at when his was purchased. Definately a B18B on the block.

In one sense it's been annoying because he's really acting slow about getting it taken care of. He's found an engine, but hasn't done much about contacting someone to actually do the work. He said he has a friend who knows someone and when I started asking about where to ship the engine, how much experience the guy had etc... he didn't have a lot of answers.

To his credit though, he's relied on mostly his friends to get to and from work while he's trying to save for it and handle it himself.

I'm not real thrilled with the idea of purchasing an engine somewhere and dropping it off at a mechanics to have it installed. While I'm sure there's a lot of good mechanics who would do that kind of thing, to me it's like bringing a steak into a steak house and just asking them to charge you for cooking it.

It won't be long now.

And again, we have some great info and numbers from here.

I already have a backup plan in case he can't seem to get it done.

You guys and gals are terrific. Hope to see you all at the next meet.

[Lyfisin]

Well the Integra isn't broke anymore and I just wanted to say thanks one more time. I got a lot of terrific information here and everyone I called had lots of great thoughts and questions to help me figure out what the right thing to do was.

The problem turned out to be what we were guessing based on the information Adam (my son) gave me when the car stopped. The same thing could have happened to me. The air filter had been relocated near the front right tire. A mod I have seen on other Integras. He drove through water, which doesn't have the same compression ratio as air (i.e. none) so the engine blew. :eek:

So again thanks to you all for you insight and info.
Hope to see you on Thursday. :beer:

[kirkmears]

sooooo......

we're all dying to know who did the work...http://www.talonclub.com/forum/images/smilies/burnout.gif

[PoorSvtman]

Having the filter in the fender is the cause of the motor hydrolocking. But he must have been on the gas and went through a big puddle. I drove my civic for 2 years with no fender lining with the filter in front of the passanger tire fender well. I never hydrolocked the 3 civics i have owned in over 4-5 years of having them all.

They make a bypass filter for that kind of setup that goes on the intake tube in the engine bay that if the main filter becomes soaked with water.etc it will open the bypass filter and the chance of sucking up water is minimum. It works i just never ran with one. :tu:

[Lyfisin]

I know it was deep water. I have no idea how much he was accelerating. He told me a couple of times how it happened, which he claims was sudden, but the water was supposedly about the height of his tire. :mad:

I don't remember seeing any kind of bypass on it. It's pretty much a solid tube all the way down, but of course if it had one, it probably wouldn't have happened.

It's a good lesson for him. Hopefully the high cost of car repairs will help him make better decisions over time and take care of it more.

kirkmears, I won't be posting where I got the job done. I just don't see any value in it. Everybody has their shops that they like or don't like and I don't want to make anybody feel bad if I chose not to use theirs. I'm just happy they put the info up there and hope they choose to do it next time someone is in need.

All the places I called seemed to have good knowledgeable people and it was a great learning experience for me.

[kirkmears]

that's cool...i was just curious for future references...no biggie though.

i would only be disappointed if you took to the dealer...but i think your pocket book would be hurtin more than my feelings. anyways, glad to hear you got it back on the street.http://www.talonclub.com/forum/images/smilies/banana2.gif

[PoorSvtman]

I know it was deep water. I have no idea how much he was accelerating. He told me a couple of times how it happened, which he claims was sudden, but the water was supposedly about the height of his tire. :mad:

I don't remember seeing any kind of bypass on it. It's pretty much a solid tube all the way down, but of course if it had one, it probably wouldn't have happened.

It's a good lesson for him. Hopefully the high cost of car repairs will help him make better decisions over time and take care of it more.





Yea you cut the solid tube near where it turns down to go to the fender. and install it there. If he wants any aftermarket stuff like the bypass i can hook it up. I still kinda work at a import shop

[Lyfisin]

I recommended he remove the intake from that area and make it more stock, which I'm sure was more near the top of the engine.

How much more HP does one get from running it down the front light that. I understand the logic of it. Cleaner and cooler air for the engine, but what kind of gain?

[PoorSvtman]

It is very streatable intake as long as you dont stay in the gas in deep puddles. But If you have the stock fender liner in you shouldnt have any problems.

Im honda guy and the difference from the filter in the engine bay and the filter is a night and day difference. Thats why im in the process of fabing up a system that puts the L filter out of the engine bay...... I have yet to see one made and put in production.

[Boosted 03]

It is very streatable intake as long as you dont stay in the gas in deep puddles. But If you have the stock fender liner in you shouldnt have any problems.

Im honda guy and the difference from the filter in the engine bay and the filter is a night and day difference. Thats why im in the process of fabing up a system that puts the L filter out of the engine bay...... I have yet to see one made and put in production.
I would be interested to see what you come up with. I've wondered about something like this but haven't really taken the time to look around the engine bay to see what could be done. Will you use a by-pass like AEM does with their cold air? Keep us posted.

[dboat]

I'd be interested too, since the cold air setups in L's dont really generate any extra HP... Terry has shown that with the testing he has done..