Madness Shop Manual

The first-gen (1984-1987) CRX was a very different beast than the more common 2nd-gen (1988-1991) CRX. There were more engines to choose from, each one less stimulating than the last. With more current generations of Hondas, this isn’t a problem. It simply means that you swap in another motor and create a “hybrid” CRX. As the CRX model was refined, a new generation emerged in 1988 and nearly everything engine/drivetrain-related changed. Anyone behind that missed much of the tuner movement, and information became scarce because the more lucrative second-gen CRX was so easy to attain. There is hope for those who own a first-gen, though! You can update your whole platform to the newer generation, allowing b-series swaps, updated brake systems, and all SORTS of other goodies. Just putting in a d16a6 from a second-gen CRX Si will net you between 25%-50% more power!

You’re probably chomping at the bit to get your hands greasy, but there is quite a lot of work to be done.

Physical Fitment

As far as fitting the engine in goes, you’re going to have to start with new motor mounts. You can purchase motor mounts from hasport for your particular engine, you may also need to take a big heavy hammer to some parts of the engine bay (this depends on the specific mounts and motor you’re using, there is no catch-all explanation for what to smash up).

Carburetor to Fuel Injection

Since the first-gen CRX was the end of carbureted Civics, you’re going to have to cross over to fuel injection. The most difficult part of this is included with your new motor in the form of a fuel rail and injectors. You’ll need new engine management and wiring, so make sure wherever you source the engine from sends you a full body wiring harness. The easiest way about this is to get everything from headlights to tail lights, and the clip-on engine wires that come with the particular engine. A 2nd gen CRX Si is considered the industry standard for this, and that’s what I suggest. A d16a6 wiring harness will fit any d-series or b-series obd0 fuel-injected Honda motor out there. The only thing lacking is a wire for vtec, but that’s a relatively simple addition if you decide to install a vtec-equipped motor.

Assuming your EW motor was carbed, you’ll also need to install a fuel pump and pressurized fuel lines to get fuel to your new injectors. While it’s possible to run a dual-carb setup on a modern d-series motor, that’s well beyond the scope of this article and I’ll have no part of that. I like carbs on my motorcycle, not on my car. An inline pump and new pressurized fuel lines should do the trick nicely, if used with stock injectors.

After you’ve installed the motor, you’ll have to go through the laborious process of installing your wiring harness. A cable snake is a great tool to own or rent for this process, but you can get by with some string and a metal coat-hanger.

Now that you’re armed with information, you’re going to need to get some parts together. Here’s a basic list that you can fill in the blanks for:

1. Engine
   1. Block (d16a6 is suggested, but any d-series will do)
   2. Head (d16a6 or d16zc is suggested)
2. Transmission
   1. MANUAL transmission for a manual chassis
   2. axles should correspond to the motor you’re using
3. Shift Linkage (you’ll have to fabricate this or order from hasport)
4. ECU (should match the engine head you’re using)
5. Wiring Harness
   1. should include a map sensor for the ecu you’re using
6. Motor Mounts
7. Fuel chain
   1. pump
   2. pressurized lines
   3. fuel rail
   4. injectors

The crew over at redpepperracing is dedicated to all the first-gen types, and can be a huge help when trying to catch up to the more recent generation and beyond. A walkthrough specific to mashing a b16 into a 1st-gen CRX is up on fondahonda’s site. b16 swap also contains useful information for your swap needs. Corey’s swap site also holds a lot of good first-gen info.