f23a swap

[remove_bulb93]

just did the swap had cb7 and 95 cd5 to play and swap parts with brand bnew 99 f23a clip to boot.
now car runs great after swap had some and alot of modifications to get this to work on the cheap. i have a load of experince with this swap. ask away. will post pics and i also have questions any one else do this and get it to work well?

[Jarrett]

Did you use the F23A head and manifolds or did you swap the F22A head over to it?

What ECU are you running this on right now?

A lot of people constantly ask about this swap and the F22B1 swap and say that they are having nothing but difficulty with it. If you know what compatible parts to use to integrate it into the OEM engine wiring harness it's a breeze.

[remove_bulb93]

yes i do actully.!!!! i used all my same stuff from my f22a1. i just alot of cutting. used f22b2 intake cuz of the idle air vale. same ecu as before with f22a1 mounts the same. also b4 swap check fly wheel for size. i checked when i was done..... it was off a bit had to pull engine and swap with my old one. im automatic btw. so flex plate. had to use f22b2 exhaust. same accesori brakets just need a chop saw to cut them. bolt the same tho. timng belt engine mout must be swapped over. vtec must be hardwwire to switch. and i would use a air flow converter to tell ecu to dump more gas. must exstend fuel line as well. very easy.

also just used same head and everything. kinda alot of hassle for such a little gain in power. but engine was free. so had to make it work. also you have to bulid throttle bracket. i have a vise gripp at the moment. .... im ashamed. i just work alot and have little time to make it perfect. will make perfect tho. pics will post tomaro

also had to exstend some plugs cuz some stuff is moved around. has alot of torque but needs 12 volts to vtec. and a air flow converter to trick ecu to give more gas when vtec hits. so ya it all works. looks great

[Jarrett]

VTEC doesn't have to be wired to a switch if you do the swap with the right components.

If you're set on keeping the F23A1 head then and OBD1 F22B1/2/6 manifold is your best bet with the 2-wire IACV. Then you run the distributor that came with the Accord, swap the timing side bracket, extend the fuel line to the other side and that's about it for the physical work. Then swap pins A6 and A11 in the cabin harness to the ECU and run an OBD1 POA ECU. VTEC will work in its usual worthless-in-SOHC fashion and you'll be putting down the road in no time.

[SOHC-FTW]

Vtakkkkk on a switch? AKA rigged.

[deevergote]

So you're offering to help people do this swap, when your own is thoroughly ghetto-rigged? I hope people have enough sense not to take that advice...

Aren't there conversion harnesses available that would allow us to use an OBD2 ECU? Properly wiring things up shouldn't be terribly difficult OR expensive.

[SOHC-FTW]

Better off running a POA until you could have a p28 (Or what have you) atleast street tuned.

[deevergote]

I actually had P0A typed, then I remembered the conversion harness... someone was arguing with me about that the other day, and apparently it's doable.

[Jarrett]

The POA is preferred from a sensor perspective if you're using OBD1 F22B1/2/6 parts to make it work. The fuel tables will be slightly off, though. But for getting it running it will work just fine.

[8ball]

I have a hard time getting around the idea of "take a hacksaw to the bracket bro" :/ I think the accesories are a big issue. Ive never down the swap, But I do have a f23a (in working condition) to know that the accessories are different.

[Jarrett]

Hence why I always suggest people use the F22A head. You get better intake manifold options, no fuel line mess to deal with, and the accessory brackets just work like they're supposed to. You also get to keep your current header. If you have a manifold with IABs then those can be retained as well. It just seems moronic to me to use the VTEC heads. People have no reason to use them other than they want VTEC. If it were effective then I'd say sure. But it isn't.

[remove_bulb93]

..... wow wasent expecting so much feed back. wow this place is great. well i admit my swap is hacked a bit. yes. but do to the curcumstances that surounded it that is why it is the way it is. but now i can make it all better. so.... how do i run obd2 ecu with obd2 dizzy for that f23a engine and keep all factory dash harness and engine bay harness.? i want this to be like it is in the car its sapposed to be in

[remove_bulb93]

If you're set on keeping the F23A1 head then and OBD1 F22B1/2/6 manifold is your best bet with the 2-wire IACV. Then you run the distributor that came with the Accord, swap the timing side bracket, extend the fuel line to the other side and that's about it for the physical work. Then swap pins A6 and A11 in the cabin harness to the ECU and run an OBD1 POA ECU. VTEC will work in its usual worthless-in-SOHC fashion and you'll be putting down the road in no time.

can you elaborate on this more for me. i like this

[Jarrett]

You'll have to do some research on what Deev is telling you. I don't know if the OBD2 Accord ECU has any different pin orientation like the '94-'95 Accord did for some reason. That would need to be addressed before installation. I'm pretty sure they don't because I haven't heard of people swapping P5P ECUs into 6th-generation Accords doing anything different with the harness. Then again, my knowledge in that area is lacking.

As for everything I mentioned, if you took the intake and exhaust manifolds off, unbolted the head and swapped the F22A head, intake and exhaust manifolds back on you'd be much better off. The F23A1 head is very decent. Especially when compared to the F22B1. However, the F22A has much more potential from an airflow standpoint. You don't have VTEC but it is truly not very effective in the F22B1 or F23A1 anyway. It's more for economy in those engines. Also, sticking with the F22A head would allow you to use the H23A1 intake manifold and all of the modifications available to that. Use all F22A timing components and you'll be set.

This will give you a perfect spot to change your water pump, idlers, timing belt and head gasket for years of continued operation.

[Accrdwgnguy]

Jarrett, would the combustion cambers of the F22Ax head need to be machined to match the 86mm bore of the F23 block?