[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by frankmehta

I still feel a turbo will be an overkill for the type of application that my car has.

I believe this isn't mentioned anywhere. What is the usage for this car after the mods are completed? Will it continue as your wife's car?

By the way, the sheer mention of a Brio with a 1.5 iVTec and a turbo setup gives me goosebumps. Should be a drag monster and a proper sleeper car!

[Rahulkool]

IMO this is definitely possible and should be relatively easy swap. If done properly i don't see why this wont be reliable, at least more reliable than extreme turbo ones.

[IshaanIan]

Would it be that difficult just to swap out the crankshaft, connecting rods, ECU etc.? Wouldn't that be better as you will have the same engine number and insurance claims would be a smoother process besides a lower likelihood of trouble with the fuzz

[PratikPatel]

Originally Posted by aerohit

Also, to correct the above person commenting - 1.2 and 1.5 are near identical and there are no issues. They even weigh almost the same! so its not like Brios front end will dip.

I will clarify what I meant by 1.2L and 1.5L. There is a difference of 300cc. So where did that 300cc come from? It is obvious that if the stroke is the same then the difference is in the bore. If the bore is larger then it stands to reason that the pistons are larger and therefore weigh more than the pistons in the 1.2L. While a few tens of grams may not seem like much, in a reciprocating engine it has implications as rpm increases as rotating mass will magnify the forces. In addition to the piston weight, there will be increase weight of wrist pin, rings, and small end of the connecting rod. These engines are internally balanced, the crankshaft will be different as the counterweight on the crankshaft will need to be more to balance for the additional weight that the pistons and top end carry.

I am not saying that it cannot be done. Yes, you can fit a complete head assembly, cylinder, pistons and ECU and run the car. It will run, no 2 ways about it. But if crank shaft is not rebalanced, in the long run you are going to face problems because of vibrations and harmonics which add up exponentially with increase in rpm. The imbalance will get worst as rpm multiplies, for example as general yardstick, for double the rpm you will get quadruple the force of imbalance.

While all of this may seem insignificant, it has implications of stressed metals and eventual component failures. You may argue that the vibrations can be damped out by the engine foundation. Agreed, but what about the vibrations that are putting stress on the connecting rods, bearings, journals, piston rings, pistons and host of other components? They will pay the ultimate price by giving you reduced engine life.

[RoadSurfer]

Hello Frank. If you go on with this swap, I will be glued to your thread for sure.
I would suggest that you have a look on the radiators from both the cars. Cooling capacity should be different and in that case you will need City's radiator. Also compare air intakes of both cars.
All the best.

[frankmehta]

I am going to be talking to someone at Honda itself. Sometimes Honda (and other companies) may manufacture a common component, but give it different part numbers based on which model the part goes into. Hence it's pointless to compare part numbers.
Also, since spares are not available over the counter, I need to be doubly sure that I am not short of anything before I start.


In the mean while, can you guys at least help me with the mods I can make to the 1.5 engine before it goes in?

I have an Automech performance exhaust running from the manifold all the way till the end pipe. I also have a K&N replacement air filter (but I doubt that helps)

Please suggest some reliable mods that can help me get the most performance from the 1.5 litre mill.

[PratikPatel]

I was going to suggest that you sit with a Honda service supervisor and if possible take a look at both engines if possible in the workshop when they are open.

One of the easiest changes you could make is to upgrade the ignition system with Weapon X components. Weapon X claims a increase of 5 to 20 WHP depending on the model of car. While most people are skeptical about aftermarket ignition components (and rightly so to a certain extent), Weapon X is the genuine article. They have taken a different approach to ignition systems than other players in the market (no doubt people will catch up in due time).

[RoadSurfer]

Originally Posted by frankmehta

I am going to be talking to someone at Honda itself. Sometimes Honda (and other companies) may manufacture a common component, but give it different part numbers based on which model the part goes into. Hence it's pointless to compare part numbers.
Also, since spares are not available over the counter, I need to be doubly sure that I am not short of anything before I start.

You can be rest assured this is not the case. Part number of a component will change only if there is some change (small or big).

[hangover]

I got interested in the general concept. I found a couple of links which you may find useful.

An official Honda reprogramming software. It's free they say. Anyone want to ask about lunch?:
http://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/p...I001_J2534.htm

Official Honda diagnostic software:
http://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/p...001_TOOLS1.htm

In general, the process seems:

1. Remove hood
2. Unplug fuel lines; Drain out all fuel and inflammable materials (in case you've added JP-7 fuel for fun )
3. Remove battery
4. Remove Air Filter
5. Remove ECU
6. Unplug all the wiring harnesses going to and from the engine
7. Disconnect brakes
8. Remove drive belt
9. Remove front wheels
10. Now raise the vehicle on a ramp
11. Drain out all oils - engine oil, transmission fluid, brake, steering, hair oil, etc
12. Remove exhaust and associated parts
13. The steering has its own gearbox; Disconnect that;
14. Remove AC compressor
15. Remove radiator and linked pieces - hosepipes, coolant can, pump, windshield cleaning pipes and stuff
16. Disconnect anything else going into or outside the engine
17. Loosen the engine mounting bolts
18. Raise the vehicle some more
19. Fix a chain to the engine to hold it in position;
20. Remove all the engine bolts
21. Remove engine from underneath the car

One or two invisible steps in between can be figured out. Example: Don't tell anyone; Buy a new Brio same color in case this one is irretrievably messed up.

Now the engine is out. Hopefully the home minister is not wondering where the car is.

Per some sites I visited the 2 important things are:

• to make an Excel check list; do I remove this first or that; follow the steps above;
• to use a permanent marker showing which wire or pipe goes where

I've attached a L15A7 installation PDF. It's about 3Mb in size.

So there you go. Reverse the check list to get the new engine in it. The new engine is ready to rock the road.

One precaution - instead of using a jack to raise the car, go to one of the old time garages with the cement slope/ramp. I don't trust oil in a rubber pipe to hold up a car for a week.

You also need some type of crane and chain mechanism. It's a common item in all garages.

A company called Hasport Performance specializes in making engine swap mounts for Honda's.

My fees - $300 trillion. I take monopoly money.

[scorpian]

@ Frank

Go for the swap!!
I have done a swap on my zen at my home buying a used 1.3 motor and its just awesome to drive the little beast, every-time i drive i have a smile on my face.

I am using the 1.3 ltr ecu of the esteem on my stock zen and i have done just two or three wire changes that too in the main fuse box without any cutting or splitting and the car has clocked over 40kkms and reliable as O.E.

Brio is a fun car and with the bigger engine it will make you super happy.

[frankmehta]

So, something exciting has finally happened!

To give you a faint idea, I have not slept properly since the last month. I have been tossing and turning in bed, hoping for a good engine to pop up somewhere. The thing is, Honda Gasoline engines do not fail. Period. Which is why there is a dearth of good examples of engines in the market. IF there is no demand, why will there be supply?
I have scoured market after market, bylane after bylane and dirty godown after godown, looking for a good L15A engine in it's prime. It's almost impossible to find a good engine, purely because the ones that are salvaged from accidental and written off cars are lapped up in days, considering the fact that engines are in such short supply.
Another factor looming over anyone's head would be the fact that so many Honda Cities are converted to run on CNG in India. CNG, being a dry fuel may give rise to issues if an engine has done a lot of mileage. Also, CNG cars are driven as beaters or workhorses, and don't see much care. To buy an engine that has run on CNG would be sacrilege. Also, it's near impossible to identify if an engine was modified to run on CNG.
SO many negativities and adverse thoughts running in my head, prompted me to call my Honda SA, who said a new engine, if available from Honda Delhi, would run into lakhs. Also, it would be mandatory to buy it with a transmission. The cost mentioned was northward of 4 lakh rupees. A little less than what I paid for my Brio.

Just when all hopes ran out, I decided to take today's day off from work (such is our passion!) and go back to the same market where I spent around an hour last week.
Today was a lucky day! In the space of 3 hours, I found 3 engines! All worth a buy!

1. First one was still in a donor car. Which is always a good sign. The car itself was a total loss, and the timing covers of the engine was broken. The engine itself was intact. The donor car was a 2010 Honda City with intact registration. The car itself looked like it was standing for days, and the engine bay looked a sorry state. Checked the details of the license plate from the Vahan app and realized the car had seen 2 owners. Saw the serial no on the block and realized the engine itself is quite old (6 years and counting)
I was almost going to buy this engine when I decided to walk a few shops ahead.
Here is a photo of the donor car.



2. Second engine was already removed from a car and stored. There was no sign of the donor car, and there is no way to ascertain how well or badly the engine had been treated, since there was no history about the car. Could be a reconditioned engine, could be one with a replaced head, replaced block. The timing cover was intact, and the engine looked like it was around 4-5 years old (serial no. again) The guy was asking for a lot of money for it. So walked away.

3. Almost gave up hope, when I came across this! MY ENGINE!!!! Less than 2 years old. An import. The serial no implies its a JDM engine.
I cannot express how excited I am.
PICS!






























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[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by frankmehta

MY ENGINE!!!!

Nice.

So you're off to a great start with a good JDM engine. Have you started the work already? By the way, how did a JDM engine end up in the Indian city?

[frankmehta]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Nice.

So you're off to a great start with a good JDM engine. Have you started the work already? By the way, how did a JDM engine end up in the Indian city?

Mostly a grey market import.

Thanks. I am very excited to start. I can't wait!

[Akib Khan]

Hi frank. Am super excited about the new project of yours. Congrats on your new engine. From the pics you had posted i think you sourced it from Kurla. Can't wait to see your baby with a new heart. All the best.
Drive safe.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by frankmehta

So, something exciting has finally happened!

Oh Man, you are crazy!

Each of your threads takes things to a different level. All the best with this job and I cant imagine what kind of a monster the Brio will become getting this new heart. Enjoy the result