Please do not ask any questions about the ECU. You can clearly see that I don't do anything with the ECU. The engine is only .1 liters more that would not effect anything. You can also see in the video that I changed all the parts over from the original engine to the new one.
Yeah I agree with you. The normal H22A4 ECU should be able to run an H23A no problem. Of course it shouldn't be revved as high and your fueling with be a tiny bit lean but overall it doesn't need to be addressed in order to make it work.
@@numberpirate No it will not run lean. It won't effect anything like I said. .1 litters is nothing. If you have the original engine rebuilt and bored it will be bigger than that.
Got some good notes on the timing. Doing my 1st head gasket ever on mine and am about to pull timing belt, I'll double check with the marks you mentioned for the balancer, it's not mentioned in the service manual. Thanks for sharing
Sorry for the double comment but did you also install oil squirters in the h23? really contemplating this swap in my 2001. I've done tons of research but your video was the best thing so far because I could actually see it. But to recap the video use everything from my H22 except exhaust manifold. Did you rebuild your old head before reuse? Any parts preferences? Any tips would be awesome. Video was tons of help!
Always good when you can knock out preventative repairs like those heater hoses at the same time. You make this stuff look easy though. I'd have struggled with this. Best wishes, Tom Z
With the medium pads it wont damage aluminum. I’ve been working as a mechanic for 28 years. I’ve never damaged one yet. Most people use the corse pads. I only use the medium ones.
@@1970chevelle396 OK nice I have been a mechanic for 20 year and work at a machine shop and know what buffer pads do to aluminum speaking out of experience
Was your timing belt super tight? I just did this swap with a new h22 timing belt and it was a pain to get on. When I start the engine I get a whining noise coming from the timing belt, I think its because its to tight.
You probably made a mention of this but I guess I need more clarification...i have the exact same project. I'm stuck with the crankshaft sensor plugs. I have 3 of them with the distributor. How do I remap the wires and plugs?
I took it to the Smog Referee . They put a sticker on the door jamb saying what i did is approved. After that it passes Smog. Only reason I had to do that is because the correct number isn’t stamped into the block and the smog check station saw it.
@@1970chevelle396 thank you! Cause I’m debating whether to go with the H23 or the H22A for my swap since I figured it’s easier than rebuilding my A4. A referee did tell me today that the JDM blocks will qualify as a replacement motor with the newest standards so I’m like trying to get multiple opinions before I pull the trigger
Just make sure you put all the correct parts off of the old engine onto the new one. Then you won’t have any problems. The Referee looked the car over for an hour and couldn’t find one thing wrong. Then he did the old Bar 97 smog test. And it ran very clean.
@@1970chevelle396 I also wanted to ask, if I do what you did here to an F20B motor, transferring everything, you think that’ll still work as well or no? Cause the F20 is significantly cheaper and looks exactly the same as the H22
Im sorry to bother again lol ive asked you for help before. I had another question i was hoping you can help with. I finally got the h23a installed in my 1998 prelude type sh..but the car wont rev above 3k rpms. Any thoughts on this?
issue had to do something with the throttle position sensor not being aligned right because of the oil pump i purchased from rock auto. im glad after almost 6 years of my prelude sitting...i finally drove it for the first time today. i really like the h23a. i purchased mine from hmotorsonline and it came with 42,000 miles on it. purrs like a kitten
@@1970chevelle396 one more question, when you order new parts and seals etc. did you order most new parts from the h22a4 selection on rock auto? or through the 4th gen h23 selection?
You order the parts for the H22A4 . The new engine is not a 4th gen engine. It’s the same as the H22a4 except it has a little bit more stroke to it. That’s why it’s. 1 liters bigger.
I picked up an H23a today for 1500, supposedly the motor has been rebuilt by a shop with oem internals/gaskets etc but I dont entirely know. The FRM coating is still there. If I understand correctly based on your video, I need to move my intake manifold from the H22, move that over with the EGR, and move my harmonic balancer from the h22 over to the h23 in order to use power steering and lastly, I can use my H22A4 wire harness from the H22? This H23A also comes with a P2A8 transmission. Does this all sound about right? Is there anything else I am missing? @@1970chevelle396
Nice, It might be easier to find one in the US, but if you're in a country like mine its like digging for gold. The Auto version of this car does it so much injustice. Tx for the vids though.
Hey ken, I'm in Bay area California and I'm doing this exact same swap on my 1997 Prelude from H22A1 to Japanese H23A VTEC . I put motor on most new items as well, but now I have no spark. I tried new distributor and new ignition coil, but the problem continues. What you recommend I do?
Hey are you still active on here? I have a few questions about the timing stuff. I just did the same swap into my 01 prelude, and the timing belt automatically goes inward towards the engine to the point it’s touching. I swapped over everything touching the timing belt from a new timing belt kit for the h22a4. Would you have any idea why it’s doing this? Nothing is bent, everything is aligned.
@@1970chevelle396 yes I know, but an idea would help. There’s not much to it if everything is proper and aligned. Could come down to not enough tension etc. Most time a loose belt is not enough tension.
Thanks a lot for this video man, I couldn't have done my engine swap without it, especially the tip about using the curved piece of metal for the timing tensioner. Amazing video with great tips
L&L welding and fabrication This car I did a lot of extra stuff to it , So I won't have to work on it for a long time. Im doing another engine replacement tomorrow. LOL. I didn't really want to do that many of them all together.
Nice! I also do motor swaps and repairs for a living now, looking to get a Prelude that needs a motor and do the very same thing as you, and de-rice it as most Preludes here are the very same, owned by teen, ruined with rice, run out of oil from one leaky seal.
Ken can you please help me out Sir? Roughly 4 months ago I found a beautiful 2001 Honda prelude shell. Pay good money for someone to go pick it up in a trailer and bring to me. Currently has H 23 block with H 22 head VTEC. Well my certified technician got the motor put in mined you it took him four months. The motor fires up. An absolutely sounds amazing. The engine pearls. It is a five speed. The acceleration is terrible. She is very slow. Yes VTEC hits around 5200. But I stay out of VTEC due to the poor acceleration. Could you give me any ideas please. I would really really appreciate it and it looks like you did an amazing job on your prelude. Thank you man. thank you so much. By the way, my name is Paul.
Awesome job ken..wish you lived close..I'd let you do my mechanic work LOL. I know some things but not the real tech things. Most of the time I can figure out a problem. I have an oil leak on a 2002 montero xls that Ive had for about 4 years. I've changed upper cam seals when we did the timing belt. Changed the back upper cam seal on passenger side. Changed oil sending unit as it was leaking but it still has a leak that I cannot find where it's coming from. Maybe from the oil cooler and I have no clue where it's at. I've looked and looked so but I'll figure it out eventually. It has high mileage but runs like a new car. No smoking etc so I dont think it's using oil.
Can you part a parts list please I’m doing this exact project rn as we speak , what do I transfer from my old H22 to my H23 , what aftermarket parts do I buy, what type of damper was that again ?
Hey buddy, thanks for the great video.............I have a 1997 Prelude with 120,000 miles on it's original 2.2 v-tec, the car has been stored indoors since new during winter and is mint..........I have always wished honda would have put a V6 in the 5 gen .........I am thinking of having a 3.5 v6 accord swap, done at my local honda dealer, i would like to go with all new parts directly from the dealer .......This is an old car i have here , but it is so clean and well looked after, ...it would be worth having done.............I would like to hear your feed back on a V6 swap for my lude.......Good idea or Bad?.........Any advantages and disadvantages on a upgrade such as this i would love to hear back..........Thanks .
HUSKEY BOY I’ve never seen a V6 swap before. I’m sure it would have a lot of power. Here in California I would never do that because of the emissions laws.
Hi ken i plan on doing this same job on my prelude, this video is huge help, if i cant do the work myself ill have a shop do it, what would be a fair price for this labor?? Best jesse
Ken, I have a 1998 Honda Prelude. Your video was amazing and very informative! I don't suppose you live in Canada do you, because I would love to have you do a full engine rebuild on my car? It's my baby!
wilkin trejo I already explained that to you. If your asking this many questions you should not be doing this yourself. When I did it I didn't ask any questions and I didn't look anything up. Only thing was the place that sold me the engine told me the oil pump had to be changed. That way I was able to buy it beforehand.
Hey bro. You’ve helped me out with question appreciate it. Got h23a running and starts up like a champ in 5th Gen. one issue I have is that when I step on gas pedal it dies immediately. Any help on why it does? I’m going to do ignition timing on Saturday and see if that why. Thank you!!
1970chevelle396 not at the moment. Haven’t driven it yet since if I drive it it might jsut die once I step on gas lol. But thanks appreciate your feedback. Without you video I wouldn’t have be able to do this!!!! Helped a lot of people out with this swap !
Hi I just wanted to know if you felt any difference between the h23a and USDM h22a4 in terms of acceleration and over all feel? Does it burn as much oil as a h22a4?
I don’t have the part numbers. You would have to look all the parts up. A few of the hoses I had to get from the dealership. The rest of the parts came from regular auto parts stores.
I just recently did my swap and my crank pulley is wobbling really bad? I torqued down to spec and it rounded my crank pulley. I bought a new crank pulley and key but it still rounded
Only thing you left out was to talk about the LMA lost motion assembly make noise check them while engine is out you have tonpull cams not hard or you might have a honda tick at idle
Yo I plan on doing a swap on my prelude. Debating on getting the jdm h22a or h23a. I’m in Jsut worried about the crank sensors and all that shit you gotta swap on the oil pump. I live 40 min away from Sacramento
I have a 97 prelude base model with sport shift and wanting to jdm 5 speed swap, any suggestions on which 5 speed and I'm planning to turbo and vtec killer cams. Thats basically how I'm going with this 400-500 whp. Any suggestions would be cool. Thanks
@@1970chevelle396 got it I’m doin the swap now. Oil pan, sprockets, CKP sensors, thermostat housing, full intake, and wiring harness. Am I missing anything?
Hey how did you do the rear mount? We are trying to put our engine back in but the rear engine mount is being real stubborn. What order did you put the mounts in. we are trying to do front, then rear, then both sides. Should we try something different?
1970chevelle396 thanks man.mine is automatic.is it a fitment issue?cross member or something.my engine is on the way so I’ll be cracking into this this week.any help I’d be truly grateful.i know you get bombarded with questions.
Could you explain to everyone why the sensors crank trigger etc need to be swapped over for JDM OBD1 to USDM OBD2 please? I figured out why my car starts but doesnt run because of you and think you would be able to help alot of people by explaining this.
You have to use the USDM oil pump because the connector on the USDM harness for the crank angle sensor has a different connector than the one on the JDM H23A harness. Also, as he pointed out, you cannot utilize the USDM crank angle sensor on the JDM oil pump, because there is no place to mount the sensor, as the mounting holes are not present on the JDM oil pump. So in short use the USDM oil pump.
Do you have the oil pump part number cause I'm doing a swap on my 99 lude but the h22 oil pump doesn't work good but I cannot find the right one for my h23 blue top
The ports always get clogged for these h22, f22 motors p0401 code comes up around 100k to 160k miles. It's normal absolutely nothing you can do to prevent this...except delay it by using 91 octane fuel. I really enjoyed your thorough rebuild video.
What’s the benefit of having the vtec h23 vs the h22? Same hp factory. will the slightly larger displacement take on more hp after similar modifications?
So im in the middle of this swap right now 99 prelude car had a blown h23a allready in it when i got it on a trade so i bought a new h23a got it all in there and now realized the crank an oil pumps diff is it best to switch pumps or is it possible to use jdm distributor amd wire into the harness
You're a pro, starts up right away after dropping it in. What were all those warning lights on the dash after startup? Was one of them the check engine? Wish you had done a 1 hour long video on this since it is such valuable information.
Learned a lot from all your videos , especially this one . Since I’m using all the old parts from the h22 engine , when replacing the spark plugs and wires am I getting them for an h23 or h22 engine ?
Question , I assume you had to transfer all the working parts from the h22 to h23 , did you use the distributor and intake manifold from the old engine also ?
The preventive maintenance is such a wonderful tip. I got my dream 5th Gen prelude and im rebuilding it now, just got my trans and engine tomorrow. hope this build goes well. so nervous!
Thanks. I might put another Prelude together in a few months. Since that one is now totaled sitting in my backyard after a girl made a left hand turn right in front of me in July of last year. I’m still dealing with her insurance company.
Great video, I just had the same thing done to the exact same car with the same engine as well. But have a issue. I changed the oil pump and swapped over the old sensors and now my oil light is on. It wasn't on with the stock engine and we have changed the oil pressure sensors 3 times with the same issue. But the car has enough oil and we have started it up and it runs fine. What should i do or where should i start to troubleshoot. If you can help just let me know.
andrew garcia The first thing you would have to do is hook a oil pressure gauge up to it and see if your getting oil pressure. Snap On and other companies make a tool kit for doing that , it comes with a gauge and a bunch of adapters that screw in the block where the sending unit would normally go. That will tell you if you have a mechanical problem or a problem with the gauge in the dash.
great video, i just finish replacing my 1997 honda prelude h22 with an h23 and my car has a rough idle and seems like its not getting gas into the injectors or something. ill already check for timing and everything lines up..any ides
It’s not from an Accord. Its a JDM engine from Japan. Pretty much the same thing as the H22A4 except it has a tiny little bit more stroke to it. That’s the reason for being .1 litters bigger.
I know this video is a little old buti had a question so swapped out my stock 97 prelude engine with a h22 euro r and I got it start up just fine the problem is im getting no oil pressure at all when I remove the oil filter it is completely dry and I did replace the oil pump twice now but still no oil pressure at all any idea to why this might be any suggestions or help is appreciated thanks and very nice clean job on that h23
@@1970chevelle396 thank you very much I figured out the problem I had the usdm oil pan and pick up tube instead of the euro r original pan and pick up tube finally I got oil pressure thank you very much for sharing your knowledge with every one that can very much benefit from it I appreciate your fast response
Renato Pequeno If everything is done right. You take it to the smog check referee and they will put a sticker on the door jamb saying what you did is approved.
Maybe a stupid question but I'm going this swap, and down to mounting the oil pan and trans.. but why does the oil pan from the h22 need to be used on the h23?
Hey man , my prelude just developed rod knock. Just wondering if you’d be interested in getting paid to swap my engine? I figure it’s worth asking since I’m thinking of selling as is.
1970chevelle396 I’d love to keep the car if you are interested in the job or have the time to do it. It’s really motivating after watching your video, you know exactly how to make this swap work. I’m having a hard time trying to find a mechanic who can make the JDM swap. I’m near the Sacramento area.
Sovan Sao The ECU that was in the car originally stays in the car. You have to put all the parts from the original engine onto the new engine. Only the exhaust manifold on the new engine was the same and didn't need to be changed over.
Hi 1970chevelle396, I am planning to do the same swap you did and I was wondering if you still own the car? Also, did you get rid of all the check engine light and how does the engine behave with the h22a4 ECU? Thanks
Frede Bouchard Theres no issues at all. The only difference with this engine is it’s .1 liters more. Which is almost nothing. Its just not possible to have any kind of issues with it. A whole bunch of people keep asking the same kind of questions. Put all of the original parts on the new engine. The exhaust manifold was the only part I didn’t change because it was the same as the one on the car.
first off thank you for your informative videos . I think I posted a comment in the wrong area.. sorry if I'm double posting. I have a 1998 Honda Prelude type sh and I'm wanting to do the swap. I was concerned about the axles needed if I buy this engine with a non atts transmission. I've read that I need a base model mid-shaft or intermediate shaft to fit the axles on the type sh with the swapped h23a blue top.. I'm planning on buying the motor from H Motors online and was wondering if that engine comes with the intermediate shaft that I need for the full swap. any help would be gratefully appreciated, thanks in advance
1970chevelle396 thank you for the quick reply. but I have a type sh which means I need to change the transmission due to the atts.. or that's what I understand from what i read online. that is why I'm curious on what axles to use and if they'll even fit on the type sh spindles.. the base model and sh model have different cv axles. I just realized I said "does the engine come with the intermediate shaft " but I meant if the transmission comes with that intermediate half shaft.
1970chevelle396 so the h23a motor fits on the SH tranny? everyone says it doesn't.. supposedly on a type sh you can only use another h22a4 or type s (Japanese) the type sh h22a4 block is different from the base model to accommodate for the ATTS
Men, u have the measure of the valve adjustment of the H23A? I got it 17-19, (intake-exhaust) , but its not the factory adjustment, and i can't find it anywhere
Please do not ask any questions about the ECU. You can clearly see that I don't do anything with the ECU. The engine is only .1 liters more that would not effect anything. You can also see in the video that I changed all the parts over from the original engine to the new one.
Yeah I agree with you. The normal H22A4 ECU should be able to run an H23A no problem. Of course it shouldn't be revved as high and your fueling with be a tiny bit lean but overall it doesn't need to be addressed in order to make it work.
1970chevelle396 are u willing to do a manual swap in a 98 base prelude? I live in hayward ca. My email is edli78@yahoo.com. Thx for the videos.
Hey man I just did the same exact swap and transferred everything from the h22 to the h23. Man I love it.
Marcus Taber what can we do to fix it? Use the h23 injectors ????
@@numberpirate No it will not run lean. It won't effect anything like I said. .1 litters is nothing. If you have the original engine rebuilt and bored it will be bigger than that.
Got some good notes on the timing. Doing my 1st head gasket ever on mine and am about to pull timing belt, I'll double check with the marks you mentioned for the balancer, it's not mentioned in the service manual.
Thanks for sharing
Newbies Work on Cars Thanks
Sorry for the double comment but did you also install oil squirters in the h23? really contemplating this swap in my 2001. I've done tons of research but your video was the best thing so far because I could actually see it. But to recap the video use everything from my H22 except exhaust manifold. Did you rebuild your old head before reuse? Any parts preferences? Any tips would be awesome. Video was tons of help!
Always good when you can knock out preventative repairs like those heater hoses at the same time. You make this stuff look easy though. I'd have struggled with this.
Best wishes,
Tom Z
FYI you never buff aluminum unless you want to warp it use a razor blade and block sander to remove gasket
With the medium pads it wont damage aluminum. I’ve been working as a mechanic for 28 years. I’ve never damaged one yet. Most people use the corse pads. I only use the medium ones.
@@1970chevelle396 OK nice I have been a mechanic for 20 year and work at a machine shop and know what buffer pads do to aluminum speaking out of experience
Was your timing belt super tight? I just did this swap with a new h22 timing belt and it was a pain to get on. When I start the engine I get a whining noise coming from the timing belt, I think its because its to tight.
The timing belt is exactly the same. You shouldn’t have any problems with it.
You forgot two gaskets for the oil pan, you do need a two rubber pieces for the half circle parts of the oil pan - FYI!
It doesn’t take gaskets on the oil pan
@@1970chevelle396 you would be mistaken,
11251-P5K-000 , one small gasket.
With the aluminum oil pan it doesn’t take any gaskets.
This is GOLD thank uuuuu.....
Thanks
I have a question I bought a 5th gen prelude and my crank pulley failed for the h23a blue top what is the crank pulley number for the h23a
I have no idea. You would have to get the auto parts store or dealership to look that up.
You probably made a mention of this but I guess I need more clarification...i have the exact same project. I'm stuck with the crankshaft sensor plugs. I have 3 of them with the distributor. How do I remap the wires and plugs?
You have to replace the oil pump
When you did this swap, you got it smog checked and passed like nothing since you swapped everything over?
I took it to the Smog Referee . They put a sticker on the door jamb saying what i did is approved. After that it passes Smog. Only reason I had to do that is because the correct number isn’t stamped into the block and the smog check station saw it.
@@1970chevelle396 thank you! Cause I’m debating whether to go with the H23 or the H22A for my swap since I figured it’s easier than rebuilding my A4. A referee did tell me today that the JDM blocks will qualify as a replacement motor with the newest standards so I’m like trying to get multiple opinions before I pull the trigger
Just make sure you put all the correct parts off of the old engine onto the new one. Then you won’t have any problems. The Referee looked the car over for an hour and couldn’t find one thing wrong. Then he did the old Bar 97 smog test. And it ran very clean.
@@1970chevelle396 I also wanted to ask, if I do what you did here to an F20B motor, transferring everything, you think that’ll still work as well or no? Cause the F20 is significantly cheaper and looks exactly the same as the H22
Having trouble getting intake manifold gasket off, any tips. What surface prep tool did you get ??? Thanks
+Jay Beatz Any angle die grinder with a scotch brite pad on a roloc adapter.
Im sorry to bother again lol ive asked you for help before. I had another question i was hoping you can help with. I finally got the h23a installed in my 1998 prelude type sh..but the car wont rev above 3k rpms. Any thoughts on this?
issue had to do something with the throttle position sensor not being aligned right because of the oil pump i purchased from rock auto. im glad after almost 6 years of my prelude sitting...i finally drove it for the first time today. i really like the h23a. i purchased mine from hmotorsonline and it came with 42,000 miles on it. purrs like a kitten
Question Ken is your prelude an sh model with atts? And so is the h23a compatible with the sh trans? Thanks.
jorge mireles mine is not the SH model. The H23a engine will work on both models.
Ok thanks bro I appreciate it.
Actually the H23A VTEC will not work. The SH and Normal H22A4s were quite different engine wise to accomodate the ATTS.
Marcus Taber It works perfectly with no problems at all.
How do you transfer over the power steering since the h23a doesn't have it?
+Adrian Joel It justs bolts on there.
DANG MAN THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT VIDEO, do you happen to have a source for all the parts you got? rockauto?
Thanks. Most of it came from Rock Auto, and a few hoses had to come from the dealership.
@@1970chevelle396 gotcha, I not sure if you mentioned it but did you have to transfer the intake as well?
Everything has to be transferred except the exhaust manifold,
@@1970chevelle396 one more question, when you order new parts and seals etc. did you order most new parts from the h22a4 selection on rock auto? or through the 4th gen h23 selection?
You order the parts for the H22A4 . The new engine is not a 4th gen engine. It’s the same as the H22a4 except it has a little bit more stroke to it. That’s why it’s. 1 liters bigger.
Damn dude. How much do you charge to do this swap?
The price on these engines has gone way up since I made the video. It would probably cost like $4K to do that now. The engine has doubled in price.
Besides the video, do you have a step by step write up?
No I don’t have any write up.
I picked up an H23a today for 1500, supposedly the motor has been rebuilt by a shop with oem internals/gaskets etc but I dont entirely know. The FRM coating is still there. If I understand correctly based on your video, I need to move my intake manifold from the H22, move that over with the EGR, and move my harmonic balancer from the h22 over to the h23 in order to use power steering and lastly, I can use my H22A4 wire harness from the H22? This H23A also comes with a P2A8 transmission. Does this all sound about right? Is there anything else I am missing?
@@1970chevelle396
I explained everything in the video.
where did you get your H23a vtec?
wilkin trejo You need to look up JDM engines and find a place near where you live to buy one.
i have a 01 prelude sh any differences on the swap? . . . i have a rod knock and was thinking of the h23a swap
Daniel Valenzuela There is no difference with the engine on an SH.
I'm skeptic cause everyone on some forums say that i cant cause of the atts tranny
Daniel Valenzuela this engine will not bolt to the atts SH trans. You must get a base model trans or any other non atts trans.
I found a manual in a junkyard. Its a piece of shit but boy do I feel lucky!!!!
debeerpaul It took me a while to find one with a manual transmission.
Nice, It might be easier to find one in the US, but if you're in a country like mine its like digging for gold. The Auto version of this car does it so much injustice. Tx for the vids though.
Hey ken,
I'm in Bay area California and I'm doing this exact same swap on my 1997 Prelude from H22A1 to Japanese H23A VTEC . I put motor on most new items as well, but now I have no spark. I tried new distributor and new ignition coil, but the problem continues. What you recommend I do?
Did you put the crankshaft position sensor on it?
What ecm you used for the motor
Hey are you still active on here? I have a few questions about the timing stuff. I just did the same swap into my 01 prelude, and the timing belt automatically goes inward towards the engine to the point it’s touching. I swapped over everything touching the timing belt from a new timing belt kit for the h22a4. Would you have any idea why it’s doing this? Nothing is bent, everything is aligned.
I have no idea what the problem is without seeing it.
@@1970chevelle396 yes I know, but an idea would help. There’s not much to it if everything is proper and aligned. Could come down to not enough tension etc. Most time a loose belt is not enough tension.
Thanks a lot for this video man, I couldn't have done my engine swap without it, especially the tip about using the curved piece of metal for the timing tensioner. Amazing video with great tips
Thank You
nice work ken..I like the way you always take the time to do it rite the way..
L&L welding and fabrication This car I did a lot of extra stuff to it , So I won't have to work on it for a long time. Im doing another engine replacement tomorrow. LOL. I didn't really want to do that many of them all together.
Good job Ken! You seem to be very knowledgeable about working on motors and replacing motors is that what you do for a living or is it just a hobby?
Jimbos Garage I work on cars for a living. Been doing it for over 25 years now. I'm replacing the engine on a Jeep now.
Nice! I also do motor swaps and repairs for a living now, looking to get a Prelude that needs a motor and do the very same thing as you, and de-rice it as most Preludes here are the very same, owned by teen, ruined with rice, run out of oil from one leaky seal.
Clean video, job well done and VERY well described!! If TH-cam still had the star-rating system, I'd rate this 6 out of 5 ;)
Thank You
Ken can you please help me out Sir? Roughly 4 months ago I found a beautiful 2001 Honda prelude shell. Pay good money for someone to go pick it up in a trailer and bring to me. Currently has H 23 block with H 22 head VTEC. Well my certified technician got the motor put in mined you it took him four months. The motor fires up. An absolutely sounds amazing. The engine pearls. It is a five speed. The acceleration is terrible. She is very slow. Yes VTEC hits around 5200. But I stay out of VTEC due to the poor acceleration. Could you give me any ideas please. I would really really appreciate it and it looks like you did an amazing job on your prelude. Thank you man. thank you so much. By the way, my name is Paul.
Awesome job ken..wish you lived close..I'd let you do my mechanic work LOL. I know some things but not the real tech things. Most of the time I can figure out a problem. I have an oil leak on a 2002 montero xls that Ive had for about 4 years. I've changed upper cam seals when we did the timing belt. Changed the back upper cam seal on passenger side. Changed oil sending unit as it was leaking but it still has a leak that I cannot find where it's coming from. Maybe from the oil cooler and I have no clue where it's at. I've looked and looked so but I'll figure it out eventually. It has high mileage but runs like a new car. No smoking etc so I dont think it's using oil.
I have 2001 Prelude base 5 spd, will the h23a swap work with my original ECU computer?? Will it pass emission testing as well??
The only problem i have is the FRAM oil filter
I used to swear by Fram till i learned about them refusing to update their technology ☹
Been running fram for 15 years no issues yet and i highly abuse my cars trucks
The stock flywheel is soooo heavy. Not fun at all. Competition Clutch street flywheel, about 13 lbs would do wonders.
My car won't start it turns over but wont start I new sparkplugs new wires and new distributor I got a 98 prelude can someone please help me
Can you part a parts list please I’m doing this exact project rn as we speak , what do I transfer from my old H22 to my H23 , what aftermarket parts do I buy, what type of damper was that again ?
In the video I showed exactly what parts need to be transferred over. The stock dampener was used.
so is this engine just plug and play or do you have to make adaptations to make it work into a 5th gen lude?
Hey buddy, thanks for the great video.............I have a 1997 Prelude with 120,000 miles on it's original 2.2 v-tec, the car has been stored indoors since new during winter and is mint..........I have always wished honda would have put a V6 in the 5 gen .........I am thinking of having a 3.5 v6 accord swap, done at my local honda dealer, i would like to go with all new parts directly from the dealer .......This is an old car i have here , but it is so clean and well looked after, ...it would be worth having done.............I would like to hear your feed back on a V6 swap for my lude.......Good idea or Bad?.........Any advantages and disadvantages on a upgrade such as this i would love to hear back..........Thanks .
HUSKEY BOY I’ve never seen a V6 swap before. I’m sure it would have a lot of power. Here in California I would never do that because of the emissions laws.
Hi ken i plan on doing this same job on my prelude, this video is huge help, if i cant do the work myself ill have a shop do it, what would be a fair price for this labor??
Best jesse
Every different area charges a different labor rate.
Ken, I have a 1998 Honda Prelude. Your video was amazing and very informative! I don't suppose you live in Canada do you, because I would love to have you do a full engine rebuild on my car? It's my baby!
Michael Catania I live in Northern California.
@@1970chevelle396 how far north I live in Redding
Nate Capps 45 minutes south of Sacramento.
@@1970chevelle396 nice I'm originally from Stockton born in manteca lol small world man
Nate Capps Stockton is 1 hour away from me.
Good video, my son and I are doing this swap on his prelude..
Can we use the alternator from the h23??
Put all the parts on it from the old engine.
the ecu doesnt have to be tuned up right? some people say it have to be tuned up? is that true
wilkin trejo I already explained that to you. If your asking this many questions you should not be doing this yourself. When I did it I didn't ask any questions and I didn't look anything up. Only thing was the place that sold me the engine told me the oil pump had to be changed. That way I was able to buy it beforehand.
Hey bro. You’ve helped me out with question appreciate it. Got h23a running and starts up like a champ in 5th Gen. one issue I have is that when I step on gas pedal it dies immediately. Any help on why it does? I’m going to do ignition timing on Saturday and see if that why. Thank you!!
I’m not sure. Check to see if there is any codes.
1970chevelle396 not at the moment. Haven’t driven it yet since if I drive it it might jsut die once I step on gas lol. But thanks appreciate your feedback. Without you video I wouldn’t have be able to do this!!!! Helped a lot of people out with this swap !
It’s hard to say without seeing it. It might set some codes after a while.
1970chevelle396 got it running really good now. Issue was TPS need adjustment to its Specific voltage. Thanks for all the help once again!
This fella is a genius.....love watching and learning about my 5th Gen! 🇨🇦👌🏻👍🏻👀
Thanks
Hi I just wanted to know if you felt any difference between the h23a and USDM h22a4 in terms of acceleration and over all feel? Does it burn as much oil as a h22a4?
Vinskikauski Amourelius Both engines put out exactly the same power.
@@1970chevelle396 are you having any oil consumption issues with the h23a?
Vinskikauski Amourelius No
Why r u swapping a vtec engine with more power for a non vtec engine with 25hp less...
Both engines are VTEC. And they both have the same horsepower.
Part numbers please, which harmonic balancer for the power steering
I don’t have the part numbers. You would have to look all the parts up. A few of the hoses I had to get from the dealership. The rest of the parts came from regular auto parts stores.
Great video, very helpful. Quick question did you use the dipstick from the h22? Or h23? Thank you
Use all the parts from the H22. Only the exhaust manifold was the same on both engines.
@@1970chevelle396 🙏 thanks for the info much appreciated
I just recently did my swap and my crank pulley is wobbling really bad? I torqued down to spec and it rounded my crank pulley. I bought a new crank pulley and key but it still rounded
Jimmy Stewart does a Honda swap!
Hello I was wondering if you were talking about the windage tray from the h22a4 or from the h23a
Use everything off of the H22A4
Will do and thank you
Only thing you left out was to talk about the LMA lost motion assembly make noise check them while engine is out you have tonpull cams not hard or you might have a honda tick at idle
Absolutely a great job. That is how things are downright cut at absolutely no corners. Ken you seem like a Honda technician.
Were do you live? I need a engine and transmission put in my prelude for me
+Daniel Beavers Near Sacramento California
1970chevelle396 I’m looking to get this done to my prelude as well. How can I get in touch with you?
Do you work on j35 Honda odyssey ?
Where'd you get the motor from?
Yo I plan on doing a swap on my prelude. Debating on getting the jdm h22a or h23a. I’m in Jsut worried about the crank sensors and all that shit you gotta swap on the oil pump. I live 40 min away from Sacramento
Jay Beatz It’s cheaper to put the H23A engine in it.
I have a 97 prelude base model with sport shift and wanting to jdm 5 speed swap, any suggestions on which 5 speed and I'm planning to turbo and vtec killer cams. Thats basically how I'm going with this 400-500 whp. Any suggestions would be cool. Thanks
I’m not sure if the stock manual transmission can take that much power. You will have to do some research on that.
So you swapped the oil pan from the oils motor to the new one or just the trans bracket?
Everything was swapped except the exhaust manifold.
@@1970chevelle396 got it I’m doin the swap now. Oil pan, sprockets, CKP sensors, thermostat housing, full intake, and wiring harness. Am I missing anything?
Anything that’s different has to be swapped from the old engine..
Hey how did you do the rear mount? We are trying to put our engine back in but the rear engine mount is being real stubborn. What order did you put the mounts in. we are trying to do front, then rear, then both sides. Should we try something different?
I put the engine and transaxle in together.
Awesome video and series man.did you have to use the h22 oil pan?i figured the h23 oil pan would be the same.
I see you switched oil pans.was that because of the oil pump?
Matt W The oil pan is different. You need to use the one off of the H22A4 engine.
1970chevelle396 thanks man.mine is automatic.is it a fitment issue?cross member or something.my engine is on the way so I’ll be cracking into this this week.any help I’d be truly grateful.i know you get bombarded with questions.
Matt W I don’t know if there is a fitment issue. The pan is different thats why I changed it.
Ok thanks for the follow up.appreciate your video.
Could you explain to everyone why the sensors crank trigger etc need to be swapped over for JDM OBD1 to USDM OBD2 please? I figured out why my car starts but doesnt run because of you and think you would be able to help alot of people by explaining this.
You have to use the USDM oil pump because the connector on the USDM harness for the crank angle sensor has a different connector than the one on the JDM H23A harness. Also, as he pointed out, you cannot utilize the USDM crank angle sensor on the JDM oil pump, because there is no place to mount the sensor, as the mounting holes are not present on the JDM oil pump. So in short use the USDM oil pump.
Do you have the oil pump part number cause I'm doing a swap on my 99 lude but the h22 oil pump doesn't work good but I cannot find the right one for my h23 blue top
No I don’t have the part number. I think I bought it from Rock Auto.
The ports always get clogged for these h22, f22 motors p0401 code comes up around 100k to 160k miles. It's normal absolutely nothing you can do to prevent this...except delay it by using 91 octane fuel. I really enjoyed your thorough rebuild video.
Thanks
With your knowledge of engine rebuild and swapping, I wish to see you install that new civic type r crate engine into a prelude perhaps.
So.........how did you like that cabin air filter replace job. Haha . It all was simple . Till it came to that .
What’s the benefit of having the vtec h23 vs the h22? Same hp factory. will the slightly larger displacement take on more hp after similar modifications?
There’s no advantage. It’s just a replacement engine.
The h22 is a high compression engine and way freaking better than an h23 I can't believe your doing all of this for a less powerful engine yikes
It’s exactly the same horsepower
So im in the middle of this swap right now 99 prelude car had a blown h23a allready in it when i got it on a trade so i bought a new h23a got it all in there and now realized the crank an oil pumps diff is it best to switch pumps or is it possible to use jdm distributor amd wire into the harness
+Justin Taylor You need to buy a new oil pump for it.
Can you please tell me if they required your car to to the BAR inspection to be certified by the state since the engine isnt original?
You're a pro, starts up right away after dropping it in. What were all those warning lights on the dash after startup? Was one of them the check engine? Wish you had done a 1 hour long video on this since it is such valuable information.
James C All the lights went off after I ran it for a few minutes
Learned a lot from all your videos , especially this one . Since I’m using all the old parts from the h22 engine , when replacing the spark plugs and wires am I getting them for an h23 or h22 engine ?
+P M Spark plugs and wires should be the same on both engines.
great video
Thanks
Question , I assume you had to transfer all the working parts from the h22 to h23 , did you use the distributor and intake manifold from the old engine also ?
+P M I used everything from the old engine except the exhaust manifold.
Very well put together. I picked up some tips. Thanks.
Was there any need for custom fabrication to fit the h23a in this generation prelude or does it fit perfectly, and if so what is needed for it to fit.
+josemanriquez Everything just bolts in.
The preventive maintenance is such a wonderful tip. I got my dream 5th Gen prelude and im rebuilding it now, just got my trans and engine tomorrow. hope this build goes well. so nervous!
Thanks. I might put another Prelude together in a few months. Since that one is now totaled sitting in my backyard after a girl made a left hand turn right in front of me in July of last year. I’m still dealing with her insurance company.
Great video, I just had the same thing done to the exact same car with the same engine as well. But have a issue. I changed the oil pump and swapped over the old sensors and now my oil light is on. It wasn't on with the stock engine and we have changed the oil pressure sensors 3 times with the same issue. But the car has enough oil and we have started it up and it runs fine. What should i do or where should i start to troubleshoot. If you can help just let me know.
andrew garcia The first thing you would have to do is hook a oil pressure gauge up to it and see if your getting oil pressure. Snap On and other companies make a tool kit for doing that , it comes with a gauge and a bunch of adapters that screw in the block where the sending unit would normally go. That will tell you if you have a mechanical problem or a problem with the gauge in the dash.
great video, i just finish replacing my 1997 honda prelude h22 with an h23 and my car has a rough idle and seems like its not getting gas into the injectors or something. ill already check for timing and everything lines up..any ides
Did you find What was the solution?
Did you use the same cv axles from the prelude or did you use some different axles since the h23a is from a accord?
It’s not from an Accord. Its a JDM engine from Japan. Pretty much the same thing as the H22A4 except it has a tiny little bit more stroke to it. That’s the reason for being .1 litters bigger.
I know this video is a little old buti had a question so swapped out my stock 97 prelude engine with a h22 euro r and I got it start up just fine the problem is im getting no oil pressure at all when I remove the oil filter it is completely dry and I did replace the oil pump twice now but still no oil pressure at all any idea to why this might be any suggestions or help is appreciated thanks and very nice clean job on that h23
Something is wrong with the oil pump or the pickup tube.
@@1970chevelle396 thank you very much I figured out the problem I had the usdm oil pan and pick up tube instead of the euro r original pan and pick up tube finally I got oil pressure thank you very much for sharing your knowledge with every one that can very much benefit from it I appreciate your fast response
How did you wire the distributor, the the four and two plugs to the 8pon plug off the h23a distributor
+hondaromio You have to put the parts on it from the old engine.
That hose you needed was for the FITV not your IACV. Did you get the JDM ecu with the engine
Prelude Dude Si Yes it came with it. But I threw it away.
Hey man so how did you smog it? I live in northern california and want to swap my H22A4 for a H22A jdm.
Renato Pequeno If everything is done right. You take it to the smog check referee and they will put a sticker on the door jamb saying what you did is approved.
Maybe a stupid question but I'm going this swap, and down to mounting the oil pan and trans.. but why does the oil pan from the h22 need to be used on the h23?
There different
@@1970chevelle396 but are they different enough to where it is a definite to replace?
Why did you switch oil pans and pick up? I am doing same swap as well.
Jay Beatz The original oil pan is different from the one on the H23A engine.
How did u get the crank timing gear off.....mine is stuck on there pretty good
You have to wiggle it off, don't pull straight. It's a MF'er but it will come off. Hope this helps
Hey man , my prelude just developed rod knock. Just wondering if you’d be interested in getting paid to swap my engine? I figure it’s worth asking since I’m thinking of selling as is.
If your planing on selling it. It wouldn’t be worth it to have me replace the engine
1970chevelle396 I’d love to keep the car if you are interested in the job or have the time to do it. It’s really motivating after watching your video, you know exactly how to make this swap work. I’m having a hard time trying to find a mechanic who can make the JDM swap. I’m near the Sacramento area.
Jaaskaa Kalita It’s a lot of work to do that. It would be $2K plus the parts. It would be like $3000 to $3500 total to do that.
Question, I know they recommend using premium gas for the preludes but I’m almost done with my swap. What kind do you run in yours ?
I just run 87 octane gas.
1970chevelle396 thanks once again
Hi I just have one question is your car type sh? Or can I use a h23 one it? @1970chevelle396
+Juan Rojas It doesn’t make any difference weather its a base or a SH, A H23A will work in both models
1970chevelle396 thanks
hey can i ask what ECU did you use to get it started, im doing the same swap on my 01 prelude? or can I stick with the stock one? please..
Sovan Sao The ECU that was in the car originally stays in the car. You have to put all the parts from the original engine onto the new engine. Only the exhaust manifold on the new engine was the same and didn't need to be changed over.
1970chevelle396 thanx
Hi 1970chevelle396, I am planning to do the same swap you did and I was wondering if you still own the car? Also, did you get rid of all the check engine light and how does the engine behave with the h22a4 ECU? Thanks
Frede Bouchard Yes I still have the car. The check engine light has never been on. It drives perfect.
Thats great, you sure did a great job! Did you had any issue with the Vtech? And a what RPM does it engage?
thanks
Frede Bouchard Theres no issues at all. The only difference with this engine is it’s .1 liters more. Which is almost nothing. Its just not possible to have any kind of issues with it. A whole bunch of people keep asking the same kind of questions. Put all of the original parts on the new engine. The exhaust manifold was the only part I didn’t change because it was the same as the one on the car.
You are really thorough and have a lot of knowledge. Nice work.
So now it's missing 40 HP right? Must feel weaker than before? I'm just wondering incase I do this too lol
Cornelius mang It’s exactly the same Horsepower.
Yeah sure man same hp and a bit more torque at lower rpm's.
Looking to get this done to my Prelude. I’m 20 mins away from Fairfield and can bring you the car. How do I get in touch?
It would cost like $3K for me to do that.
That’s for everything including labor, motor and all the parts?
Yes that’s for everything
Your awsome. Did you swap over all your sensors or did you use h23's
I swapped over everything .
how much does the average engine swap cost? including labor and buying the new engine?
DRO_Pranks The engine cost $750. Labor didn't cost anything, I did this to my own car.
Im looking to replace my engine h22a4. Where did you buy yours from?
Nikos Ozmorio You just need to look up JDM engines online and find a place in your area that sells them.
Nice job Ken , you got it running like a champ.
Rusty Glovebox It runs good. I drove it about 70 miles today.
1970chevelle396 i hope you didnt throw the old head away! ill cry! been looking for one for awhile.
v6 ftmfl I still have the head.
You did a good job. But it upsets me you trashed the old engine. Not only that, you could of sold the cylinder head and block
+Adam Desjarlais The block was no good. I saved the cylinder head and the rest of the parts that were good.
@@1970chevelle396 im looking to swap this engine in my 97 accord. Did everything for the h22 bolt right up?. Any issues? Oil pump etc
Adam Desjarlais Yes everything bolted up. I had to replace the oil pump. The original one had no place to bolt the crankshaft position sensor to.
Nothing wrong with a wanting all oem parts
first off thank you for your informative videos . I think I posted a comment in the wrong area.. sorry if I'm double posting. I have a 1998 Honda Prelude type sh and I'm wanting to do the swap. I was concerned about the axles needed if I buy this engine with a non atts transmission. I've read that I need a base model mid-shaft or intermediate shaft to fit the axles on the type sh with the swapped h23a blue top.. I'm planning on buying the motor from H Motors online and was wondering if that engine comes with the intermediate shaft that I need for the full swap. any help would be gratefully appreciated, thanks in advance
Adrian Joel The engine doesn’t come with the transmission. You use the transmission that came with the car.
1970chevelle396 thank you for the quick reply. but I have a type sh which means I need to change the transmission due to the atts.. or that's what I understand from what i read online. that is why I'm curious on what axles to use and if they'll even fit on the type sh spindles.. the base model and sh model have different cv axles. I just realized I said "does the engine come with the intermediate shaft " but I meant if the transmission comes with that intermediate half shaft.
Adrian Joel It doesn’t matter if it’s a base model or a SH. Your only replacing the engine not the transmission. No need to change axles.
1970chevelle396 so the h23a motor fits on the SH tranny? everyone says it doesn't..
supposedly on a type sh you can only use another h22a4 or type s (Japanese)
the type sh h22a4 block is different from the base model to accommodate for the ATTS
Men, u have the measure of the valve adjustment of the H23A? I got it 17-19, (intake-exhaust) , but its not the factory adjustment, and i can't find it anywhere
Bismarck Cuellar The valve clearance would be the same as the H22A4 engine.
@@1970chevelle396 its not a problem bcause the bigger displacement of the H23A? I will try that measure
@@1970chevelle396 thanks
Bismarck Cuellar It makes no difference the displacement. Only difference in the engine is it has a tiny little bit more stroke to it.