The B18 engine is a performance engine manufactured by Honda. Swapping a B18 in for the stock engine is a popular modification for the Honda Civic lineup because of the low cost and high performance gains. The engine is rated at 200 horsepower, which is a substantial increase over the stock horsepower rating of the Honda Civic models. The process, while not simple, does not require a professional garage or a mechanic that specializes in engine swapping.
Drain your Honda Civic of standard engine fluids, transmission fluids, brake fluids and depending on car options, differential fluids.
Place the car up on jack stands to allow complete access to the front axle.
Spray PB Blaster on all the bolts located on the front axle. Let it soak in for five to 10 minutes.
Remove all the bolts located on the axle as well as the two 17-millimeter lug nuts located on the lower fork, then remove the lower fork.
Remove the lug nuts located on the ball joint. Use the hammer and pliers to pull out the cotter pins located on the ball joint.
Remove the front axle and the ball joint. A hammer may be required to separate the ball joint.
Remove the bolts attaching the catalytic converter and exhaust piping to the engine.
Remove all the tubes attached to the engine, making sure that they will not get caught on anything during the engine removal process.
Remove the pin holding the shift linkage by moving the rubber protector out of the way and lightly hammering the pin, then disconnect the shift linkage. The shift linkage is located on the underside of the car in the transmission section.
Disconnect the shift linkage from connecting to the rear of the car.
Disconnect the battery and lift it out of the engine compartment. Remove the holder located under the battery.
Secure the engine lift chains to the engine. Make sure the weight of the engine block is evenly distributed.
Connect the chain to the engine lift, making sure there is no excess pull on the engine.
Remove the lower motor mounts located underneath the car facing the car's interior, then remove the rest of the motor mounts.
Recheck that the engine is supported by the engine lift and chain, then remove the bolts attaching the engine to the transmission.
Lift the engine out of the engine bay and clean the engine bay.
Connect the B18 engine block to the engine lift chain.
Lower the new engine into the engine bay. The B18 engine is a larger engine and will need to be lined up perfectly to the bolt insertions for a successful lowering.
Connect the ECU wiring to the B18 engine using electrical tape and the soldering iron to connect the wires.
Secure the engine by reinstalling the removed bolts.
Reinsert the removed motor mounts into the motor mount holders.
Remove the old shift linkage and replace it with the B series shift linkage. Hook the linkage back up with the pin and bolt in the lower fork.
Hook the exhaust piping and the catalytic converter up to the new engine and reinstall the bolts to hold them in place.
Reinstall the front axle and its bolts.
Remove the throttle cable that is connected to the bottom of the gas pedal and replace it with the GSR throttle cable. The stock throttle cable has too much play for the B18 motor; a stiffer cable is required.
