DIY - DX/LX head swap to EX Vtec
Thread Starter
iTrader: (14)
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,120
Likes: 2
From: Las Vegas, NV
Rep Power: 296 
Originally Posted by skydog
xproductionz, do you have that ex head from the swap you did? If so, want to sell it? maybe the vafc2?
Subarus FTW I do NOT miss my civic
iTrader: (9)
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 4,595
Likes: 0
From: Scottsdale, AZ
Rep Power: 0
Originally Posted by xproductionz
i'll have my ex head in a few weeks cause im swapping the motor out... but right now we are trying to finalize the supercharger kit on the D17... and yes i did use the vafc2 with the head swap to run the vtec
Thread Starter
iTrader: (14)
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,120
Likes: 2
From: Las Vegas, NV
Rep Power: 296 i said something way back when..... opto_isolator remembers back when i was talking about it but i aint showing any products or anything till we at least get something good to show
Registered!!
iTrader: (8)
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 3,024
Likes: 1
From: Zulu Alpha Tango Foxtrot
Rep Power: 311
Originally Posted by xproductionz
i said something way back when..... opto_isolator remembers back when i was talking about it but i aint showing any products or anything till we at least get something good to show
Wish I had a Turbo 3)
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 737
Likes: 0
From: South Dakota
Rep Power: 0 
i want to do that so badly to my car i just dont have any clue how to do it. how much would a shop charge to swap the head out and put the vafc2 on and do everything to make it run with vtec? have any clue? or if someone on here would do i would be able to do it how much would you charge? it might be like a couple months till i can get the money for everything but itd be nice to know a price
Last edited by 04|5spdCivic; Jan 27, 2005 at 02:19 PM.
Thread Starter
iTrader: (14)
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,120
Likes: 2
From: Las Vegas, NV
Rep Power: 296 well just to let everyone know that vafc2 and car runs fine.. ecu hasnt adjusted to any changes so as far as i can tell the ecu does not compensate for the changes.. or so i think
Wish I had a Turbo 3)
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 737
Likes: 0
From: South Dakota
Rep Power: 0 hey xproductionz could you kinda explain what the vafc2 stands for and what it does. like is it for tuning the vtec and is it well known so a local shop would be able to install it no problem or is it some like black market paperclip wired into the ecu to trick it into thinking its a monster truck? sry i got carried away but what is the vafc2? explain it so someone who has no clue what your talking about would be able to understand thanks alot man. i know i'm an idiot but i need to know what i'm doing before i have it done. thanks alot man
Thread Starter
iTrader: (14)
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,120
Likes: 2
From: Las Vegas, NV
Rep Power: 296 VAFC in general explained:
Piggyback Fuel Computer with Integrated VTEC Controller
Modifies manifold pressure signal and alters VTEC engagement point on Honda VTEC engines; Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD).
A'PEX introduces the first digital fuel computer that combines fuel computer functions with a VTEC engagement controller. The V-AFC features a user-definable, eight-point, adjustable fuel curve that can be set in 500 RPM increments (or 100 RPM increments on the VAFC2). The range of fuel adjustment is +/- 50% at each of the user-defined setting points. The Fuel Adjustment function considers wide/narrow throttle and low/high camshaft settings, from which four different fuel maps are created (wide-low, wide-high, narrow-low, narrow-high). The integrated VTEC Controller adjusts the point at which the engine switches from the Lo to Hi cam during acceleration, as well as when the engine switches from the Hi to Lo cam during deceleration.
Piggyback Fuel Computer with Integrated VTEC Controller
Modifies manifold pressure signal and alters VTEC engagement point on Honda VTEC engines; Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD).
A'PEX introduces the first digital fuel computer that combines fuel computer functions with a VTEC engagement controller. The V-AFC features a user-definable, eight-point, adjustable fuel curve that can be set in 500 RPM increments (or 100 RPM increments on the VAFC2). The range of fuel adjustment is +/- 50% at each of the user-defined setting points. The Fuel Adjustment function considers wide/narrow throttle and low/high camshaft settings, from which four different fuel maps are created (wide-low, wide-high, narrow-low, narrow-high). The integrated VTEC Controller adjusts the point at which the engine switches from the Lo to Hi cam during acceleration, as well as when the engine switches from the Hi to Lo cam during deceleration.
Last edited by xproductionz; Feb 13, 2005 at 10:18 PM.
Thread Starter
iTrader: (14)
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,120
Likes: 2
From: Las Vegas, NV
Rep Power: 296 the block of the ex and the dx are the same.. only the head is different.. so in theory you get higher compression and the added control of vtec which in turn should give you the same specs as a ex if not more power if you are using a vafc to tune the engine...
Registered!!
iTrader: (4)
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 831
Likes: 0
From: Montreal, Qc, Canada
Rep Power: 0 What is the difference with the HX engine and your mod? I was told (maybe it's wrong) that the HX engine is a DX bottom with an EX head... and the power difference is 115HP (DX) vs 117HP (HX).
Is the difference in power between the HX (117HP) and the EX (127HP) only in the ECU setting?
Is the difference in power between the HX (117HP) and the EX (127HP) only in the ECU setting?
Last edited by Redviking; Feb 23, 2005 at 01:21 PM.
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,351
Likes: 0
From: Houma, Louisiana
Rep Power: 304 started head swap today.. ran into complications due to faulty torque wrench. ended up snapping a bolt on the rocker arm assemly.. it started to get dark but we got the head on and torqued down all we have left is to reconnect hoses and everything then do initial startup for the vafc2. wish me luck
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,351
Likes: 0
From: Houma, Louisiana
Rep Power: 304 ok well more bad news for me.. the car is not running correctly. we tried the initial startup but the car still ran really bad like wanting to die.. plus there was a tapping sound.. let it run for a few minutes but never corrected itself. we ended up readjusting the valves. we eliminated the tap but now there is a miss. its still idling really rough. all of the spark plugs fouled out. we were running the car without the vafc plugged in. tried it a few times with it plugged in but still same effect. i'm clueless as to what could be wrong so i'm calling on you guys to help me out a bit. here is a breakdown of what we installed...
Ported and Polished EX Vtec Head
Custom Camshaft (made by web) not sure of the specs
AEM camshaft pulley (set at 0)
as i said we did the initial startup followed directions exactly. i dont think any fuel adjustments should have to be made a low rpms because doesnt it only go lean when vtec kicks in? what could be causes it to idle badly and foul out the spark plugs?
any help would be very helpful
Ported and Polished EX Vtec Head
Custom Camshaft (made by web) not sure of the specs
AEM camshaft pulley (set at 0)
as i said we did the initial startup followed directions exactly. i dont think any fuel adjustments should have to be made a low rpms because doesnt it only go lean when vtec kicks in? what could be causes it to idle badly and foul out the spark plugs?
any help would be very helpful
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,351
Likes: 0
From: Houma, Louisiana
Rep Power: 304 ok well now we got a good update.. got the problem solved.. it was due to the timing being off.. so its fixed now. running very nice but still needs to be fine tuned.. which i am working on right now. wish me luck again.
Thread Starter
iTrader: (14)
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,120
Likes: 2
From: Las Vegas, NV
Rep Power: 296 lol... as i was reading your post about the knocking i was thinking in my head that your timing was off or you guys didnt do TDC when putting the head on.. now it looks like you got it...
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,351
Likes: 0
From: Houma, Louisiana
Rep Power: 304 yea everything is cool now.. got everything fixed except for a minor exhaust leak. gonna try to fix that up one fo these.. it def pulls alot harder.. going to the track tonight hoping to beat my best time of 16.1 now that i have the advantage of vtec i hope it puts me over the 15 sec mark.. wish me more luck lol
Crawlin Similar To An Ant Low To Da Earth
iTrader: (20)
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 658
Likes: 0
From: Raleigh, NC
Rep Power: 280 SELLING EX HEAD FOR SWAP READY TO GO.....VALVED AND READY...CHECK THIS LINK.
http://www.7thgencivic.com/forums/sh...05#post2847605
http://www.7thgencivic.com/forums/sh...05#post2847605
Thread Starter
iTrader: (14)
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,120
Likes: 2
From: Las Vegas, NV
Rep Power: 296 the emanage is recommended but not everyone can afford that much so they take the shorter route and get a vafc2...i used the vafc2 cause i wanted to do a head swap without having to get the ex ecu and wireharness and go through all that hassle...
xsrcivic... how did you run?
xsrcivic... how did you run?
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,351
Likes: 0
From: Houma, Louisiana
Rep Power: 304 well went to the track friday.. was only able to get in 2 runs which weren't great. traction was a serious issue on both lanes. could only manage 16.3 and 16.5. i'm gonna need to get out there on wed for test and tune. i still need to see what kinda a/f ratio i got going on so i can tune it more.
Thread Starter
iTrader: (14)
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,120
Likes: 2
From: Las Vegas, NV
Rep Power: 296
Originally Posted by Chris3k2
so if i got the emanage and did the swap what else would I need??? the ex ecu or not??
Crawlin Similar To An Ant Low To Da Earth
iTrader: (20)
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 658
Likes: 0
From: Raleigh, NC
Rep Power: 280 umm, yeah. The head (esp. if milled) Will have a higher compression. With out vtec running you will have a better cam profile anyways to boot. The EX cam is hotter than the LX/dx ...not by much but every little bit helps!
Thread Starter
iTrader: (14)
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,120
Likes: 2
From: Las Vegas, NV
Rep Power: 296 yes the tranny has shorter gears on the ex compared to the dx/lx... but i did the head swap and went boosted so boosting on the dx/lx tranny is better than the ex... the ex tranny is good i f your gonna go all motor or n/a
