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Ok, Before y'all tell me to do a search just hear me out. I had a red 2003 Civic Ex (EM2) basically stock, except it had a true JDM D17a because I blew the stock a2 (I still have the motor, the block is creamed but the head is perfectly fine) was just trying to get it driving again in the cheapest way possible. It just got T-boned on the passenger side by a dodge ram and totaled the car(But my car totaled theirs too haha). So now I am getting a 2004 LX 1.7L non-vtec d17a1 and saw some threads that people had put the a2 vtec head on the a1 block and got vtec back, but needed a Hondata or Vafc2 or whatever those are. If it wouldn't be too much trouble I would appreciate someone explaining what those are. I have a bookmarked DIY thread so I don't need a walkthrough, but I'd just like to know what I'm getting myself into so I can have a better understanding when I end up doing it. Another note I'm 17 and somewhat new to doing performance type mods, like said earlier the hardest thing I've done is swap out the EM2 motor with the same one but from Japan.

 
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if you can get the engine harness and ecu from your wrecked car that will save you a lot of headaches. is the red car and the new car the same trans? (auto/manual)

 
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They both have the automatic transmission, and the harness and ECU I'd have to get online or something, Insurance is taking the car for a whole $2400

 
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junkyard, get harness, ecu, immobiliser, and keys all from the same car. might be easiest to get a yard to notify you when a car comes in
04-05 use an a/f sensor for the primary o2 sensor, they also have egr
the wiring for the post cat o2 sensor will need to be modified

 
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Thank you very much! Like I said I'm kinda young so I apologize if anything should've been obvious but you've been a great help

 
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Why would you think your old head was still good when the bottom end was creamed?

Swapping the head along with a trigger button on the gear shifter is your best value. Press button to turn on the vtec for that 10hp boost.

 
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No, just no. Lol

OP read the posts on vtec conversion. It's easy.

Basic parts needed

-vtec head/new head gasket
-vtec ecu
-vtec engine harness (or you can run your own wires to the ecu and pin it in)
-header. vtec oem or aftermarket
-O2 sensor extension wires

-drive it to honda with original ecu, then get them to code the ignition to the new ecu.

Done

 
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If the ignition isn't coded, won't that stop me from turning the car on?

 
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No, because we're driving the vehicle on the original ecu that is coded to the ignition.

With a non vtec ecu you will not have a signal to the vtec solenoid, so you will not have vtec functional. But you can drive the car.

Drive to honda on original ecu, once there they can check the vtec ecu for it's code, and program your key to match.

.....

I did the same thing when I swapped from auto to manual and needed to use a manual ecu/original key coded.

 
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So I'm driving on the vtec wiring harness on the original ecu, not having the vtec signal, and asking the Honda dealership to map my key?

 
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Yes.

The only differance in the vtec harness is the wired connection to the vtec solinoid. Everything else is the same because the base engines/transmissions are the same.

 
Rep Power: 224

Drive to Honda with the original ECU and no working VTEC. Once at the dealer you'll have to swap ECUs to the VTEC one and get the key coded. Unless they have a way to program the key into the VTEC ECU without it being in car. Either way you'll have to swap to the VTEC ECU eventually.