Car title sez VX - Motor is ??? - Please HELP!

[dogncatboy]

Can someone help me ID the motor in my new to me VX[?]. I looked at the thread that tells how to ID the motor, but I cant's seem to find the imprint on the block, I think the valve cover is not stock and I have no idea what some of the other "tell-tale" parts look llike. Here are some pics:


The O2 sensor looks to have 5 wires. Sorry for being such a helpless noob, I just want to make sure that I get parts for the right motor. I'm praying I didn't get a CX in a VX body. Thanks.

[mrmad]

When I saw this photo yesterday I wondered about the valve cover not saying Vtec on it, but wasn't sure if every year of the VX had the word Vtec on the valve cover.

If this is like other Hondas, there should be an engine code stamped on the left front side of the block just below where the head is installed. Probably right below the cooling line you see in the above image.

[dogncatboy]

WooHoo its a VX!!! Thanks for the excellent locator info MrMad. I had to use some degreaser to clean away a bunch of baked on oil from an old leak, but sure enuff there it is! That makes me very happy, I would've been POd if someone had switched the motor and not divulged the info. The lady I bought this from had a CRX as well and it had the stock VX rims on it, though at the time I didn't know what was what. I bet she switched them because the VX rims are nicer, as was her CRX.

[McPatrick]

Looks like the stock valve cover to me. I think only '94 and '95 VX's will say "VTEC-E" on them.

[mrmad]

I think you are right, that someone replaced the valve cover with one that does not say Vtec on the top, but the other thing you may eventually want to do is verify it is a VX head. I can see the green Vtec connector in your photos, but if for example someone put a non VX, Vtec head on a VX engine, the compression ratio would be considerably lower. The VX head has a small combustion chamber and to keep the compression ratio from being too high, the VX pistons are dished on the top. A non VX head would have a larger combustion chamber which mated with the VX pistons would result in a pretty low compression ratio.

Hopefully someone here will know what the stamped code would be for a VX head and where it would be.

[78si]

Its a vx unless someone transfered the VX parts( intake manifold, exhaust manifold..ect) on to a regular d series.. Odds are its a VX!

[cems70]

The picture shows the VX EGR valve stuff on the firewall. I believe the CX didn't have this. Regarding the valve cover, on the VX, the oil cap is on the right side of the valve cover. On the CX and DX it's on the left side.

[dogncatboy]

Thanks for all of the replies, you guys are great! I got new plugs tonight [the correct ones] and am gonna put them in tomorrow as well as check for a vacuum leak. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that my low throttle lag will disappear soon and my FE will rocket up. We'll see.

[GasSavers_TomO]

Glad you got the help you needed dogncatboy!

I like the looks one the parts guy's face when I get the "hotter than normal heat range" plugs for a Honda. That is what the "4" refers to in the ZFR4F-11 plugs. Most Naturally aspirated Hondas run a ZFR5F-11 plug.

[dogncatboy]

Thanks Tom, you are the VX God around here!!! He was a bit surprised when I ordered them up. My Autozone doesn't carry the NGK brand anymore. You should have seen the parts guy's face when I told him I was going down the road to Advance because I wanted that. I decided to mess with him some more and had him look up the O2 sensor. He about crapped wh he saw the price!! I got one off ebay per your link for about $180 and 'm just waiting for delivery. I'm gonna check for a vacuum leak this afternoon when I do the plugs. I'll post anything significant I find.