20 replies to this topic

[austinmini25]

I am thinking of fitting a honda D16 single or twin cam engine to my mini but can't find much info about it.
Has anyone here done it ?

How much roughly has it cost you?

Also has anyone made their own subframe?

Any pictures or links aswell please

[haz]

theres a 16v section and an engine conversion section, try looking in there for ideas

i know the B16 is a popular conversion, and the D16 is a similar unit but i dont know if anyone has used it... whats wrong with using a B16?? its a better unit than the D anyway

You can monify a metro subframe to accept the B16, or alternativly build your own or go to zcars.org... theres someone else making tubular subbies too but i forget the name... janspeed maybe

[austinmini25]

I've already searched but couldn't find much and the reason for not using a B16 is just cost really plus it's already been done alot and i want somethin different

[Dev]

B16's aren't that cheap due to the CRX/Civic boys wanting them as spares as well as the mini owners.

The D16 is actually the better alrounder providing much better torque lower down the revs and still revving to 7200 RPM.

However unless you are front fitting this i wouldn't reccommend having a RWD mini they just cant cope.

If you look in the projects sectin there are plenty of threads on fitting a VTec B16

[Jammy]

i know the B16 is a popular conversion, and the D16 is a similar unit but i dont know if anyone has used it... whats wrong with using a B16?? its a better unit than the D anyway

Depends how you look at it. D series engines are much much cheaper, you can pick versions up that are only 20-30bhp less than the B series, and I have a Vtec-E D series engine that only cost me £100 and has a 3.7 final drive as standard, making it extremely suitable for small Mini wheels. A B series on the other hand usually goes for £500+, and a suitable custom final drive will cost you another £500+.

[pantera2075]

There's a member on the 16vminiclub forums (and GTMOC) that used to have one in the back of his GTM. He was really impressed but went up to B18 for the extra cc's.

From investigations i've done, unless you want over 200bhp, they'll handle anything you can throw at them.

Search Wikipedia "Honda d engine" for an overview.

[Jammy]

The other advantage the D has over the B is weight, with the D being a lot lighter. The D is closer to the weight of the standard Mini engine, whereas I believe the B is about 20kgs heavier, which doesn't do anything for handling.

[Dev]

D16's really are great, and to justify this i am going to take the CRX up on t'moors tonight as a reward for yet another horrible day at work.

the D16 is the better engine for everything but high power. seriously.

[Jammy]

Apparently they take to forced induction pretty well too!

Oh, did I mention I have a D series subframe for sale....

[Dev]

yeah they do, low boost can see 190-200 BHP very easily......

do you still have that D16 Vtec or that other JDM engine you had??

[Jammy]

Sold the JDM engine to Bounce a couple of months back, I believe he's put it back up for sale though.... 160 or 170bhp out of the box!

I still have the D series Vtec-E, waiting for me to decide whether I'm going to carry on with the Clubby project or not....

[bert998]

d series's are *rubbish*, better off sticking to a b series

(says with half a dozen old hondas in his ebay watch list)

I'd be interested in the engine jammy, very interested.

[austinmini25]

Thanks for the replies, i like the B series but just cant afford it and my dad has a D series in his 216gti so thats what made me think about the conversion.

JammyBasturd-I'm not interested at the moment because it's just an idea but how much were you looking for for the subframe? Do you think it would be hard to make your own subframe?
Thanks

[haz]

i know the B16 is a popular conversion, and the D16 is a similar unit but i dont know if anyone has used it... whats wrong with using a B16?? its a better unit than the D anyway

Depends how you look at it. D series engines are much much cheaper, you can pick versions up that are only 20-30bhp less than the B series, and I have a Vtec-E D series engine that only cost me £100 and has a 3.7 final drive as standard, making it extremely suitable for small Mini wheels. A B series on the other hand usually goes for £500+, and a suitable custom final drive will cost you another £500+.

my mate has a B16A 120k miles (150bhp) complete for £250 and another friend has the bottom end from a B16B (172bhp) and wants £150 (its recently been re-sleved and new rings)... it must be noted that its the head that adds the extra 22bhp to the import model


but yea, the D's are ok... but you cant beat the vtec on the B imo, it sounds beautiful. it doesnt have the torque of the D but power is better and you really really dont need buckets of torque when you're pulling less than 500kg of mini anyway

also, the B's can happily take around 250 horse through the standard bottom end. I have one friend with a crx running 199 horse (he's gutted) and another previously running high 230s, which incidently is the bottom end for sale


why oh why has no one put a frankenstein in a mini?!?!

[Jammy]

Oh yea, Bs can be had for cheap money, the two I've bought I both got for ~£250, but they are very few and far between, and (despite me not actively looking), I've not seen a full engine kit go for less than £500 in the past year or so.

Torque vs. power arguement is one that will rumble on for eternity. I tend to disagree with both sides and say that drivability is more important, or suitability for each application, and that neither power nor torque can be compared without looking at the full package, including power and torque graphs. I'm hoping thats an answer no one can argue with!

As for home made subframes, if you can measure and weld then you have the basic skills needed. You'll also need time and lots of patience. I think its telling that so few people decide to build their own, opting to pay an extra £1000+ for a proven solution.