Engine Installation and Start-up Procedures

Most if not all JDM engines will have numerous accessory components that can not be used in the US due to fitment or emissions compliance. 

This guide will give you some pointers for installing your JDM engine. 

 

The steps are very similar from NA to turbo engines, omit any info that does not pertain to your style of engine. 

  • Remove JDM intake manifold with harness and fuel rails. Clean old gasket off of cylinder heads. At this point you will determine what the condition of the crankcase breather hoses are and if they need to be swapped from the original engine or not. Generally speaking, the JDM hoses will be in better shape due to their lower miles and lack of abuse. You will also at this time determine if the crossover coolant pipe is the same angle for the upper radiator hose and whether or not you will need to swap the one one from the original engine or use a different upper hose. Be sure to replace the crossover o-rings if you decide to swap it or if o-rings aren’t available then clean the debris out of the channels and install with quality silicone adhesive making sure the o-rings are clean as well.
  • The exhaust can be reused from the JDM engine if it is similar or the original exhaust can be used. Make sure to pay attention to the oxygen sensor placement in the different styles to determine if you can use the JDM exhaust or not.
  • For NA motors, its recommended to replace the valve cover gaskets and perform a valve adjustment while they are off. With all engines it is highly recommended to replace ALL the timing components and spark plugs while the engine is out of the car.
  • If the engine is a turbo engine that you are installing, it is most likely because of your previous engine failure. If so, small bits of debris will contaminate the entire system. It is imperative that the complete intake manifold, the intercooler and the turbo inlet tube be flushed thoroughly to prevent material getting into the replacement engine and causing premature failures. Inspect and reinspect the components several times to make sure there are no foreign particles before assembly. Always use new intake manifold gaskets during install. If reusing the turbo from the failed engine, make sure the oil feed is flushed with plenty of oil and compressed air. If you are reusing the stock oil cooler/heat exchanger, be sure to flush that repeatedly to prevent any particles entering the system. We recommend not reusing oil coolers from failed engines and either replacing with new or omitting them completely. 

 

The following steps are for priming and starting your engine: 

 

  1. Fill engine with oil, coolant and new oil filter.
  2. Unplug crankshaft position sensor located on front of engine under the alternator.
  3. Crank engine with short bursts of 5 sec ON and 3 sec OFF to prevent the starter from overheating.
  4. After the oil can light has come off or you have cranked it 3-4 times following the instructions in step 3, you can then plug in the crankshaft position sensor.
  5. You will have to clear the check engine light and we recommend having an inexpensive code reader/scan tool to do this with a monitor coolant temp for the next step.
  6. Start the car and observe proper coolant bleeding procedures.
  7. If the fans come on prematurely with the lower radiator hose cold or cold air coming from the fans, then stop the engine.
  8. Let it sit for 10 minutes and restart the bleeding procedure.
    1. You will need to idle it long enough for both fans to kick on then off with upper and radiator hoses hot. The fans should cycle for 20-40 sec and then shut off.
    2. Monitor coolant temp with a scan tool to prevent overheating during bleeding.
    3. After a complete cycle, let the car cool down and check coolant level again (radiator cap and overflow for NA and expansion tank and overflow for turbo)
  9. Test drive vehicle after checking oil level, check for leaks and you’re ready to go!