Hey all. New around here and figured I would stop in to say hi. I am U.S. Army and recently returned from Afghanistan. I bought my Evo when I got home just over a year ago and now I am looking to do a few new things to my Evo. I have already done the typical things like coilovers, exhaust and simple things like that. But after I bought the car I noticed the engine was knocking just a bit. Since noticing that I put the car into storage. Once I pulled it out towards the end of summer the engine went on me. Not a big concern because I was getting ready for a possible transplant with a newer/better engine. Now I am at a crossroads. I have an Evo 8 but I also own an Evo 9 Mivec engine, completely built and machined separate Evo 9 Mivec head, 6 speed tranny, Evo 8 5 speed tranny and a few other parts I have been acquiring since buying the Evo. I am wondering with my Evo 8 engine going down should I transition over to the Mivec 9 engine and just do the ECU and wiring harness swap? I know I will be rebuilding the Evo 8 engine to become my autocross engine. Right now I am just trying to figure out which would be better for me to use as just my daily driver? I do know that a bunch of the posts I have read have said that the Evo 9 Engine with Evo 8 5 speed tranny is a great combo for the Evo. If anyone and I do mean anyone that has experience with both the Evo 8 and 9 could give me some type of input that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again and I hope to be a regular contributor once I start getting more into the Evo. I was a DSM guy before they became this popular as well. I owned a 90 Talon TSi, 94 Eclipse GSX, 97 Eclipse GSX and my buddy and I pooled our money together to buy an Evo 1 from Japan and got it sent here back in 2008 after I got back from my second tour to Iraq. But ended up totaling car less than 500 miles after piecing back together. LOL.

 

Well I will be back tomorrow at some point to see if I get any responses to my dilemma. Hope to hear back from some of my fellow vets that are on here as well as the guys that know more about the newer generations of DSM's. Like I said before I was into the old(er) school ones. And as things get going with getting my car up and running again I will keep posting here with updates and hopefully pics as things come together.

 

Welcome to the forum!

Mivec always trumps a non-mivec. However, I'm confused about your statement about re-building your stock evo 8 motor for an autocross motor. I would not want to be swapping out engines all the time.

I have no experience with a mivec swap, but I know its been done many times. What are your plans for the car? Will it be a daily driver? how much HP you plan to make?

 

For this car I am just staying stock. And the Evo 8 engine build for autocross is not going to be transplanted in the Evo 8 every time I race. I am going to be looking to get a rolling shell to turn into my autocross car. I don't plan on doing any engine mods or many horsepower performance mods until later down the road. Right now I just want it back and running.

 

Then I would just look for a stock evo 8 engine to put in. Fastest, easiest fix.

FYI, the 6 speed trans are weaker than the 5 speeds, but it shouldn't be a concern unless you are putting down more than 400hp.
Also, the 8vs9 five speed trans are the same for strength, they just have different gear ratios.

 

The problem with your solution is I don't have the money saved to buy an Evo 8 engine to drop into my car. And right now the only engine I have to drop into my car to get it running is my Evo 9 engine. So if I could be told what all I need to do a proper swap that would be great. That's really what I am looking for. Cuz so far from what I have read all I need is an Evo 9 ECU and engine wiring harness. If I need additional things it would be greatly appreciated to know. And I do plan on buying another Evo 8 engine as well as a 2.4 liter. I just haven't saved the money to do either yet.