1st Gen Fit engine swap performance thread
 

Follow along with Fastbrakes and Hasport as we create an all new performance build on the GD Fit.

We will be transforming the car into a competent street machine with upgraded suspension, chassis stiffening, brakes, interior and finally a turbocharged engine swap using the new Civic L15 turbocharged engine.

We will be detailing how the engine swap takes place as well as the regular performance upgrades to the brakes, chassis, suspension and interior.

The build won't be anything really wild but we will be able enjoy the car much more when we are done.

Our first steps will be to upgrade all the suspension, chassis and brakes to be able to handle the additional power we will get from the engine.

I will be posting here as well as the Fastbrakes page on Facebook.

Parts are being ordered and we expect to start sometime next week.

Awesome! Can't wait to sit back and watch the fun!

I'm thinking the electronic integration is going to be the hardest part. I have no idea how you get a DI motor with electronic everything to work in an old school Fit, but I sure look forward to finding out how!!!

This is good timing because I've been shopping power upgrade options myself. Was thinking that a K swap was about the only option, but an L15 should be much more fuel efficient and probably overall smoother.

Hasport will also be using the car to refine their mounts for the K motor.

Maybe too early to ask this, but are you thinking of using the gauge cluster, ECU, fuel pumps, wiring harness, etc out of a donor vehicle?

That's about the only way that I could tackle that swap, but I don't have the resources or knowledge that you all have.

....Dot...

We will be using as much of the donor vehicle parts as needed to get everything to work. Not sure if that will include the dash cluster, etc.

We will also be working with HeelToe Automotive to source many parts including the Ultra Racing chassis braces and the BC Coilovers

I like the sound of this.

Excited for all of this!

I for one will be following closely and taking notes of what works best.

Funny enough, I'd already picked BC Coilovers for my ride. From what I've read, the DR upgrade is worth every penny. Not a ton of choices for a GD so I'm glad they are an option.

Gathering parts and trying to spread the expense. Coilovers will probably be a next month purchase.

If it's a street car the DR's may be too harsh. I'm going with the BR's since I don't plan on tracking it.

cant wait to see the swap come to life subscribed.

Fastbrakes is gathering up parts for the Fit and will be installing the 11.6" 4 piston front kit and the 10.9" rear disc conversion this coming weekend. VTEC Academy will be helping with the upgrades and will be doing a write-up and video of the work. We also have received a rear swaybar from Progress Auto to help keep the Fit on the road. Our coilover suspension is on the way from our friends at HeelToe Auto and will be here in the next couple of weeks. We have decided on the BC Coilover kit with the DR type struts to compliment the increased power the Fit will be putting down with the L15 turbo swap.

Thanks for the update! Can't wait to start getting build info and pics as it happens.

Is the rear disc conversion still offered by Fastbrakes? I started piecing together my own kit because I thought it was discontinued?

I have made a few sets of the brackets for the 10.9" rear conversion. For more info contact me at sales@fastbrakes.com

following.....i'm at the point where my little 1.5 is starting to nickle and dime me....and i miss my days of high-revving vtec engines.................................so, yeah, a k-series is on the way, but there's just NO good write ups on the wiring/ecu/dash/steering mess...so PLEASE cover this in detail

That's for sure! I'm really surprised there's not a kit available by now. I was hoping that someone would develop a full kit including wiring, ecu, etc with optional A/C lines like is available for other motor swap projects :(

Sadly, I don't think a detailed write up on this build would help us much since this is going to be very different with the new 1.5 turbo. I suspect he will end up with the donor cars...everything!

Will be an awesome ride, but would be an expensive build for most as the first step is buying an entire working new style civic.

Hasport WILL be doing a K swap into the car using new mounts they will develop prior to the L15 turbo swap. I will ask that they detail the swap with wiring, ecu info, etc.

The L15 turbo engines are already available in salvage yards for under $1500 so the swap will be an affordable option. Even the 6 speed transmissions are easy to source once you know which models to look for.

:yeahthat: That would be awesome! :vtec:

I could be wrong, but I could see a resurgence of people interested in K swaps for GD's. They are now into the project car value and some of us have ones that are needing a second life. Would love to see a complete kit someday.

It's the ECU, wiring harness, HPFP & LPFP, gauge cluster, etc that will be tough with this swap I think. Honda's might be more modular, but people that have done swaps with DI motors in GM's and Fords have found that you have to swap EVERYTHING. As in, make the drivetrain think it's still in the donor vehicle.

Curious, outside of the Civic Si, is there a factory transmission option with a limited slip? Maybe the old Si 6-speed is an option?

Sorry for all of the questions. I'm just really excited about your project. Really looking forward to following along and learning.

With the Hondas it seems like they don't require all that work, but I will leave it to the Hasport guys to figure it all out and document it. We will certainly find out.

The L engine uses it's own bellhousing type, but it looks like that is swapable with the 6 spd in the Civic Si. Brian @Hasport has more info than I at the moment.

Fastbrakes swapped over the Fit to the 4 pot 11.6 brakes and rear disc swap this weekend with the help of our friend from Hasport Brian Gillispie.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fit...95cbced085.jpg

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fit...689e242f1e.jpg

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fit...c809b14453.jpg

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fit...e959ddc1c6.jpg

Is the Fit serving double duty as a rally car? That underbody is filthy!

All 4 struts/shocks are leaking, looks like the original ones from Honda, 142k miles on them! Replacing them with BC Racing coil overs in the next couple of weeks, along with lower control arms, Progress rear sway bar. Will be giving it an extensive underside cleaning/scrubbing prior to installing the Ultra Racing chassis braces.

In that case, go rally it before it gets a good scrubbing! :D

Install of new suspension parts
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fit...ea8dc930cf.jpg

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fit...58180e9b13.jpg

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fit...be692b105c.jpg

Nice! Go with the standard springs/rates or did you go custom with Swift springs?

I think the standard rates are 5k/6k which don't sound bad to me, but haven't tried them.

Nice. Are you upgrading the control arm bushings and ball joints as well?

We should be changing the ball joints to reduce bumpsteer, but don't plan on changing the bushings to anything harder. The car isn't going to be a track car so we want to retain some civility in the ride.

We kept the stock spring rates that BC sends to keep it a decent ride. We can always change them later if we need higher rates.

Picked up a Civic Si seat to see if it will work in the Fit.

Here's the Ultra Racing chassis braces we will be installing on the Fit once the engine swap is completed. The Fit is going to the Hasport shop this week to be used to re-design the K series engine swap brackets, and then the L15 Turbo will be fitted and mounts fabricated.
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fit...e0b3325c22.jpg

We did notice the rear axle bushings were starting to tear so we will have to replace those at some point, probably while it's at Hasport.

Nice score on the Ultra Racing braces! I did not know those were still available. Please let us know how the fitment goes.

My understanding on the bushings for the rear beam is that there aren't any that are a true exact fit for a USDM Fit. From what I have been told, the ones linked below are the closest...

^The UR braces don't fit 100% to our USDM models either. Many of the bolt holes are drilled to JDM/ROW model sizes.

Click here: https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/1st-...ml#post1374728

And yes, those Febest bushings are the best of what's readily available. Custom polyurethane bushings are the only other real option.

Click here: https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/1st-...ml#post1377435

Thanks for the info on the braces and the bushings. I'm sure I'll be modding the braces to fit, just like I had to do on my FX16.

Did SuperPro get the bushing sizes straightened out? I'm in need of them now.

Glad to see this thread exists. Also following this on Fastbrakes.

No, SuperPro ended up dropping interest. As you've seen, anyone with a lathe or access to a machine shop can fit the JDM/ROW bushings to our USDM models. Let me know if you need measurements and additional info on retrofitting them.

Nice build man!

Where did the rear disc parts came from?