It has been a while since I wrote about the project car and it’s because I’ve encountered a huge block. I am quite convinced that stealerships are only good if you’re buying brand new cars. I’m still having the hard starting and idling problems from last year.

As Japanese everyday sedans go, the B13’s GA16DE engine is quite a good engine. I tried it out going Sunday afternoon driving at one of the hilly portions around my area and the engine still packs a bit of punch. I still got to overtake vehicles going uphill. Though I’m quite pissed when a brand-spanking new Toyota Yaris passed me while going downhill. But that was way dangerous driving.

Anyway, here’s my dilemma. If I decide to keep the engine, to solve the idling and starting problems, I might need to have the whole car rewired (a new engine wiring harnesses is out of the question due to the outrageous cost) and have some sensors replaced. The total cost of which is also expensive. The car’s quite old so I still deliberating whether that would be practical.

An alternative is to get rid of the ECU, swap the manifold out, and install Weber 2 barrel side-draft carburetors instead. While on the upside, that would mean that I won’t have problems with electronics anymore not to mention throttle quicker response and acceleration, I’d be compromising fuel efficiency, emissions and low-end torque. A lot of people are discouraging me to go carb. But as the days go by, it seems to be an attractive route if only for the pains the electronic engine control has been giving me.

One other option is for me to go all out on this and just perform and engine swap. Probably going to the classic SR20DE out of the old Sylvia which is perfect for the lighter-bodied B13. But that really means spending more than a thousand dollars since I need to buy the whole shebang - engine, tranny, ECU, axles… But that would really make this a true project car.

I really want to get these engine issues fixed so that I can proceed to my other plans like installing some a few engine upgrades, a new paint job, re-upholster the interior and slap on some accessories.