whats better H22a or H23a? Its' for a 1998 prelude

JDM H23A Vtec Blue Top Mystery Motor, True Facts, Questions? - Honda-Tech

This should cover a lot of questions. Stock they make the same power but the H23 makes it at a lower RPM and has more torque down low. The blue top generally costs a lot more and (I think) it only came out in automatic. If you want a manual then you may need to add the cost of a swap in too, in which case I believe you can use the ECU and oil pump (the blue top has no crank sensor) off a USDM H22.

If you've got the choice, get a red top though. +20hp

Also, I hate to be that guy but the search function is pretty damn powerful. There's at least half a dozen members (on the first page) who have successfully done a blue top swap if you want more of an idea of what is involved.

I had a h23a blue top shipped to my house for under $800 from jdmtigerjapanese, good luck finding a h22a for that price. And generally I love my car with my h23, tons more power than my old worn out h22a4

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2000 base h23a manual - consistent project, future dd
1993 f150 - consistent dd, future project

Blue Top or bust!

You won't miss the H22 as is. And has tons of potential if that's your goal.

If you decide to there are how to lists galore. My favorite is the one by member Wings 8806 over at prelude central...

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God's Not Dead

Thanks for the info guys appreciate it

This guy is selling a 98 prelude with h23a manual

Just curious, how does everyone get around the ECU issue? Do they just run a H22 manual ECU and sacrifice most of the benefits of the extra capacity (and possibly kill the motor with the high redline too high) or keep the H23 auto ECU and run with the weaker maps? The blue top can only see it's full potential with a good tune which is pretty much impossible running OBD2, but in which case yes it will reign supreme over even a JDM H22A.

Use the a4 ecu, just be aware of the lower redline. A tune is doable with emanage ultimate.


I have no issues with 550 injectors and a jrsc

You should get a base map or a tune for it to be 100

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If you were used to the sounds of living near the H22 redline Gabriel, it could pose a problem getting used to shifting sooner. I say sound because many folks instinctively (with or without realizing) use the sound of their engine to gauge when to shift. But since this is seemingly all new to you (based on what you've said so far), that shouldn't be an issue.

Can't speak for others, but I don't spend a lot of time looking at my tach during those 'spirited' driving events. So my ears tell my brain when to shift.

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God's Not Dead

I am still running on my stock h22a4 ecu, because I have emmisions checks in my county I have to stick with the obd2 ecu, I cant pass with an obd1. But as soon as I move to a county without echeck im getting a tuned p28.

But that said I have a question (sorry to hijack your thread). I have an apexi vafc-2 laying around from a trade I did with my old motor. Iv done research on it and have found mixed reveiws, mostly saying to go as fast as you can and throw them out the window.. I have no interest in the ability to change the vtec engagement rpm with it, but would the capability to control my air/fuel mixture benefit me in better tuning my engine while retaining my obd2 ecu? Can I even use a vafc with my stock obd2 ecu or can it only be used with obd1?

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2000 base h23a manual - consistent project, future dd
1993 f150 - consistent dd, future project

I have to follow my tach, only due to where my tune stops.




Apexi units can be used on obd2 cars, but get rid of it and save the headache

I've seen in one user's build thread, he had a custom "blue top" h23 in his 4th gen. Basically all he did was take the h22 head with the DOHC and pop that on his h23. I don't know about the electrical aspects of this (hell, i hardly know sh*t about engines), but essentially you get the blue top's VTEC on an h23.


Anyone, feel free to tell me if i'm wrong.

Sounds like a "G series swap" if i'm not mistaken. I think there were headgasket issues with that combination or something... there aren't many out there for some reason I can't exactly recall.