Innovative Mounts 84-87 Civic CRX B-Series Mount Kit

Innovative Mounts 84-87 Civic CRX B-Series Mount Kit

The third-gen AF/AH Civic and the first-gen EC CRX are light, they're getting rare, and the 1.5 liter that came in them is not why you bought one. Dropping a B-series in is still the swap that makes these cars fun, and the Innovative Mounts 84-87 Civic CRX B-series mount kit is the three-piece steel mount set that holds it in the right place. This is a conversion kit, not a replacement set, and it is specifically for a B-series with a cable transmission.

What It Is and Why It Works

You get three mounts in wrinkle black steel: a right-hand bracket that bolts to the frame rail, a transmission mount, and a rear mount for the rear crossmember. Innovative machines them to sit the engine where it needs to sit rather than wherever it happens to fit, and that matters more on this chassis than most. The AF/AH engine bay was designed around a small SOHC four, so a B18C or a B20B has to go in at exactly the right height and angle or your axles run at a bind angle and eat CV joints.

The positioning also buys you room out front. Innovative places the engine to leave maximum clearance ahead of it, which is what makes a full-length header or a turbo manifold physically possible in a car this small. And it clears a B20 block, which is not a given with every mount kit for this chassis. Hood clearance is fine; no notching or trimming required.

The bushings are Innovative's no-tear polyurethane, and here's the honest version of what they do. These are firmer than the fluid-filled rubber mounts Honda used, and firmer means more engine noise and more vibration reaching the chassis, not less. That is the trade you are making on purpose. A stiffer mount stops the engine rocking on its axis under load, which is what kills wheel hop and makes the throttle feel connected. It also means you feel the engine at idle and hear more of it in the cabin. Anyone telling you a urethane mount reduces vibration compared to stock rubber has it backwards.

This kit is stocked in 75A, which Innovative rates for roughly 250 to 400 horsepower and identifies by its black bushings. That covers a healthy B16A, a built B18C or a mild boost setup. If your car is a dedicated street car and you want the softest option, Innovative also makes this kit in 60A (up to about 250 horsepower). Going the other way, 85A is rated 400 to 500 and 95A is 500 and up, and both are noticeably harsher on the street.

Specs

Fitment

Cable transmission is not optional here. If the transmission coming with your engine is a hydraulic unit off a 94-01 Integra or similar, this kit will not actuate it, and you either need a cable transmission or a cable to hydro clutch actuator to bridge the gap. Also check the engine's year: if you're installing a 92-01 B-series, the driver side (timing belt side) post bracket usually has to be swapped for the 88-91 Civic/CRX and 90-93 Integra style post mount, Innovative part B59350.

What to Know Before You Buy

This is the mount kit, not the swap. Budget for the rest of it before you order, because the 84-87 chassis needs more supporting parts than the later cars do. You'll need a rear engine bracket, Honda part number 50827-S04-N10 off a 99-00 Civic Si. You'll need an SK7 style manual transmission intermediate shaft (90-93 Integra style) and a set of custom axles. On the Civic specifically, you'll need knuckles from an 86-89 Integra, and you'll want to set your toe again after you change them. Wiring conversion and a custom-length B-series shift linkage round it out.

Two modification notes that Innovative's own bullet list glosses over. Some B-series intake manifolds will hit the firewall and need clearancing. And a dent has to go into the left-hand frame rail for alternator pulley clearance; a smaller alternator belt helps here. Neither is hard, but neither is bolt-on, and you should know both before the engine is hanging from a hoist.

On durometer selection: the most common regret we hear on a car this small and this light is going too stiff. A 1,900 pound CRX transmits everything. If this car sees any street miles at all, 75A is the right answer for most builds, and 60A is worth considering for a mostly-stock B16A cruiser. Save 85A and 95A for a car that already has a cage and no carpet. The vibration also settles somewhat after a few hundred miles once the bushings seat, so give it a break-in period before you decide you hate it.

Torque everything finger tight first, get the engine sitting on all three mounts, then tighten. Torquing mounts one at a time preloads the bushings and is a fast route to a rough idle you'll blame on the tune. And once these are bolted down and show bolt impressions, Innovative will not take them back, so confirm the kit matches your chassis and transmission before anything goes to spec.