How much would it cost to replace an engine on a 97 Honda civic?

I'm in deep ****, I bought a civic for 2gs and it has to many problems. I've spent around 500 plus dollars on the car. I think the best thing to do is get a new engine

Call all your local auto salvage yards for engine prices, they will vary on condition and mileage. You might have a had time finding such an old engine in good shape.

Then have them recommend someone (or a shop) to install the engine, maybe at a discount.

Depends on what engine you want. Most likely you would want the d series that it came with, a d15 non vtec (only if your civic is the lx or dx models) price would be around $400-$1000. If you have the civic ex you most likely have a d16y8 vtec engine, that would cost around $600-$1000. If you want to upgrade to a better engine you can go with a b18c1 dohc vtec which comes out of the Acura Integra GSR for $2500-3000 for the engine, transmission, axles, shift linkages, ecu, and the wiring harness. Buy some motor mounts if you decide to go with the b18c1 engine from hasport.

Parts and labor $2k - $2500 is my guess. Hondas are a dime a dozen so should be no prob finding a donor engine.