Civic Type R K20C1 Engine Test Fit in EG, EK, DC2 Chassis (Video)
Got a classic chassis that’s just begging for some modern turbocharged power? Here’s what you need to do to get a K20C1 to fit.
Ever since Honda announced that the Civic Type R would finally be sold in the States, we’ve been excited. Not just for the Type R, but for what’s under the hood. Now, when they finally make it to the junkyard, the Type R will likely command a high price. Brian Gillespie, director of product development for Hasport, brings up an exciting point: the 2018 Honda Accord will also come with a K20C1. That should translate into reasonable prices when they inevitably end up in the salvage yard. That, or if you’re feeling rich and you have the right connections, you can buy a crate motor from Honda.
We stumbled across this video from VTEC Academy, which gets down into the nitty-gritty details of what needs to happen to fit the new Type R motor into a few older Honda platforms. Namely, the 1992-1995 Civic hatchback (EG), 1996-2001 Civic hatchback (EK), and the 1994-2001 Acura Integra (DC2). These represent the golden years, and some of the best platforms for tuning a grocery-getter into something so much more.
The main issues Gillespie mentions around getting the engine to fit in the EG/EK/DC2 is the physical size of the K20C1. It’s pretty beefy, especially compared to the stock engine. He identifies a trade-off that would be necessary: ground clearance below, or stock hood clearance.
This screenshot illustrates the issue. He ends up moving the engine a bit lower, notching the sub-frame and surmises that cutting some hood skeleton support material out would get the factory hood to sit normally. It’ll fit but watch for debris in the road since it sits a bit lower than a traditional K-series swap would.
ALSO SEE: Integra Type R Swapped EG Civic is Pinnacle Golden Era Honda
The process to fit the Type R motor into the EK is similar but requires bolting up an EG subframe. The subframe swap, he notes, is something they’ve done for years with traditional K swaps. The motor fits but requires the same notching of the subframe as the EG. He moves on to the DC2, which fits the engine the best of the three. The engine bay is a bit longer, so the front isn’t quite as crowded. He does have to notch the subframe and speculates that some trimming of the hood skeleton support and moving a few hoses on the top of the engine would allow the hood to sit flush without hanging too low.
In the video description, he notes that MoTeC has come up with a standalone plug-and-play ECU to run the Type R’s K20C1. Gillespie notes that it is rather expensive, though we couldn’t find the specific model he described. Let us know what you’d swap a K20C1 into in the comments below!
