diycx

I've got a chance to pick up a basically brand new RSX base "complete swap"(Engine, tranny, comp, axles, mounts,fuel pump,... everything) for $1500US. The engine has 180KM which something like 120miles. Brand New!!! I know it'll be a lot of work and trouble but I'm done school pretty soon so I'll have the time.
So, I know there's mounts out for it but are there and wiring kits out to make it work?
What do you guys think? I was going to pick up a complete '95 b18 swap for about $1100 but I noticed they had this k20 for only a couple hundred more.
Brand new k20 (160/141) + trouble vs boring/easy/proven ls swap (140/127?)

hmm...

ki3t

Dude, if it's legit. Get it!

KRiS1

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by kIeT-y0 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Dude, if it's legit. Get it! </TD></TR></TABLE>


let me know where it is, Ill come and get it for that price

diycx

It's from a local import junk yard and I've bought swaps there before. Even if I have to spend $650 on mounts plus wiring troubles I think it still could be worth it. I'd really like to try something new and exciting instead of the done-a-million-times ls swap. I'm excited but nervous also because it's a little bit more than I wanted to spend but I don't think I'll be able to let it pass me by. When I went to take a look at the b18 yesterday it was like going grocery shopping but when I noticed the k20 I felt like a giddy little school girl haha. My hands feel shaky writing this.

B18C5-EH2

A base K20A3 will only put down 145whp with maybe 120ft-lbs. of torque.

Not worth the trouble and major extra cash and effort of getting that engine into a 1992-1995 Civic.

If it were a K20A2 then I'd say hell yes, but you might as well get a B16A over a K20A3 for a 1992-1995 Civic.

B18C5-EH2

Let me put this bug in your ear since I was actually selling my B18C5 to do a K20A2 swap, but decided it was too soon:

Mounts: $650.00
Wiring - unknown, and probvably over $300.00 plus more headaches
Custom header because no stock or afterkarket k header clears an EG firewall - $850.00
New radiator since the outlets are on the driver sides for the K series - name your price
New fuel system with a new fuel pump since K is originally returnless - name a price
Hondata or AEM ECU to make it run right - $1,000.00

All in all it'll probably be at least $3,000.00 extra dollars on top of the $1,500.00 base price. For $4,500.00 I'll take a B18C1 plus bolt-ons any day of the week.

Shall I go on?

All for a 145whp engine and a still 5-speed tranny.

IMO it's not worth it.

6SPD_EK

iTrader: (2)

Is it a 5 spd or automatic? not sure but there probably won't be near the amount of aftermarket parts as there are for the civic si or rsx-s motor.... by the way your are forgetting about custom axles & header also

nevermind B18C5-EH2 beat me to it

B18C5-EH2

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by adirondackR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Is it a 5 spd or automatic? not sure but there probably won't be near the amount of aftermarket parts as there are for the civic si or rsx-s motor.... by the way your are forgetting about custom axles & header also</TD></TR></TABLE>

Axles won't be custom with a HASport kit. Stock EP axles would work, but that kit's 3 months away or longer.

diycx

B18C5-EH2:
Valid point but it's brand new and not something that's common which I guess is both an advantage and disadvantage. They've got a b16 for $2700 with 60miles. I'm guessing about $1000 bucks for mounts and wiring so it still would be pretty close total cost. What do you think?

Do you guys know if the dash wiring and guage cluster a required?

diycx

Axles wouldn't be a deciding factor for me. I plan on doing this swap next spring/summer so time is on my side plus I'll be saving up cash the whole time. There should be some kits out by then I'm guessing.

ki3t

What tom is trying to say is performance wise...it would be very little difference and for that he would rather get a b16. It fits perfect and less custom crap.

Now if it was a k20a, that might be worth the while.

But why get a k20a3 (more hassle to work it) when it'a going to perform somewhat like a b16 (lovely plug and play)?

The Internet Tough Guy

where is this place??? wow.

diycx

Yeah, I understand exactly what you're saying and I was going to originally pick up just a b18. I was leaning towards a very simple swap this time around. I just wanted some more power because this b15 POS is driving me crazy. On the highway when I step on the gas it feels like it slows down compared to my gsr(which I sold). This k20 just got me excited and the more I think about it the more I want to go with the k20. Isn't that what it's all about? Taking on a project which you can be proud of and learn something new along the way. Hmm, I think I'll take on this challenge. Wish me luck

ki3t

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by diycx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Isn't that what it's all about? Taking on a project which you can be proud of and learn something new along the way. Hmm, I think I'll take on this challenge. Wish me luck </TD></TR></TABLE>

Good luck! Have fun learning. Post pics and let us see.

dwnthehatch

iTrader: (1)

I would buy it and resell it because I'm just a greedy bastard. You can have a much better motor with your profit.

diycx

Somethig else I noticed:
hybrid-racing shows k20a3 as having 160@6500/132@5000
acura website shows the specs as 160@6500/141@4000
notice the difference in torque. rsx = more torque at lower rpm

checked the honda website: hybrid rating is for the k20 form the civic

so... are the base rsx and civc si engine codes the same? what about the tranny gearing?
Damnit hard to find useful threads with facts. Most say a lot of nothing, a lot of rumors. You guys have any useful links with info/facts?

ki3t

Try and ask people in the RSX DC5 / Civic EP3. forum

diycx

Haha, damn I forgot about the RSX DC5 / Civic EP3. forum
thanks

B18C5-EH2

Why would you need to buy any mounts for a B16A swap? That doesn't make sense.

Also mounts for a B16A would be at most a few hundred dollars vs. $650.00 plus shipping for some ones that just came out and are unproven yet.

The base model K20A3 is just not enough power for the trouble IMO. It's more of an economy VTEC that only utilizes VTEC on the intake side much like a D16Z6 SOHC VTEC found in the 1992-1995 Civic Si hatchback and 1993-1995 EX coupes and 1993-1995 Del Sol Si.

You will spend over $3,000.00 to get that engine running right in your car - this is certain. If you cheap your way through it it will run like **** with check engine lights and won't even hit the baseline numbers of 145/120 like I already mentioned.

If anyone were going through that amount of trouble IMO they had better get above and beyond B series numbers plus a 6-speed tranny like the K20A2 and K20A offer. I think the difference in power is negligable from the K20A3 over the B16A IMO.

Plus I'd like to check and see what type of gearing that Si/base RS-X tranny has - I'll bet it worse than the standard B16A tranny.

B18C5-EH2

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by diycx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Haha, damn I forgot about the RSX DC5 / Civic EP3. forum
thanks</TD></TR></TABLE>

That might be good for specs, but as far as swapping into a 1992-1995 civic they won't know much. Ask them if they'd take a K20A3 over a B16A and I'm sure they'll say "hell yes" but only because they don't understand the extra time and money involved in getting a K swap running right in an older car.

sledgehammer

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by B18C5-EH2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">A base K20A3 will only put down 145whp with maybe 120ft-lbs. of torque.

Not worth the trouble and major extra cash and effort of getting that engine into a 1992-1995 Civic.

If it were a K20A2 then I'd say hell yes, but you might as well get a B16A over a K20A3 for a 1992-1995 Civic.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Exactly my thoughts!

Mike

diycx

I've ran all this stuff through my head already and I think I will still pick it up as an investment. It's basically a brand new engine and I doubt the value will go down. It might even go up a bit when it becomes more main stream. I don't plan on doing the swap until the summer anyways so I'll see if I can make any money off it. Mounts, axles, header... aren't a problem for me but wiring is. I've had bad experiences with wiring hell and I would prefer buying atleast a semi-plug-and-play harness instead of doing it myself. So, I'll see how brian g and the others are comming along during the winter with their kits and if by the summer they have somethig solid to offer than I'll probably go for it. I plan to use this car for auto-x/daily dirver and I think the k20 would be better suited for it with its 141 lbs.-ft. @ 4000 rpm rating. I do wonder about the gearing though, but that can be taken care of after I've got it running.
BTW... I like doing something that not everyone else is. eg my last car was a '90 4 door auto teg that I swapped a b17 into and raped moded itrs and ludes with it at the track... good times

B18C5-EH2

Kudos to you for wanting to be different, but I like to keep things simple and effective.

Also keep in mind that the demand for the K20A3 will not be high at all even if swaps become common. Other than a handful of people who can afford a car note and insurance for an 01-03 Civic non-Si and the K20A3 swap, who would buy the K20A3 anyways?

There's a local ATL guy who got the entire K20A3 swap for $1,100.00 here because there is no demand for them.

After the average guy figures in all of the extra costs and headaches i and other hanve mentioned, the K20A3 swap seems pointless for the 1992-1995 Civic guys when a GS-R swap will cost the same and be quicker and have an infinantly more expansive aftermarket.

Mr.E.G.

just like they already said above it it were a type S engine it would be worth it, but those engines are watered down. the vtec on those more closley resembles old school V-tec"E" (civic vx) than the type of Vtec we all know and love.

But you should certainly buy it and re sell it.

diycx

True, I was thinking the same thing while writing my last reply and that's why I said "might go up". But the thing is that someone might like to have a k-series engine without having to pay huge amouts for the higher output motors(hmm sounds like me). That guy still bought the swap and I doubt I would have that much trouble selling a brand new k20a3 swap for $1500. It really depends on the individual as with any other part of modding a car.