I recently installed a K20A in a 05 civic ex. The customer had purchased a motor from the junk yard. It was out of an 04 RSX type S with about 34,000 miles on it. The guy that sold him the motor gave us a video of the engine running in the car still. The car had been totaled ans was hit on the RR side of the vehicle. But any way, the customer just brought his car back cause it wouldn't start the other morning. So I checked the normal stuff like fuses, spark, fuel pressure, ect. and everything was good. But it still wouldn't start so I checked the compression and the results #1: 195 #2: 215 #3: 62 #4: 195. SO I did a leak down test too to make sure and the results #1:9% #2: 3% #3: 78% #4: 15%. He oly had the motor in the car for about two months now. We tuned the car with the F-CON and it made 195 whp on our dynodynamics dyno. Any body ever heard of this problem with these engines doing this?

 

Running a turbo? detanation will kill ring lands on your pistons as several paramaeters need to be met when tuning a turbo car, timing,fuel,boost etc.. Also missed shifts will bend the valves in the engine as well dropped valves and put holes in the pistons. Sounds like a tear down would be needed.

 

The customer had a turbo on his D17 and we got rid of that cause he had a lot problems with it. So we put the K20 swap in it and we didnt put a turbo back on yet. Yea I am going to take off the head next week and see whats up with it. I was just wondering if any one had problems with their K20's. Its just wierd that this happened all of a sudden. He said that it was running fine and then he went to crank the next morning and nothing. Thanks for the info and I will keep you posted of anything new that I find with this car.

 

Maybe he is not telling you the full truth. Like what he did the night before it just died..