Few things excite Honda enthusiasts as much as the thought of increased power and performance options right from the manufacturer itself. If you’ve been around for a while, you no doubt remember the stranglehold that the B-series swap placed on the Honda community. It quickly became an almost mandatory transplant during its heyday. When Honda introduced the K-series powerplant, history once again repeated itself, and it didn’t take long for our swap-happy community to figure out a way to make it work in an older chassis. A topic of discussion in 95 percent of Honda performance-related conversation, it wouldn’t be out of line to suggest that engine swapping, as American as apple pie, has had the largest impact on Honda performance over the last 20 years. With the introduction of the K-series generation, the saga continues.
Pricing for the K-series family is a bit tricky. You can search the various engine suppliers and classifieds forums online and sniff out a good deal on the longblock and transmission, but there’s much, much more involved in putting together a complete swap. When the first wave of K-series motor conversions hit the streets, much of the process involved heavy amounts of custom fabrication. Some did it well, others poorly, but the end result was more interest and a tidal wave of aftermarket support for the K20 and K24. In fact, a number of companies have jumped on board to offer products that simplify the process, and look good doing it. Gone are the days of hack job mounts and “make it fit” radiator setups—at least we hope. Rather than throw some random parts at you that you’ve probably already seen or heard about through the web, we handpicked some of the crucial components needed to complete the K swap. Essentially, these are the ones that will make your life easier during the process, and produce a much better outcome. Many of the parts listed are focused on the incredibly popular ’92–’00 Civic and ’94+ Integra bodies, but if you’ve already completed the swap on your project car or perhaps you’re driving an RSX or newer gen Civic Si, some of these parts can help make it that much better.
Beyond the act of basic swapping lies a massive lineup of high-performance aftermarket goods to take power output to the next level and beyond. Our sister publication, Import Tuner, has stepped up to provide a comprehensive breakdown specifically geared toward making more power with the coveted K swap, and you can read through it in their March issue.
Let’s get started…
Motor
To get started, you’ll of course need the engine and transmission. There are a number of importers across the country that secure highly sought-after Japanese market motors. There are also junkyards chock-full of K24 donors due to the U.S. market CRV, Accord, and Element, and don’t forget your favorite Honda forums classifieds section.
Zerolift Autolab JDM K20 approximately $4,800
Specializing in importing used and rebuilt Japanese engines and transmissions, handpicked from Japan, huge inventory, price match guarantees, rapidly growing customer base, massive inventory of JDM engines, interior, and exterior goods
Mounts
Obviously the factory mounts won’t work for this swap, so you’ll need to source a set of swap-specific motor mounts. Various durometers, materials, and colors are available giving you a number of avenues to completely customize your setup. For the RSX and Si crowd, upgrading mounts can help curb engine movement and revitalize tired stock mounts.
HaSport engine mounts $499–$555
CAD/CAM-designed, 6061-T6 billet aluminum, lifetime warranty, proper engine placement and axle geometry, four different bushing durometers
Hybrid Racing engine mount kits $499
6061-T6 aluminum, CNC machined, .0001 inch tolerances, hand assembled, no-tear/tapered polyurethane with vibration suppression, DuPont industrial powdercoated, lifetime warranty
Power Rev Racing (P2R) “CRV” bracket for K24 swap $69
6061 aluminum, only 310 grams, inexpensive alternative to the OEM CRV bracket from the dealer
Fueling
Dealing with the K series’ inherent “return-less” fuel injection in comparison to the “return”-type system that most Honda enthusiasts are accustomed to, an aftermarket fuel rail is typically utilized. Many of the more popular fuel rails incorporate options for a gauge, custom fitted lines, fuel pressure regulator, etc.
K-Tuned fuel rail with center-mounted gauge $249
Center-mounted gauge, CNC-machined billet aluminum, 12.5mm bore diameter, 8AN inlet/outlet ports, compatible with stock or aftermarket injectors