Board logo

K20 Engine
pekwah1 - 13/2/13 at 10:34 PM

Hi Guys.

Just wondering why noone seems to use the k20 (civic type R) engine?
I've read quite a few posts and the general consensus is that it DOES spin the right way, so how come noone uses it?
I know the s2000 engine is the engine of choice, but i'm surprised noone would use the k20...

regards,
andy


iank - 13/2/13 at 10:56 PM

Most engines that get overlooked are for one or more of:
* lack of an obvious rwd gearbox
* too tall
* too heavy
* too expensive
* risky to be the first to try
* not made by ford


Relph - 13/2/13 at 11:08 PM

Hi, the civic type r engine is virtually the same as the s2000 engine but has less power so if your going to all the trouble of fitting it you might aswell have the extra power.


austin man - 13/2/13 at 11:12 PM

doesnt the type r engine run the wrong way ?? thats why its used with its own box in the Atom etc I could be totally wrong but sure ive read this


Texan - 13/2/13 at 11:25 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Relph
Hi, the civic type r engine is virtually the same as the s2000 engine but has less power so if your going to all the trouble of fitting it you might aswell have the extra power.


While there are similarities they are definitely not virtually the same.

There are transmission issues unless you are building a middie and the thing is huge!


jeffw - 14/2/13 at 06:24 AM

The K20 revolves the wrong way round compared with the Fords/Vauxhalls etc. So getting a RWD box and diff to work on a K20 is very very difficult. Which is why nobody does it. F20C & F22C in the S2000 revolve the same way round as the normal Fords/Vauxhalls.


Bare - 14/2/13 at 07:06 AM

Erm.. NO! the K20 rotates the "correct" way now.. as do ALL Honda engines mfg'd since the 2005 model year.
It is a tallish engine though.
Although one Can unbolt the under crankcase girdle that is the gear driven twin balance shaft assly. thereby reducing total engine height significantly.


jeffw - 14/2/13 at 08:04 AM

I stand corrected....must be the B series then


mcerd1 - 14/2/13 at 09:15 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Relph
Hi, the civic type r engine is virtually the same as the s2000 engine but has less power so if your going to all the trouble of fitting it you might aswell have the extra power.

....and the s2000 engine comes with a handy 6 speed rwd box attached too - saves alot of hassle tring to find an adaptor/bellhousing


Neadles - 14/2/13 at 10:48 AM

I'll throw in my 2 pence worth since I am a Honda nut and built Type R tintops before. The comments are correct the F20 is shorter, and the Americans are the best at messing with this stuff. The K20 can be used but the popular way is using a Toyota w57 gearbox with a custom made bell housing due to its ability to take stick and price, the K20 is more readily available, cheaper and more tuning variations know and used. It is slightly taller and both rotate clockwise. A decision from Honda to allow them to produce engines for other manufactures as they are the best in the business in my opinion. The B and H series engines rotate counter clockwise.

The F-series comes with a better bottom end and a better cylinder head. The only advantage the K-series has is the i-VTEC. Properly designed, the F-series has no disadvantage in peak power, only in midrange torque (i-VTEC). The only way a K-series can be as reliable as the F-series is with full internals and a modified oil pump.

The F20 is slightly heavier fully dressed with OEM gearboxes on

So to answer the question for easy of messing around and no requirements for big power gains F20 will be better for FR but when thinking RR the the K20 would be my choise, or and old B18 lol as I loved that engine, lighter and hand made, but thats just me


ElmrPhD - 14/2/13 at 03:47 PM

We're doing it. Basically copying what Patrick in Belgium did, regarding plopping a K20A into an MNR Vortx.
Not too surprisingly, I agree completely with the OP - it's a wonderful choice.
Ours are both mated to MT75 gearboxes via custom adapter plate, making the combo' lighter than an F20C, which requires its own heavy 6-speed. (Do we really need 6? The SCCA (something) champion says he starts off in 4th and leaves it there for the duration of the race!)
For me, the K20A2 is perfect: it's got 200 hp originally, but will easily go to 210 with headers, filter, injectors, flywheel and especially re-map. The spec' series that I want to run has a max for CECs of 210 hp... Perfect.
If/when I want to do less restrictive races, the K20A series is graced with a plethora of aftermarket gofast parts and especially knowledge, such that getting to 250 hp is ez and even 300 hp is not too difficult w/o blowing. Of course, the sky is the limit with forced induction. The heavy (cuz you're stuck with it's gearbox), expensive/rare-ish F20C comes with 240 hp, but getting much beyond that is (I'm told) quite a challenge.
Weight, performance potential and initial affordability were important to me, so the K20A came out on top.
I'm also surprised that it's not more popular, but good reasons have been listed. Bad reasons, like spinning the wrong way also wrongly plague it.
Oh, well...
Cheers,
Steve, in the NLs


johnH20 - 15/2/13 at 07:03 PM

Just for info the K20A has been the engine of choice as a conversion to an Elise for a long time ( mid/rear installation I know ). There must be several hundred about. Lots of tuning kit for it too. Makes a brilliant car magic!


pekwah1 - 15/2/13 at 08:14 PM

I thought the f20 was still the popular on the Elise as well?
My mate keeps banging on about wanting one in his!


RK - 16/2/13 at 02:59 AM

K20 are expensive here, so one might as well go whole hog and get the S2000 lump. You need their box anyways, unless you go to the trouble of getting new bellhousing and all that.


k24rwd - 24/7/13 at 08:00 PM

quote:
Originally posted by pekwah1
Hi Guys.

Just wondering why noone seems to use the k20 (civic type R) engine?
I've read quite a few posts and the general consensus is that it DOES spin the right way, so how come noone uses it?
I know the s2000 engine is the engine of choice, but i'm surprised noone would use the k20...

regards,
andy


Hi Andy,

There is a bell housing option that uses a Toyota W5* transmission as well as a T9.

See here:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.540482446010757.1073741825.405251929533810&type=1

Mark


steveydee - 30/6/15 at 08:30 AM

Sorry for reviving a died tread.

I love type r but its a bit of a dog and I love the engine and have been thinking of putting it into a rwd body but want it to be a daily and practical so ive just bought a bmw 316i e30 (1990)

Has anyone known of anyone to use a bmw box on the k20a?

And the mt75.... are the 5 and 6 speed boxes interchangeable? As id like to go for 6 speed if its the same amount of work


Thanks in advance for your help

I now its not a kitcar but this is the only helpful forum I know of, bmw people would just shout abuse and tell me to fit a big heavy 6 cylinder bm lump in that makes less power than the k20


pekwah1 - 30/6/15 at 09:08 AM

Do you mean you want to put a K20 into a BMW e30 shell?

Are you intending to use the BMW gearbox/drivetrain, or transplant something else in there?

I can't help you by the way, but the clarification will probably mean someone else can!

Since this thread, we now have a Honda S2000.... Wow! What an engine, not surprised people use them in the kit cars!


steveydee - 1/7/15 at 10:12 PM

Yeah. I've got a civic and I've fallen in love with the engine. It's a bit different to the s2000 but not by much.

I want to use the as much of the bmw as possible so if I can keep that gearbox I will but until I get the out I don't know.
I'm picking the bmw up in 2 days so will see soon

Just want to see what (front engined) rwd gearboxes people have used on the k20a