Better than a K Swap? (More than a Si killer!)

8th Gen Civic Swap Options: L15B, K20C or J35
By Brian Gillespie and Aaron Gaghagen
Our R18 to K series swapped 8th gen Civic was a blast, but we were wondering if there were other options that would give us more. Looking more horsepower and torque stock lead us to a couple of newer turbo Honda engines and one "big block" V6. The K20C, L15B and J35 all are available with manual transmission and that is what we're looking for.
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DISCLAIMER:
VTEC Academy videos are for educational and entertainment purposes. We can not guarantee the modifications performed in the video are legal in your locality. Do not do any modifications to your vehicle that will void your warranty or in any way violate your local laws. We assume no liability for property damage or injury as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Use the information provided at your own risk.

[@rr3873]

Jseries is the most interesting one

[@VTECAcademy]

Possibly the simplest too.

[@_k_rolls_turbo_]

J swap all the way

[@nickwagner2284]

What does it weigh vs the K20c?

[@singlestickhero]

J swap for sure

[@JDXFAB]

@@nickwagner2284 the j is ruff 300 pounds no trans

[@joemcmeans7413]

I vote for the j series. Definitely different in a way. I'm excited to see mounts for all of them in time.

[@JonHop1]

J series all the way... Not a fan of the newer direct-injection turbo motors at all.. They are a snoozefest and lame.

[@kadoku]

@Daniel McTavish J-sus 6-6 motor for thy honda lord.

[@Triggernlfrl]

@Daniel McTavish Dont preach others in someone else his name. That is a real sin....

[@ormondjosh]

J series would be really cool. The L15 and K20c are both a bit "exotic" right now. Not really easy to come by for cheap. J series are everywhere. That's a much more attainable power plant, in my mind. Would also love to see a track-built 4th gen Odyssey. Track minivans are the untapped content well of KZbin :)

[@chrisevaggelou8473]

I really like the idea of the L15

[@goosenotmaverick1156]

I bought a first gen fit L15 last year for 450 plus tax from a reputable salvage yard locally... They exist but the cars themselves don't seem to die.

[@goosenotmaverick1156]

Also I agree, j series are fascinating. When I found out my j35a8 had fractured rod caps, piston squirters, and cross bolt main caps, I was surprised and impressed. Well built that thing is

[@jaredtopilko1313]

I'd love a manual transmission in my 06 odyssey

[@googlyeye3838]

It's cheap if you get it through auction. You just need a lot of patience to find the right one .

[@lbjgh]

J series all the way. 260ish HP and really smooth. That would be a cool build

[@VTECAcademy]

It really is smooth too.

[@wilurbean]

276hp * And they put 255-260 at the wheel So yeah, underrated

[@davidvaughn7778]

@markzieg2425 If remember correctly, japanese manufacturers have a "Gentleman's Agreement" and will only rate their engines at a set HP. It's been a long while since I've kept up with any Japanese stuff so I don't remember what that number is.

[@josh31689ify]

I don’t thing the gentlemen’s agreement is a thing anymore the newer gtr, nsx and other high horse cars are all way over 276hp

[@wilurbean]

@@davidvaughn7778 it could be, the J35Z3 was in dev since the early 2000s, and in many ways its just a tuned and bored J30 which dates back to the mid 90s. It's the closest Honda ever came to making a big block motor. Single Cam 3.5L V6 revving to 7000rpm is borderline scary. A lot of spinning mass All I'm sayin l saying is the J37z which is 0.2L bigger and went in Acuras had 40+ hp for 0.2L and the accord 6-6s had transmissions that are 97% effecient... Or the spec sheet is underrated. Those 3500lbs accord coupes were hitting 60 in 5.6s in 2008. That was fast, not just quick

[@WelshyAutomotive]

Please do the j35! Would be super cool to see it come together.

[@davidrosario8992]

I’m gonna vote for the J series, the lack of J swaps for EP3/EM2/RSX/FA5 etc, is very surprising, I’d wager the community would very much support a “group buy” of mounts to enable these swaps, k20c and l15b are cool, but not readily accessible as the J’s are

[@pottsvision2607]

J in an ep3, I'd love to see it. Small turbo on a k20 could come close to the torque feel and be muuuch simpler to get running (and potentially make significantly more power), but the j would be an excellent motor in the ep3.

[@randyvlo5627]

I put a j32a with 6 sp manual in a es3 civic 2005 that came with d17a and cvt transmission

[@jesusurbina7343]

@@randyvlo5627 wth how??? You got pictures on social media or sum? How hard was it? I got a 2002 civic coupe I was thinking bout doing a k swap on with a ep3 sub frame but that sounds more interesting

[@averyalexander2303]

@@randyvlo5627 We never got the Civic ES3 here in America, but I'm sure the ES1/ES2 we got would be very similar if not identical.

[@Bruceillest101]

V6 all the way!

[@konjiki240sx]

J series is so underrated. That would be the direction I would go.

[@ism0k3fir3]

J series would be awesome to see in an 8th gen. I never thought a v6 would fit in those tiny cars

[@aeroboozt9455]

It’s been done several times

[@chicoh22a]

People be swapping it into eg’s

[@bobg3633]

Ive seen j swaps in crxs

[@gaspererjavec7108]

Im planning to swap a j35/j37 in to a early Porsche 924. They are so underrated, basically JDM muscle.

[@VTECAcademy]

That will be a killer setup.

[@mixxedboyybuilds8273]

@@VTECAcademy yes it will

[@mixxedboyybuilds8273]

I plan on getting a second first gen rx7 as a roller to slap a j series into (rods, closed deck, turbo combination), & turn it into a rally esc street car, I think I'm going to go with the red adapter for the 350z trans & a Ford 9" set-up built for a fox body, with fox body/sn95 coilovers/spindles/hubs up front with custom tubular long travel A arm & foxbody coilovers in the rear with custom tubular 4 link bars in the rear that have heim joint ends for better articulation & adjustability.

[@arman757]

Nah bruh, jdm muscle is a vk56

[@gaspererjavec7108]

@@arman757 If you mean as muscle having bad power vs displacement ratio like us engines then you are absolutely correct.

[@huntrusso]

K20C all day. Personally owned the L series motor in my SI and had nothing but issues with it. It’s a shame Honda even released it to replace the previous K series in most civics.

[@darkknight097]

Feel the exact same way. You spend a lot of coin to make a reliable 350whp with the L15 when the k20c4 is within shooting distance of that with flex fuel and tune. Not to mention the way better low-end torque.

[@huntrusso]

@@darkknight097 yup exactly. I sold my si for an accord with the c4. It’s such a good motor with crazy amounts of torque. Plus I don’t have to worry about reliability with it like the L series. I don’t think the L is ever going to catch on for being a go to swap.

[@bryce_fa5si]

@@huntrusso what year accord exactly are we talking about I own an 07 civic SIFA5 I want to get another one but maybe I’ll get an accord instead

[@huntrusso]

@@bryce_fa5si I have a 2019 with the 2.0t

[@gusplymale1797]

The J swap is definitely the way in this case. I can't wait to see how well it performs in the 8th gen.

[@matthewfuller1129]

The J would sound the best without question, but I'd take a K20C4 in my 9th-gen Si (which I think is very similar to the 8th-gen).

[@Gemi4900]

9th gen is k24 I thought lol

[@matthewla16]

@@Gemi4900 it is a k24

[@crisprojects6336]

Might as well get ahead of the curve with the new L15 swap

[@KingTurkeySub]

J series for sure, but definitely cool to see the options as I have one of these and not many people do engine swaps on them

[@BeastFromTheEast79]

Now that he has posted this video they will lol. Funny thing about the web is someone can throw up a video about something. and the fan boys come lurkin and the prices sky rocket. Makes it hard on us who dont have Daddys wallet or sell Drugs lmao

[@TheOjeda13]

J for sure! The carb legal aspect seems cool. L15 seems like it will have its time to shine

[@geoffreyadams6236]

For a street car I say J series. Track car K20c. Thanks for all your videos!

[@VTECAcademy]

And possibly the L15B for certain race classes where lower displacement would carry less of a penalty? Hmm...

[@dericksilva5311]

J series first for sure. So many of them engines available and I’d love to see the numbers it puts out when it’s done

[@toyomatt84]

I like the L15 idea, since its the next generation swap (in my opinion).

[@VTECAcademy]

For sure the future. They put that in so many cars like the K.

[@darkknight097]

I think that job is going to go to the k20c4. The L15s are laughably weak when making anything more than 300whp/300wtq. And the cost to make more than 350whp shoots up exponentially as you run into fueling limits

[@franciscoortiz1652]

Head gaskets L15b

[@tayvonrose2528]

@@darkknight097 finally someone talking real shit

[@castacus]

i had one in a 10th gen SI and i absolute loved it, i think this would be a great swap for many Honda's. With the peak torque coming in so low it feels like a mini V8. I know it doesn't have V tech and its a lower rpm motor but they are going to be cheep, plentifully and they love mods with a huge aftermarket support.

[@robfrmny21]

Appreciate all your hard work over the yrs with Hondas

[@colinbowers8813]

I said J series last time, I'll say it again. As the owner of a manual transmission 2008 EX sedan, I would love to shoehorn a v6 under the hood. I'd also like to see an AWD converted 8th gen 👍🤙

[@hoobered1232]

my 2008 ex manual trans. coupe has a blown 1.8. This J looks nice to me but would my manual trany match ? I doubt it

[@colinbowers8813]

@@hoobered1232 I would almost guarantee that it wouldn't fit. 🚫

[@hoobered1232]

@@colinbowers8813

[@hoobered1232]

yup I realize that thanks

[@IcemanJD08]

I vote for the j series. Would love to see that swapped into this chassis, I've never saw one swapped into this chassis. I like swaps that people don't normally do and would love to see you guys do a video series on it.

[@rklracer]

Would love to swap the l15b in my 8th gen

[@jacobfarkas3916]

J. I love the subtle sound of them. It's a surprise massive hit of torque.

[@easycheddy]

I’d like to see a j swap plus they sound so nice singing vtec

[@jesusberlanga4346]

Jay all day.....no replacement for displacement.....would be cool to see the harder route taken

[@paulo..ferreira]

You are going to save us 8th gen Si people here in Brazil! We dont have performance K available anymore. J35 is super cool, but as you say, I think L15 is the future. Thanks for your videos and everything! :)

[@heinrichvijsma1851]

Greetings from Aruba, just bought a Ex coupe friday last….. Love your page, really awesome ideas for engine swaps. 🤘🏼😁have a great new week head

[@JoshuaRosaaen]

earned my sib...thank you...cant wait to see more about the 50 state legal swap...although the 3.5 looks fun

[@joshjohns_PC]

j series would be fun i know personally im still waiting till 9th gen mounts start becoming more common place but been debating getting an 8th gen as a fun project soon.

[@robracesandrebuilds6499]

While the J's are cheap and plentiful.. the 6MT for a J is not easy to come by. For that reason, I'd vote for the L15b7. They can make great numbers with tuning, although they are kind of a boring engine.

[@NpaujKhaabChannel]

Better off k series then right

[@OrganicGreens]

I had an 02 accord coupe with the J. loved that car. That engine is really smooth and actually has torque down low unlike the others.

[@prun8893]

I always wondered what happened to Johnny Fever when his time at WKRP ended. I'm glad to see the good Dr. found another passion.

[@youngb1ood]

J series swap, simply because it's harder to do and find done well.

[@VTECAcademy]

It would be fun!

[@K20X]

L15B - less weight, more potential in future, easy to increase power with turbo.

[@robinlopez1909]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@TheycallmeRpCratchet]

Soo cool to see a J series in that chasis. Love to see it running in there!!

[@hxllowgrave]

I'm torn between the L and J. I've been wanting to see an L series in a em2 for a while now, but J series is just so rad of an engine.

[@brandonbatista1165]

J would have some gnarly induction noise too

[@StayBlaziin]

The k20t is what I want in my em2 😁

[@sjhudon386]

I want to see them all!

[@VTECAcademy]

Us too!

[@funkbro2]

The fact these fit is incredible

[@Angrynood]

Love that the J-swaps are getting some more love!

[@joldsaway3489]

As someone who’s been spending over a year trying to get a j-series swap in my Miata, I have to give everyone a fair and advanced warning that it’t not an easy swap at all. I’ve needed a remanufactured intake manifold, an engine rebuild, a new flywheel, and dozens of other parts. I hope to get my car this weekend, but I don’t have my fingers crossed. Not saying not to do it, but there’s no such thing as an “easy swap”. Good luck to all builders out there

[@greasebeardsgarage]

You're up against a lot more issues than this swap would be. No matter which generation Miata you have, you're going FWD engine to RWD car. V6 engine to I4 chassis. Even different manufacturers which might have different electrical connections and mean that all your sensor wires need new connectors...if you're even trying to use any of the factory harness at all. It would be nice to have a little more pep in the Miata though!

[@joldsaway3489]

@@greasebeardsgarage You have no idea how many issues I've had, lol. I'd bought a kit from Minitec thinking that it would be a fairly simple swap, but it's been anything but. Hopefully it will be done soon, however.

[@louisbabycos106]

@@greasebeardsgarage I saw a sweet GM 3800 power train swap from a Camaro into a Miata . Absolute torque beast . Low RPM Torque and HP . Exhaust note was exquisite.and throaty growl without being being overly loud .

[@thronewalker1153]

@@joldsaway3489 nice build. I’m doing a swap with a j series into a Honda del sol.

[@mogulme6190]

Sounds like you also bought a bad engine…. That’s a difficulty factor you caused

[@NinosGarage]

I vote J series! That would be super awesome in this chassis!

[@ancientsociety653]

LET THAT MAN BUILD THE J! its been a long time coming for this platform to get some love. People have been bashing J swaps (especially in RWD) for so long!

[@allenanthony4033]

I’am a Honda guy 👍🏾 I’am hooked waiting and watching 😎

[@josesosa2824]

J series! love the 3.5 v6!

[@VTECAcademy]

We gotta do it.

[@vthoj]

J series would be neat

[@elliottewilliams1316]

I have an ongoing build on a 2008 Honda Accord what channel has been very helpful in knowing which directions I want to take with my build

[@kevinrichardson6680]

Ill be anxiously waiting for the new J series content!

[@wtjonathan871]

I speak for us all when I say J series is what we wanna see. Me having an 8th gen sedan, and wanting to see this done would be a huge inspiration and a good foot path to follow.

[@matthewla16]

Speak for yourself buddy lol (also an fa5 owner)

[@youngb1ood]

The l15 has oil dilution problems, and head gasket failure in certain cars. Do the j series.

[@VTECAcademy]

Definitely leaning toward J...

[@gordythecreator]

the Abundance of j-series engines + swap-simplicity is "the icing on the cake". GiMME MY CAKE!

[@lllDolph]

As an owner of a j35 accord coupe with a manual I can say that you will not regret the decision on this drivetrain. Solid power all throughout the rpm range. My only qualm with my car is you can definitely feel the weight of the J series on the corners but it’s a strait line beast.

[@nzzl1]

The J would be a marvelous pick! I can see why you’ve been wanting to do it, I didn’t think It could work or fit that well but man definitely will hold on to my 8th gen for this one day

[@charlesbilodeau6916]

I'm a sucker for J ❤️

[@pjstocker7692]

I really could use a video breaking down a k24a2 swap into 9th gen si keep up the quality work, guys

[@VTECAcademy]

Don’t we have that? kzbin.info/aero/PL9Qq92QbHKkjP9m4L0dpSoGMjadLldUeB

[@lantice013]

The V6 one. Always had a sweet spot for Honda V6 engines. Had An Acura Legend. Those things sounds exotic.

[@ammonhansen6459]

J35 will be the most widely available to swap in it. I say j35

[@VTECAcademy]

J35s are the cheapest engine compared to the newer ones. It's the transmissions that sometimes take a bit to find decently priced.

[@simonlagann8178]

j all the way - rpm systems

[@Rlinsenbach]

Totally do the s-swap and mounts. Definitely would be interested in j swapping a 8th gen sedan.

[@samcarter5799]

I have an AWD Saturn with the 3.5 in it, and it's got an impressive power band going for it. Plenty of power to tow trailers and even vehicles over the pass in my case.

[@inaNis_]

L15 is common in the junkyard and I think its the average garage enthusiast's choice. makes reasonable power and lots of torque while also being pretty economical. not that many downsides to it when you want to keep the power levels relatively low

[@rogermoore9225]

In the middle on doing one now.. into a ek civic..

[@elmerarana3944]

I want to see what l15 will run like and how hard will it be to convert

[@levr1088]

Oh my god please just do all of them that would be amazing

[@bgee461]

They all sound exciting.

[@RobZombahr]

I would love to see a J series in an 8th gen

[@carsinruin6102]

I want to see the j swap however the k20c and l15b are the future.

[@VTECAcademy]

Yes, to all of this!

[@chicoh22a]

I love my J on my 13 accord coupe,it feels really good and power comes very smoot,just imagine on a lighter chasis🙌🏼🙌🏼🔥🔥🔥

[@thetruth7633]

For 8th gen I would vote J series, some out of the ordinary. For own project: For weight benefits and usable power I would vote L15, to me perfect in EC ED EE EF. For the sake of easy to find and bang for bucks J in 8th gen like I said. K20C is very very expensive, tried to source a front clip, forget it! Might as well just buy a K20C Type R.

[@mouachang874]

Love it..keep it coming. This is like drugs for motorheads🤣🤣

[@VTECAcademy]

Ahahaha! Get your fix, mannnnn.

[@snowfreak207]

Does the transmissions from L and k swap out?

[@matthewla16]

I’d love to see the k20c1 in the civic. Built engine and a turbo from the factory. Wouldn’t have to do much to it but put it in the car and enjoy it. Also the exhaust note of the c1 is exquisite

[@ericguimaraes8092]

J series. That opens new possibilities. I agree that it's smart to make mounts for all the options as they are the future. J series excites me the most though.

[@nobodynoone2500]

Is there a Manual AWD trans available for the J? Do you have to J2K, and would the k trans hold up?

[@creativeconscious]

2013 TL SH-AWD 6spd manual

[@dimitrywatt6571]

I vote for the k20c that always intrigues me. I think it would fit but it would turn the car into an absolute unit.

[@10sandovalallan]

Given me ideas for my 7th gen accord

[@patrickcarrillo714]

I've always had a soft spot for the J series because I grew up with one in my mom Odyssey minivan and have a j35a8 in my 07 TL Type S 6 Speed the low end toque on the j series is so awesome

[@michaellatham9737]

Def wanna see the j swap

[@VTECAcademy]

Seems to be the choice here!

[@nicolassarmiento2479]

Where do you sell the mounts? I was following the l15 Dc2 build and would love to see how it mounts and gets wired?

[@VTECAcademy]

hasportperformance.com/ The DC2 project got put on hold, but we have another L15B swap in the shop which will serve as R&D for the Integra.

[@toddtech10962]

Get those mounts designed for all three I got a 8th gen si that I’m keeping forever and I’d try all three platforms over the years for sure

[@nstorm390]

I will admit the J series would be a really cool wild swap but I'm really digging the L15. How nice would it be to have a later gen motor in an 8th gen body? Def a head turner.

[@darkknight097]

Not worth the headache or cost that is trying to extract more than 400whp. Speaking from experience

[@averyalexander2303]

My vote is for the J swap, I really like the simplicity and reliability of those engines compared to the newer ones and I think it will probably be the quickest and most fun to drive since it has so much torque available instantly with no turbo lag. No replacement for displacement. And obviously a J series will be way easier to find and cheaper.

[@leereyes9381]

J35!

[@VTECAcademy]

J35 would rip.

[@nealfrazier7742]

J series

[@rson2195]

K20c mounts!!! I feel it's the best an upcoming future swap

[@manoloinco5624]

I have been dreaming about the J seires swap for a long time, it would also be the best option at the moment.

[@jimfeng2542]

J series!

[@VTECAcademy]

Hell yeah!

[@alanclark9000]

@VTEC Academy j35 gonna feel a lot nicer to drive slowly because of TQ but I feel like this video is trying to say the engines are near each other. The j series is awesome but it has downsides. 1 VETC cam and hardly any mod support. I like H because they rip them tires

[@eulogy1981]

I suggest you do the l15 swap because every everybody's already done J series NK series countless of times and I would like to see what the L series can put out they've done correctly

[@VTECAcademy]

But, is the world ready for the L movement?

[@eulogy1981]

@@VTECAcademy embrace it is what I say every VTEC has it's place

[@alanclark9000]

@VTEC Academy yea I'm not sure what this guy is speaking on. When it comes to, don't know what a l15 can put out. The new si comes with a l15 and there's plenty enuff videos on 400hp L15

[@upstatesinglespeed7177]

K20C. Pave the way for the future!

[@JUANP973]

I have an 8th gen si and would love to see all 3 🙏

[@blongx9957]

jseries

[@josecuevas3440]

Swap the j series.

[@VTECAcademy]

It looks like the one here that we gotta do next.

[@TristanVash38]

1:25 Nice RV6 manifold!! Nice!!

[@Kazaken667]

I love anyone showing the j series some love

[@justkloo2]

J swap!

[@VTECAcademy]

J is the way!

[@jamesroark7093]

J series for sure would be cool, i loved the 2 door 6 speed accords with the j series

[@tjabdon606]

Awesome info Thanks 🙏

[@kontemp]

The j

[@VTECAcademy]

We agree!

[@poorformance]

I vote L15B7 so I don't have to see Kristoff's taillights all season

[@stretchwakefield4832]

Dope Chanel watching from new Zealand 🇳🇿

[@VTECAcademy]

Thanks!

[@mikeemail1101]

This is gold.

[@yulmerced4434]

I've been keeping an eye on the L15 for my mini