Does a Head Swap Make Sense? || 8th Gen Civic Hybrid to K || 7th Gen Accord/TSX Auto Swap

Does a Head Swap Make Sense?
More Viewer Questions
By Brian Gillespie and Aaron Gaghagen
We are back again with some more viewer questions. We get so many and we try to answer as many as possible. This time we talk about transmission swap options for a failing 8th generation Accord automatic, what we think is needed to go K series in an 8th generation Civic Hybrid and whether or not it is worth it to swap a K20 head from an EP3 Type R on to a K24 block.
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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. It's on you, dog.

[@matthewsmith1909]

Just buy an Si is always the answer... There's so much into swapping things that you need to have gotten the parts for dirt for it to make much sense. Believe me I got a 05 CR-V 5mt and you have to touch every damn thing, every piece of driveline, stand alone ECU, etc. just to have a heavy Civic with AWD in the end..

[@VTECAcademy]

K24 is even better

[@kanjieboodoosingh3815]

Bet that crv can troll people ...

[@matthewsmith1909]

@@kanjieboodoosingh3815 Eventually it'll be 6spd and turbo. Just kinda making it into a good daily since I can't buy a new Carolla GR. Lol. I have an 07 Civic Si I'm building for AWD. It'll be the fast one.

[@user-ex7vt9cj6q]

My hybrid civic was automatic, I already mounted the k24a2 engine into the car

[@jeremyalbert1097]

Me and a friend of mine manual swapped his 7th gen accord with a 2nd gen tsx trans, there is a wiring harness in the auto that sits where the master would go trough the firewall, we had to drill out and salvage the spot welded on mounts to actually be able to bolt the clutch pedal bracket and the added peice to supoort the master from a donor manual car, we had to cut the firewall from the harness hole and move the harness towards the left hand side and made another plate for the engine bay side and weld all that on. NOT a easy process. Also a 1st gen tsx trans would have worked much much better for mounting and shifter bracket stuff

[@MagMan4x4]

I volunteer my 04 Auto TSX to a 6MT swap. I’ll pay for everything

[@VTECAcademy]

We can’t have you make that sacrifice so we’ll use ours.

[@MagMan4x4]

@@VTECAcademy Your expertise, time and tools are a sacrifice I am willing to make! lol

[@VTECAcademy]

@@MagMan4x4 😂

[@raimondnu3]

@@MagMan4x4 Smart Man Right Here!!

[@shawnmarques7117]

The k20 head has the 50 degree vtc and is higher flowing it definitely made a difference when i swapped it onto my k24 block.

[@lssi9073]

and you can rev higher with the k20a2,z1,z3 heads

[@fraxinusprime7089]

GREAT Video! Thank you for your time and heavy efforts! Great Job!!

[@VTECAcademy]

Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching!

[@estewar03]

Thanks Brian.

[@raymondharris9104]

Love the Q&A!! What is the last year for a V6 Accord with manual trans?? This old man is ready to join the Honda fun.

[@carldean8732]

Thanks for the info!!

[@stevekeenan9673]

These are awesome... i just dropped my 91 hf motor and have a 04 tsx k24 coming in 3 weeks. Im sure i will have some questions soon and am watching your old engine bay prep vids on repeat

[@VTECAcademy]

Have you seen our K Swap EF series.

[@stevekeenan9673]

​@VTECAcademy yes and the ones from hush performance from about 4 or 5 years ago...

[@russellem2951]

Hey after dimensions for the K24 looking at putting one in my Suzuki X-90. Want to keep 4x4. I know they are a tall motor.. just want to see if it's feasible without too much cutting.. Love your show.. Russ from Brisbane Australia

[@nolahahnshouse3389]

I can’t wait to k swap the cr-z I plan on purchasing soon

[@joehenley2755]

One thing i noticed is the ACM metal behind you. I own and run a sign shop so in the sign industry we use that stuff alot😂

[@trondjacobsen1808]

I really like how you have love for these old Hondas!! And i see you deal with More new too 😄😃 i cant work with that werb!😅 im from norway! I have had my crx for 25 years now! And now also i have the -99 integra and the Accord R😇😇

[@trondjacobsen1808]

Newer??😂😂

[@sksuppressor756]

TSX auto :) exactly the info I need :)

[@Rattle_canned_restorations]

I spy a honda pocket (tucked) radiator from koyo over there by the tool box. Have you guys tried it yet? I did and i loved it actually on my last k swap in a 97 coupe. Worked great, the mounts are just flimsy as hell. Im not sure why they put them there instead of 2 On each side one at the top one at the bottom. Not that big of a deal, few mins with a tig welder solves that.

[@popcola1462]

I almost got all my cores together for my del sol. A crv came into work with the k24a1. Well I sorced the k24 and all the awd parts for my del sol. Got on ebay and got extremely lucky and found a rbb3 head for just over 300 bucks. Now I just need the manual crv transmission and I will have all the cores. I know I'm far from building point tho. The turbo, ecu, all the conversion stuff swap a d to k24 and make it awd. But since I got the car for 200 and the head for just over 300 even if I spend 4k it's still a really cheap swapped del sol 😂

[@boostedproblems5139]

Something to consider with the 5 speed manual vs the 6 speed manual, is that yes the 6speed has better overall acceleration. But if it requires an additional shift the hit 60 the 0-60 time will suffer! For some people this is a deal breaker.

[@mouachang874]

Brian, can you tell me if Automatic kswap to an automatic chassis? Example- Auto crx with Auto rsx base swap. Please let us know.

[@eis-zj4qq]

10 speed k20c4 swap ?

[@cadenyacavone960]

Any key points/advice on a 7th gen civic d17a1 to d17a2 cylinder head swap to gain vetec.

[@mattk6068]

I have a oem k20 ppa engine and wish to keep it in the car it came in for sentimental purposes. What are my cam options, if there are any? I prefer to stick to this style of head. Here in New Zealand, prb heads arent so abundant compared to rbc or rbb engines.

[@horizonteg06]

I have a 2007 Honda Element, I'm looking to swap in V6 Auto J series. I know a company currently does a J series swap that works with manual Elements, but looking to do a V6 Auto, so that I can use stock ECU in case I BAR it later (CA). What do you think?

[@kyledavy1545]

Hi, I have a Honda Jazz 2007 1,4I-DSI -SA right hand drive manual and looking to start my K-swap. I have a Z1 head and a a6 bottom end. What ECU could I use and any direction to go in as I am not sure what ECU to use to get everything working besides going aftermarket. The K20a6 engine is complete and out of a Honda CR-V, could I use the CR-V ecu?

[@devinsullivan3149]

I have have a 99 Honda Civic 4 dr and was thinking about going K to a K20Z3 in the future is it better to leave the 4x100 32mm 99 Si knuckles I have or obtain and use 5x114.3 36mm 1st gen CR-V knuckles and brakes. What would be the pros and cons to each?

[@user-dj7pn6cf6m]

We need a 6spd swap on a auto TSX i cant seem to any info on that

[@raaiqs143]

The K20a2 engine from the EP3 can’t be the same as the K24a3. I’m sure the K20a2 head flows a bit better?

[@oblivionlegend2937]

I was planning to do a head swap on my 8th gen accord to a k24a2 head. It has the k24z2 and i know i need to machine one of the coolant passages for the head to match up. How would i go about with wiring it?

[@byronwav]

I have an rsx type s with the k20a2. which k24 bottom end is best to swap in?

[@kidtaz23]

Hello I have a 05 accord coupe manual that I swapped a 07 tsx engine with tsx transmission and I’m have some issues with it not stay on at idle when the mass air flow sensor is plugged in but when the sensor is unplugged my car will start and stay at idle but then goes into limp mode. What can I do to fix this? I was told i could put a k-tuner chip in my ecu to bypass the problem. But what do you think I should do to fix this?

[@MissionKid]

You need to use specifically k24a3 bottom and k20z4 head to make 280bhp of course you will need to use fd2 oil pump and skunk 2 or any upgraded aftermarket camshafts to make that power

[@raimondnu3]

Besides the oil pump are you running stock K24a3 pistons and rods?

[@MissionKid]

@@raimondnu3 KZbin k24 type r Frank build and you will find a channel called js driveway he will explain everything in 3 parts worth a watch but we have U.K. version of fn2 type r with k20z4 engine and we import k24a3 bottom have a look at the video he makes a list in part 3 of everything that you need for the build

[@raimondnu3]

@@MissionKid I just watched the video. Thats a good setup. Its like a k24/K20a2 head on Steroids.

[@MisterWoes]

I have a the 2 lobe intake k24a8. It's an 07' Honda Accord 2.4 coupe exl 5 spd auto 160hp. Is it possible in any way to take the original k24a8 2 lobe motor and swap in the right cams and hardware for a true 3 lobe intake/exhaust vtec engine? Or at least install a 2 lobe cam for the exhaust? - Or do I just beef up the intake the best I can i.e. cai, 06-08 tsx upper manifold , tb spacer, thermal throttle body/manifold gasket? I have a junk yard not far from me that is full of tsx's and hondas and only charges 40 bucks a part I just have to uninstall it myself. Please let me know what my options are as I am new to this ,but incredibly eager to learn and love everything about vtec thank you!

[@VTECAcademy]

When we tried the TSX head on our K24A8 block we had contact with the piston. We ended up using a K24A1 bottom end. kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXPZcoWcjMpssLcsi=4xWTy44onkZDljkz

[@drones7838]

Need to replace my 2003 Honda CRV engine can I use any CRV year roughly 2003 to 5 or six and just do kind of like the intake manifold swap?

[@matthewsmith1909]

They should all be the same. Only difference is the 05-06 was drive by wire, electronic throttle body.

[@BIGSMOKE-bl2lq]

Question got a eg6 sir swapped a k24 with a type r head etc some 500ish cc injectors am gonna grab a fuel pump but just curious would the stock pump hack it

[@raimondnu3]

Are you using a k20a2 oil pump? If not the engine isnt going to like Revin so high wit the Type R head

[@BIGSMOKE-bl2lq]

@@raimondnu3 yep

[@seinundzeiten]

that was a short show, did I arrive late?

[@VTECAcademy]

It was just over 11 minutes today.

[@randyhoosier9252]

Is there a video dropping on that da?

[@MisssKeefy]

Sooner rather than later hopefully!

[@riceball777]

so the rsx k20a2 vtec heads are not better and wont make more power over a k24 vtec tsx head?

[@chasedowney9814]

Not if there is already VTEC on both intake and exhaust sides. My k24 from my 12 si would benefit from a k20 head.

[@NitroAdventure]

I have a 2012 Acura TSX special edition with the 6mt how difficult would it be to swap in a V6 j35

[@bgee461]

They have that exact project planned, except starting with an auto tsx iirc

[@BigBodyBiggz]

Don’t think it’s a difficult job being that they came from factory like so (some of them if I’m not mistaken)

[@yardman0001]

I was about to replace my k24a2 head with my k20z1 head tomorrow. I thought I'd gain some power by doing this. Am I wrong or is Brian wrong?

[@BIGSMOKE-bl2lq]

Hard to say a2 head is not bad lil port clean up a type r intake cam and vtc be flying

[@Bigdikus]

The difference is very negligible. Once you start modding and tuning, it won't make a difference

[@acevedohiram]

It isn't drastic for the gain vs work going into it. You can use a 40° vtc or a 50° pinned to 40, and a type S pump or a modified k24 pump with the z3 balance shafts, and get most of the benefit you'd get from a headswap. Headswaps make more sense on accord blocks. If you've done every other NA upgrade and you need that last bit of hp, then port the z1 head then put it on. TSX

[@glencompton2522]

Will a 07 civic si 6 speed manual bolt to a k24 a ?

[@raysb240sx]

K20Z3 Si Transmission bolted up to my JDM K24A RRB3 with no issues👌

[@VTECAcademy]

Yes, absolutely.

[@supers0nic77]

I've done it on my daily driver

[@markgrant5943]

I thought the accords were 5 speed auto

[@TrackSol]

1st 😂

[@VTECAcademy]

You won!!! WOOOOOO!!!