k20a3 swap

[CHILD]

you'll gain some power, but it wouldn't be worth it for the facts stated.

lower compression ration and ECU. even swapping the ECU wouldn't do much, just because you have the revs, doesn't mean you're making power in those higher rpm's.

 

[kyle10182]

Swap the A3 if you just want a car that's a little more fun to drive. People bash on it a lot but it's not a bad engine, it just isn't what the A2 is.

But there are a lot of Si and base RSX owners who are plenty happy with their cars, they get good gas mileage, you can run 87 octane, they make their torque lower in the rpm range which means they're easier to drive around town (A2 makes 2-5 more lb feet torque but higher in the rev range).

They also boost reliably if you stay under 300hp and get a good tune. All in all not a bad swap for 2k and certainly more fun than the D17.

i agree with this guy. the a3 would be better off boosted. thats why i suggest getting an a2

 

[kyle10182]

you'll gain some power, but it wouldn't be worth it for the facts stated.

lower compression ration and ECU. even swapping the ECU wouldn't do much, just because you have the revs, doesn't mean you're making power in those higher rpm's.

yea, the low compression will put a stop to that whole "power abover 7,000 rpms" thing.

 

[toneekay]

okay so if the a2 head has a 11:0 comp and the a3 block has a 9:0 comp, couldnt you just swap a a2 head onto your a3 block and then swap out the stock pistons for high comp. pistons and tune it with kpro?

pretty much that goes for the whole a3 motor itself, couldnt he just get some aftermarket low comp. pistons and swap them in his block and then boost with kpro?

 

[02hondaEx]

okay so if the a2 head has a 11:0 comp and the a3 block has a 9:0 comp, couldnt you just swap a a2 head onto your a3 block and then swap out the stock pistons for high comp. pistons and tune it with kpro?

pretty much that goes for the whole a3 motor itself, couldnt he just get some aftermarket low comp. pistons and swap them in his block and then boost with kpro?

if thats possible that would be great, and also if i did do all motor like get intake, headers, catback, camshafts, cam gears, pulley, ecu, how much hp would i be getting around

 

[CHILD]

^^^yeah, but you basically just built a whole motor just leaving the connecting rods and crankshaft stock.

that brings you back to the posts about it being not really worth swapping an A3

 

[kyle10182]

okay so if the a2 head has a 11:0 comp and the a3 block has a 9:0 comp, couldnt you just swap a a2 head onto your a3 block and then swap out the stock pistons for high comp. pistons and tune it with kpro?

pretty much that goes for the whole a3 motor itself, couldnt he just get some aftermarket low comp. pistons and swap them in his block and then boost with kpro?

easy there. the block is going to have about 96% of the engines overall compression in it in a overhead cam engine. so this whole "A2 head has 11:1" isn't going to work. thats not the correct way to look at it. that head would probably bump his compression .25:1. And im getting the impression that he doesn't want to completely rebuild the entire engine...

 

[kyle10182]

Test Motor1: K20A3 stock internals
Header: DC Sport 421/ OEM cat downpipe
Intake: Injen SRI/ wrapped
Exhaust: Greddy EVO2 60mm
Tranny: EP3 5 Speed
Misc Mods: 8pt. Custom Grounding Kit
Dyno info: TCF 1.00 Dynapack ( untuned )
133whp and 113wlbs

not too good....b16a's make more power then that.

 

[PhntmSk8r]

a3's are worthless k20's, there are far better options for you.

 

[kyle10182]

the issue is that he (just like he said) already bought an A3 and got a good deal on it.

 

[toneekay]

Yea that's true.. He's already bought the motor. Okay so here's another question of mine, the a3 is pretty much the same as the a2 right? Just a few different internals.. Isn't it possible to swap out the internals from the a3 and swap in some ITR internals? Pretty much for all motor purposes? Its kind of like building a poor mans type r, but only with the K series...????

 

[kyle10182]

no. the a3 is a bastard.

 

[kyle10182]

The VTEC system on engines like the K20A3 is only on the intake cam, and at low RPM when not engaged, allows the engine to function as a 12-valve engine, opening only one intake valve so that the air swirls for better combustion. This VTEC system was designed with fuel economy in mind. In engines like the K20A2 found in the RSX Type-S, The VTEC system always allows the motor to run as a 16 valve engine, and when VTEC engages, its on both the intake and exhaust rockers, and opens all 4 valves even more at high RPM

and it has a completely different rocker arm assembly. i'm leaning towards boost for this particular engine...it just makes sense. s/c, N20 or turbo (in that order )

 

[dank24]

if you got it for a "good price", I would check out the rocker assembly. The exhaust cam lobe are known to degenerate and wreck the head/engine. Even if you do boost it, can't go to crazy, the crank is pretty weak on them too.

 

[02hondaEx]

if i sale it can i get any k20a2 or a1 for a cheap price?

 

[toneekay]

Okay so going all motor is out of the question, the only exception is forced induction. Except, the only thing about doing that is that the motor is completely worthless.. You can't run n/a without the motor giving out on you because it is not reliable with high performance. Even if you boosted, then pretty much you won't see high numbers. So with that being said, what is there to do with this motor? Is it completely worthless? Is there still hope?

 

[LowNotSlow]

Okay so going all motor is out of the question, the only exception is forced induction. Except, the only thing about doing that is that the motor is completely worthless.. You can't run n/a without the motor giving out on you because it is not reliable with high performance. Even if you boosted, then pretty much you won't see high numbers. So with that being said, what is there to do with this motor? Is it completely worthless? Is there still hope?

Since when is 300hp worthless? Head over to Clubrsx you'll find plenty of boosted A3's putting down solid numbers reliably.

K24A4 with an A2 head would be better though. But some people won't settle for being capable of anything less than 500hp.

Test Motor1: K20A3 stock internals
Header: DC Sport 421/ OEM cat downpipe
Intake: Injen SRI/ wrapped
Exhaust: Greddy EVO2 60mm
Tranny: EP3 5 Speed
Misc Mods: 8pt. Custom Grounding Kit
Dyno info: TCF 1.00 Dynapack ( untuned )
133whp and 113wlbs

not too good....b16a's make more power then that.

B16 makes 111 lbs at the crank (at 7000rpm) and barely more whp while running high octane gas (and it makes that power at 7600rpm). Some people enjoy having to ring their cars neck to get some speed out of it.

 

[toneekay]

wow alot of info in here.. i guess i got all my facts mixed up, if an a3 can see at least 300hp then its not worthless.. so whats all this talk with the earlier posts talking about you cant boost the a3 to its full potential due to reliablitiness.. now with all of that being said by lownotslow, im guessing this motor isnt what some of us came up with. right?

now from a different point of view, in my opinion, the k20a3 isnt a bad engine. its better than a d17, stock for stock, thats for sure. now with boost, im pretty sure it could also handle alot more power as well.

 

[kyle10182]

if i sale it can i get any k20a2 or a1 for a cheap price?

an a2 swap, will cost u around $4k.

 

[kyle10182]

B16 makes 111 lbs at the crank (at 7000rpm) and barely more whp while running high octane gas (and it makes that power at 7600rpm). Some people enjoy having to ring their cars neck to get some speed out of it.

i've seen a b16 with bolt ons make 157whp and 117 ft-lbs of trq to the wheels. just ebay intake, s2 manifold, stock exhaust manifold, test pipe and apex'i catback.

thats more trq and hp then that a3 made out of a 1.6l that probably gets better gas mileage and cost a whole lot less.

but thats completely besides the point. because im pretty sure we've concluded that the a3 be no good in stock form. meaning boost or internal work will be required.