[Flopmeister69]

Hello everyone out there in K world. I am looking for a good licences Honda/Acura specific mechanic to do some transforming of my 02 Civic Si. I'm talking total frankenstein. I am not finding anyone here in the lansing area. The dealer mechanic who does some work has another company he runs doing landscaping. So my general location is Lansing MI 48819 and any mechanic whose interested in talking about my plans Please email me at [email protected]
thanks

 

[RC000E]

I can tell you, that in my experience if you go to Honda/Acura techs your barkin up the wrong tree. That is the ultimate sucker job right there. The Honda techs up the road at a local dealership have taken in numerous swaps and haven't managed to have one leave running. One of the Honda techs knows me, as well as the parts department people, and they have subcontracted the wiring to me 5 times now. I bailed that dealership out big time, and yet they continue to bring in swaps.

People get a Honda engine, and figure take it to Honda...to Honda trained certified mechanics. Well, at Honda that's exactly what you get, mechanics. They'll change a timing belt and do a recall repair with the best of them, but if you are looking for someone knowledgeable in the field of things "hybrid" in nature, they aren't going to be it. There is only one place to find a capable group or individual, and that is generally a specified business in this field or someone with plain out experience.

I am not Honda certified in a damn thing, but I go up to that dealership on a regular basis and school 20 year Honda techs. Don't get me wrong, they've got me in recall knowledge, and they've got me in how to change god knows what in a 2004 Honda Pilot, but if isn't written in clear language in the Helms manual they haven't got a clue. The ability to perform your K swap requires an individual who is self taught with a natural ability towards fabrication, wiring, problem solving, backed with experience working and altering Honda's in a non factory recognized fashion.

My point of all this rambling is this; just because they are a Honda "certified" tech doesn't mean sh*t, and I am supporting that with my experience at the local dealership. Alot of customers have gotten a rude awakening, getting charged dealer rates for a swap that didn't run for 2 months. Here they are comfy that their Honda is sitting at Honda's garage, and it doesn't run and they are PISSED. The only acception to this NO HONDA DEALER rule, is that some Honda dealerships have jumped onto this surge of modification and do have people capable of going to this level. Generally younger techs are the guys doing it, because they are "into" it themselves. Look for experience, not a certification is all I am saying.

 

[Flopmeister69]

thanks dude,
Like I said this kid there supposedly had done outside work and when I contacted him, he wouldn't return my calls. There is a shop here in Lansing, Comp T ? I think anyway they build all sorts of race motors even one that made it into a honda tuning magazine. Are you saying go see them? I just want to avoid that business overhead that I can pay with a 12 pack of Miller lite to the mechanic
Thanks for your help
bryan

 

[RC000E]

I think all I am saying is experience speaks far louder than a certification. Judge whoever you pay for the job on their abilities, as well as what they have already proven to produce. The biggest issue is being sure that the end result is going to leave you with a "like factory" driveability. No engine lights, idle problems, axle clicking, etc. A Kseries swap isn't exactly cheap, so investing all that money warrants being POSITIVE you've chosen someone capable of getting it done.

As far as Comp T goes, I don't know their background so I won't say yes or no. If they were in Honda Tuning for their reputation as engine builders, then as long as that coincides with their wiring and swap capabilities then sure. Easy way to know is to look at prior customer cars. Have they done swaps in the past, are the people who own the cars happy, do the guys who work there speak intelligently about the Kseries engines and the process involved in swapping one, things like that are what's important.

 

[overlap..]

Nice phrase about problem solving!

 

[RC000E]

Why thank you, I thought it quite appropriate myself.

 

[ProspeedCTR]

I can tell you, that in my experience if you go to Honda/Acura techs your barkin up the wrong tree. That is the ultimate sucker job right there. The Honda techs up the road at a local dealership have taken in numerous swaps and haven't managed to have one leave running. One of the Honda techs knows me, as well as the parts department people, and they have subcontracted the wiring to me 5 times now. I bailed that dealership out big time, and yet they continue to bring in swaps.

People get a Honda engine, and figure take it to Honda...to Honda trained certified mechanics. Well, at Honda that's exactly what you get, mechanics. They'll change a timing belt and do a recall repair with the best of them, but if you are looking for someone knowledgeable in the field of things "hybrid" in nature, they aren't going to be it. There is only one place to find a capable group or individual, and that is generally a specified business in this field or someone with plain out experience.

I am not Honda certified in a damn thing, but I go up to that dealership on a regular basis and school 20 year Honda techs. Don't get me wrong, they've got me in recall knowledge, and they've got me in how to change god knows what in a 2004 Honda Pilot, but if isn't written in clear language in the Helms manual they haven't got a clue. The ability to perform your K swap requires an individual who is self taught with a natural ability towards fabrication, wiring, problem solving, backed with experience working and altering Honda's in a non factory recognized fashion.

My point of all this rambling is this; just because they are a Honda "certified" tech doesn't mean sh*t, and I am supporting that with my experience at the local dealership. Alot of customers have gotten a rude awakening, getting charged dealer rates for a swap that didn't run for 2 months. Here they are comfy that their Honda is sitting at Honda's garage, and it doesn't run and they are PISSED. The only acception to this NO HONDA DEALER rule, is that some Honda dealerships have jumped onto this surge of modification and do have people capable of going to this level. Generally younger techs are the guys doing it, because they are "into" it themselves. Look for experience, not a certification is all I am saying.

This is not true on ALL Honda/Acura Techs out there I have done 6 swaps myself and all but one started without MIL/CEL. Everything from D16Z6 in a 88-91 to a H22A in a 92-95. Sorry I am a little drunk right now. I know what I am doing I don't know about the other techs.

 

[drhonda]

This is not true on ALL Honda/Acura Techs out there I have done 6 swaps myself and all but one started without MIL/CEL. Everything from D16Z6 in a 88-91 to a H22A in a 92-95. Sorry I am a little drunk right now. I know what I am doing I don't know about the other techs.

All he is saying is that MOST of the techs do not even know what a K20a is. They don't reference honda's like we do. All they do is look up the vin # and the computer tells them what needs to be done. They don't get into engine swaps because its not an everyday thing, they have to worry about diagnosing a vehicle and fixing it. They're not trained to do an H22a swap into a ej chassis. Thats what the internet is for and crazy honda people like us.

 

[RC000E]

Yes, I certainly recall stating that certainly a few random Honda techs here and there are capable mostly due in part to the fact that they are "into" this themselves. I can almost guarantee you though, I could get at least 50% of honda techs with no prior swap or Honda modification experience to claim that they CAN do anything. I haven't met a honda tech yet that can even remotely read a wiring diagram for purposes of manipulation.

 

[Flopmeister69]

VT Comp that's the name of the motor/race shop