vtec4life said:
Just curious....what car would be best for doing a K series swap?
By far the best two body styles are the EG Civic and DC2 Integra. The problem with the EF is the height of the hood line, it's too low for the tall K20, let alone the taller K24. The EK has it's own problems.
The EK's suspension geometry is similar to the EG/DC, but Honda used a different design for the rear crossmember, with the rack inside the structure. This makes for a larger rear crossmember which interferes with the housing on the K-series transmission. Consequently the engine can't be mounted as far back. It's not that bad though, the cars balance front to rear, is very similar to an EK with a B18C. It just looks like it's really forward because the intake manifold on the front of the engine.
The K-series engine is much more compact than the B or H series motors. The weight distribution is also superior the that of the B-series engine because it leans backward putting the head over the differential, unlike the B-series engine which leans forward. The H-series may have better weight distribution than a B-series, but it also weighs 100 lbs more which negates any advantages.
The EG/DC's rear crossmember construction allows you to move the engine back almost two inches further compared to the EK. There are a couple of advantages to this, like straighter axels, better weight distribution and more ground clearance.
Although the axle angle isn't bad in the EK, they're about as straight as you could want in the EG/DC. Straighter axles can make a big difference when you are doing high horsepower applications. It also means less wear and tear on the boots.
Having the engine further back means better weight distribution too. When racing weight that is further from the center of gravity can adversly affect handling. In drag racing this isn't the case, but it may not be worth the extra stress put on the axels.
Because the hood slopes down towards the front of the car, when you move the engine back it can be raised more. The K20 is taller than the B-series motors and they need to be mounted as close to the hood as possible to maximize ground clearance. We made our kit so close to the hood that if you decide to go K24, you'll need to trim some of the hood under structure. The DC though has more hood clearance for the K24.
It's interesting though, some time we'll put a K20 into an AF (84-87 Civic/CRX), an AV (86-89 Integra), a 94 Accord and a DA (90-92 Integra), who knows, maybe one of those will work even better.
brian g
