Building Honda K-Series Engine Performance

INTRODUCTION

I must admit that I was more than a little disappointed when Honda announced it was replacing the venerable B-series engines. Having had so much luck with the VTEC motors over the past decade, I was more than a little nervous about someone messing with what was a near-perfect engine configuration. Would Honda abandon the legendary VTEC system and add either displacement or forced induction, as is commonplace in the industry?

I didn’t immediately warm up to the new body styles either, having successfully road raced a ’95 Del Sol and pushed a 1999 Civic Si to 211 mph! All that quickly changed after running my first dyno test with the new K-series motor. Not only was the new K-series motor the equal of the original B-series, it was actually superior. Given Honda’s involvement in racing, from Import drag racing all the way up to Formula One, I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that technology marched on and eventually left the B-series behind. As the originators of the VTEC system, it should also come as no surprise that Honda found ways to further improve upon their trick valvetrain system.

With the introduction of the K-series, Honda answered a number of complaints about the original B-series, including lack of torque, lack of available displacement, and even minor annoyances like the use of belt-driven cams. Actually, the new K-series architecture cured the first two complaints simultaneously, as the K-series started out life at a full 2.0 liters of displacement. This compares to the 1.6L, 1.7L, and 1.8L displacements of the B-series VTEC motors. Naturally, the increase in displacement offered a corresponding jump in torque production, not just at the peak, but everywhere, from off idle all the way to redline.

The Acura RSX has been available in the US from 2002 to the present. The base RSX features a 160-hp K20A3 engine, while the RSX S owners are blessed with the 200-hp K20A2. (Photo courtesy Jason Siu)

The new architecture even allowed further increases in displacement. Compared to the big-boy B-series motor (the B20), the K-series combinations come in a maximum factory displacement of 2.4 liters. Racers have extended this up to 2.65 liters using a combination of increased bore diameter and stroker cranks, but even the 2.4L displacement is a significant step up compared to the original B20 motors. Since torque production was enhanced with displacement, the 2.4L K-series was perfect for the heavier Accord, CRV, and Element.

While the additional displacement was a welcomed change, Honda improved other aspects of the motor to further enhance the power output. Unlike the B20, the K24A1 (CRV motor) was equipped with Honda’s legendary VTEC system. Even though the K20A3 and K24A1/3/4 variants make due with the economy version of VTEC (applied only to the intake cam and not technically running two cam profiles), the setup still enhances both fuel economy and average power production.

Compared to the non-VTEC B-series motors, the K20A3 and K24A1/3/4 motors offer improvements in head flow, cam timing, and even intake design. The peak torque output (162 ft-lbs) of the K24A1 motor illustrates the effectiveness of the new K-series combination. This compares to just 133 ft-lbs offered by the earlier B20 motors.

Honda also added Variable Timing Control (VTC). VTC is essentially an electronically adjustable cam sprocket, not to be confused with VTEC, which is actually dual camshaft profiles. Instead of having the cam timing optimized at just a single RPM point, the VTC constantly adjusts the cam relative to the crank position to optimize power, fuel economy, and emissions. While other manufacturers (BWM, Ford, and Mitsubishi) utilize a similar system on both cams, the VTC system is only employed on the intake cam. In truth, the engine is much more sensitive to changes to the intake cam, but we will have to see if Honda eventually adapts the VTC to the exhaust cam to further improve the potential of the K-series.

In 2006, the redesigned Honda Civic Si came the new 197-hp K20Z3. This was a big improvement over the ’02 to ’05 Civic Si’s 160-hp K20A3. The new Si also comes with a limited-slip differential, which will help you get out of the hole quickly and get back on the gas coming out of turns without spinning your tires. (Photo courtesy Jason Siu)

While Honda endowed the K20A3 and K24A1/3/4 motors with an economy-minded version of VTEC, the performance mills all received the real deal. The K20A (Type R), K20A2 (RSX S), K20Z3 (’06 Si), and K24A2 (TSX) motors all feature the traditional dual-cam VTEC system where the motor runs on a set of mild cam profiles at low engine speeds and loads and then switches over to the wilder VTEC cam profiles for maximum power. Nothing broadens a torque curve like having a pair of cam profiles. While other manufacturers have tried to emulate (or duplicate) Honda’s VTEC system, no one has mastered it like Honda.

Like the milder K20A3-based motor, the K20A2 motor also features significant improvements compared to its B-series counterparts. The new Kseries motors benefit from a dramatic increase in head flow, improved cam timing, and even a hike in static compression. These all combine to create additional torque production over the smaller B-series, without sacrificing any peak power. In fact, the K-series offers not only more average power, but also more peak power than any factory Bseries. Compared to the original B18C5 Type R motor, the new K-series Type R (K20A) makes a solid 20 additional horsepower. The 200-hp K20A2 motor is a solid 30 hp over the original B18C GSR mill.

Much like my earlier B-series book (How to Build Honda Horsepower), Building Honda K-series Engine Performance came about out of a desire to help enthusiasts answer the age-old question, How much power is _________ worth? You can fill in the blank with just about any K-series performance component, as this book covers everything from simple air intake systems and throttle bodies to superchargers and nitrous oxide. Also included in the mix are turbochargers, methanol injection, and camshafts, along with head porting, headers, and cat-back exhaust systems.

This book is broken down into chapters that include back-to-back testing on individual performance components. Naturally, we’ve included both factory and aftermarket components, as the factory Type R cams and intake make a nice upgrade to the standard RSX S and TSX components. Whether you’re looking to discover how much power is available from a simple air intake or Engine Control Unit (ECU) re-flash, or you want to know how much power you’ll get with a great turbo kit, this book has something to offer.

As much as I like the B-series motors, the K-series motors are my new favorites. I can hardly wait to see what Honda comes up with next!

K-series engines are becoming increasingly popular for engine swaps into earlier lightweight chassis. This highly modified ’94 Integra sedan features a K20A2 swap and is pictured at the 2006 SEMA show. (Photo courtesy Jason Siu)

CHAPTER 1

HONDA K-SERIES ENGINES

Honda obviously knew it had big (some might even say legendary) shoes to fill when they decided to axe the successful B-series VTEC motors in favor of the new K-series. The B-series has provided all manner of performance for just about every possible Honda and Acura, to say nothing of the many Brand-X swaps performed over the years, such as a Lotus Elise, an original Mini Cooper, and even a Porsche 550 Spider replica (talk about cool!).

The little B-series VTEC motors have been run in just about every form of motorsports, including drag racing, road and endurance racing, and even rally racing. I used a 1995 Del Sol to capture the United States Touring Car Championship (USTCC) road race championship in 2000. The same car won two endurance road race championships in the hotly contested Motorola Cup. The B16A (and B18C variants) has demonstrated the strength (actually the proper design characteristics) to run 24-hour endurance races right off the showroom floor. Incredibly, used motors have successfully performed this feat even after compiling 30,000 to 40,000 miles, without so much as a single complaint.

In drag race trim, the B-series have exceeded 800 hp (on gasoline) and probably significantly more with methanol. My own B18C (84-mm bore) produced 728 hp at 29.4 psi (2 bar) and pushed a 1999 Civic Si to the official title of the World’s Fastest Civic (logging 211 mph in the process).

The 2.0L K20A3 engine in the RSX (non Type S) is rated at 160 hp and 145 ftlbs of torque. It features a trick dual-runner composite intake manifold not shared with the K20A3 engine in the early Civic Si.

Why gush over the outgoing B-series in a book about the new K-series motors? The reason is simple. To say the new Kseries is better than the older B-series is essentially meaningless unless you first understand how good the out-going motor was.

Many automotive manufacturers still struggle to produce motors with the specific outputs achieved by Honda way back in 1989. Though the U.S. would not get the 160-hp B16A until it was installed in the Del Sol in the mid ’90s, the rest of the world was running around with motors that produced an amazing 100 hp per liter. Some domestic manufacturers are bragging about achieving this level (circa 2006) with the aid of forced induction!

As we now know, the trick to the impressive performance was the use of VTEC (Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control). A fancy name to be sure, but one that strikes terror in the hearts of lesser imports. The VTEC system improves the specific output of the B-series and new K-series motors by way of allowing the motor to activate a different pair of cam profiles. The primary cams are tuned for driveability, mileage, and low-speed performance. Using oil pressure, the VTEC mechanism engages a secondary rocker to run on wilder cam profiles. The result is a motor that idles, drives, and feels snappy at low speeds, but delivers an amazing top-end charge unavailable from other engines.

To properly compare the early B-series and new K-series, maybe it is best to break the motors down into their individual components. Before taking a look at the individual components, know that in general, the K-series carries on the B-series’ legacy of responding well to performance upgrades. In fact, it can be argued that the K-series is even more responsive to modifications. One need only look at the chapters on intake and ECU modifications to see that a K20A2 (RSX S) motor is capable of some serious power with nothing more than a cold-air intake, header and exhaust, and ECU programming. This responsiveness comes from superior components, as a great deal of new technology went into the new K-series design.

It’s not surprising that Honda was able to better the B-series after all these years; after all, it was the one that introduced the performance world to VTEC in the first place. While the rest of the manufacturers (especially the domestics) struggled to equal the specific outputs offered by the original Bseries engines, Honda didn’t just sit back and wait. That is how you get passed up in this industry. Honda certainly won’t stand for being replaced as the darling of the sport compact market.

One killer 2.0L K-series motor to available here in the U.S. is the K20A2. Rated at 200 hp, the K20A2 is used to power the RSX S.

While the B-series VTEC motors were impressive, the K-series are actually better in every respect. One of the key elements in the success and efficiency of the K-series motors (at least the K20A, K20A2, and K24A2) is the cylinder head. Sure, the B16A, B18C, and B18C5 (Type R) heads flowed well, especially since they were originally slated for a motor displacing just 1.6 liters. The K-series heads flow even better. In fact, the whole package is better. Nowhere is this more evident than in drag racing, where every last HP counts.

Where all-motor B-series combinations were limited by available displacement and head flow (most racers swapped in the larger H-series Prelude motors), racers have managed to exceed 350 wheel hp out of a naturally aspirated K-series engine. I was sworn to secrecy on the specifics of the combination, but the company responsible for head porting assured me that the K-series head is (excuse the pun) head and shoulders above the B-series. Ditto for the chain driven cams, which allow higher engine speeds without the associated timing fluctuations or fear of snapping a cog belt. I know from experience that it’s