They are cast-aluminium pistons! I apologise for my mistakes for not being thourough enough. I see cast and I imagine cast-iron and bam... there is a mistake. Again, sorry!
@@ch0wned hang on a second I have ran 450 reliable horsepower on these engines for years and not had them blow up on stock internals yes I agree the pistons and conrods are the weak point in the engine but considering they were never designed to hold boost they do it very well
Need to do one on the Toyota silver/blacktop 20v or whatever it was again that came with factory ITB’s ish that ppl swapped into the 86 Corolla’s and such
Forged aluminum pistons are stronger but cast pistons are better for daily drivers since if you don’t warm up forged pistons to operating temp they expand faster than the cast iron liner and cold sieze.
It's arguably the best 4 cylinder ever made. There are modern engines that make more power now, but a K series engine is simple, reliable and still has plenty aftermarket support.
I’m a honda tech and It amazes me that honda still uses the K,J, R, L series today. All 20+ year old engine platforms. Obviously not the same as their older siblings but very good updated platforms.
I will say, the modern variants of these older engines are heavily modified to the point it's hard to swap some parts between K20C, L15C and J30C with their family. Still, it's amazing that Honda can keep even these family names alive for so long
Because they’re great ! I need to see a new Acura Legend in the states. Imagine if base models had G series and the A Spec Type S whatever had the new 3.5
With the cost of new-engine development, Honda played it pretty smart. Make a couple winners, (B,K,J) and you can put them in just about anything for 20 years.
I've been running a K20Z4 for over 10 years, putting out 250bhp for the last 6 years. Only had one issue, a dead coil pack. Other than that, just good maintenance. Great vid BTW, thanks.
@Revs k20z4 alaso here, i run it for over 10 year with 230hp but before 2 years i blows all 8 exhaust valves🤣 ok every day i had miss shifts becaus of extreamely hard driving. I replaced all 16 valves with jdm valve spring
I do miss these loud unapologetic 4-bangers. I feel that Honda reached the ultimate of NA engine building and sold it to the masses at affordable prices. They were so early in introducing the VTEC system and placed it in every possible engine they sell. This allow them to make a profit despite a more complex valve train. For us consumers, truly a gift! Compared that to other companies that make a 9000RPM engine; Honda is the cheapest and Arguably one of the best.
The K20 engines still lives on as a turbo charged engine which can be found in the Accord 2.0T, Civic Type R and the Acura RDX and TLX. There was also a distinct K series which was only exclusive to the Acura RDX from years 2007 to 2012 and its the K23 Turbo Charged engine.
Thanks for giving the K series some love. My previous car was a 2005 Acura TSX, which was the Honda Accord in Europe. My car has the 200HP K24 with a six speed manual. That was such a fun car, especially after I put the Hondata Reflash in it. 5K RPM VTEC engagement made such a difference.
I have the same car and same year but in EU is badged as accord cl9. I put serge bo headers, short shifter, cai and a reflash on it and is a different car from stoc. I'm looking for 1-4 type r gear swap and maybe a turbo in the future
I bought my first car less than 6 months ago, a 2007 Honda Civic Si. I thought I got a decent deal on a basic little coupe that would get me to and from school, and now here I am slowly being convinced I got a banger deal on an piece of gold.
got my RSX at 160k km, now at 338k km with only timing chain tensionner (preventive). OG engine and transmission, and it's driven WOT a lot of time, fast cruising at 150 km/h at around 4200 rpm. Doesnt drink oil or nothing. Best engine ever.
K20 and k24 have been Honda most Efficient in terms of reliability and power. You can modify it so easy and it will respond adequately. In addition to this, K series were made to be rev’d out to Redline and it will not hesitate in redline. To me the K will always be top tier, k series only
@@mann_idonotreadrepliesyou're thinking of subaru's ej engine, k's are damn near indestructible. I beat the piss outta my k20z3 revving 9k for 3 years and swapped it out, sold it and it's still running to this day.
the biggest seal of greatness for any engine is how many stock components you can keeping using even on high hp forced induction builds. honda has always been the best with this.
Yup, I believe the critical internals being designed with such huge safety margins is one of the main reasons why Honda has always had one of the lowest engine failure rates in the industry.
I owned 2 K20Z3s and they were so powerful, so reliable and sounded SO GOOD. That V-tec engagement brings tears to my eyes. First one I spun a rod bearing accidentally putting it into 2nd gear instead of 4th doing a 80mph downshift. I was too tired and stressed to be doing that. Second one a guy turned left in front of me and totalled the car T.T
Personally, I think it's one of the greatest 4-cylinder engines out there. Please VisioRacer, if you could do a similar video about the F4R engine (as the one you had in your Megane 3 RS), that would be awesome. Thanks, and cheers from Spain.
My first ten cars were Hondas with one regrettable exception ( a VW). Hondas will always have a special place in my heart. Hard to pick a favourite but my 94 Prelude VTi-R was difficult to beat.
Not necessarily speaking to the performance but the reliability of these engines, I had a 2003 accord with the K24 that had 389k miles on the original engine that still ran perfectly fine (albeit with a little blow by) when I sold it. The guy who bought it is still driving it today with over 400k on it. The car still averages in the upper 20s for fuel mileage.
I'm a motorcyclist who dislikes car engines because they don't rev high and sound awful and rough, honda is one of the few exceptions and the cheapest, their engines sound awesome since they're oversquare, have v-tec and cam rev almost like a motorcycle, I'd definetly get something like a civic over an any sports car with similar price
@@vroe5620 lol you’ve clearly never ridden or been near a motorcycle engine. I’ve got a CBR600RR and it’s a sweet sounding engine when running a good exhaust whether a full exhaust or just a nice yoshi/akro muffler (end can, whatever you want to call it) I also have a Suzuki GSXR600 and it’s got a nice yoshi on it too and it is loud and sounds amazing. Both these bikes you can hear klms away as when you’re pinning it 13,000/14,000 redline it’s very obvious.
Great video. Modern gear heads must respect the racing heritage of Honda and that they’ll make a kick ass performance engine that doesn’t have to equate to major power but with that prolonged reliability.
8:28, absolutely digging the editing. Letting the audio from that acceleration clip slowly fade into the background feels professional. Good stuff brother, keep it up 💪
K is the way! My super low mile 2008 Si just has a Tune, Catback, and Cold Air Intake and she is an absolute screamer. Super fun car to drive that loves to rev.
The best k swaped car ive ever seen was someone put a built and tuned k20 in a lotus elise 111s 😲 what a fantastic idea that car was untouchable round the anglesey cuircite 🤗
I've always loved Honda engines for their ability to make decent power n/a, rev to the moon, and their ability to handle boost in stock configuration. Plus growing up with 90s civics as my dailies, OG VTEC was just awesome. The sound, the "VTEC kicking in yo" of b,h, and even jdm 1.5 single jingles was impressionable to me as a young enthusiast. Back in the early 2000s the fact that my EG hatch with a b18c5,c,b w/e could surprise some v8's was the shit.
i drive a 2008 civic si sedan using same clutch and engine since my dad is the original owner. 227k miles on the engine and its still running strong and i could still push it from time to time loll
You didnt cover the k24a2 which is essentially the stroked version of the k20a2. Even though the head dont flow as good as the PRB, its still not that bad and will whoop some ass in a civic or integra. Oil pump conversion that deletes the balance shafts is mandatory. You can also make the TSX head flow better than a stock PRB and more by having it ported.
To me, the K24A2 is the best value of the K series since you can easily get them at junkyards for a few hundred dollars if you are patient. The low end torque is great for daily driving too, it's nice to be able to effortlessly accelerate and climb hills at low RPM without downshifting. Balance shaft delete isn't at all mandatory unless you are revving way higher than the stock redline, but it will free up a few horsepower and improve fuel efficiency a little at the expense of possibly vibrating more. But for what it's worth, mine runs very smooth without balance shafts.
Simple efficient and easily rebuilt with great supporting mods market, from 240 ish na to 1500+bhp drag monster setups it’s one of our greatest internal combustion power plants
There are many modern engine which impress with their huge power and torque outputs (thanks to complex turbo setups) but I wonder how many of those will still be considered legends in 20 years time, when mileage and time have exposed all their potential issues. Sure, the K is a great motor for modding and tuning BUT, is offers all that with exellent reliability and a life that you measure in decades, not years. I'm not sure how many of today's engines you can say that about!
It is a fantastic engine which is why I own one but it does have one other problem that a lot of people forget about that is the vtc cam Gear can fail so I always recommend to people if they're getting their timing chain done replace that cam gear as well
I have an Acura TSX with a k24a2. It is arguably the best variant of the k24 motor and I will be boosting it soon. It is one of the few models with the RBB head which has the most aggressive factory cams of them all.
I got 140k on my K20C2 (it's the one that doesn't have the turbo) and it's still getting stronger as the mileage increases. Very little aftermarket support for this engine, but its perfect as is...especially with the 6MT transmission. I feel like I'm getting my cake and eating it.
@@psewgobind the more something gets used, the stronger it gets applies to biological tissues like skeletal muscle (hypertrophy). Engines do not get stronger via use, lol. You can say engines need to be broken in, but you cannot say they get stronger by using them more.. That’s absolutely idiotic
@@Dailyshart a good NA engine. Especially Toyota or Honda will work better with hard use. Not so with turbo where extreme heat will degrade engine. For NA engines heat isn’t toxic…in fact beneficial since heat is enough to burn off carbon build up but not enough to harm engine. On my last track day, the 150km hwy drive back home after a very hard session engine was purring and returning 46mpg consumption. So, engine does get stronger as mileage increase.
hey that’s what i have as usual when there’s a hot version of your engine though and you inevitably look at mods, you’re gonna read 800 posts all saying to buy a different car like that’s easy to do in 2022
The possibilities are endless up until the bank goes broke. Truer words have never been spoken. Here's to one day getting a 6 figure job to entertain my idea of a K swapped FD
2:10 you got a slight mistake, bare block has a more significant difference between K20A2 and K20A3 than just oil squirters. The K20A2 girdle design is completely different, and brings a huge increase in block rigidity over the A3, thus can handle much more power and RPM's
I'm into Subies now, but in my teens, I owned everything from a CR-V, an Odyssey, a Fit, and '07 K20Z3 Civic Si and a beautiful '04 AP2 S2K which I miss a lot. The wife has a Passport now and we really like it. Needless to say, Honda will always hold a very special place in my hear. And now that Subaru killed the STi, I might just come back to owning/tuning Hondas all over again. Although that little AWD Toyota GR is looking very promising!
Hopefully they continue to sell EJ’s. Not sure how many cars left there will be to put those motors in pretty soon, though. Most of the cool ones (obxt, lgt, fxt, svx, etc.) are rusting away in someone’s backyard because they never want to let it go. I get it, I never want to let my Lgt go!
Had a K20 car. All N/A power and revved to 9k rpm’s. Wasn’t the fastest thing on the street, but was one of the most fun cars I’ve ever owned. Now that AWD kits are more available for the RSX-S, I’ve thought of picking up another one. Or put a K20 in a lotus.
I still like rebuilding B's more, but K's are built better, specifically for boost applications. Many more layers of bracing allow it to stay together at insage boost levels, although the b-series rev's better thanks to it's shorter stroke. Us B-series fans slept on it for a few reasons: 1. swaps were hard, the engine spun the opposite direction as the b, and you needed a transmission and axle swap too. 2. When the k-series debuted, they also lost double wishbone suspension. We ignored these cars, spevifically the ep3 with its abysmal handling. 3. Complete swap kits did not exist for quite a while. They are still more expensive than the engine itself. 4. The H22 is nearly as good, and also spins the "wrong way" like our b and d-series. It also can be adapted cheaply with an existing b or d series trans and axles. You only need a couple mounts and some grinding on the block webbing.
the funny part is the b series is actually the "wrong way". I always hated 4 cylinder engines with front exhaust manifolds because the manifolds go under the engine. Us K-series fans slept on it for a few reason 😂
The Balance Shaft on the K20a was only fitted to the CL7 Accord Euro R, the K20a in the Integra DC5 did not have the Balance Shaft fitted, the Shaft made the engine a bit smoother when in the V tec range, thanks for the video.
My ,,Little" Honda stream type 1 with k20a engine... A dream to drive... If you see this car in the parking place you just can't image what it could do on the road... Honda make me fall in love with cars. Cars from 2000 to 2010 are the peak of engineering in my opinion
Great video man! There is some information that's a bit off, you said the k24s head doesn't flow as good as the k20. That's not true, the K24a2 in-example, flows just as well as its k20 brothers. And the k24 can absolutely handle upwards of 500-700hp on the stock block. It can also rev 8,200-8500 rpms reliably with some parts swapped out. The k20 and k24 are equally stout, and can still rev upwards of 9000rpms, (even more with monster builds). RUclips has examples of people doing this in the states for over 10+ years, reliably in some situations, which is nuts. The k24 torque however, stomps the k20 when rev'd out high too. (example k24a2 built, with cams, pistons, rods, bearings, arp support, gnarly bolt-ons) can reach upwards of 280WHP on 91 gas, and over 300+whp on e85 flex fuels. with way over 220wtq. I specifically was a k20 fan until I dug deep for the past few years, and picked up a k24a2 to experience it myself. In my opinion, it's Hondas secret detuned k24 Type R. Cheers mate!
@@ebrahimebs What does revving "clean" even mean, sir? Both literally have similar revving and flow characteristics. This is just facts. K24 out stomps a K20 for the displacement purely, and adding force induction on as well, achieves similar stoutness and likely HIGHER power/torque over a k20. They'll typically last the same duration of life with same reliability. And adding the right parts to the k24 will yield 9k REVs if you wanted with power all the way to redline. This is the future of learning engineered parts and modifying them with time. You see results and learn that there are always newer better ideas/platforms out there taking lead in what you thought was the best, sort of speak.
ALSO the sounds and frequencies that a k20 and k24 make are wayy different. People compare these two engine engineered sounds and compare it to "SOUNDING" clean or better then the other when revved out. BOTH are healthy designs for HIGH REV's, and just SOUND different because of mass and design. The K24 is Hondas BIGGEST 4cyl. It's HUGE if you check out specs on paper and physically. K24 has its own tone, and so does the K20.
F series don't get much love unless you owned one. From the boost tolerable f22 in the early 90s accords, to the f20c in the s200, to my personal favorite and what I had swapped in my own Accord many years ago...a F20b. If you know, you know...that navy blue valve cover always had people confused
Just bought a k24a accord (2004) with 566k miles, bought it for $200 runs and drives about to put a new solenoid on bc it has the p2646 aswell as bad 25-3k rpm studder. Excited to maintain this car hopefully to 1M
THE F20C SERIES motor IS THE BEST 4 cylinder motor ever made, it produces the highest hp per liter at 125 and it took a Ferrari 458 to barely beat it...not only that but on stock it revs up to 9,000 rpms...
When it comes down to modifications, it´s no longer true. K surpassed the engine both in NA and in boosted aplications. Stock to Stock, F is more impressive for sure.
thanks for sharing this information, this is one of my dream engines in my future car project. With this video, I hope I can build my dream car without any mistakes when buying and choosing it
Having a lot of experience driving with a D and B series engine and more recently getting to drive a K, I do have to say as good as the older engines are, the K series are superior. Only weakness I found was with the transaxle stock shifter which is readily corrected via the performance aftermarket.
If you want to see the full potential of these Honda K2x units, go check out the BoostedBoiz channel. They hold some record holding fast drag cars, powered by boosted K20 and K24 engines. These things are absolute beasts.
I loved the K20 in my FN2, but I didn't like the chassis dynamics of the FN2 platform much. I would have loved a K20 in my old EK4, but even the now-almost-ancient B18C I swapped into it made for a benchmark-setting driving experience. I should have never sold that car.
I had my EP3 TypeR Civic from 2005 until 2007. Its K20 drank oil like MAD. I guess when the engine revs at 8000 rpm, it burns more than you might think.
Really enjoy listening to this 👍 Would love to see one video like this on a common enthusiasts engine like Renault's F4R used Clio 182 , Megan RS , Renault Forumla 3 and the Pragga race cars
The k20 engine normal aspirated with a few bolt on and a map is great fun easy going power. but k20 is a completely different beast when boosted never gets boring just a bit of a handful to drive in a ep3!
I mean I can't really find an inline 4 as amazing as Honda ... I really wish If they made the sport versions rear wheel drive ...just imagine how great these cars would have been ... A rwd civic/accord with near perfect weight distribution... I can't even imagine....
Hi, I have a ep3 k20a2 2003 stock 245000km, last year I make a big service change a lot of things, and just to say all the material I have changed were the original. Clutch, gear disc brackes, front suspension and a lot more stuff, Original parts Honda are the best. This engines services in time and control valves all 30000km they are war thanks👍
The only PROPERLY manufactured i4 2+ litres VTEC bangers with balanced design essentrics & huge mods potential to be outsourced for any level of enthusiast to get fun in a small or insanely sophisticated package. I got my K24 in the shop waiting for an overbore 91mm to make a 3.0L I4 same stroke, just waiting for sleeves & machining tool parts, aiming for 1k HP on a bar of boost for regular road use.
There's a tuning shop where I live in Tulsa Oklahoma called Humble Performance, they regularly push stock K20's to 600+ WHP and running 9's in the 1/4 mile tracks. They have customers stating they beat their cars hard and last several years at that 600+ power level.
They’re bloody awesome aye. There’s a shop called MRP in my country (NZ) that does the same (600hp+) builds on 4AGE’s. Literally 1.6 turbo motors from the 90’s that make in excess of 500hp reliably.
Ill put it to you this way. When the k series started taking off the k20 type r was 10k for the swap into a 99 civic. A b16b swap was 4k. Today, those prices have basically swapped. Ill stick with my b16b because of its rarity.
Pretty impressive stuff iam more of a nissan guy and these little Honda 4 cylinder engines are pretty amazing! Love my SR20DET :) but the S2K was a really awesome car would have one maybe some day :)
I came here because I keep hearing my friends over at the gas station smashing a couple of K20 down the highway while I have to study! They keep banging the limiter off those things 😂
K24A3 has I-Vtec on both cams, not only intake. People confuse K20A3 and K24A3. K24A3 is basically the same as K24A2, just worse intake and 24 degree v-tec due to european emissions.
I have a 2.0t from vw I love the tunability but the k series is such a gem because of the high redline abs Motorsport vibes Honda will never be this way again with engines like b series k series f series these engines were impressive and affordable
I own a k20z3 08 civic si coupe bought it a year ago nearing my second year by the end of this year definitely a fun car had some issues from previous owners lack of maintenance but i brought it back to life 151k on the clock.
That’s not true. The k20z3 has ivtec on both exhaust and intake. the k24z7 in the 9th generation civic is the one that only has ivtec on intake Source: own a k20z3
They are cast-aluminium pistons! I apologise for my mistakes for not being thourough enough. I see cast and I imagine cast-iron and bam... there is a mistake. Again, sorry!
Yes, that’s why they get mulched.
@@ch0wned hang on a second I have ran 450 reliable horsepower on these engines for years and not had them blow up on stock internals yes I agree the pistons and conrods are the weak point in the engine but considering they were never designed to hold boost they do it very well
@@livinglifeboosted1642 isnt cast aliminum crap? Shpuld be forged steel or something, no?
Need to do one on the Toyota silver/blacktop 20v or whatever it was again that came with factory ITB’s ish that ppl swapped into the 86 Corolla’s and such
Forged aluminum pistons are stronger but cast pistons are better for daily drivers since if you don’t warm up forged pistons to operating temp they expand faster than the cast iron liner and cold sieze.
It's arguably the best 4 cylinder ever made. There are modern engines that make more power now, but a K series engine is simple, reliable and still has plenty aftermarket support.
1.9 tdi is the best 4 cyl
And one of the best sounding....
Vw agu 1.8t is decent...
@@vojko0031 no
The 4g63 is one of the best also
I’m a honda tech and It amazes me that honda still uses the K,J, R, L series today. All 20+ year old engine platforms. Obviously not the same as their older siblings but very good updated platforms.
I will say, the modern variants of these older engines are heavily modified to the point it's hard to swap some parts between K20C, L15C and J30C with their family. Still, it's amazing that Honda can keep even these family names alive for so long
F20C is the best.
@@bige7186 h and j are my personal favorites
Because they’re great ! I need to see a new Acura Legend in the states. Imagine if base models had G series and the A Spec Type S whatever had the new 3.5
With the cost of new-engine development, Honda played it pretty smart. Make a couple winners, (B,K,J) and you can put them in just about anything for 20 years.
I've been running a K20Z4 for over 10 years, putting out 250bhp for the last 6 years. Only had one issue, a dead coil pack. Other than that, just good maintenance.
Great vid BTW, thanks.
Same, been abusing the crap out of my fn2 with no issues. Can’t say the same about vw
@@thatpersiandude7386 As long as it has enough oil you can do whatever and whenever you want with it
My K20z3 takes a beating.
@Revs k20z4 alaso here, i run it for over 10 year with 230hp but before 2 years i blows all 8 exhaust valves🤣 ok every day i had miss shifts becaus of extreamely hard driving. I replaced all 16 valves with jdm valve spring
Geez only a coil pack? Honda is legit but you must keep up with the maintenance really well.
I do miss these loud unapologetic 4-bangers.
I feel that Honda reached the ultimate of NA engine building and sold it to the masses at affordable prices. They were so early in introducing the VTEC system and placed it in every possible engine they sell. This allow them to make a profit despite a more complex valve train. For us consumers, truly a gift!
Compared that to other companies that make a 9000RPM engine; Honda is the cheapest and Arguably one of the best.
Cheapest while also not catching ob fire all the time unlike the exotics. 🤣
cool story bro.
Exactly..thanks
The K20 engines still lives on as a turbo charged engine which can be found in the Accord 2.0T, Civic Type R and the Acura RDX and TLX. There was also a distinct K series which was only exclusive to the Acura RDX from years 2007 to 2012 and its the K23 Turbo Charged engine.
Personally I love the K20 for the induction noise
All I have is an injen CAI and It's lovely
Thanks for giving the K series some love. My previous car was a 2005 Acura TSX, which was the Honda Accord in Europe. My car has the 200HP K24 with a six speed manual. That was such a fun car, especially after I put the Hondata Reflash in it. 5K RPM VTEC engagement made such a difference.
I have the same car and same year but in EU is badged as accord cl9. I put serge bo headers, short shifter, cai and a reflash on it and is a different car from stoc. I'm looking for 1-4 type r gear swap and maybe a turbo in the future
I bought my first car less than 6 months ago, a 2007 Honda Civic Si. I thought I got a decent deal on a basic little coupe that would get me to and from school, and now here I am slowly being convinced I got a banger deal on an piece of gold.
Congrats and enjoy your ride. I have a 2010 si
*ebay turbo kit awaits you*
@@sv_cheats1970 will this work in a 1.4 engine😅🤦♂️?
Me too dude! Bought my first car about a month ago 2008 civic si coupe and it’s an absolute blast
@@t8365 *twin turbo that bish*
got my RSX at 160k km, now at 338k km with only timing chain tensionner (preventive). OG engine and transmission, and it's driven WOT a lot of time, fast cruising at 150 km/h at around 4200 rpm. Doesnt drink oil or nothing. Best engine ever.
RSX doesnt have "the best engine ever". RSX type s yeah.
K20 and k24 have been Honda most Efficient in terms of reliability and power. You can modify it so easy and it will respond adequately. In addition to this, K series were made to be rev’d out to Redline and it will not hesitate in redline. To me the K will always be top tier, k series only
Yep i love the k24a3 i have in my accord
Too bad lots of ricers blow their K engines trying to show off.
@@mann_idonotreadrepliesyou're thinking of subaru's ej engine, k's are damn near indestructible. I beat the piss outta my k20z3 revving 9k for 3 years and swapped it out, sold it and it's still running to this day.
the biggest seal of greatness for any engine is how many stock components you can keeping using even on high hp forced induction builds. honda has always been the best with this.
Yup, I believe the critical internals being designed with such huge safety margins is one of the main reasons why Honda has always had one of the lowest engine failure rates in the industry.
I owned 2 K20Z3s and they were so powerful, so reliable and sounded SO GOOD. That V-tec engagement brings tears to my eyes. First one I spun a rod bearing accidentally putting it into 2nd gear instead of 4th doing a 80mph downshift. I was too tired and stressed to be doing that. Second one a guy turned left in front of me and totalled the car T.T
Subarus do that just idling, this was a hyperbole, but only just barely.
@@remissiveslave 😂 remind me to never get a Subaru.
@@hisheeelijah1482 don't get one
You dont know boosted (turbocharged) K series if you think stock is "so powerful".
Hopefully you learnt some good lessons about focus and safety margins on those days!
Personally, I think it's one of the greatest 4-cylinder engines out there. Please VisioRacer, if you could do a similar video about the F4R engine (as the one you had in your Megane 3 RS), that would be awesome. Thanks, and cheers from Spain.
4g63
Definitely the best NA 4cyl of the era, 2nd was the F4R IMO. Would like to see a video on it too.
The vauxhall redtop was also a good engine
@@ashtonworth6288 True, an awesome engine endeed.
@@Hopgop1 True, both are excellent, both in NA and turbo variants.
My first ten cars were Hondas with one regrettable exception ( a VW). Hondas will always have a special place in my heart. Hard to pick a favourite but my 94 Prelude VTi-R was difficult to beat.
Not necessarily speaking to the performance but the reliability of these engines, I had a 2003 accord with the K24 that had 389k miles on the original engine that still ran perfectly fine (albeit with a little blow by) when I sold it. The guy who bought it is still driving it today with over 400k on it. The car still averages in the upper 20s for fuel mileage.
same here. I got 25-30 mpg even 35
They make big power on boost, every carguy knows that.
I'm a motorcyclist who dislikes car engines because they don't rev high and sound awful and rough, honda is one of the few exceptions and the cheapest, their engines sound awesome since they're oversquare, have v-tec and cam rev almost like a motorcycle, I'd definetly get something like a civic over an any sports car with similar price
Bruh, that’s totally opposite, motorbike engines sound awful and empty
K engines are either squared or undersquared
@@vroe5620 lol you’ve clearly never ridden or been near a motorcycle engine. I’ve got a CBR600RR and it’s a sweet sounding engine when running a good exhaust whether a full exhaust or just a nice yoshi/akro muffler (end can, whatever you want to call it)
I also have a Suzuki GSXR600 and it’s got a nice yoshi on it too and it is loud and sounds amazing.
Both these bikes you can hear klms away as when you’re pinning it 13,000/14,000 redline it’s very obvious.
Great video. Modern gear heads must respect the racing heritage of Honda and that they’ll make a kick ass performance engine that doesn’t have to equate to major power but with that prolonged reliability.
Makes tons of power stock. Availability is plentiful and cheap (for now). Its the LS of the 4 cylinder world.
Really enjoy the detailed looks at a specific engine family.
Thank you for making them.
8:28, absolutely digging the editing. Letting the audio from that acceleration clip slowly fade into the background feels professional. Good stuff brother, keep it up 💪
K is the way! My super low mile 2008 Si just has a Tune, Catback, and Cold Air Intake and she is an absolute screamer. Super fun car to drive that loves to rev.
9:17 man that’s what made me fall in love with Hondas
First gen miata with kswap is one of my future goals.
The best k swaped car ive ever seen was someone put a built and tuned k20 in a lotus elise 111s 😲 what a fantastic idea that car was untouchable round the anglesey cuircite 🤗
I've always loved Honda engines for their ability to make decent power n/a, rev to the moon, and their ability to handle boost in stock configuration. Plus growing up with 90s civics as my dailies, OG VTEC was just awesome. The sound, the "VTEC kicking in yo" of b,h, and even jdm 1.5 single jingles was impressionable to me as a young enthusiast. Back in the early 2000s the fact that my EG hatch with a b18c5,c,b w/e could surprise some v8's was the shit.
Need k20c1
@@szymon6207 no. need k20z3
Dang a light car beating a heavier car 😮😮
I think all honda 4 bangers are just great.
foget about it they dont win races
I’ve got the K20Z3 in my 2008 civic Si. It’s great engine and I haven’t had a single issue with it!
my brother had an eg k20 and I have to say, id never go back to b series... lol we are building a k20/k24 next, aiming 11 secs... lets go k series!
Love my k20z3, so much fun to drive even at slower speeds
I have found other channels that make similar videos but for some reason they don't hit the spot like yours do visioracer!
i drive a 2008 civic si sedan using same clutch and engine since my dad is the original owner. 227k miles on the engine and its still running strong and i could still push it from time to time loll
The only flaw of the k20 is the oil filter placement I hate getting oil everywhere when changing mine 🤣
Still running strong at 300k tho
I swear it runs off my subframe for a week afterwards lol
@@2strokeFORever same here lmao I hate it
And there is pretty much no room to use the oil filter wrench
300k miles?
It's got that self lubricating chassis system 😂
You didnt cover the k24a2 which is essentially the stroked version of the k20a2. Even though the head dont flow as good as the PRB, its still not that bad and will whoop some ass in a civic or integra. Oil pump conversion that deletes the balance shafts is mandatory. You can also make the TSX head flow better than a stock PRB and more by having it ported.
To me, the K24A2 is the best value of the K series since you can easily get them at junkyards for a few hundred dollars if you are patient. The low end torque is great for daily driving too, it's nice to be able to effortlessly accelerate and climb hills at low RPM without downshifting. Balance shaft delete isn't at all mandatory unless you are revving way higher than the stock redline, but it will free up a few horsepower and improve fuel efficiency a little at the expense of possibly vibrating more. But for what it's worth, mine runs very smooth without balance shafts.
Simple efficient and easily rebuilt with great supporting mods market, from 240 ish na to 1500+bhp drag monster setups it’s one of our greatest internal combustion power plants
I boosted mine at 140k miles and it has 155k now. Ive had issues but never any catastrophic failures... its a great engine!
There are many modern engine which impress with their huge power and torque outputs (thanks to complex turbo setups) but I wonder how many of those will still be considered legends in 20 years time, when mileage and time have exposed all their potential issues. Sure, the K is a great motor for modding and tuning BUT, is offers all that with exellent reliability and a life that you measure in decades, not years. I'm not sure how many of today's engines you can say that about!
Amen for that
All of Mazda's engines
Awww man, and here I was about to worship BMW V-8's
A bunch of them .
I've built road raced B And K series. Absolutely Glorious engines.
It is a fantastic engine which is why I own one but it does have one other problem that a lot of people forget about that is the vtc cam Gear can fail so I always recommend to people if they're getting their timing chain done replace that cam gear as well
I have an Acura TSX with a k24a2. It is arguably the best variant of the k24 motor and I will be boosting it soon. It is one of the few models with the RBB head which has the most aggressive factory cams of them all.
Dude Honda need to sponsore you. Good job.
Thank you for the feature! Great video!
I got 140k on my K20C2 (it's the one that doesn't have the turbo) and it's still getting stronger as the mileage increases. Very little aftermarket support for this engine, but its perfect as is...especially with the 6MT transmission. I feel like I'm getting my cake and eating it.
It’s illogical to say that an engine gets ‘stronger’ as mileage increases, lol.
@@Dailyshart no it's not.
@@psewgobind the more something gets used, the stronger it gets applies to biological tissues like skeletal muscle (hypertrophy).
Engines do not get stronger via use, lol. You can say engines need to be broken in, but you cannot say they get stronger by using them more..
That’s absolutely idiotic
@@Dailyshart a good NA engine. Especially Toyota or Honda will work better with hard use. Not so with turbo where extreme heat will degrade engine. For NA engines heat isn’t toxic…in fact beneficial since heat is enough to burn off carbon build up but not enough to harm engine. On my last track day, the 150km hwy drive back home after a very hard session engine was purring and returning 46mpg consumption. So, engine does get stronger as mileage increase.
hey that’s what i have
as usual when there’s a hot version of your engine though and you inevitably look at mods, you’re gonna read 800 posts all saying to buy a different car like that’s easy to do in 2022
The possibilities are endless up until the bank goes broke. Truer words have never been spoken. Here's to one day getting a 6 figure job to entertain my idea of a K swapped FD
Ahhh, Gears and Gasoline follower?
2:10 you got a slight mistake, bare block has a more significant difference between K20A2 and K20A3 than just oil squirters. The K20A2 girdle design is completely different, and brings a huge increase in block rigidity over the A3, thus can handle much more power and RPM's
Girdle design is the same, A3s just has smaller rod journals, blocks are essentially the same minus squirters
Coming from a long ecoboost focus ST owner. Recently got myself k20a3 RSX. And it’s completely different and arguably more fun and easier to work on!
I got the same car, mines about to hit 310,000ish km and I haven't had any serious issues aside from old engine mounts tearing
@@bubajack7461 yeah man, mines got 320,000 on the body and transmission. Engine has just over 200,000. Needs a valve adjustment that’s about it noa
@@goaliepro1996 same I just been putting off maybe on the long weekend I'll do it
Loved this video. One of the best I've seen describing the K-series
I'm into Subies now, but in my teens, I owned everything from a CR-V, an Odyssey, a Fit, and '07 K20Z3 Civic Si and a beautiful '04 AP2 S2K which I miss a lot. The wife has a Passport now and we really like it. Needless to say, Honda will always hold a very special place in my hear. And now that Subaru killed the STi, I might just come back to owning/tuning Hondas all over again. Although that little AWD Toyota GR is looking very promising!
Hopefully they continue to sell EJ’s. Not sure how many cars left there will be to put those motors in pretty soon, though. Most of the cool ones (obxt, lgt, fxt, svx, etc.) are rusting away in someone’s backyard because they never want to let it go. I get it, I never want to let my Lgt go!
@@rapid946 Me too. I love my ‘05 OBXT, just swapped an ej20x in it.
Had a K20 car. All N/A power and revved to 9k rpm’s. Wasn’t the fastest thing on the street, but was one of the most fun cars I’ve ever owned. Now that AWD kits are more available for the RSX-S, I’ve thought of picking up another one. Or put a K20 in a lotus.
I still like rebuilding B's more, but K's are built better, specifically for boost applications. Many more layers of bracing allow it to stay together at insage boost levels, although the b-series rev's better thanks to it's shorter stroke.
Us B-series fans slept on it for a few reasons: 1. swaps were hard, the engine spun the opposite direction as the b, and you needed a transmission and axle swap too. 2. When the k-series debuted, they also lost double wishbone suspension. We ignored these cars, spevifically the ep3 with its abysmal handling. 3. Complete swap kits did not exist for quite a while. They are still more expensive than the engine itself. 4. The H22 is nearly as good, and also spins the "wrong way" like our b and d-series. It also can be adapted cheaply with an existing b or d series trans and axles. You only need a couple mounts and some grinding on the block webbing.
the funny part is the b series is actually the "wrong way". I always hated 4 cylinder engines with front exhaust manifolds because the manifolds go under the engine. Us K-series fans slept on it for a few reason 😂
I built a 98 civic k24a2 with bokt ons.. And its a great car.after having a 420whp stang my 250whp k24 is qhicker being 2200lbs ..great on gas
The Balance Shaft on the K20a was only fitted to the CL7 Accord Euro R, the K20a in the Integra DC5 did not have the Balance Shaft fitted, the Shaft made the engine a bit smoother when in the V tec range, thanks for the video.
The balancing shaft was fitted to CL7 euro R K20a and FN2 euro type R K20Z4.
Also fitted to K24a engines.
CL7R is my personal favourite Accord. Absolutely beautiful car.
Love it man thanks FA5 owner here
My ,,Little" Honda stream type 1 with k20a engine... A dream to drive... If you see this car in the parking place you just can't image what it could do on the road... Honda make me fall in love with cars. Cars from 2000 to 2010 are the peak of engineering in my opinion
Great video man! There is some information that's a bit off, you said the k24s head doesn't flow as good as the k20. That's not true, the K24a2 in-example, flows just as well as its k20 brothers. And the k24 can absolutely handle upwards of 500-700hp on the stock block. It can also rev 8,200-8500 rpms reliably with some parts swapped out. The k20 and k24 are equally stout, and can still rev upwards of 9000rpms, (even more with monster builds). RUclips has examples of people doing this in the states for over 10+ years, reliably in some situations, which is nuts.
The k24 torque however, stomps the k20 when rev'd out high too. (example k24a2 built, with cams, pistons, rods, bearings, arp support, gnarly bolt-ons) can reach upwards of 280WHP on 91 gas, and over 300+whp on e85 flex fuels. with way over 220wtq. I specifically was a k20 fan until I dug deep for the past few years, and picked up a k24a2 to experience it myself. In my opinion, it's Hondas secret detuned k24 Type R. Cheers mate!
I've had a k24 in my type r and a k20.. I've even put the k20 type r head on a k24. It doesn't rev as clean and fast as a k20
@@ebrahimebs What does revving "clean" even mean, sir? Both literally have similar revving and flow characteristics. This is just facts.
K24 out stomps a K20 for the displacement purely, and adding force induction on as well, achieves similar stoutness and likely HIGHER power/torque over a k20. They'll typically last the same duration of life with same reliability. And adding the right parts to the k24 will yield 9k REVs if you wanted with power all the way to redline.
This is the future of learning engineered parts and modifying them with time. You see results and learn that there are always newer better ideas/platforms out there taking lead in what you thought was the best, sort of speak.
ALSO the sounds and frequencies that a k20 and k24 make are wayy different. People compare these two engine engineered sounds and compare it to "SOUNDING" clean or better then the other when revved out. BOTH are healthy designs for HIGH REV's, and just SOUND different because of mass and design. The K24 is Hondas BIGGEST 4cyl. It's HUGE if you check out specs on paper and physically. K24 has its own tone, and so does the K20.
@@Roobsrandomz it's revs slower. It's obviously more torquey but doesn't rev as good
What about the f20 motors?
K is a legendary series....I hope you can talk about R series as well.
F series don't get much love unless you owned one. From the boost tolerable f22 in the early 90s accords, to the f20c in the s200, to my personal favorite and what I had swapped in my own Accord many years ago...a F20b. If you know, you know...that navy blue valve cover always had people confused
Just bought a k24a accord (2004) with 566k miles, bought it for $200 runs and drives about to put a new solenoid on bc it has the p2646 aswell as bad 25-3k rpm studder. Excited to maintain this car hopefully to 1M
THE F20C SERIES motor IS THE BEST 4 cylinder motor ever made, it produces the highest hp per liter at 125 and it took a Ferrari 458 to barely beat it...not only that but on stock it revs up to 9,000 rpms...
When it comes down to modifications, it´s no longer true. K surpassed the engine both in NA and in boosted aplications. Stock to Stock, F is more impressive for sure.
These engines k20c1 & k20c4 are hands down great builds. Got a 2020 2.0T accord 6spd solid fun!
Fun until you moneyshift which a lot of honda fans do.🤣🤑🤑🤑🤑🤑
My 2011 honda element has a k24, I love that car (not for speed- it’s just an amazing utilitarian vehicle). That engine is amazing. it is so reliable.
thanks for sharing this information, this is one of my dream engines in my future car project. With this video, I hope I can build my dream car without any mistakes when buying and choosing it
Having a lot of experience driving with a D and B series engine and more recently getting to drive a K, I do have to say as good as the older engines are, the K series are superior. Only weakness I found was with the transaxle stock shifter which is readily corrected via the performance aftermarket.
If you want to see the full potential of these Honda K2x units, go check out the BoostedBoiz channel. They hold some record holding fast drag cars, powered by boosted K20 and K24 engines. These things are absolute beasts.
I loved the K20 in my FN2, but I didn't like the chassis dynamics of the FN2 platform much. I would have loved a K20 in my old EK4, but even the now-almost-ancient B18C I swapped into it made for a benchmark-setting driving experience. I should have never sold that car.
the k series and f20 and f22 are the best engines ever made by honda hands down
I had my EP3 TypeR Civic from 2005 until 2007. Its K20 drank oil like MAD. I guess when the engine revs at 8000 rpm, it burns more than you might think.
I'm running an K24Z7 And this engine is a beast ! low torque and high revs, the dream and hell of a beast in reliability
What car was this sourced from?
I love the Honda engines. big Honda fan boi.
My K24 in the Accord is creeping up near 330k miles and still strong as shit.
Really enjoy listening to this 👍
Would love to see one video like this on a common enthusiasts engine like Renault's F4R used Clio 182 , Megan RS , Renault Forumla 3 and the Pragga race cars
One day perhaps, thank you!
The k20 engine normal aspirated with a few bolt on and a map is great fun easy going power. but k20 is a completely different beast when boosted never gets boring just a bit of a handful to drive in a ep3!
I mean I can't really find an inline 4 as amazing as Honda ... I really wish If they made the sport versions rear wheel drive ...just imagine how great these cars would have been ... A rwd civic/accord with near perfect weight distribution... I can't even imagine....
My friend's Accord CL7 (K20Z2) ran without oil for a month and it's completely fine.
Hi, I have a ep3 k20a2 2003 stock 245000km, last year I make a big service change a lot of things, and just to say all the material I have changed were the original. Clutch, gear disc brackes, front suspension and a lot more stuff, Original parts Honda are the best. This engines services in time and control valves all 30000km they are war thanks👍
The only PROPERLY manufactured i4 2+ litres VTEC bangers with balanced design essentrics & huge mods potential to be outsourced for any level of enthusiast to get fun in a small or insanely sophisticated package. I got my K24 in the shop waiting for an overbore 91mm to make a 3.0L I4 same stroke, just waiting for sleeves & machining tool parts, aiming for 1k HP on a bar of boost for regular road use.
There's a tuning shop where I live in Tulsa Oklahoma called Humble Performance, they regularly push stock K20's to 600+ WHP and running 9's in the 1/4 mile tracks. They have customers stating they beat their cars hard and last several years at that 600+ power level.
They’re bloody awesome aye. There’s a shop called MRP in my country (NZ) that does the same (600hp+) builds on 4AGE’s. Literally 1.6 turbo motors from the 90’s that make in excess of 500hp reliably.
@@izzy031096 Damn, that's really incredible!
Looking out of my window now at my 2004 Civic Type R...I have to agree 😁
it could of been that way with any engine. they just happened upon a perfect formula.
but an engine is a driver preference.
My 2006 Honda Accord runs as smooth the day it got out the dealer. Best car ever made.
facts
Ill put it to you this way. When the k series started taking off the k20 type r was 10k for the swap into a 99 civic. A b16b swap was 4k. Today, those prices have basically swapped. Ill stick with my b16b because of its rarity.
On stock block, a fully built K20/K24 easily can make over 1,000hp. There is a B-Series Integra that makes 1,600-1,700hp~ albeit on a billet block.
Would love to hear more about the new k20c
I don't think any true Honda fan would be upset that Honda would make a new engine
Whatever they do, the current engines will still be around.
talk to subaru guys lol
Pretty impressive stuff iam more of a nissan guy and these little Honda 4 cylinder engines are pretty amazing! Love my SR20DET :) but the S2K was a really awesome car would have one maybe some day :)
I came here because I keep hearing my friends over at the gas station smashing a couple of K20 down the highway while I have to study! They keep banging the limiter off those things 😂
K20 or 4AGE are the best 4cyls made. 2ZZ, 4G63, B18 & B16 are all up there as well.
6:33. Best looking Civic I have ever seen
I do love the appearance of Type R FD2, lucky to have it for 10 years.
I'd like to see you do a vid on snowmobile engines. Bombardier makes some pretty sweet power plants. So do Arctic cat, Polaris, and Yamaha.
K24A3 has I-Vtec on both cams, not only intake. People confuse K20A3 and K24A3. K24A3 is basically the same as K24A2, just worse intake and 24 degree v-tec due to european emissions.
I’ve had 5 kseries cars. Never had a problem with this engine. Solid!!
I have a 2.0t from vw I love the tunability but the k series is such a gem because of the high redline abs Motorsport vibes Honda will never be this way again with engines like b series k series f series these engines were impressive and affordable
You can still rebuild K series engines so no problem.
0:31 Look mom it's me on the t.v 👋
This video is exactly as long as my commute home. 👌🏼
I own a k20z3 08 civic si coupe bought it a year ago nearing my second year by the end of this year definitely a fun car had some issues from previous owners lack of maintenance but i brought it back to life 151k on the clock.
K20...the LS of 4 bangers
The K24A3 does actually have i-vtec on the exhaust side as well, the Z3 doesn't
That’s not true. The k20z3 has ivtec on both exhaust and intake. the k24z7 in the 9th generation civic is the one that only has ivtec on intake
Source: own a k20z3
@@sums6969 Sorry, was only talking about the K24Z3, not the K20Z3, was kinda implied
Yup, you are right about K24A3. Was about to point that out too.
I all I want is a K-based 4.0 liter v8 450-500hp N/A at 8500 😮
V-8 IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO IF YOU WANT EASY POWER. REAR WHEEL DRIVE ONLY.