Honda Tuning Exhaust Notes – July 2010

When mating the K20z1 head to the k24 block, no major modifications need to be made. It’s not like the B series engines, so there’s no reason to run oil lines or modified dowel pins. It’s almost like Honda wanted you to do it! Since the engine is out, I do suggest replacing the oil pump with a k20a2 one over keeping the K24 pump in there. I have seen plenty of failures when this part was not addressed. Better safe than sorry.

First of all, love the magazine. I have a ’91 CRX with a B18 LS VTEC swap. The head has been shaved .017 and the block has been decked .007. I have recently installed a set of adjustable cam gears, but still have them set at zero. I am still running the B16 cams, but was wondering if my piston to valve clearance will be an issue when retarding or advancing the cams? Also, would I be able to go to a stage 1 or 2 set of cams with longer duration and higher lifts without smacking a piston?
Don Scott

Don, as a general rule you should always clay your engine to see where you are in relation to your valve to piston clearance. However, based on the slight amount that was taken off of the head and block, I can almost guarantee you will be fine with the OEM cams. If you decide to run much higher lift and duration, then you should definitely clay the engine to see how much you can adjust those cams!!

I have a ’91 Civic hatch back that had a D15b1 and I did an engine swap to a D16y7. I ended up using the D15b1 computer and wiring harness then changed out the engine block alone. Now I am having problems starting the car. The car has no power. The fuel pump isn’t kicking on and nothing is working. Please help me out with information on this problem.
William Wilkins

What you did so far sounds fine to me. There’s no reason your car would not be starting based on what you have told me. I say check all your fuses, as fuses can easily be overlooked and when broken, will not allow power to get to the circuit. Next, check the main relay and all of your grounds. A thermostat ground not being tight or disconnected will not allow the ECU to get power. No power to the ECU means no fuel pump. The ignition turns on the main relay, which turns on the ECU, which then turns on the fuel pump. Everything has to be in order for all the pieces to work together properly. Good luck!

Hey HT, I have a question for you. I’ve got a 1987 Civic hatchback Si and I want to swap the engine. Problem is, I’m not too sure what kind to put in. I want to keep it street legal and able to pass smog in CA. Any answers would be helpful, thanks.
Rudy

I would say your best choice engine for that car would be an OBDI GS-R swap. Rywire.com can take care of the electrical, Hasport for the mounts, linkage, axles, etc. This swap has been done countless times, and can easily be California Ref’d with a US specified P72 ECU.

What’s up HT! I’ve seen a lot of feature cars in the magazine with aftermarket throttle bodies from companies like Skunk2 and BDL. I’m wondering, if you just have a few minor bolt-on parts, can a bigger throttle body make a difference in power? And is there an increase in throttle response? I have a K20 swap in my ’97 hatchback with DTR header, Mugen exhaust, custom intake, and K-Pro. My next purchase is either cams or throttle body but I don’t know which is a better bargain when it comes to making power. Thanks for the help!
Brian Draws

Honestly, for the price, a nice quality set of cams will be your best bet. With a lightly modified engine, you will see little to no gain in actual horsepower with a larger throttle body. With the K20’s high compression, the upgraded cam profiles will really open your engine up. As a trade off, the aftermarket throttle bodies sure do look cool!!

Rywire, I have a question for you. I also have a CRX like yours but with a B18C5 swap that I just fired up (with a Rywire harness by the way!).Everything seems to be running fine, and I’m just finishing up all the little details over the next few weekends. My question is, do I need to run front vibration mounts with my setup? I’m going to be boosting the car with about 10lbs, expecting around 300whp, and I’m using HaSport stiff mounts, but I never bothered finding a set of vibration mounts. Now I’m thinking that it might be a good idea to run them, but my brother says they don’t do anything. Any advice? Thanks!
David Nguyen

With the Hasport mount kit I would advise against the front mount. Hasport designed the kit without it, and they have proven themselves to be the best in the game. The stiffer insert will also give you less movement, helping even further. So I would agree with your brother in this case.

Help! My ’92 Civic is bleeding under the dash. What I mean is I’m getting some nasty gunk near the gas/brake pedals. Also, I’ve had to top off my brake reservoir a few times since it seems to be low pretty often. What did I break and how can I fix it? LOL, HELP!
Darren

From what it sounds like your brake master cylinder seals are leaking and a replacement is needed. Be sure to also check around the clutch master cylinder as well. More often than not, the clutch master will leak into your car and around your pedals due to the fact that it is mounted directly onto the firewall itself. Changing either one can be done pretty easily; the hardest part is bleeding the lines once the new parts have been installed.