I’ll say at first when i got my car done, indeed i thought it was the shit. That led to the whole K20>* which makes it look like i carried it out that way. If people looked like i did, you find serious deals on K Series. People sell motors for dirt on K20a.org, there’s guys believe it or not on there right now built K swaps for their g/f’s and they didn’t like it or whatever and want to trade for B18’s + couple hundred $$…That’s a sick deal if you ask me.
But either way, in my eyes this thread has rested. :sleep
The real budget swap is is an F23 bottom end (probly 100 bucks), H22A head (400ish), and custom pistons (600). Spend another 500 on tuning and you have a 210hp, 190tq long block. 500 for a tranny, 1200 for a H2B kit. Ebay I/H, muffler shop exhaust is only like 300 total. All that is 3600 for something that has the same hp and a ton more tq than the K20.
For most people, is the H2B/D is still cheaper than the K20 swap, simply because they have a B/D series tranny already, or can get one for cheap. Making similar power stock for stock, its makes sence to take the cheaper one and then spend the diff on mods instead of taking the motor thats more expencive, even if it responds well to mods.
Factor in the cost for a shop to toss it all together…theeeeennnn misc. needed parts like headstuds, headgasket, timing belt, plugs, wires, hoses, starter, axles and half shaft, shifter/linkage and wiring harness to start off, and you’re getting DEEEEP into your pockets. And that’s even just assuming that somehow you magically found an H22 head that already included the intake mani/tb/sensors and dizzy all for $400. Then assuming you find a tranny for an insanely cheep $500…it sure as hell won’t have LSD for that price. So there’s another $340(OBX is the cheepest) and then $300 for a shop to put the LSD in(that’s what Synapse quoted me). Any form of H2B really only makes sense if you already have a swap and want to source your old parts to make it happen.
Its not hard to put a H head on a F block. Unblock an oil passage and use the F23 head gasket, use the F23 head studs. Anyone who knows how to turn a wrench and apply hondabond can do that. Fine, say 600 for a head with Intake manifold. D series tranny is at most $500 bucks, ppl thro them out. (and the d series may actually be stronger than the B, I don’t think Bisomoto wouldn’t use it otherwise). If you don’t want a D, get an LS and source a type r or gsr final drive. LSD, eh, if you must have it include it, I personally don’t think its totally nessesary for a street car.
Right now, it IS cheaper to do an H2B/D than a K swap. There is no getting around the $4000+ for a K block and tranny. I FULL H swap into a civic is 2650 from HMO. Thats axels and mounts. Trade the H tranny for a B tranny and get the adapter kit (according to joe, 1200) and you’re set. 3850 (3900 if you want the H22 downpipe also). K20A2 alone is 4000 + mounts and axels. (assume mounts are th same, so 450. 4450 + the cost of axels). You’re saving $500 bucks and getting a motor that stock for stock has similar power and more tq, and you get the great gearing of the B series tranny. Spend that 500 on Intake and exhaust and you’ll outperform the K20 for the same price. Also, I’m not including the cost of a K swap header and intake…thats another 200+ bucks. Use that 200 on a throttle body and you’ll get even more out of your H. With an H you also don’t need to switch the car over to OBD2, less hassle and probly money saved there.
And as far as the ‘misc parts needed’, I’m assuming you would do that to either swap. I would change the timing belt, plugs, and wires on any swap. Its stupid not to.