Advice/suggestions


jesse888

jesse888

Ek9+Turbo+Nurburgring= Heaven
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so most of us know about my engine woes but for those that don't I've been having problems with strange oil pump wear on my forged b18, I swapped over to a c4 block to get me by thinking that it's my engine building skills letting me down. This c4 makes metal aswell(yet to check pump)
I'm boosted and run anything from 0.4bar(260hp) upto 1bar (350hp) and I Rev up to 8.8k.
Anyway been through afew different combinations of engine and parts and still no joy as of yet.
Advice I'm after is do I stick with it hoping to eventually hit the issue or do I sell everything b series and go for a k swap?
I've built up 2 and half engines worth of parts and my gearbox and turbo setup should fetch a pretty penny aswell. Leaving me half way to a k swap funds wise.

Only thing that lets a k swap down for me is the numbers seem alittle weak? I'm wanting hp because I track at the ring. Although I say this I'm yet to actually use anything above low boost on track because of all my issues I've been having.
I've been through 4 different combinations of engine since I've had this car and I'd like to just be able to forget about the engine and beat it's head off for a change.

All of this would have to wait until after my ring trip in under 13weeks time anyway so I may have fixed my b series by then(here's to hoping!)

The goal is sub 8minutes at the ring so if we think that a k swap can't do that then it's out anyway lol
Basically what would you do?
Stick it out
K swap

The kswap would eventually have a set of cams and itbs to hopefully see around 260-270hp.
 
I've never been a huge fan of charged Hondas, if I wanted more power I would have chosen a different car altogether. Charging a Honda takes away what appeals to me on them the most - reliability.
 
I'd choose the K20 based on reliability as stated above. Think about Jesse, you can give the engine absolute hell on multiple trackdays and the 'Ring, and it won't skip a beat. And I suspect you'll have peace of mind too.
 
Different car wasn't and still isn't an option tbh. I want to take the ek9 as far as I can and really set some laptimes in it. I feel over the years I've built up decent knowledge of the chassis etc and I'm just starting to get into dialing it in on track.
Reliability is what I'm after, ATM I think I've got te reliability/power ratio abit wrong. Although it's not the power causing the issues so...
Cammed k20 on itbs should be reliable right? Stock block and all that....
 
Do we think k20 is enough to get under 8 at the ring? Obviously my own ability is a factor but assuming General trackday driver ability...

My issue is I always want to set a faster lap, will the NA k series hold me back?
 
this is my plan of action I think.
If I get to the bottom then I'm selling boost and going K.
If I find the issue before the bottom it stays until the next problem lol
Basically if I get to the forged block and it makes metal or I'm not happy with it then it's time to cut losses and go for k swap over the winter
B16a is just to get me to the ring and back(unmissable trip this year)

Engine action list

Remove c4 pump check/replace(shim)
Remove 16b head/fit c6 head
Run oil through for 15mins
Replace oil/filter
Run at full rpm and try to fix boost issue whilst there
Few 100miles and check for metal

Still making metal but it's gold?
Build up forged block with new parts, swap c6 head onto it.
Repeat rpm/boost for few 100miles
Still making metal?
If not much buy 2 used pumps to get to ring and back.
If bad
B16a2 engine mapped.
Return from ring sell all parts to fund K.
 
What gearbox do you have just now? What is the theoretical top speed of it?
If you were to K swap, what is the theoretical top speed from the K box?
Will it be the lack of power from the K that wont get you a sub 8minute lap time or will you run out of gear on the longer bits?
 
Murray said:
What gearbox do you have just now? What is the theoretical top speed of it?
If you were to K swap, what is the theoretical top speed from the K box?
Will it be the lack of power from the K that wont get you a sub 8minute lap time or will you run out of gear on the longer bits?
Click to expand...

Current setup is 158mph in 5th(4.7 s80) I should hit that with 0.7bar of boost.(assuming I Rev out to limiter and not short shift like at brands)

Kseries revving to 8600rpm(not sure what the Rev limit is for k) with 5.1Fd in the box is 154mph so it's very close in terms of top speed.
Just getting there, although the k has the extra gear.
I've no doubt a high power k20 will hit top speed on atleast two parts of the track, it's up the long hill where it will lose out to the outright power of my current setup. I expect to see 130mph atleast up the hill with the boosted bseries. That is where time is lost in the K.
 
Hopefully I get a crack at sub 8 this year but if the engines still playing up that's unlikely, will give me good insight to what a k20 ek9 may do around there.
 
Scrap the action plan!
New plan is to build forged block, put new head onit.
Run that and if it's still getting through pumps then take enough pumps to get me through the ring trip.
Sell up boost and go k.

If no pump wear happy days.
 
I was going to say if it was me I'd stick with the b series (more for being a stubborn *** than anything), but also for the money the number of a k swap don't really appeal to me. Even your current setup on low boost will have more hp than a k20.

But that said its your money and car, and having a car you can drive all day every day would be nice
 
This is why I'm torn.
The power of the b when it works is mental and will never be matched by NA k20.
I'm also pretty stubborn but when your running out of cash and on your back under the car every week chasing an issue that nobody can help you find it's hard work to stay motivated.

The k swap idea is for fit and forget, I bought the car to track it. ATM it spends more time,effort and money on the driveway than I do in the seat so something has to give.
 
Saqib said:
I'd stop chasing figures and lap times, and focus on having fun instead.
Click to expand...

X2 on this.
Scrap that dirty old blower and bung a k 20 in there with I/H/E and you could be seeing 240 ish Bhp, add a gear set or FD and a plate diff and it'l be sorted in that department.

There's so much more development that could be done chassis wise as well, cage, better coilover set up and so on
 
Saqib said:
I'd stop chasing figures and lap times, and focus on having fun instead.
Click to expand...

I find the laptime thing fun tbh. I never wanted huge hp figures from the start.
The only problem is if I start setting laps in the boosted build that I can't match with the k20. That hasn't happened yet for reliability reasons....
I feel a k20 would put me between low boost and moderate boost in my current build but with reliability and less heat etc to try and manage.

The turbo setups got one last shot at working. Rebuilding the forged block with a new head on it and running that till after the ring.
If it doesn't work then I'll look at going k series I think.
 
I used to have a 250bhp DC5 and it was fast and bulletproof! The JDM K20 will make 250bhp with a good air intake, RBC, exhaust and Kpro.
 
Integradan said:
I used to have a 250bhp DC5 and it was fast and bulletproof! The JDM K20 will make 250bhp with a good air intake, RBC, exhaust and Kpro.
Click to expand...

I'd be wanting ITBs, the noise should make me miss the boost abit less lol
I think 260-270 in an ek9 is probably about right for tighter tracks. If that's possible on stock k20 bottom end? I know I'll wish I had the power come the Nurburgring though.
 
TDI north have developed some amazing looking throttle bodies for the K20 complete with carbon trumpets!

300bhp is possible with deep pockets :D
 
If it was me I would sell everything you got. Drop in a standard b18c4 and turbo it, you will be running 300 - 360 bhp all day reliably plus you will be quids in. Can't think anything else will compare?
 
xxxencorexxx said:
If it was me I would sell everything you got. Drop in a standard b18c4 and turbo it, you will be running 300 - 360 bhp all day reliably plus you will be quids in. Can't think anything else will compare?
Click to expand...
It already has that aside from b16b head
 
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