I'm looking at getting this 2000 Prelude shell and now am deciding on which engine to get. Right now I know a guy who can get me a k20 with around 40000 miles on it for either 800-1050. Finding out tonight which ones they are exactly though. He got a h22 with like 20000 miles on it i guess for like 1000 I think. Now i'm gonna be looking at getting a loan and need to see how much I can get but right now which would I be better off spending my money on. Was told both have tranny to.
Deciding on engine...
- Thread starter Street
- Start date
- Replies 29
- Views 4K
We may earn a small commission from affiliate links and paid advertisements. Terms
Well I'd get the H22, but i'm told and read that in the long run the k20 would be the best and built better and whatnot. What all goes into doing the swap?? Like stuff needed besides of course, mounts, harness, tranny, and axles if needed. What are problems I will or might run into??
Alright, so where to start on buiding the H22, beginning to end to get the best out of eventually boosting and whatnot? My friends gave me some info but I'd prefer to get some info from guys who either own a lude with the h22 or those who know alot about them since their on this board.
werd. if you wanna boost an h22 start with the bottom end (the top end is actually pretty decent for boost...it can be hit later if you wanna squeak the last little bit outa your engine).
to boost an h22, start with iron sleeves. if you get an h22a/h22a1 that means press in sleeves (my recommendation), if you get an h22a4, a lot of people are gonna tell you to get the MID sleeves (cheaper and easier to install), but the press ins will be your best choice.
after that, loosing the h22 pistons with their pussy ass ring lands will be your next move. most of the people that blow their h22/h23s actually have ring land failure induced by detonation (a common problem in the early stages of boosting). changing sleeve and pistons will give you more leeway in the original tune of your build.
the first two steps are pretty universal when it comes to boosting a prelude. the h22 is not boost friendly, and if you want any kind of real speed, this is what it will take.
next you need to set a power goal and plan accordingly. do you want a 700 horsepower beast or a 250-300 hp street machine? if your answer is the latter, a 60-1 or a t3/t4 hybrid would be up your alley. if you want a dyno bitch and something that wont hold traction, your gonna be looking at something like a gt35r or a t67.
the rest of the stuff is personal preference and cost vs quality.
the only thing that is pretty much not going to be up for discussion (unless you just wanna throw your engine away) is tuning.
tuning is the most important part of your build, and it is often left up to some pee brained little hack like an emanage or a vafc. Id presonally recommend that you use something like hondata aem or crome. those are your three best tuning tools along with a dyno. get that kit together and a way to manage your fuel and youll be flying fast in no time....
I typed about 90% of this post with my eyes closed....im goin to sleep yall.
to boost an h22, start with iron sleeves. if you get an h22a/h22a1 that means press in sleeves (my recommendation), if you get an h22a4, a lot of people are gonna tell you to get the MID sleeves (cheaper and easier to install), but the press ins will be your best choice.
after that, loosing the h22 pistons with their pussy ass ring lands will be your next move. most of the people that blow their h22/h23s actually have ring land failure induced by detonation (a common problem in the early stages of boosting). changing sleeve and pistons will give you more leeway in the original tune of your build.
the first two steps are pretty universal when it comes to boosting a prelude. the h22 is not boost friendly, and if you want any kind of real speed, this is what it will take.
next you need to set a power goal and plan accordingly. do you want a 700 horsepower beast or a 250-300 hp street machine? if your answer is the latter, a 60-1 or a t3/t4 hybrid would be up your alley. if you want a dyno bitch and something that wont hold traction, your gonna be looking at something like a gt35r or a t67.
the rest of the stuff is personal preference and cost vs quality.
the only thing that is pretty much not going to be up for discussion (unless you just wanna throw your engine away) is tuning.
tuning is the most important part of your build, and it is often left up to some pee brained little hack like an emanage or a vafc. Id presonally recommend that you use something like hondata aem or crome. those are your three best tuning tools along with a dyno. get that kit together and a way to manage your fuel and youll be flying fast in no time....
I typed about 90% of this post with my eyes closed....im goin to sleep yall.
Well I know shell is 2600, just gotta pick engine basicly to know how much more for a complete car. But right now, instead of taking out a 4000 loan and paying it off than taking another one, I would like to see if I can add maybe a few more thou to that and get parts to build some.
Ya, I'm trying to get as much info as I can, right now this board has been the most help. Was on Honda-Tech and have yet to get any REAL info or REAL help.
reikoshea, THANKS...
So I know turbo prob won't be coming anytime soon from this loan. So I'll be looking at pistons and sleeving it first. As for power, I want to get as high as I can basicly but not all crazy like you know...If that helps...lol. So what would be recommended to get/do next. Cold Air, Headers and Exhaust are obvious things to do I guess, but engine wise, I don't really know whats best to get to get the most out of the engine.
yea, honda-tech isnt really...tech-y anymore. it was back in the day, but now its crowded with noobs that ask the same questions over and over, everyday.
but if you search in the archives, there is some good info.
oh, and to reikoshea
there is still some confusion on the h23 sleeves. many say they are the same as h22, many say they arent.
I'm seriously starting to believe theyre not. Im pretty sure theyre not iron like f22 sleeves, but theyre also not FRM.
I personally know of several people that boost their h23's and run nearly 300whp without any problems. I know of one, specifically, that has been running his setup for over a year now. its his DD, and takes it to the track now and then. Its a cb7 h23 turbo running low 13's I think now.
but if you search in the archives, there is some good info.
oh, and to reikoshea
there is still some confusion on the h23 sleeves. many say they are the same as h22, many say they arent.
I'm seriously starting to believe theyre not. Im pretty sure theyre not iron like f22 sleeves, but theyre also not FRM.
I personally know of several people that boost their h23's and run nearly 300whp without any problems. I know of one, specifically, that has been running his setup for over a year now. its his DD, and takes it to the track now and then. Its a cb7 h23 turbo running low 13's I think now.
hahaha, sounds familiar.
anyways, don't take out a loan for a turbo kit. that is a horrible idea. if the turbo blows, you still have to repay the loan. get what you need just to put an h22 into it and make everything tip top.
i can say for a fact that the h23 has frm sleeves...what i cannot speak to is whether or not its pistons have the same ring land problem that the h22s do. The problem with the h22 is even if you tune it exactly right, you can still break things because the pistons suck.
Ya, sounds good about not doing the turbo with the loan....
But I'll be looking at pistons and sleeving it first. As for power, I want to get as high as I can basicly but not all crazy like you know...If that helps...lol.
So what would be recommended to get/do next. Cold Air, Headers and Exhaust are obvious things to do I guess, but engine wise, I don't really know whats best to get, to get the most out of the engine. Like I'm seeing stuff for like Fuel management...Injectors/rails/regulator/whatnot....Cam Gears, Shafts, Intake Manifold, Pulley Kit, Throttle Body, Valves/Springs, anything else you guys would sugest.... I know what everything is, but what should I get that will make a big enough difference for me?
Now really, whats the difference in the Base and SH that makes it to where there are Headers and Exhausts that only fit either one.... I mean I know its suspension and handling but why won't certain parts like those work/fit??
But I'll be looking at pistons and sleeving it first. As for power, I want to get as high as I can basicly but not all crazy like you know...If that helps...lol.
So what would be recommended to get/do next. Cold Air, Headers and Exhaust are obvious things to do I guess, but engine wise, I don't really know whats best to get, to get the most out of the engine. Like I'm seeing stuff for like Fuel management...Injectors/rails/regulator/whatnot....Cam Gears, Shafts, Intake Manifold, Pulley Kit, Throttle Body, Valves/Springs, anything else you guys would sugest.... I know what everything is, but what should I get that will make a big enough difference for me?
Now really, whats the difference in the Base and SH that makes it to where there are Headers and Exhausts that only fit either one.... I mean I know its suspension and handling but why won't certain parts like those work/fit??
stock honda fuel system kicks ass. that is wayyyy later. don't mess with cam gears. if you plan on going turbo don't waste your money on stuff you can't use with it, like header and intake. don't mess with the pulleys or throttle body either. get the motor in first and see how fast you really want to go and what your budget is. if you have never built a turbo kit or turbo motor, be patient and learn stuff.
it's a slow process unless you have a lot of money. you are young so it might seem like the cool thing to do to just spend a lot on your car. plus if it is your only car, you are going to have some down time without a driveable car. if you really want to build an engine, get a bare h22 block and put it on a motor stand and just build it piece by piece and leave the engine in your car that is there already until you are finished with the build.
it's a slow process unless you have a lot of money. you are young so it might seem like the cool thing to do to just spend a lot on your car. plus if it is your only car, you are going to have some down time without a driveable car. if you really want to build an engine, get a bare h22 block and put it on a motor stand and just build it piece by piece and leave the engine in your car that is there already until you are finished with the build.