A20A1 same engine specs as A3?

[dwillms]

Hello,

I've been thinking about picking up a cheap complete engine from the junkyard to swap for my A20A3 engine, which is closing in on 300 K, and pretty ratched. I thought about getting a A3, but then thought, why not just get a carb'd A1 just for the engine, and then swap the EFI stuff on. Would this work? I know the carb'd 2.0L's are much easier to come by in the junkyard I visit, and price is $190 EFI engines vs. $110 carb'd.

Just wondering if anything bottom end, heads, cam, etc is different between the two engines, I didn't think there would be, just wanted to check first before buying. Thanks,

-Dustin

[SteveDX89]

The A3 has a little bit higher compression ratio but not enough to really make a difference. It also has a better cam. From what I hear, the head on the A1 is better. I think it has larger valves or something like that. You can do what you're talking about with no problem.

[shepherd79]

A20A1 head had bigger exhaust valve.
so the combination of A20A3 block with A20A1 head will do great. oh and don't forget EFI cam, unless you have new performance cam.

[rehv_Aerodeck86]

hmz... i was wondering if there is a point to rip out my A20A2 cam and install a A20A3/4 cam ..?


welcome to the board dwillms :)

[cvergi01]

Well I would just spend the extra money for the efi motor because the swap is a pain in the a** and $190 is pretty good...think of it as you are paying $80 for the swap to be done and done right.

[SteveDX89]

Well I would just spend the extra money for the efi motor because the swap is a pain in the a** and $190 is pretty good...think of it as you are paying $80 for the swap to be done and done right.

Um, no. It's easy stuff.

[dwillms]

I don't think it should be hard at all. I already have the A3 EFI motor in my car already, but it has close to 300 K and I'm sure is pretty ratched. So I figured, just take a junkyard short-block or long-block, and throw the EFI stuff on that I have already.

I just want to get this straight before I go on a shopping spree :rockon: The A3 EFI motor short-block (bottom end), with a carb'd A1 head, and the EFI cam will already be in the engine. Unless I go to a performance cam :idea:

Since they charge same price for all engines, I'll just rip a head off of a carb'd motor, find a decent EFI block, and I guess throw on the carb stuff too since I don't need to spend the extra $80 for the EFI stuff I already have. They also have a 30-day exchange, so if the motor is ratched, I'll just keep looking for blocks till I find a good one. What makes the compression higher on the A3 anyway?

Don't bother throwing in an A3 cam if it's used, if that's what you're thinking. If you find a new one, maybe check the specs to compare how different they are, if the A3 cam isn't that great, rather spend the cash on a decent aftermarket cam.

Oh yeah, all the EFI A3 motors I found are in Prelude's, are those 2.0's any different in spec than the Accord motor?

-Dustin

[2ndgenludedude1986]

no there the same. i think the dizzys are better in the lude. i forget y tho haha. yea on the a1 its easy, all you need is the efi intake mani form the a3 enigne. it will all go on the a1. so the a1 has alrger exhasut valves? thats good to kno muhahha

[Vanilla Sky]

the difference in compresdsion comes from the difference in the pistons...

[2ndgenludedude1986]

oh and the a1 head does not have larger exhast valves. the part numbers are the same for all 3rd gen exhast valves

[k-roy]

oh and the a1 head does not have larger exhast valves. the part numbers are the same for all 3rd gen exhast valves
I just double checked that, the intake valves are the same between all models as well.

If and when you get the new engine get a Fi cam with it. There is no new aftermarket cams available currently so you have to send one in to a place like Delta or Openloop and have it reground.

[2ndgenludedude1986]

so the a1 and a3 heads are the same besides the cam bearign fo the diffearnt distributers.

[88LXI]

i put a a20a1 in my 88 lxi and i cannot seem to get the idle right and it keeps popping egr codes on the freeway even though my egr is fine... do any of you know the cause of this??? the bumpy idle was there right after i put the motor in... the code came later. is there really a diff in the cam? or is it just the bigger exhaust valves? either way i am probably gonna swap back to my a20a3 head over the weekend unless someone has the cure for this crap

[accordlxi2.0]

so even the prelude efi distributor's are better?
plus i was told that one of the reason that efi has 122hp, cause of the cam.
so if the carb guy's convert to efi they won't get the same hp cause of the cam.