More beginner B20A swap questions

[Edison Carasio]

I did a search but still have some questions. I'm currently looking for some info on a beginner engine swap I can try myself at home, and I think I'm gonna go with the CA5 Accord to B20A swap. Now I know there's lots of info on the JDM B20A swap, but I didn't find much in terms of the USDM B20A5 found in the 88-91 Prelude. I would rather keep with a USDM engine if I can (so I can find it myself in one of the 10 junk yards I live by). I know it puts out about 22 less HP. Can the B20A5 go into the 86-89 Accord in relatively the same fashion as the JDM B20A the Accord was equipped with in Japan? Sorry if this is thorougly covered and I didn't search hard enough.

[nswst8]

The USDM B20A5 is not a cost effective swap. Although anything is possible with enough money.

The only practical B20 swap is the JDM. They are far and few of them available.

This is way people are going to the alternative B series mounts available through Innovative technologies.

[Edison Carasio]

Ok I wasn't sure how close to the JDM B20A the USDM B20A5 was. It seemed like the JDM B20A swap was a bit of a beginner bolt in. Maybe I read something wrong somewhere.

[labeledsk8r]

the b20a5 is a oddball motor mostly useless for any swap, not a bad motor in a lude but for what youd have to pay/do to swap it in its just not worth it you could swap something much better for the same amount of work

[Edison Carasio]

So the only thing that is almost a bolt in is the JDM B20, since it came equipped with it in Japan?

[labeledsk8r]

So the only thing that is almost a bolt in is the JDM B20, since it came equipped with it in Japan?

indeed

[Edison Carasio]

I did lots of reading on Civic and Integra swaps, and I own a Fit. The only thing that could go in the Fit is a K20 and I'm not down with that (gotta cut the frame rail and the motor adds over 100 lbs. to the front end besides it costing $10K). I kinda like the CA5 Accord as a possible performance platform due to easy of finding them for cheap (parts cars), the double wishbone suspension, anti-sway bars as standard equipment, and rear disc brakes on the SE-i. I also wanna start learning about swaps (stop reading and start getting hands on), but the Accord seems to be less than beginner freindly there (unlike say an Integra LS getting a GSR engine).

[nswst8]

The only JDM B20 available in the last month was listed on ebay for about $1300-$1500 shipped.

I'm not sure if it sold or not.

[Edison Carasio]

Lol outta my price range. I'm looking more for a $300 junk yard engine where I can walk out with the engine and the ECU in my coat pocket. lol

[RobT5580]

If you got extremely lucky you could pull that off but that was more likely 6 years ago when no one really knew what the JDM B20A fit. And on top of finding one parts are becoming almost non existent these days.

[nswst8]

Play around with your A20, small mods won't kill the wallet.

CAI
Header
Exhaust
Mild aggressive cam

[Edison Carasio]

No swap for my 3G I guess. It's carb'd anyway, so I would have to switch to fuel injection anyway.

[nswst8]

Webber conversion, alot of guys on here are doing this conversion with great results.

[Edison Carasio]

I've seen some stuff on it, I need to read up on it.

[2oodoor]

cough cough , Weber conv. And B20A at the same time.. ^^ im probably the only one..

OP you can comb every junk yard and look under the hood of every 3gen and you may get lucky. There were quite a few around at importers for oem type swaps a while back
There is a small chance you could find a car(in junk yard or where ever) that has one especially if you are near a military base where you get a good sampling of cars from all over.
Also look for the engine tranny combos and front clips that importers were stuck with because nobody knew what it was and they could not sell them.

If you are hard pressed to do a swap though I would look at more common powerplants.

[ShyBoyCA6]

yo edison why not go for a b16 swap?? if i get me a coupe lxi or lx FI i gonna do a b16b swap in it instead of my sedan

[Edison Carasio]

If the car was fuel injected I would eventually (within a few years) do a B16A VTEC swap.

[ShyBoyCA6]

cool cool well i saw this engine and look good for a 2.0 vtec its the f20b

[labeledsk8r]

no offence to the talk of the B16 but thats a horid motor for this car.. might be good in a civic but the B18 has a bit more grunt for the heavyer car

[Hauntd ca3]

cool cool well i saw this engine and look good for a 2.0 vtec its the f20b

over on cd5tuner we've been talking bout this into a cd chassis.
unless you only want revs, its a waste of time.
its pretty much the same block as an h22a and makes no more power or torque and you need to rev it harder to make that same power.
in short, go the h22a route as we now they fit thanks to a couple guys here that have done it

[carotman]

The F20B is a useless engine in North-America. The F20B was designed to meet the 2.0L engine displacement limit some countries have before extra taxing is applied.

[Edison Carasio]

After doing my research, I think it might be better to turbo the A20 (granted I buy an LX-i, SE-I or convert to fuel injection). I don't even know why I'm bothering with any of this research now. I haven't even gotten my title or fixed my clutch yet. :) and my car is carb'd, so I need to sell it and buy a fuel injected one first. Blah. My 3G has so many issues such as clutch and axles and brakes, that if I have to replace that stuff I may as well get a whole engine, trans and axles for the same price as fixing that stuff.

[stat1K]

yeah i'm not sure why you're posting these questions either, it seems that all of this has been covered time and again if you actually read what you search. every new member on here says teh same thing, then a year later they don't have the car.

so please prove me wrong.

[Edison Carasio]

I did do a search but everything yielded JDM B20 stuff, and no USDM second gen Prelude info.

[stat1K]

if you read any of it you would know that it's been covered, reading the title of the threads won't always give you all the answers you have to click.