Honda K24 swap interest?

[rturbo 930]

I think the only thing I'll miss is the sound. Hard to beat the sound of an M20. Even my all-torque-and-no-poke eta sounds great under load. I don't think most 4 bangers sounds that great, but I'll manage :)

Yeah, that's really the major thing holding me back, and also keeping it BMW/original-ish. The M20 is a great sounding motor even by the standard of inline sixes. Personally I think the F20c sounds quite good, and the K series doesn't sound quite as good, but still pretty good as far as four bangers go, but it doesn't hold a candle to the ol' M20.

My M20 has given me a lot of trouble though - I've had this car since 2011, it didn't idle right when I bought it, but I figured it was something simple. Seven years later, still doesn't idle right even though it has all new gaskets and even an entirely different block and head - because the original motor spun a bearing, and then the replacement spun a bearing after <2k miles.

...So as much as I like it, and want to keep it, if it gives me any more shit, it's gonna be makin' way for a K series.

[KMiata]

Thanks for the feedback guys. Good to see that this idea would be generally welcomed in the E30 community.

I don't expect that this would be for everyone, but there's enough appeal that we want to see it happen.

I love the sound of a straight six, but a rowdy high RPM K series is also pretty special:

https://youtu.be/qaELomeFu_A

[thebutterson]

I see the guys at Speed Academy are doing a K-swap on a 240sx which is also front sump. I imagine the same oil pump and pan setup would work on an E30.

https://www.youtube.com/user/spdacademy

[Jaker]

I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to get very creative with my oil pump setup. The E36 crossmember appears to sit directly below the oil pump drive (chain/sprocket) and I only have about 5 1/2-6" clearance from the crank centerline to the top of the crossmember. This is just eye balling though. I've yet to place the engine into the engine bay of the car. Measuring the K20 crank centerline to just slightly below the sump pickup looks like about 8". But that's back a ways from the crossmember.

[KMiata]

We have a K24 physically in an e30 chassis right now. Pan and oil pickup needs to be custom but it's all very doable. Way easier packaging than the Miata chassis gave us!

[djjerme]

..but how far back does it sit in the engine bay KMiata? I think the benefit to doing this swap is being able to push the CG back more to almost centered..

[agile30]

It should sit pretty far back. I doubt it would sit too far forward. No reason it cant sit against the firewall i dont think.

[djjerme]

..oil pan clearance would be a deciding factor.

[agile30]

Well if they have one in the car already. And him saying that it will need a custom pan and pickup. Hopefully they can design it with a good capacity and sits high.

[KMiata]

Well if they have one in the car already. And him saying that it will need a custom pan and pickup. Hopefully they can design it with a good capacity and sits high.

Pan clearance can easily be made to keep stock ground clearance, and the transmission will be mounted in the stock location, so the engine sits all the way back like any BMW engine would.

[djjerme]

Pan clearance can easily be made to keep stock ground clearance, and the transmission will be mounted in the stock location, so the engine sits all the way back like any BMW engine would.

Cool. Be curious to see the mock up once you are ready to share.


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[ahrensNW]

Giggling with excitement haha

[Chrisbike]

This is really cool

[rover215]

KMiata- what're you thinking for best wiring? Power steering options? I'll be keeping my air conditioning and heat, but I think there will be lots of wire elimination. And is the drive-by-wire an issue?
I'd also like to see how close in size/ shape the TSX gauge cluster is (2008) to the stock e30 cluster. They're similar. Hoping to get my engine by June.

[ahrensNW]

Power steering options? I'll be keeping my air conditioning and heat, but I think there will be lots of wire elimination. And is the drive-by-wire an issue?

Is power steering really needed for a k24? I'd be curious about the swap weight compare do a stock m20 or m42. I dd my 318is without power steering and it's manageable, I'd put money on a k24 weighing about the same. Curious about drive by wire as well, since I'm pretty sure at least some k20s came with a throttle cable.