B20 EF Civic

EF Ian

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EF Ian
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For sure I'd have bought it already if I hadn't just bought a house. Then it would be a no brainer.



I'm going on the assumption that you already own the house and the garage is just an addition?!
Well, technically I don't own it yet, as the sale doesn't complete fully until the end of January and I'm still waiting on completion of the valuation before signing the mortgage contract.



If you can get by without the garage work, buy the engine.

Just means you'll have to work for another while to gather that money back up again. that's easy, you might struggle to ever get a deal like that again on the engine kit.
I could get by, in that its a usable triple garage in which I could store both cars, its just that the garage isn't finished how I'd want it. I'd originally planned to get the garage finished in one go so that I could take my cars out of storage for good and keep them in there and it would all be done without any future hassle. I suppose I could wait another 6 months before completing the garage and it would enable me to do both, need to learn some patience.

I do have big pans for my perfect garage and will complete it to a similar standard as my Datsun project.




You are both correct in that I will be able to sell either the B20 or the K20 easily enough depending what happens.




Personally I'd keep the b20 as it's different and you've spent alot of time on it.
Can he not just get someone else to drive it so you can know for sure it's the map or not and then make the decision?
Thats why I went with a B20 in the first place, because its different and because its more raw and sounds better than a k20. Just it seems that B20's can be temperamental and hard to get working right but you can pretty much guarantee an untouched ow mileage K20 will be super reliable.

I wouldn't trust anyone else to drive my car and they certainly wouldn't know it like I do, plus getting it out and MOT'd and all the other work involved in storing it again is a lot to ask from somebody.
 
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hippyross

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For sure I'd have bought it already if I hadn't just bought a house. Then it would be a no brainer.




Well, technically I don't own it yet, as the sale doesn't complete fully until the end of January and I'm still waiting on completion of the valuation before signing the mortgage contract.




I could get by, in that its a usable triple garage in which I could store both cars, its just that the garage isn't finished how I'd want it. I'd originally planned to get the garage finished in one go so that I could take my cars out of storage for good and keep them in there and it would all be done without any future hassle. I suppose I could wait another 6 months before completing the garage and it would enable me to do both, need to learn some patience.

I do have big pans for my perfect garage and will complete it to a similar standard as my Datsun project.




You are both correct in that I will be able to sell either the B20 or the K20 easily enough depending what happens.





Thats why I went with a B20 in the first place, because its different and because its more raw and sounds better than a k20.

I wouldn't trust anyone else to drive my car and they certainly wouldn't know it like I do, plus getting it out and MOT'd and all the other work involved in storing it again is a lot to ask from somebody.

I'll do it :laughing:
 

Lee A

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Accord types k24
Depends how much power you want tbh, you're squeezing good power out of the b as it is but with a k and £1000ish you could have 240-250bhp then if supercharging is a route for you once again up into the 3s. i love the rawness out of the bs but for tuning the Ks are taking over.
 

mmc01

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B series every time. I've had a fair few k series cars and grew to hate every one.

Only car I've ever had I truely regret selling was my jdm Dc2.

A k series would ruin that car in my opinion.
 

EF Ian

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EF Ian
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The b20 is a beast woth the crossover and has lots of kudos points but as I get older I personally would like the versatility of a reliable daily so k20 swop for me.
Hard to beat that crossover, but reliability is what I need.



Spotted this EF yesterday, looks mint. 20k miles!

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C813435`
Its gone already, or the link doesn't work.




Depends how much power you want tbh, you're squeezing good power out of the b as it is but with a k and £1000ish you could have 240-250bhp then if supercharging is a route for you once again up into the 3s. i love the rawness out of the bs but for tuning the Ks are taking over.
I should have 240-250hp from the b if and when I get it running 100% so both engines should be around the same, however the K is more likely to have long term reliability. Won't be looking for more power, so no supercharging, just want a nice hassle free daily driver capable car.




B series every time. I've had a fair few k series cars and grew to hate every one.
For what reason did you hate them?
 

mmc01

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In fairness they've all been cars that came with k series dc5/ep3 etc etc but a b series noise and crossover is unbelievable.

Dc5's are the most overrated car known to man. An older 90's Honda with a b series is a proper car.
 

EF Ian

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EF Ian
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I've not got much experience in driving K series cars to go with. While they don't feel that sharp in an EP3 or FN2, they both weigh more than 1300 kg, I imagine it would feel totally different in my civic that weighs less than 1000 kg's.
 

Lee A

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Bangoria
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Accord types k24
Power to weight with a k in the likes of a dc2 or Pre Ep civic they go like stink and reliability wise I never hear any horror stories and parts wise theirs an abundance of stuff available
 

EF Ian

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EF Ian
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Well I didn't get the K20, money was too tight, but it seems the B20 will be good, its driving much better since Johnny @ AI did some work on the map, he didn't get it finished though as he needed me there to drive it while he does the mapping.




Not much to update really, passed MOT recently with no worries.

I now have somewhere to keep it and work on it in all weathers, no more putting the engine in under a canopy in the rain in November. (y)

IMG_7041.jpg



IMG_7042.jpg



I'm at work now for the season but when I'm home again I would like to get the map finished, might go to Johnny or might try and get the car to Aonghus @ AP Performance following many recommendations, purely because I feel that it would be easier to set the car up with the use of a Dyno. Just don't really fancy driving it that far at the moment, would rather trailer it, its not the quietest thing any more, even with ear plugs.
 

civic_tom

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Read through the whole thread last night mate, absolutely epic civic. Easily the nicest Ef I've seen. Always fancied a b18 Ef or CRX but this is something else.:cool:
 

Neil_M

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Good to hear the car is now running that bit better.

IMO a B20 is a very cool thing and much more period than the K20.

Tough call on what to do with the mapping. I'm deliberating the same with an EP3. I doubt you'd go wrong with either choice.
 

EF Ian

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EF Ian
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Good to hear the car is now running that bit better.
Its a good sign that I should be able to get it running how it should.



IMO a B20 is a very cool thing and much more period than the K20.
Definitely much more period correct and I think it sounds better.

With the B16B I really only loved it when taking it up to 9000rpm. With the B20 I'm loving the low and mid range power, its so quick even when just changing close to 3000rpm. I am even quite often pulling off in second gear as its so torquey you don't really need first, big change to the 16B.



Tough call on what to do with the mapping. I'm deliberating the same with an EP3. I doubt you'd go wrong with either choice.
I can't help thinking that AP Performance would do a better job, purely because they specialise in Hondas and they also have the use of a dyno so its easier to do sustained high load mapping. Not that there would be anything wrong with mapping done by Johnny either and he is much easier to get to and I already know him and trust his work.
 

StephenDc2

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Its a good sign that I should be able to get it running how it should.




Definitely much more period correct and I think it sounds better.

With the B16B I really only loved it when taking it up to 9000rpm. With the B20 I'm loving the low and mid range power, its so quick even when just changing close to 3000rpm. I am even quite often pulling off in second gear as its so torquey you don't really need first, big change to the 16B.




I can't help thinking that AP Performance would do a better job, purely because they specialise in Hondas and they also have the use of a dyno so its easier to do sustained high load mapping. Not that there would be anything wrong with mapping done by Johnny either and he is much easier to get to and I already know him and trust his work.




I have used AP-Performance for the past 4-5 years, tuning my old R32 Skyline and my DC2... you won't find a better tuner on this Island and someone who is as particular in making sure the tune is 110% before letting you take it away. He will tune the car on the dyno then road test after if the car is road legal... tuning on the road for the whole map isn't the best solution as you know
 

EF Ian

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EF Ian
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I have used AP-Performance for the past 4-5 years, tuning my old R32 Skyline and my DC2... you won't find a better tuner on this Island and someone who is as particular in making sure the tune is 110% before letting you take it away. He will tune the car on the dyno then road test after if the car is road legal... tuning on the road for the whole map isn't the best solution as you know
Hoping to arrange a visit sometime around July. Do you have contact details?




Forgot to update this so here are some minor changes until its on the road again, MOT is start of July.


My alternator failed one evening on the way home, so I fitted a nice new one, running nicer now.

IMG_6718.jpg





My battery got drained when my alternator went and since its old it was pretty much done so I also fitted a new battery.

IMG_6717.jpg




I had a spare carbon battery for the Datsun so figured I might as well use that, the crazy thing is that the mount for it cost more than a new Odyssey PC680 would have, but hey, at least it looks nice.

IMG_6714.jpg







IMG_6716.jpg


Planning to paint the induction piping once the map is complete or perhaps make a new one from scratch.




IMG_6713.jpg


Also planning to change my fuel filter setup as the current one is too small, got most of the parts but still trying to work out the setup, the way I planned I can't fit it without taking the intake manifold off, which is likely an engine out job due to access, but I have another idea to check out first.


Hoping Aonghus will leave it running perfectly if I can arrange a date for a tune, then I'll finish off the details in the bay.
 

stu87

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Angohus is the man to leave it tip top, i believe he is away on holidays this weekend and there is normally a month waiting list. Emailing him is the best way to get him, search ap performance on instagram and youll get his details.

Would love to see this car again in the flesh, was about 8 years ago when i seen it with a b16b plant
 

EF Ian

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EF Ian
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Portrush
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EF & 260Z GT-R
Also forgot, I put a new driveshaft in, went for Insane Shafts rated 550hp so hopefully its very strong, quality looks to be good. Will post a photo if I find one.




Would love to see this car again in the flesh, was about 8 years ago when i seen it with a b16b plant
That was a great engine, 9000rpm never gets boring, not as nice to drive slowly as the B20 is though.

I actually prefered the look with the B16B as there was less happening in the bay, but I will try and leave the bay as good as I can with the B20.







Still a fantastic car. Anymore k20 thoughts
Thanks, Nope, not if the mapping goes well. even with the adjustments Johnny did to the map its driving nicer so with a full map from someone like Aonghus it should be a great car again, the B20 is awesome fun from idle, so much torque I don't even need first gear. Hoping with the right mapping it will be making power to 8400/8500 so I can still get my high revs fix.
 

hippyross

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My mate bought a built low compression B20 and a gt35 8o| dodgy enough for boosting these.
 
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