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  1. #1
    Registered User DA9_GSR's Avatar
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    K20A in 2003 EP3

    Hey guys,

    I finally got the time to install my 2003 JDM CTR K20A powertrain into my 2003 Civic EP3. Things I thought were important to know is the following:

    - swap your throttle body onto the K20A intake and keep you cruise control (only thing is you don't have the green "cruise" icon in the CTR cluster)

    - my 2003 got into reverse and all forward gears no problem. I didn't have to notch the shifter base at all.

    - my swap included all underdash and underhood harnesses. I only used the JDM CTR K20A engine harness and the reverse lockout works properly.

    - In order to get the car to start (because it won't) you have to pull the YEL/GRN and YEL/BLK wires out of main fuel relay 2 and solder them together. This allows the fuel pump to turn on when the key goes to the ignition position II. What this does is bypass the second main fuel relay, which is used for the immobilizer. The OEM ECU would have grounded the coil side of this second relay to allow current to go through the switched side of second relay and power the fuel pump. Because the 02-03 CTR ECU's don't have immobilizer's they don't have the capability to ground that coil in the second relay therefore you have to bypass it completely.

    Aside from these little things, the swap went in with absolutely no issues. I also replaced all the fluids (ie: engine oil and filter, trans oil and engine coolant).

    Remember, if you remove the powertrain from the bottom you need to get an alignment done because I promise you got the caster angle all messed up due to the subframe being moved from it's original position.

    Cheers,
    Ryan
    Last edited by DA9_GSR; 08-12-2011 at 08:15 AM.

  2. #2
    I'm getting COOLER! 02TWSI's Avatar
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    Sweet, K20a high compression powa!!!

  3. #3
    Registered User DA9_GSR's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 02TWSI View Post
    Sweet, K20a high compression powa!!!
    I'm using the JDM CTR ECU and it's a great tune. It runs well on the Sunoco 94 Octane. I'm really pleased with it. The gearing is really short. That might be due to the fact that I've never owned a 6 speed before. Also, the LSD is amazing! Where the car used to understeer in a corner, now I can feel the LSD help me through it. I'm excited to get it onto the track. This way I get to compare lap times, before and after the swap.
    Last edited by DA9_GSR; 07-12-2011 at 07:54 AM.

  4. #4
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    how much did you get that engine for? and shipping?

  5. #5
    Bonnie...real OG RedSiBaron's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DA9_GSR View Post
    I'm using the JDM CTR ECU and it's a great tune. It runs well on the 94 Octane. I'm really pleased with it. The gearing is really short. That might be due to the fact that I've never owned a 6 speed before. Also, the LSD is amazing! Where the car used to understeer in a corner, now I can feel the LSD help me through it. I'm excited to get it onto the track. This way I get to compare lap times, before and after the swap.
    There are shorter gear ratios in the jdm type r trans...sooo that would explain it



    Question though, if I got kpro on my stock a3 ecu, and then did the k20a swap, I wouldn't need to cut the wires on the main relay correct?


    Also you don't have to notch the shifter in an 02/03 only 04/05
    Last edited by RedSiBaron; 06-27-2011 at 08:34 AM.
    my ep is white...

    - We can talk numbers all you want, but the bullshit stops when the flag drops...

  6. #6
    Registered User jdmpendeho's Avatar
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    what do u mean about notch?

  7. #7
    4 TDs in Single Game usedep3's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jdmpendeho View Post
    what do u mean about notch?
    the usdm ep3 stock shifter is for a 5 speed tranny. you need to modify/notch the shifter to get into 6th gear. some earlier usdm ep3 however came with the ep3r shifter assembly so not modding/notching is required
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  8. #8
    Registered User urthworm's Avatar
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    Also you don't have to notch the shifter in an 02/03 only 04/05
    i have an 05 and i didnt have to notch when i did my k20a swap. I think its hit or miss cause ive read both.

    Also, if you get kpro.. use the a3 wiring harness and the a3 knock sensor and its all plug and play.
    Last edited by urthworm; 06-29-2011 at 01:23 PM.

  9. #9
    Bonnie...real OG RedSiBaron's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by urthworm View Post
    i have an 05 and i didnt have to notch when i did my k20a swap. I think its hit or miss cause ive read both.

    Also, if you get kpro.. use the a3 wiring harness and the a3 knock sensor and its all plug and play.
    You mean, use the a3 engine harness and knock sensor?
    my ep is white...

    - We can talk numbers all you want, but the bullshit stops when the flag drops...

  10. #10
    Registered User urthworm's Avatar
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    Yup.. the knock sensor plug is different on the a3 so you just use the a3 knock sensor, there is no reverse lock out (dont really need it anyway), and the k20a does not have a vtec oil pressure switch.. so you just leave it unplugged and disable it through kpro.

  11. #11
    Registered User DA9_GSR's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RedSiBaron View Post
    You mean, use the a3 engine harness and knock sensor?
    I think many people get confused with all the different harnesses. There's an engine harness, charging harness, and front bulkhead harness. The only harnesses I used from the EP3R K20A swap was the engine and charging harnesses. This allowed me to not have to goof around with the knock sensor and reverse lockout. Everything works as it should. If you do the swap, try to find one with uncut harnesses. If you can't you'll have to mess around with the knock sensor and reverse lockout.

  12. #12
    Bonnie...real OG RedSiBaron's Avatar
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    Gotcha...the wiring is still all the same between the cars essentially then, just a couple different then plugs right? I need this motor bad, then its just a few more items to finish the car.
    my ep is white...

    - We can talk numbers all you want, but the bullshit stops when the flag drops...

  13. #13
    Registered User urthworm's Avatar
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    Well the knock sensor only takes about 2min to change out. The reverse lockout would be the only reason i see to keep the k20a harness.. but ive never even gotten close to accidently puting it in reverse when changing gears from 5th to 6th.

    Will the k20a harness plug into the a3 ecu? Ive read that the k20a ecu can not have kpro installed on it. Thats the main reason i didnt even bother trying to use the k20a harness. I already had kpro on the a3 ecu.

  14. #14
    Registered User DA9_GSR's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by urthworm View Post
    Well the knock sensor only takes about 2min to change out. The reverse lockout would be the only reason i see to keep the k20a harness.. but ive never even gotten close to accidently puting it in reverse when changing gears from 5th to 6th.

    Will the k20a harness plug into the a3 ecu? Ive read that the k20a ecu can not have kpro installed on it. Thats the main reason i didnt even bother trying to use the k20a harness. I already had kpro on the a3 ecu.
    The K20A engine harness will plug into the A3 ECU but the A3 Kpro doesn't have reverse lockout capability. The K20A ECU (PRC/D) cannot have Kpro installed, Hondata will use a PRB (RSX-S) ECU. I'm not using Kpro and running 94 octane on the stock PRD ECU and it runs great, pulls hard and works like OEM (reverse lockout and all).

    If I were in your position, I would be doing one of the following:

    1 - source out the CTR PRD ECU, installing the JDM EP3 engine harness and running 94 octane
    2 - source out the PRB ECU, get it Kpro'd and install the JDM EP3 engine harness
    Last edited by DA9_GSR; 07-12-2011 at 07:56 AM.

  15. #15
    Registered User Gilmour's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DA9_GSR View Post
    The K20A engine harness will plug into the A3 ECU but the A3 Kpro doesn't have reverse lockout capability. The K20A ECU (PRC/D) cannot have Kpro installed, they'll use a PRB (RSX-S) ECU. I'm not using Kpro and running 94 octane on the stock PRD ECU and it runs great, pulls hard and works like OEM (reverse lockout and all).

    If I were in your position, I would be doing one of the following:

    1 - source out the CTR PRD ECU, installing the JDM EP3 engine harness and running 94 octane
    2 - source out the PRB ECU, get it Kpro'd and install the JDM EP3 engine harness
    I've been out of the game for a while, but I don't understand why a PRC ECU can't be Kpro'd? In fact I do understand that Hondata can Kpro the PRC ECU as I've owned one in the past. The only down side to a PRC Kpro'd ECU is that it does not support Nitrous settings in Kmanager, at least this was the case a few years ago.

    Also no wires need to be cut on the harness, as Hondata will make the adjustment inside the ECU when it is opened up.

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