Worth it?

[zeroz52]

Do you need the ECU if you do the head swap? You've peeked my intrest and I want to know more about what would be required with the head swap. Thanks

[SLOazzEPhatch]

Originally posted by zeroz52
Do you need the ECU if you do the head swap? You've peeked my intrest and I want to know more about what would be required with the head swap. Thanks

yeah you need the head and all internals and the ECU. and i think that is pretty much it. everything i have heard bolts right up(seeing as how the heads are off a K20 block).

[Gold_EP3]

But will there be any idle problems. My Buddy has a LS-VTEC combo in his 95 teg, and it has idle probs. Once its fully warmed its fine, but without a good 10 min warm up it will not move. He had it done at a well known shop here in Cali and they told him it was beause the block was never ment for that head, and thats why he has the rough idle. So will we have the same problem since our block was never ment for that head?
I know for those of us who do want this swap, we are all looking for the reliability we have come to expect from the A3 motor we have now, but with the upgrade of a 8500 Redline, and that geat "old school" Vtec of the A2

[MyFlySi]

From the research I've done, all that's needed is the A2 components of the head (head, valvetrain, gears and cams), the A2 ECU, and the A2 harness (and even then I don't think you need the harness). It bolts directly up to the K20 block. The block from the RSX, and EP3 are no different unlike the infamous LS-VTEC setup which is a B18A1 non-VTEC block with a B-series VTEC head. You'll hear about VTEC plumbing kits for LS-VTEC combos because the B18A1 LS block doesn't have an oil passage in the block to feed a VTEC solenoid like all of the VTEC ready blocks, so it requires another oil source from the block to feed it.

The K20A3 crankcase will easily rev to 8.5k. It's the valvetrain that can't keep up. Thus the useful swap to the A2 head will not only yield more power and a much higher redline...it'll have that kick-ass VTEC crossover we all so miss (at least those of us that owned pre-iVTEC models). An A2 swap is my next upgrade.

Gold_EP3...Your buddy's car shouldn't idle rough when cold. I've seen plenty LS-VTEC setups and they all idle fine. As far as why it idles rough...dunno. Tell him to grab a manual for a B-series motor and diagnose it himself. Shops are useless.

[slave0ne]

newbie question: Is the A2 head swap just swapping the head and its components? We are not talking about doing a full A2 engine/tranny swap right?

This A2 head swap souinds like a good thing.

[ecsahs3]

for 1g. do it.

[SLOazzEPhatch]

Originally posted by slave0ne
newbie question: Is the A2 head swap just swapping the head and its components? We are not talking about doing a full A2 engine/tranny swap right?

This A2 head swap souinds like a good thing.

a2 head swap is about 1000-1200 for the whole swap.

a2 full swap is about 3000-4000 for the whole thing.

[Silverstreak]

[QUOTE=MyFlySi]From the research I've done, all that's needed is the A2 components of the head (head, valvetrain, gears and cams), the A2 ECU, and the A2 harness (and even then I don't think you need the harness). It bolts directly up to the K20 block.

The K20A3 crankcase will easily rev to 8.5k. It's the valvetrain that can't keep up. Thus the useful swap to the A2 head will not only yield more power and a much higher redline...it'll have that kick-ass VTEC crossover we all so miss (at least those of us that owned pre-iVTEC models). An A2 swap is my next upgrade.

The internals of the a2 head will not be able to be swaped into the a3 head and work properly, ever. Just buy the whole head and ecu.