The off-season in the Midwest offers a perfect opportunity for car enthusiasts to dive into projects, and for Honda S2000 owners, a K-swap is a popular and potent upgrade. Inspired by previous builds and community experiences, this guide provides an updated list of essential components and considerations for successfully swapping a K-series engine into your S2000, specifically focusing on the K24/K20A2 engine family.
Starting Strong: The K-Series Engine
Choosing the right engine is paramount for a successful K-swap. It’s crucial to begin with the healthiest K24A2 engine you can afford. A robust donor engine minimizes potential issues down the line. Personal experiences highlight the importance of this: chasing cooling issues all season turned out to be symptoms of a blown head gasket from a questionable donor engine. While compression and leak-down tests might seem acceptable, issues can arise under boost. Investing in a quality engine upfront, such as a JDM K24A, can save significant headaches and expenses in the long run.
Engine Mounts for Honda S2k K Swap
Securing the engine properly requires selecting the right engine mounts. Two primary brands dominate the market for S2000 K-swaps: Hasport and Innovative Mounts. Hasport mounts are a popular choice, attaching to the sides of the K-series engine and utilizing the stock S2000 mounting points. Innovative Mounts offers an alternative, using some of the factory K-series mounting locations, including the front mount. Choosing between these often comes down to personal preference and specific build requirements.
Transmission Adapter Plates
To mate the K-series engine to your S2000’s drivetrain, an adapter plate is necessary. Several companies offer solutions, providing flexibility in transmission choices. Inline Pro stands out with adapter plates for ZF, CD009, and F20/22 transmissions. 2NRS is well-regarded in the community for their F-series adapter plates, while Ballade Sports also provides an F-series option. K-Miata caters to those seeking alternative transmissions, offering adapter plates for ZF and Miata transmissions. The adapter plate selection influences subsequent component choices like flywheel and clutch.
Flywheel and Clutch Considerations
Following the transmission adapter, flywheel and clutch selection becomes crucial. Most adapter plate manufacturers, excluding 2NRS, offer compatible flywheel solutions, often produced by Competition Clutch, Clutch Masters, or K Miata. For K to F flywheels, standard S2000 clutches are generally compatible. However, BMW (ZF) flywheels require specific clutch compatibility, necessitating consultation with the respective manufacturers like SPEC Clutch, especially when using the KMiata adapter kit, as demonstrated in K24 swapped projects.
Intake Manifold Options for Honda S2k
Intake manifold selection presents two main paths: utilizing an F-series manifold or opting for a K-series manifold. Choosing the F-series route requires an adapter plate, such as the JSP adapter, similar to setups used in K-swapped Nissan 240SX projects. Alternatives include 2NRS and Ballade Sports adapters. While F-series manifolds offer compatibility, F20C manifolds may require EGR modifications. For K-series manifolds in a rear-wheel-drive configuration like the S2000, K-Miata offers an RWD-specific manifold. Alternatively, two-piece manifolds like the Skunk2 Ultra series can be flipped for RWD applications.
Exhaust and Turbo Manifold Solutions
The exhaust flange interface differs slightly between F-series and K-series engines. For exhaust manifolds, modifying a stock F-series manifold by welding on a K-series flange is possible. However, readily available, swap-specific headers are offered by companies like Inline Pro, 1320 Performance, and Ballade Sports. For forced induction setups, Inline Pro provides off-the-shelf turbo manifolds, and K-Miata is developing options potentially compatible with the S2000 chassis. Currently, dedicated downpipe solutions for turbo K-swapped S2000s might require custom fabrication.
Wiring Harness Integration
Integrating the K-series engine’s electronics into the S2000 necessitates a wiring solution. Options include jumper harnesses, custom harnesses, or DIY wiring. 2NRS and Ballade Sports offer jumper harnesses, potentially requiring a Type S engine harness. Rywire providesMotorsports-grade harnesses that maintain the integrity of the factory chassis harness. Choosing the right harness depends on complexity preference and desired level of integration.
Cooling System Adapters
The K24 and K20 engine families have variations in coolant neck designs, demanding specific cooling adapters. Adapters are needed to accommodate these differences and to re-orient the thermostat neck for rear-wheel-drive applications. Tractuff is a reputable brand for these adapters, with K-Miata and K-Tuned also offering reliable solutions. Proper cooling system adaptation is crucial for preventing overheating and ensuring engine longevity in the swapped S2000.
This guide covers the fundamental components for a Honda S2000 K-swap. For further assistance and in-depth discussions, resources are readily available. Connect with experienced individuals through social media platforms like Instagram (@proawesomedevin), explore detailed video documentation from Speed Academy’s K-swapped S14 project (Speed Academy K Swap Videos), or join dedicated online communities such as the “K swap S2000 group” on Facebook (K swap S2000 Facebook Group). These resources offer valuable insights and support for your Honda S2k K swap journey.
