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Thread: 818C build with a honda K series power

  1. #1
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    818C build with a honda K series power

    Name here is Ryan. I will be receiving my 818c kit in about a week so I thought I would post a build thread about it. I will not be following the standard build as I have no donor and will be using a Honda K24a2 for power. The transmission is an 05 forester 5 spd. The two will be coupled together by a (first ever) Kennedy adapter plate and flywheel. Engine management will be provided by a Megasquirt MS3/MS3X with a can buss I/O extender and 4 vr conditioners to read all 4 ABS sensors for traction control. The MS also averages the abs sensors and properly drives the factory 04 STI speedometer allowing for speed calibration without using the vss. Ive also got the tach working (easy) and the factory temperature gauge using the early Subaru temp sender which threads into the Honda intake manifold. This is all currently working on the bench. I have most of the other parts for the build which I have collected slowly over the coarse of a year from the local wrecking yard and Ebay. For those that are curious I found the engineering drawing online for the Ford 2.3 ecoboost. Seeing as how factory five has already put in an inline 4 into the 818 I wanted to compare the size to the Honda before purchasing the engine and adapter. The Honda is 1" shorter in length than the Ford so it should fit with some frame mods and motor mounts. Adapter plate is 15/16 thick. My first time posting photos hopefully this works.

    The engine, tranny and adapter.
    IMG_0623.jpgIMG_0624.jpgIMG_0626.jpg


    I am horrible about keeping a build thread but will try and post some photos of the frame modifications and motor mounts. I do plan to turbo the k series after the registration process. The rest of the build with the exception of some of the interior bits will be fairly standard.

    Ryan

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  3. #2
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    Sounds like a cool build! A high-revving Honda engine might be a better fit, as far as engine characteristics go, for the 818 than a Subaru motor.

  4. #3
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    Great build and will be fun to watch your progress.

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    Senior Member DSR-3's Avatar
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    Nice! Thanks for posting.

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    Definitely interested to see some more details and see how that K series fits in the chassis. You sounds like you have some EFI tuning experience, would love to hear more about all of the challenges you face with all the electronics.

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    This is great! I actually have been seriously contemplating a K series swap. This would be mated to my current STi 6 Speed. How much was just the adapter plate, minus custom flywheel?

    Clutch Masters quoted $1900 for a K to STi twin disc. I'm waiting for Competition Clutch to see if they can make a custom flywheel so I can reuse my current twin disc.

    Are you going to turbo the motor? I would do a rods/pistons build and carry over my EFR7163. The target would be 600-650 WHP on e85. Not that the car really needs any more than the current 500 WHP but I would like to experiment with a new platform.

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    Thanks for the interest. I cannot wait to get started.

    NevaLift2Shift

    I do have a fair bit of efi setup and tuning experience. I started with haltech in the early 2000s and when the first megasquirt 2.2 came out back when there were no suppliers and you had to buy the board and processor from B&G, buy your parts and build your own case I convinced a friend to buy one to experiment with it spun off into a side business for extra cash. I will enjoy building the chassis and engine harness from scratch more than any other part of the build.

    Aero STI

    The adapter plate comes with the flywheel and is $1,100 total from Kennedy. I got the first one they have made for the K series but they are planning to make more engines adapt to the Subaru trans. Currently they have VW air cooled, Honda J and now Honda K to Subaru adapters. They can build one for the 5mt push or pull tranny's and the 6 speed. It comes with all of the hardware and uses whatever Subaru clutch for the tranny type you have and the Subaru starter.

    If you want just an adapter plate there is a machine shop in NJ I believe it was that makes a Subaru tranny to K series adapter plate only. It was about $600. I called and spoke with the owner and he was unsure as to what was needed to get the clutch working with the stock Honda flywheel. The problem I saw with this was that even though I could get a clutch disc and pressure plate setup to bolt up to the Honda flywheel and mate with the Subaru splines the pilot would be a bit far from the shaft. The Kennedy setup takes care of all of this with the custom flywheel because it is offset from the engine. I would just call Kennedy and tell them you want to set one up for a 6mt with your twin disc.

    As far as the engine goes I do plan to turbo it on the stock bottom end and head. I also plan to use an EFR7163 with a large hot side. The 06-08 K24a2 is fairly stout as is and should be fairly reliable at 400whp. I will tune on 91 octane and see where we can get on the dyno. E85 is getting easier to find here but I don't want to be tied to it even though I can set the megasquirt to blend maps using an alcohol sensor in the tank. I have thought about buying another long block to put rods and pistons in but I may just wait and see how the current setup holds up. For those that like track days an NA 250ish whp k24 I think would be awesome!

    Ryan

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    Sounds lovely me an amazing build. I've told my son, a Honda guru, and he suggests that you "upgrade the oil pump to avoid cavitation....those motors TSX motors are prone above a certain rpm."

    I'm sending this on a "just in case it's new info" basis.

    We'll be watching for updates.

    Ray

    > Factory 5 818 build with a Honda K24a2 engine.
    >
    I'm not getting gray, I'm adding chrome....

    “Under-steer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car and over-steer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and torque is how far you take the wall with you.”
    -- Jacques Schnauzee "World Famous Racecar Driver"

    "If you can make black marks on a straight from the time you turn out of a corner until the braking point of the next turn, then you have enough horsepower."--Mark Donohue

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    Awsome!!
    I really would like to see more pics and maybe a mounted adapter. THis is something i've been secretly working on in my garage for another 5mt transplant.

  12. #10
    Senior Member EODTech87's Avatar
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    Awesome build. Have you seen the BoostedBoiz build where they put a K-series into a STi?
    -Jason

  13. #11
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    Dude I don't know how but on the same day you first posted this I was also contemplating a K20 powered 818 with a Forester 5 speed AND an adapter plate from Kennedy 😂😂 keep posting! I'm excited to see how your project turns out

  14. #12
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    Interesting build, subscribed.
    I am curious, why not use a Honda FWD transmission? Does that create too many fitment issues in the engine bay?
    "Good Judgement comes from Experience. Experience comes from Bad Judgement"
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    818R ICSCC SPM
    2005 Subaru STI Race Car ICSCC ST and SPM
    Palatov DP4 - ICSCC Sports Racer

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sgt.Gator View Post
    Interesting build, subscribed.
    I am curious, why not use a Honda FWD transmission? Does that create too many fitment issues in the engine bay?
    I don't think Honda makes any longitudinal FWD transmissions. A transverse layout would be a complete re-do of the back half of the car.

  16. #14
    Senior Member Niburu's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by lsfourwheeler View Post
    I don't think Honda makes any longitudinal FWD transmissions. A transverse layout would be a complete re-do of the back half of the car.
    they did for the (I think) second gen Acura Legends, good luck finding one though.
    2011 Subaru Forester - the DD - uber rare 5spd manual
    1990 Miata - Track Rat, autocrossing cheap POS - love it
    2018 Factory 5 Racing 818 Hardtop Coupe - preapproved by the wife

  17. #15
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    My wife's Acura Vigor had a longitudinal 5 cyl engine and 5 speed FWD tranny.
    But I was thinking of a transverse mounting B or K. I never really looked at how it would fit though. I'll have to dig out my Midlana and Kimini books to see if it could work.

    Last edited by Sgt.Gator; 09-12-2018 at 05:25 PM.
    "Good Judgement comes from Experience. Experience comes from Bad Judgement"
    Owner: Colonel Red Racing
    eBAy Store: http://stores.ebay.com/colonelredracing
    818R ICSCC SPM
    2005 Subaru STI Race Car ICSCC ST and SPM
    Palatov DP4 - ICSCC Sports Racer

  18. #16
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    Chassis and engine/transmission are a a friends house for chassis modification and engine transmission mounts. The plan right now is to lower the transmission and engine another 1.5 inches and use 240sx engine mounts and the stock transmission mount.



    AEC7BD80-5F7C-4345-A8B6-E5BE3A8A7FCA.jpeg
    A1C9786A-9F7B-4E27-A24B-19D395E9EF0C.jpeg

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    Senior Member STiPWRD's Avatar
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    That's a clever way to mount the back of the trans! Also, lots of nice welds! Have any head-on shots from the back to show how low the trans got? I assume you mocked up a linkage since your using one of the holes for the mount.

  23. #19
    Senior Member Hobby Racer's Avatar
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    Where did you get the cylindrical bushings used for the transmission mount? I want to make a similar mount after seeing yours!
    MK3.1 Roadster completed 2011
    818R built with EZ36R H6 completed 2018
    818R rebuild with a JDM Honda K24A

  24. #20
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    Sti

    The linkage for the trans is going to be custom so we were not concerned with using that hole. The trans is level at 0 deg with the engine. There are some spots that were notched slightly in the frame to get it lower.


    Hobby

    Those are off the shelf polly bushings and sleeves from a local shop here. I am sure someone like
    Summit would carry them also. The shop here supplies a-lot to sand rail and pre runner truck builders. So if summit doesn’t maybe search for that online. The poly bushing were the softest they had available.

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  26. #21
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    What brake booster are you going with?

  27. #22
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    Going with the 1st gen miata. Bolts right in and is very small.

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