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DIY K24 Frankenstein build

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#1 ·
In this thread I will go from tear down to build up on the K24 Frankenstien motor. I am building this motor for Whitebeast-S on this board.

So far I have both motors and I am currently awaitinig a honda crank bolt removal tool from SummitRacing. I have tried with my electric and air impact to remove the bolts, but they won't budge that's with 380 lb impact.

Shortley I'll have some pictures of the both motors and I'll go through the tear down and build up process. Even the machining process at the machine shop. I try to cover every little thing so if one of you decide to do this you know exactly what is involved.

I had to pick up a CRV motor complete minus parts that were removed before I was shown the block. The engine looks rough like it's been under water or something it reminds me of the transmission I bought off some guy on this site. He said it was perfect except 2nd gear synchro was bad. LOL! Every thing in that trans was bad bearings, all the synchro's. Even the outer case was broken and it looked like it had spent time at the bottom of a lake. The aluminum was all crusty looking. Well this motor looks the same so I am hoping everything inside the motor is OK.

The K20A2 motor I was shown was still on the subframe attached to the transmission, axels, hubs, rotors, and shocks/springs. I had to spend a day just getting all that stuff apart so I could take that motor with me as well. Good thing I did take it apart, because I found the tranny had a bad throw out bearing looks like it was all chewed up with the clutch so next I will check the clutch. to see if there is any damage. Don't know the full story on the K20A2 either. I hear over-rev then not so I won't know until I can get the head off and see. Even then it will be hard to tell if the valves have sustained any damage unless it's clear on the piston tops something touched. We will see so stay tuned.
 
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#6 ·
Subscribed.
 
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#10 ·
Subscribed: I'm probably going to do the same thing when the little monster gets retired from daily driver status and converted to "weekend fun machine". For anyone who hasn't built their own motor before, it isn't that tough. Even less so if you already have a complete short block. You just need to have the right tools and enough space to work. Make a fun project out of it. Pick up a part here, a part there and as long as you're not rushing through things and taking shortcuts, it will work out fine. Thanks and looking for to your progress reports, compdoc.
 
#11 ·
SUBSCRIBED! i just bought my 06 type s a week ago, and i know i will be planning to mod it in the future, so right now i want to learn as much as i can.. i know most of the basics and now my interest is to know about building/rebuildin motors... anyone have advice? pointers?
 
#12 · (Edited)
Well this weekend I had a chance to get started and ended up spending the better part of the weekend working on the motors. I started on Saturday about 1 PM it was still a little cool outside from being overcast and raining earlier.

Started with the K20A2 motor and disassembled it starting with the crank pulley. (Really earlier in the week I had received the tool from Summit Racing Moroso Crank bolt removal tool and loosened the crank pulley bolt.) The engine was already torn down to this point except for what I mentioned earlier that it was still attached to the tranny and lower cross member and stuff.




I started by removing the crank pulley bolt. Easier said than done so make sure you have the removal tool from either Amazon $25, but you will need two breaker bars for that or Summit Racing $75 and you only need one breaker bar. Yet one can rent a breaker bar from AutoZone for $25. I liked mine so much I am keeping it. :laughing: I think Pep boys may have one for less, but I don't know the quality. Oh and don't try to use your torque wrench as a breaker bar. I sheared mine off where it plugs into the socket. Also it's recommended that you get a set of impact sockets for this operation as well. I bought mine at AutoZone. 10mm-19mm they have come in really handy.



Here is a shot showing simply the crank bolt removed which if you do this yourself will feel like a big achievement. :laughing:


Next comes the of removal of the water pump. For this you need remove the bolts and use a 8mm socket to remove the water jacket fitting that goes across the motor.



After​


Next you want to remove the timing chain cover assembly. You want to remove the VTC controller first. It's the big tube sitting in the middle of the timing chain cover it has a 10mm bolt take it out by pulley gently and setting it some place safe and clean. Next is the a shot of the front of the motor with the bolts for the timing cover removed. There are a lot of the bolts so once you think you are done check again they are hidden all over that front plate. There are two special bolts that are thicker and look different those go on the bottom on the two outside corners. This is not to be confused with the three that must be removed from the bottom of the oil pan as well. Once you have triple made sure you have removed all the bolts all 10mm from the cover pry at the top left on the inside of the cover with a screw driver or pry bar and it will break loose from the grey sealant. Again make sure you have removed all of the bolts! Once the cover is removed it should look like this.



Next you want to loosen all the cam caps and ready them for removal. These parts will be reused and they have a certain sequence they have to be removed it. So look it up in the shop manual or PDF file that is floating around here. I also will scan a picture of the sequence and put it in here too. Just note you will be using these parts to don't mess them up. At this time you want to get the long zip ties I talked about earlier and tie up the rockers in an X fashion over the cams. This will keep the rockers from falling down and possibly letting the vtec pins fall out. I had to learn this the hard way and had to search around for a spring loaded pin or two. You can remove the cam caps yet, but good to get them ready.

 
#13 ·
Part 2

I investigated this engine and found it had some problems first the broken throw out bearing in the clutch and then a broken tensioner pictured below. You'll want to remove the two bolts and take out the tensioner it will not be reused for the conversion since this one was bad I did not put a pin in the hole to keep it locked back.


Next remove the three bolts on the right slide rail and then use a hex wrench or invest in a set of sockets with the hex installed to remove the left slide rail. Don't worry about these parts either they will not be reused for the conversion. I bought these from AutoZone a while back when rebuilding my transmission. They work great and are a huge time saver.



Once you have the timing chain removed and all the tensioner equipment gone it should look like this.



Now it when you remove the cam caps I used small pry tool at either end the head to lift up the full cam caps. Don't just lift of the cams and the top cap the goal here is to get it off in one solid piece. Remember the tie straps well this is where they are important. You'll see why when you life up the structure. This is an oily piece, and you are using the head again so put it on a oil absorbent clean towel. I'll have one pictured later works perfect got it at Pep boys for $4 they roll out to 7' long. You can see it in the picture below.



Now is the task of removing the head bolts. They also have a certain sequence of steps to be done and this is the most important part so make sure you do this right because this head will be used again. I took my shop towels and soaked up all the oil in the head. This part is a oily mess as well so place this on that oil absorbent rag. I will post up the instructions on this one and get ready for a serious workout even with a breaker bar! :crying: Just think you only have to do this twice per head :laughing: Once all the bolts are loose do not pull them out. What I did once the bolts turned freely in the unbolting sequence I used the impact to unscrew them the rest of the way; saves time and effort they are long bolts. Then simply pull up on the head and it will come right off. No prying or anything. Set the head on the clean oil absorbent towel.



If your K20A2 motor was damaged you would want to look at this part now. to see if there were any valves out of order or noticeable head to valve touching. In this case I could see nothing had touched and the valves looked good. Not to say that there could not be hidden damage from over taxing the valves if you have over-revved it's always possible later to drop a valve and say bye bye to the piston and head. So be careful on this part. Below is a shot of the block you can see the piston tops. They look good.



Next you want to remove the oil cooler it's a 32mm socked needed and a 10mm on the inside where it's attached. Also you'll use a 19mm to remove the big bolt plug up top of the oil cooler. Keep all this because you will be reusing it. This item is an oily watery mess to it goes on the absorbent towel as well. Oh and when you remove the oil filter make sure you have some shop towels under it because it will leak oil and a lot.



Once remove it will look like this.

 
#14 · (Edited)
Part 3

Time to remove the clutch and flywheel it’s pretty easy, unless the throw out bearing decided to explode and chunked up all the bolts. You use a 10mm 12 point socket to remove the bolts careful with the clutch disk it is break able don't let it fall and hit the ground. You'll notice that this clutch and flywheel have been upgraded. I know it's an Excedy clutch. You'll need a 17mm 12 point socket and impact to remove the flywheel bolts.





Now comes the fun part. I sure hope you drained off all the oil and water good. Yet, no matter how well of a job you do some always remains. Time to turn the motor over and get it all out. So place your self some towels and rags everywhere. What I have my motor on is a wooden holder I built myself. 25x25x25 ply board with 2x2's and 2x4's framed across. I also have roller wheels on the bottom that support 250 lbs each and I have four of those on each section so barring the wood breaking it should support a 1000 lbs or more. It didn't flinch with the motor on it in fact I have even used it to move my upright piano so it's tough. It also is designed to hold the oil pan snugly and upright, but it you turn the block over it will hold the top of the block and leave a valley in the middle for run off that's where I stuffed all the towels to soak up the rest of the oil and water. If you don't you'll have a big mess to clean up. So with the motor turned over it should look like this.

http://compdoc777.com/Carstuff/K24Frankconv/K24%20oil%20pan%20installed.jpg[IMG]

Next remove the bolts all around the pan and find a place to pry it up. Be careful you don't want to damage the sealing area and you are going to use this pan in the conversion. Once it's off it should look like below. Time to remove the oil pump and widage tray. These will be used again as well.

[IMG] http://compdoc777.com/Carstuff/K24Frankconv/K20A%20oilpump%20.jpg

Remove the oil pump tensioner and rail. This is where that hex tool set pays off. Get the metric set. Anyway once all that is removed put them in a safe place as you will use this again, it's oily so put it on that towel stuff with rest of the stuff you will using for the conversion. Unbolt the oil pump and carefully pry it up. Then take the chain and pump and put it on the towel as well.



Then all you should have left is the windage tray. Just unbolt all this and pull the tray off and place it with the rest of the stuff you will be using again. Keep the bolts with it. After I removed the widage tray I heard something clanking when I turned the crank shaft. It was the number two rod it had spun a bearing. As seen below.



Here is the rest of the bearing in the pan. Which will soon be cleaned and reused.



Now that we have everything off the K20A2 in a neat orderly pile it's time to move the now modestly light block away and get cleaned up to start dismantling. Below in is the stack of parts to be used.


 
#15 ·
Part4

Now it's time to start on the K24 block. I have moved the K20 block off the platform and over to the floor. The K24 in now on the plat form to basically do what was done above, but I will not be using most of the parts I take off.

Here we go. :driving: I have already loosened the crank bolt and taken off the water pump, clutch and flywheel.




First I take off the valve cover gasket. it's good to save the parts for the valve cover in case you need spares in the future. Since I have a extra valve cover I am going to ask to keep this one that says Honda and I am going to repaint it or polish it one I may get it chromed for that extra bling bling! For those on the cheep you can get these CRV valve covers and use paint remover to get the paint off then clean them real good and paint them with red wrinkle paint and get the full JDM effect.



After removing the valve cover I took off the crank pulley.



Now the same as on the K20A2 motor above I have removed all timing chain plate bolts. In this case I am not going to use those bolts again because they are all crusty with rust and crap. Remove the VTC controller this will not be used again. Remove the cover as before on the K20A2 and you will see something like below. This time make sure you put a pin in the tensioner, in the little hole before you remove it.



Then proceed removing the chain sliders on both sides you will be using these again so put them in the pile with the K20A2 stuff to be used again.



Now you will do again same as with the K20A2 cam bolts loosen them in sequence or if you really don't care about the head and plan to trash it anyway then pop them off as you want. In this case I don't know the fate of the head so I did them in sequence.




Now you can remove the cam caps as a whole unit again. I would not worry about the zip ties for this one. Once the cam caps are removed you can remove the timing chain. Keep the chain you will use it again.

 
#16 ·
Part5

Now it's time for the arm numbing removal the head bolts. I suggest that the sequence be used and the head bolt carefully removed; don't want to warp anything! After you have them loosened and ready to take out like the above instructions for the K20A2 pull the head off the block. Should look like below!



If you want to you can take a rag with solvent and clean up the piston tops a little. Like below.



Now is decision time if you are going to run the K20A2 oil cooler or run a cooler somewhere else. If this is going to be a daily driver install the oil cooler. I decided since I had some machining tools I would take on the task of the machine work. Of course one can send it out to get it done at a machine shop, don't even know how much it would be. The time takes to pack it all up and drive out to get quotes and find a decent machine shop... ugghh!!! I did it myself. I took my dremmel and went to town. Now if you are not gifted with using the dremmel I suggest the machine shop. Here is the before shot and after. Also you'll need to remove the oil filter there oil leakage again so be ready with bags. After it's removed there will be a protruding metal piece with threads on the K24. Use some vice grips and remove this pipe it will come out and leave the block with the same threads as the K20A2. Once the block as been machined the K24 will have a hex nut block plug still in the block above the oil filter hole. Remove this plug only after the block has been machined for the oil cooler and metal debris and be blown away. Don't install the oil cooler at this time.


After​


Now that is done the block can be turned over and the oil pan removed. Again same as before. It will be an oil and watery mess so use lots of rags. Oh, and make sure you have something soft like wood to turn the block over on to or it will damage the deck and this would be real bad.



Make sure you check your pan this will give you a good indication of how well the engine has been treated. Metal filings and chunks are a bad sign. This pan was clean also once you remove the pan you'll find that there are two studs that stick out where bolts should go. Remove these with dual nuts or like I did with vice grips. You'll use the bolts from the K20A2 pan anyway. Next remove the oil tensioners like the K20A2 you will not use these again so set them aside.



Once the oil pump and tensioners and sliding rail is off start removing the windage tray and discard everything you wont need any of this stuff. You'll notice that the blocks have the ability to have oil squirters. Looks like the oil holes need to be tapped and can be crossed over from the K20A2. It would take a long bit and a high powered vacuum to suck out the metal filings while drilling the pilot hole, but it can be done. I did not do this, but if I was building my own motor up I would, but I would be replacing the rods and pistons as well though.



Shot of block with oil pump and windage tray removed.



After you have finished with what ever it is inside the block whether it be replacing the pistons, rods, crank, oil squirters it's time to add the widage tray back.



Next it's time to add the K20A2 oil pump back on to the K24 block. Make sure you move the crank around to top dead center then attach the chain.

 
#17 · (Edited)
Part 6

I used the same chain, tensioner and slide rail from the K20A2.



Once this is done it's time to clean up the oil pan and the Hondabond goo around the pan. Make sure it's really clean so you don't have leaks.



Add the pan and tighten the bolts to torque specs.



Now that this is done the block can be turned back over and ready it for the head installation.



Now it's time to add the new head gasket. I was told to put a Cometic head gasket on I bought it from Clubrsx store. The specialty head gasket was cheaper than the dealers OEM gasket and that's with shipping! :laughing:



Now it's time to add the head to the block and use the tightening sequence on the head bolts. This is a critical step screwing up here would be bad so follow the sequence carefully.



Now it's time to add the cam caps and tighten them with the noted book Seqence and torque to specs. Make sure you don't tighten down the front middle to bolts so you can add the K24 timing chain. Then add the timing chain and K24 right and left slide rails back. Since the timing marks are not going to line up any more on the chain it's best to align the timing marks at the top and make sure the crank is still set to TDC. I had problem with the timing so it's best to make sure it's dead on. Then pull the left slide rail to the right and install the tensioner. Once it all looks good take the pin out of the tensioner.



From here you need to add the timing cover and VTC back in and torque to specs.



Then install the oil cooler from the K20A2 on to the K24 block. Just the reverse of the removal from the K20A2 block. It should look and fit the same.

 
#18 · (Edited)
Part7

Now it's time to add the K20A2 water pump to the K24. Make sure to clean it up will and then goo it back up with Hondabond.



Then attach the water hose from the oil cooler to the water pump and drill it down. Then add the crank pulley.



Next I installed the intake manifold and Hondata gasket. Remove the old K24 knock sensor. Install the starter. Then move the knock sensor from the K20A2 to the K24 block so do this now. Then proceed to add the intake manifold and gasket. I use Hondabond on the Hondata gasket on both sides.




This is where I have stopped for the moment. There will be more soon.
 
#21 ·
jessepesc said:
good shit man i wish that someone around Ct was able to build my motor like that keep up the good work nice write up by the way... did you leave the bottom end from the k24 stock???
Yes, I was not requested to build the motor. I personally would have built the motor. Yet, this motor is probably not going to be for all out dragging just more for torque and maybe a supercharger or low boost turbo.

I called a few placed to get estimates of how much all this would cost and every place I called just doing what I did above and no other labor was close to $2500 and that's minus machine work and parts that are always needed.
 
#22 ·
jessepesc said:
ooo ok cause i m going to have mine built but im going to change the rods bearings and pistons but thats cool ether way just an amazing right up cant wait to see how its gunna run was was the k24 block from tsx,element,accord,cr-v??? just wondering which one alot of ppl are using i've heard that the tsx block was the best one but very hard to get
It was from a CRV.

Yes, just get the CRV it has everything you need and if you are going to change pistons and rods anyway. On theTSX it's only advantage is the pistons and rods anyway and higher compression. :laughing:
 
#25 ·
nice description on the diy, i don't know jack about engines but enjoy learning and this has helped alot...
Thanks
BJ
 
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