Here's How To K20C1 Swap an S2000
A new kit makes it easy to give an S2000 Civic Type R power.
Honda on Honda
Many will rightfully argue all day long that the Honda S2000's F20C and F22C1 powerplants are some of the finest ever produced, and they'd be correct. However, that will never stop some folks from performing an engine swap on the famous roadster, and we've seen our fair share of LS-powered S2000s over the years. For those that want to stick with a Honda powerplant, however, Science of Speed makes it easy to swap the Civic Type R's glorious K20C1 into the S2000 with a full array of parts.
Photos: Science of Speed
Heart of the Beast
Customers can choose to provide their own K20C1 donor powerplant or purchase one from Science of Speed, though Honda does sell the engine new in crate form as well. Regardless, the powerplant costs $6,790 new, which isn't terrible by any means for a potent 306 horsepower, turbocharged engine with loads of potential for more.
Photos: Science of Speed
Necessary Parts
Other parts are needed as well, as one might imagine, starting with engine mounts, which can be purchased from SoS or Hasport for $325-$445, an intake manifold adapter and filter kit for around $800, an $875 downpipe kit, a transmission adapter and flywheel kit for a little over $1k, an intercooler, charge tubes, and radiator for another $1k or so, an engine coolant relocation kit for around $1k, a fuel system for around $400, and an engine control package for around $2,300.
Photos: Science of Speed
Pricey Swap
All in, the cheapest way to spec this kit (with the inclusion of the crate engine itself) totals around $14,687, which seems like a lot of coin, of course. But it's also a pretty quick and dirty way to breathe new life into an S2000 while also doing something a bit different, though not radically so in the vein that you're still running a Honda powerplant.
Photos: Science of Speed
Race Proven
The K20C1 is also proven in motorsports, as it's currently used by Honda Performance Development in its Type R TC and Type R TCR race cars, as well as the successful F4 U.S. Championship and FR Americas Championship series.
Photos: Science of Speed
Some Downsides
The beauty of this kit is that it's 100 percent plug and play, too - simply plug in all the wire harnesses after bolting everything up and you're good to go. The only real downside lies in the fact that this swap isn't emissions legal in some states, and certain features aren't functional after the swap either, like air conditioning, the factory dash, cruise control, or right-hand drive.
Photos: Science of Speed
Intriguing Offering
However, for those willing to take on those little issues, a K20C1 swap certainly seems like a great way to breathe some serious performance into the S2000 platform. As much as we love the F20C and F22C1, we also don't hate the idea of going with a more modern Honda powerplant, particularly when comparing it against other swap options out there.
Photos: Science of Speed