K20 VS K24 WHO’S BETTER?

Written By Javier Solis
Honda K20 vs K24 Engine side by side

THE HONDA K SERIES IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR JDM ENGINES OF ALL TIME, but which Honda K series engine reigns supreme?

MOST PRODUCED K SERIES?

FROM 2013 to 2015, the Honda Accord was one of the best selling cars in the US equipped with the K24W1 engine.

Close to second was the 10th and 11th generation Honda Civic which was built with the K20C2.

THE K SERIES IS SO SUCCESSFUL YOU CAN FIND IT IN THE NEW 2024 HONDA CIVIC TOO

WHICH K SERIES MODEL?

Both K series Honda engines have over a dozen variants. Each variant offers slightly different compression ratios and horsepower ratings. When comparing the best, we’ll go with the K24A and K20A variants which have the most aftermarket parts.

K24 VS K20 Honda Engine
Engine

K24A Series

K20A Series
Detail
Block/Head Material
Aluminum Aluminum
Cylinders/Values
4/16 4/16
Bore
87 mm 86 mm
Stroke
99.0 mm 85.9 mm
Displacement
2,354 cc 1,996 cc
Compression Ratio
9.6:1;
9.7:1;
10.1:1;
10.5:1;
10.7:1;
11.0:1;
11.1:1;
11.6:1		 9.7:1;
9.8:1;
10.8:1;
11.0:1;
11.5:1;
11.7:1
Horse Power
160-206 hp / 5,500-7,000 156-306 hp / 6,500-8,000
Torque
160-182 lb-ft / 3,600-4,500 139-295 lb-ft / 1,500-6,000
Weight
412 lbs 403 lbs
Oil Weight
SAE 5W-30, 5W-40 SAE 5W-30, 5W-40

POPULAR K SERIES UPGRADES

One thing to love about Honda is its aftermarket parts. You won’t have any problems finding upgrades for the K20 or K24 from places like Skunk2 or DragCartel or even turbo kits from Brewed Motorsports. Here are a few upgrades from easiest to most difficult:

  1. Intake/fuel Manifold Upgrade

  2. Throttle Upgrade

  3. Racing Cam/Springs/Valves Upgrade

  4. Forged Pistons/Crankshaft Upgrade

  5. Turbo Charged Upgrade

WHERE TO BUY A K SERIES?

FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE

You’d be surprised how many people sell K20 or K24 engines locally on Facebook Marketplace. You can typically find a good K series engine priced between $500 and $800, and the best part is there are no shipping costs or extra fees involved.

JUNKYARD

Being that theres so many Civics, Accords, and CR-Vs with K series engines, a local junkyard will probably have a few K20 or K24 engines. They can also cost up to $800, but you might have to pull the engine yourself.

ONLINE…

While you can find K20 and K24 engines on eBay, I wouldn't recommend it due to high shipping costs, seller fees, and the risk of inauthentic parts. Instead, choose a reputable reseller like HMotorsOnline, which has been established for years and offers genuine JDM K-Series engines.

K SERIES SWAP KITS

The K series engine is so powerful that it has become just as popular as LS swaps. Not only have people performed K swaps in older generation Civics, but you'll also find K swaps in BMW E30s, Datsun 510s, Miatas, Nissans, and even DeLoreans.

WHICH HONDA K ENGINE WINS?

With all the aftermarket support and reliability, both the K20 and K24 are great picks. You’ll tend to hear the following phrase very often when it comes to comparing engines:

THERE’S NO REPLACEMENT FOR DISPLACEMENT…

But is the same true for Honda engines… In the comparison table between the K24 and K20 engines, you'll notice that the K20, despite its smaller size, can produce way more horsepower at higher RPMs.

The K20’s smaller displacement allows the engine to rev higher, resulting in higher horsepower.

While the K24 offers higher lower-end torque if you have a K20 installed in a lightweight chassis, the lower displacement of the K20 should not be a significant concern. Which K series would you pick? Comment below…

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Javier Solis

Hi, my name is Javier Solis. I've held various IT positions in the last 25 years including work in Higher Education and as a former tower climber. I'm now a Sr. Product Manager at Extreme Networks who gets to build stuff. I'm also married to a wonder wife and have two awesome kids. Questions and comments are ALWAYS welcome.

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