$500 J Swap or $20,000 New NSX Engine?
23,056
Published 2024-04-19
By Aaron Gaghagen and Brian Gillespie
It's no secret, we love engine swaps. Brian helped get a K20C4 into Ravi's We Don't Lift Racing NSX, but is there a simpler solution for NSX owners out there with worn out C30 or C32 engines? Actually there is and its super cheap. It's the venerable Honda J series engine. Honda put a J series in a TON of vehicles, so there's a bunch out there. This means they can be had for as little as $350 if you go down to the yard to pull it yourself. Depending on which version of the J you get, you can make just as much horsepower and more torque. This is exactly why David Dowling went with a J series in his NSX. We talk with him about it and Brian and Claude Lawrence take it for a spin to see if it really does behave like a true NSX.
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VTEC Academy videos are for educational and entertainment purposes. We can not guarantee the modifications performed in the video are legal in your locality. Do not do any modifications to your vehicle that will void your warranty or in any way violate your local laws. We assume no liability for property damage or injury as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Use the information provided at your own risk. It's on you, dog.
All Comments (21)
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Boost Engineering supercharger kit was just released for the J-Series and it sits at the same height as the OEM manifold with an integrated water to air intercooler. Would be the perfect set up for the NSX!
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I remember when you weighed all the engines for a Honda Tuning article. Early 2000’s.
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Those type S cams are nice.
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Freaky to hear a first-gen NSX making “late to soccer in mom’s J35 Odyssey” noises
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Thanks for sharing, so many automatic and blow manual NSXs out there need this treatment!
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I’ll get a lot of hate for this but imagine taking a perfectly good C30 out, swapping in a J30 and selling the C30 to fund the project and then some 🤣
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The dual cam v6 was amazing but a dinosaur. The j32 from the TL was such a great engine and way easier to maintain
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4:47 - I absolutely HATE the dual-mass flywheel on the Acura 6-speeds. They inevitably become loose, develop play in them. On three different occasions I sheered the splines on my clutch disc, on two of those occasions it happened when I transitioned from engine braking to full throttle in third gear (with the flywheel being loose - when such a transition occurs the inner portion of the flywheel is transferring a lot of inertia to the clutch disc). And that's not to mention other nightmarish issues that I might like to go into, but it's a bit of a long and boring story. Since then I replaced the Acura 6-speed on my car with a 5-speed auto. It's been six years, and I'm now on my fourth or fifth automatic transmission (yeah, Honda gearboxes are just bad, in terms of reliability at least - they operate very well, the shifts are nice and quick, but the autos and the manuals are just horribly unreliable).
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That is one nice looking car!
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if there ever is a 3rd gen NSX, this is what they need to do. light weight, simple, drivers car
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That does look good, but it should be red engine cover 🤙🏻🔥
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Great drift car 🔥
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Sounds like he kept the original NSX trans. I wonder why he wouldn't use the CLS/TLS 6 speed instead? Much better gearing in those and will handle any abuse fine.
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Oh, great. Now I want an NSX! 😅
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Good info, good video, love the idea of preserving the c30 you have and running a j, just slightly butt hurt over running a na1 chassis without that glorious c30 sound. Much ❤ brian I'll fight you
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epic stuff
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J SWAP THE WORLD 🌎
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I dream of this man swapping my fg lx coupe....one day
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Im just finishing my jswap nsx, version 1 is stock J32A2 Version 2 will be turboed J35 with 3.2 heads + full internals
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Wow, that thing is very pedestrian like.
