Performing Honda K24a3/AST5 6spd Conversion

Looking good

You may want to put some seam sealer across the two gaps of your removable panel so you don’t get capillary wicking of water into your trunk.
 
I had no issues with the inlet and outlet pipes not being straight on mine, and they fit over my 2.5 inch mandrel bends fine.
Yeah, mine is wrong . They replied to my email already, and said they would resolve it.
PXL_20211107_145833221.jpg
PXL_20211107_145813028.jpg
 
Looking good

You may want to put some seam sealer across the two gaps of your removable panel so you don’t get capillary wicking of water into your trunk.
I will be making a lip on the undersides where it could traverse into the trunk, and then use 1/16" closed cell foam for that.
 
Used the new tool on the trunk access panel

Tested it here
PXL_20211107_163703978.jpg

Made cardboard inserts for the end sections

PXL_20211107_175348393.jpg


PXL_20211107_182153029.jpg

PXL_20211107_182157545.jpg


After spot welding

PXL_20211107_184644034.jpg


PXL_20211107_184654052.jpg


PXL_20211107_184801057.jpg


Some details to attend to on the panel:

PXL_20211108_121322502.jpg

Drilled & tapped top edge for M5 in the middle & M6 on either end. Have some minor details to wrap it up

PXL_20211107_213948246.jpg


Also welded the hanger ears on the U pipe. Can't do any more until replacement muffler comes, whenever that may be
PXL_20211107_213931159.jpg
 
Last edited:
Nice, you can soon build an entire car just like the manufacturers do :)

A spot welder definitely has its uses. Plug welding can achieve much the same by drilling a hole in the one object and then welding through the the hole around the edges. It does require some finesse to do however. We have a few remarkable welders in our model shop, certainly not one of my skills :)

Bummer about the muffler. Will you be running a resonator as you did previously?
 
Used the new tool on the trunk access panel
I don't use mine every week, but it's one of the best things I have for certain fabrication jobs. Just make sure you have safety glasses on. Every so often if the weld pool gets a touch to hot it has a mini explosion that shoots out a little slag unexpectedly.
 
Nice, you can soon build an entire car just like the manufacturers do :)

A spot welder definitely has its uses. Plug welding can achieve much the same by drilling a hole in the one object and then welding through the the hole around the edges. It does require some finesse to do however. We have a few remarkable welders in our model shop, certainly not one of my skills :)

Bummer about the muffler. Will you be running a resonator as you did previously?

There is no room to run the resonator, unless I can find a shorter/smaller version. I'm hoping the STL25 muffler will be sufficient. I could cut down the Volvo resonator & try to make it work - it's mainly overall length that is a problem.
 
I don't use mine every week, but it's one of the best things I have for certain fabrication jobs. Just make sure you have safety glasses on. Every so often if the weld pool gets a touch to hot it has a mini explosion that shoots out a little slag unexpectedly.

It's perfect for this type of work, where I don't want to risk panel distortion. I actually bought it to use on the Volvo pickup truck conversion - I will be making many lip/flange seams that would be problematic to weld otherwise, looking at the way others dealt with distortion issues from mig or tig seams.

Added a SS lip to the cross brace, the inner edge is angled to press against the upper brace

PXL_20211108_211854231.jpg


PXL_20211108_211857581.jpg
 
Last edited:
Could the resonator be before the muffler and if needed move the catalytic converter to the left? Most resonators are ahead of the muffler. Just a thought.

You can still get distortion with spot welding, doing every other and then coming back to fill in works well.
 
Could the resonator be before the muffler and if needed move the catalytic converter to the left? Most resonators are ahead of the muffler. Just a thought.

You can still get distortion with spot welding, doing every other and then coming back to fill in works well.

The resonator is too long (18" or so, I think) to fit anywhere besides the tail section - it worked before as I had sufficient diagonal spacing over to the right. What space there is on the left is to allow the tail section to drop down from the muffler & loop into the tailpipe tip, so I can't extend the existing loop over to the left, there just isn't the physical space/clearance to fit a resonator after the cat, pre muffler.

I followed that pattern for spot welding, wide spacing then go back in-between, repeat.
 
Nice, you can soon build an entire car just like the manufacturers do :)

A spot welder definitely has its uses. Plug welding can achieve much the same by drilling a hole in the one object and then welding through the the hole around the edges. It does require some finesse to do however. We have a few remarkable welders in our model shop, certainly not one of my skills :)

Bummer about the muffler. Will you be running a resonator as you did previously?

Decided to revisit this - looking in Rodger's thread he got a Vibrant 1792 resonator that is only 12" total length. If I cut down the pipes, that one will likely fit whereas the Volvo one won't. I ordered one to try. I want to keep the decibels down where possible.
 
Last edited:
Decided to revisit this - looking in Rodger's thread he got a Vibrant 1792 resonator that is only 12" total length. If I cut down the pipes, that one will likely fit whereas the Volvo one won't. I ordered one to try. I want to keep the decibels down where possible.
I was able to cut quite a lot of length off my resonator to make it shorter.
 
Flared the STL25 I/O today, and welded the Vbands. Since I had to cut the neck really short, I had to weld the inlet from the inside, the outlet I left a touch longer & welded from the outside, preferable as the flange doesn't get as hot

PXL_20211112_232930805.jpg


Still have to weld the U bend flanges & hanger ears next, they are still just tacked at this point

PXL_20211112_233003767.jpg


PXL_20211112_233007159.jpg
 
Last edited:
View from our hike on Veteran's Day

Breakneck Ridge
PXL_20211111_153635725.jpg


PXL_20211111_153736233.jpg


PXL_20211111_145554140.jpg


Old (clean) Volvo seen in Cold Spring

PXL_20211111_172308097.jpg


Been working on a friends V50 - broken exhaust studs (seen in mirror) - I was hoping I could extract them - but the head has to come off :(

PXL_20211111_212155492.jpg


PXL_20211113_173252458.jpg


Started to deluge around 3pm, so I switched to working on the Fiat. Figured out left side lower mount

PXL_20211113_212217389.jpg


PXL_20211113_213454909.jpg


welded the body side pin for the right upper mount

PXL_20211113_212227966.jpg


Set up the vband/elbow to feed the resonator

PXL_20211113_215708917.jpg


lower left hanger bracket done

PXL_20211113_215713821.jpg


finishing up the inner cross brace

PXL_20211113_152242020.jpg
 
Last edited:
Welded the trunk brace support tab to the upper brace

PXL_20211114_220233513.jpg


After I pulled the cylinder head off the V50,

PXL_20211114_163958283.jpg


I worked on the resonator / tail section. Finally getting close to done!

test fitting - leveled off the tailpipe a touch after I took this pic

PXL_20211114_214600857.jpg


had to use 3 cut sections of a mandrel bend to get the right angle out the Vibrant 1792 resonator to the tailpipe. Cut most of the straight sections off the resonator, about 1.5" each end

PXL_20211114_220137184.jpg


Still have to seam weld the tailpipe to the resonator - the tip has three welds, that's enough

PXL_20211114_220200537.jpg


PXL_20211114_214159378.jpg


PXL_20211114_214643506.jpg


Have to add a hanger to the upper left - either off the resonator/tail pipe, or off the forward edge of the muffler

PXL_20211114_214656631.jpg
 
Last edited:
Got the tail section seam welded to the resonator, and the V bands on the right side "U" bend pipe mostly complete

PXL_20211115_224308490.jpg


PXL_20211115_224158196.jpg


PXL_20211115_224248302.jpg


wrapping up the cross braces & access panel

PXL_20211115_224324141.jpg


In other news - new seals, timing chain kit, etc., are arriving. I bought another k24a to build since I don't know what is broken in this one, causing the oil consumption in #4 cylinder - been using about a quart every 200 miles or so (!) I'l going to transfer the K20Z3 head, later cams, RSX oil pump, baffle kit, etc., over to the block once it's ready. I'm too far down the rabbit hole to not have a perfect engine 😆

PXL_20211115_232823200.jpg
 
Last edited:
Finally done with all welding on the exhaust & hangers. Only thing left is a firmer compound upper right hanger, I have several versions & the one I used is a little too soft.

left rear hanger done

PXL_20211116_221109392.jpg


PXL_20211116_221131121.jpg


plenty of clearance - and no interference for the control arm bolts

PXL_20211116_221140112.jpg


PXL_20211116_221659362.jpg

It's close to the 4-2 collector, but not touching. About 1/2" or so, about the same off the rear cross brace

PXL_20211116_221636859.jpg


Definitely happy with the layout. Hopefully it sounds & performs as good as it looks 😁

PXL_20211116_221718512.jpg


PXL_20211116_222923613.jpg
 
Last edited:
Great packaging work. Nicely done.

I hope it sounds and performs as good as it looks.

I hope the new engine comes together well.

Are you thinking a broken ring on the existing one?
 
Back
Top