Honda engines are widely loved and appreciated by buyers in all segments. It’s not only because of the advanced design and technology offered by the automaker but also because of the performance these engines offer at an economical price. But that’s not all. Honda engines are also preferred because they hold good value and have a great market in the market of old car engines for sale. If you sell a pre-owned Honda engine, you’ll likely get a high resale value. Even on a bad day, you can get a decent deal on a used engine. The credit for all of that goes to the reputation and sturdy build quality of these engines.

So, if you’re on the edge of getting a used Honda engine for sale, check out these 11 great Honda engines that may help you make up your mind.

List of The Best Honda Engines You Can Consider Buying 

B16A 

The B16A is one of the VTEC engines by Honda. The 1989 Integra was the first car to use the VTEC system. This 1.6-liter 4-cylinder DOHC VTEC engine generated 162 PS at 7,600 rpm and 150 Nm at 7,000 pm. To date, it is rather impressive for a naturally aspirated engine.

It was the first naturally aspirated engine used in mainstream cars that hit the magical 100 PS/liter mark. Later, the engine was subjected to many variations and improvements to offer better performance. However, its basic design is said to remain largely unchanged. The B16A was in production until the early 2000s when the K-series engine succeeded it.

1. C30A 

The Honda NSX was Japan’s first attempt at making a supercar and was powered by a 3.0-liter DOHC VTEC naturally aspirated V6 engine. This was the C30A engine, and it churned 274 PS at 7,300 rpm and 284 Nm at 6,500 pm. This was only the second engine Honda manufactured featuring the proprietary VTEC system after the B16A.

B18C 

If you check out the history of VTEC engines, the B18C has been touted as the ultimate Honda VTEC and there are plenty of good reasons for it.

It’s a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder DOHC VTEC engine which makes 200 PS at a screaming 8,000 rpm and a max torque of 178 Nm at 7,200 pm.

Like the B16A, this one was also first installed in the Honda Integra Type R, the 1995 model. Honda enthusiasts around the world raved about this engine going as far as to say that it is the greatest front-wheel-drive performance engine ever.

Considering its rarity, the DC2 Integra Type R is one of the many cars that are shooting up in value at the moment. If you own one and need a used Honda engine, check out the B18C.

F20C 

In 1999, Honda introduced a sports car with an open-top–the Honda S2000. It’s a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive car powered by the F20C 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine. It produces 250 PS at 8,600 rpm and a maximum torque of 203 Nm at 7,500 pm.

This naturally aspirated engine held the record for the highest specific output in a production car, at 125 PS/liter. It was after 10 years dethroned by Ferrari with the 458 in 2010, and even then, it only trumped by 1 PS/liter. The F20C engine also has plenty of engine awards below the belt consecutively over the years from 2000 to 2003.

K20A 

The K-series engine was one of the most used engine series by Honda. It propelled a vast number of vehicle models from the early-2000s until the mid-2010s. You can still find it in a few recent models like the Honda Civic Type R (FK8), which uses the K20C engine.

The most worthy engine of the K series to be in the top 11 engines list is the K20A. In its most potent version, it makes 225 PS at 8,000 rpm and a peak torque of 215 Nm at 6,100 rpm. Honda lovers have used plenty of expletives such as frenzied, energetic, and invigorating have been used to describe the experience.

1.5-litre i-DTEC 

After VTEC engines, Honda catered to the rising demand for diesel engines through i-DTEC engines. It’s an advanced take on the standard diesel engine with better fuel efficiency. This engine is capable of returning fuel mileage upwards of 24kmpl. Not to forget, this is the torque power of this engine. It can easily generate a peak power of 99hp and maximum torque of 200Nm.

Honda G-Series

The Honda G-series engine is a family of slanted inline-five-cylinder engines that run on gasoline. The G-series family features a single overhead cam with 4 valves per cylinder. These engines were originally used in the 1989 Honda Vigor, Honda Rafaga, Honda Ascot, and Honda Inspire. Later, they were carried over to the Vigor's successor; the Acura TL, which ran from 1995-to 1998 in North America, and the Honda Saber in Japan.

Honda B-series

Apart from the G-series, Honda launched another family of engines to form its reputation of being fuel-efficient, durable, and low maintenance. The B-series engines and VTEC technology were exactly that.

It also began the trend among Honda owners to modify their Hondas. The Honda Civic, Del Sol, and Integra came with the B-series engine, but high-output versions were present in a few models, including Civic Type R. The B-series of Honda was the engine to generate 100 hp per liter, which is quite efficient. Moreover, these engines excited those who drove them out past 8,000 rpm.

Honda Big Block SOHC Engine 

Honda launched the F-Series engines which were the big block SOHC inline-four engines. It was made of a solid iron or aluminum open deck cast iron sleeved block and aluminum/magnesium cylinder head. This engine was equipped in the 1998-2002 Honda Accord LX, EX, and SE, LEV models, and in the Acura 2.3CL in North America. The F-series engines can go from zero to sixty in 9 seconds with comparable fuel efficiency to their predecessor

Indy V8 Engine—first generation 

The Honda Indy V8 first generation is a 3-liter and 3.5-liter, naturally-aspirated racing engine. It debited in 2003 and was in production till 2011. It was developed and produced by Honda Performance Development. Later the V8 segment was replaced by Honda Indy V6 in the following season.

Honda J series 

The J-series was introduced in the year 1996. It is Honda's fourth production V6 engine family after the C-series. The J-series engine was designed in the United States and built at Honda's Anna, Ohio, and Lincoln, Alabama, engine plants.

It is a 60° V6 engine different from the existing 90° engines from the C series. It was specifically designed for transverse mounting. This engine has a shorter bore spacing (98 mm and 3.86 in), shorter connecting rods, and a special smaller crankshaft than the C-series to reduce its size.

All J-series engines are gasoline-powered with four valves per cylinder and have a single timing belt that drives the overhead camshafts. VTEC (variable valve timing technology) is used on all applications, with the only exception being the J30AC, which uses Variable Timing Control (VTC) instead.

A unique feature of some J-series engine models is Honda's Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) system. Initially, the system turns off one bank of cylinders under light loads, turning the V6 into a straight-3. Some versions were able to turn off one bank of cylinders or one cylinder on opposing banks, allowing for three-cylinder use under light loads and four-cylinder use under medium loads.

Buy a Used Honda Engine 

Honda has plenty of engine families with more engines than you can count on your fingers. All these engines are designed keeping in mind the specific needs of people. Whether you want a torque engine or a fuel-saving one, you can find it all in Honda’s engine line-up. 

That’s why engine enthusiasts prefer to buy a Honda used engine with a warranty instead of a new one. In addition to a variety of engines, the added multiple benefits that give as good service as a new engine make them even more valuable. You can check off a used Honda engine with a warranty from your shopping list by simply checking the compatibility of these engines with your vehicle and placing an order for a high-quality unit.

Conclusion

Lastly, Honda has always been a pioneer in engine technology. Throughout the decades, Honda has designed, manufactured, and launched plenty of engines that suit the requirement of buyers, eras, and the environment. Out of the many advanced engine models by Honda, we’ve compiled a list of the top 11 engines that stand by the essential reliability and quality of Honda. So, if you are on the lookout for a used Honda engine, check out the availability of these models before putting your money on a motor. There are plenty of options in Honda’s stable to explore.