PRODUCT DETAILS
Honda K20/K24 Top Cam Chain Guide 14540-PRB-A01
Chatter from the timing cover, weird cam angle corrections, or just freshening up a K-series? The Honda K20/K24 Top Cam Chain Guide (Honda part number 14540-PRB-A01) is one of the first things you should check. This genuine Honda cam guide keeps the timing chain in line at the top of the head; once it wears, you’ll get slack, noise, and eventually skipped timing that can take out a motor.
This piece is the upper Honda cam chain guide (often labeled as "Guide B, Cam Chain")
used on K20 and K24 engines in both Honda and Acura models. If you're hunting for an
Acura K20 cam guide, an Acura top cam chain guide, a
Honda K20 top cam guide, or a Honda K24 cam guide Acura by part number,
this is it: Honda 14540-PRB-A01. It’s the same genuine Honda/Acura part you’d grab at the dealer,
not a no-name copy.
What Is the Honda K20/K24 Top Cam Chain Guide (14540-PRB-A01)?
The Honda 14540-PRB-A01 guide is a plastic/metal upper chain guide that spans the top of the K-series timing assembly. On a K20 engine cam guide setup or a K24 cam chain guide setup, it keeps the chain on track between the crank and cams so valve timing stays locked in, even when you’re sitting on the limiter. These motors run chains instead of belts, but the guides still wear from heat, oil varnish, and constant chain contact.
This is the same genuine Honda cam guide used on factory K20 and K24 motors, including
Honda cam guide K20, K20 engine cam guide, Honda K20 top cam guide,
and K24 top chain guide applications. It’s about 10 mm wide and made in Japan. We run this exact
K24 Honda guide part and K24 cam chain guide on our own K-swapped and K24
street/track builds because it fits right, stays quiet, and doesn’t do anything weird at high RPM.
Key Features
- Genuine Honda/Acura part for exact fitment — no grinding, slotting, or guessing.
- Correct width and profile (about 10 mm) for K20/K24 timing sets.
- Works in both K20 engine cam guide layouts and K24 top chain guide setups.
- Covers all the usual “Honda Acura top cam guide” needs when you’re chasing OEM reliability.
Important Note
Part number 14540-PRB-A01 is only the top (upper) cam chain guide — the Honda Acura top cam guide sometimes called “Guide B, Cam Chain.”
It does not include the left or right side guides, the lower guide, the chain, or the tensioner. If you're trying to refresh every K24 cam guide genuine part or do a full K20/K24 timing job, you’ll need the other pieces as well.
Side guides are separate parts with their own numbers:
- Left side guide: 14520-PRB-A01 (different part from this upper guide)
- Right side guide: 14530-RZA-A01 or 14530-PNA-003 (depends on whether you’re running a K20 or K24)
If your vehicle has a K-series engine with over 100,000 miles, this Honda cam guide K20 / K24 Honda guide part is worth checking during routine valve adjustments or timing inspections.
Signs You Need to Replace the Top Cam Chain Guide
Timing chain guides don’t always fail in a dramatic way, but ignoring wear can lead to chain stretch, slack, or
jumping teeth, which can easily destroy a K20 or K24. Honda doesn’t give a hard mileage interval for the
Honda K20 top cam guide or K24 top chain guide, but watching cam chain
tensioner extension is key: replace the guide if the extension exceeds 13.5 mm, measured from the tensioner
body to the rod end.
- Rattling or Ticking Noises: Especially on cold starts or idle. Think diesel-like clatter from the timing cover area. That usually means a worn Honda cam chain guide causing slack.
- Check Engine Light with Timing Codes: P0011 or P0016 when the chain jumps a tooth or two, often with misfires or a rough idle once the engine’s warm.
- Poor Performance or Stalling: Noticeable loss of power, lazy VTEC engagement, hesitation on throttle, or even stalling at temp from bad timing.
- Visual Wear During Inspection: Cracks, grooves, or excessive play in the K24 cam guide genuine or K20 guide when you pull the valve cover or timing cover. Chain stretch (timing links not lining up at TDC) usually shows up with guide wear.
- High-Mileage Red Flags: 150,000+ miles on the original Honda 14540-PRB-A01, skipped oil changes, or mods like big cams or boost that load the chain harder than stock.