ok i am really about to forget the whole engine swap thing because the only engine i can afford would be the b16a but i’ve heard all kinds of things about how the difference in torque really affects the performance. Then i realized that the b17a in the GSR’s had 5 LBs less torque than the b18a’s and i figured that if the GSR can still be a bad ass car and have less torque why couldnt a b16a swap? im so fucking confused. heres the big question. Is it actually worth spending 1000 dollars on a B16a or should i just build up my B18a? i really cant come to any conclusion on my own i was wondering if there were other people out there who did do the B16a swap and could tell me how much of a difference it made in there teg.
thanks for any responses
i’m in the same situation as you…
i want to go na but dont know whether i should just build up my b18a, or go do the b16 swap. and im too broke to do a good ls/vtec or go b18c. how much hp can you expect to get out of a fully built b16 compared to a fully built b18a?
fug i hate this.
someone pleeease help us fools out!!!
Please see the B16A Vs B18A thread started in the Disc Forum.
For the record, I believe the VTEC platform has more opportunities to grow than a non-VTEC - IMO.
If you can afford a B16 swap, then you can afford to do ls/vtec… assuming that your B18A is in decent condition.
The choice will depend on the person… I would go ls/vtec, as I value the displacement… a B16 can be bad ass setup also… as I said: depends on the person.
And a straight B16 with its respective tranny (any “up to par” B16 that puts out MORE than the import tuner 120hp POS) will walk over a B18A powered car, stock for stock.
-Thomas
I just wanted to empasize what Thomas just said.
“If you can afford a B16 swap, then you can afford to do ls/vtec… assuming that your B18A is in decent condition.”
I think realistically even if your B18a is a little sad, you could probably get new rings and hone the cylinders and go LS/vtec and it would be fine, for less than the B16 swap.
Or you could get ITR pistons with a vtec head and it would be a little more than the B16 swap but much more bad ass, with MORE torque than your B18A.
Or, if you are on a really tight budget, you could just go with some slightly higher compression pistons (like (94+)GS-R) in your stock LS motor.
Actually, fuck all that. You should just get a loan and buy the 11.7:1 B18C Spoon motor for $6500. It only makes 210 bhp but you could turbocharge it:evil:
Originally posted by buymysoul
Actually, fuck all that. You should just get a loan and buy the 11.7:1 B18C Spoon motor for $6500. It only makes 210 bhp but you could turbocharge it:evil:
LOL YES!! DO THAT! and make sure to give me a ride!
i always thought that the ls/vtec would cost more than the b16a (oh yeah i can get the whole thing for 950 and my girlfriends dad is a mechanic and he told me he would swap it in for free) like i said i dont have that much extra cash maybe 1300 at the most to spend on my car. so with only 1300 to spend would it be a better idea to just build up my stock engine or do the ls/vtec or swap the b16a. also i heard that the ls/vtec’s were real unreliable unless you really put the money into them to do it right.
That’s going to be cutting it close if your on a $1300 budget and the engine is $950. You still have to buy an ecu, and I’m sure you’ll come across little things here or there.
I think your best bet (for reliablility) would be to get some cams, some that are a little more radical, but still keep a streetable idle, get a little head work done, get your cylinders honed and put some higher compression pistons in. I talked with this guy who had an LS engine with type R pistons in his VX civic who was getting about 160hp calculated from the flywheel (I can’t remember the torque). He later went to the B20V-tec, and has had no problems with it.
I know how you feel, I spent soo much time researching before I figured out what I was going to do. I am extremely pleased with my b17a N/A so far of course it came in my car. My car was fast and fun to drive with just a CAI. I haven’t driven an LSVTEC NA though, I know with the right bottem end buildup they make some awesome turbo tegs. NA I believe they would have a fairly low revlimit, and I don’t know how good the power band is. It should be much more torquey though.
Just pick one dammit!!! I sure regret worrying so damned much about doing the perfect thing to my car at first. Once you get VTEC, do FI next. If you feel like tinkering a lot then do a NA setup next.
I thought the rev limit only had to do with what the valves/valve springs could handle. I could see getting a drop in power before then with the LS/Vtec, but it shouldn’t actually change where the rev limit should be should it?
why would you want to turbo a SPOON motor? its made for all motor…hehe but yea back to the question
if your only gonna spend about 1300 [wish i had that kinda money] then just build up your motor like 'buymysoul" said. but id prob add some valve springs for a lil extra security with some cams.
:mad: Oh come on you know I was joking, no one in their right mind would put forced induction on an engine with that kind of compression. Can you say total detonation?
Also, when I said head work, I basically meant as much as he could afford. I assumed he would start with the valve springs, and then just see what else he could afford.
haha woops my bad…u shoulda put like a smiley face or summing so i woulda known…LOL…my mistake