well I am still struggling to get the fouling plugs problem and other little problems out of my ls/vtec which ended up costing about 4000(properly built and installed) and I am contemplating if I went the right route. I love the torque and vtec it puts out but was it worth 4000 bucks?? Well I am starting to think NO. The little problems alone are horrible then the big issue of how long will it stay reliable. Its really kind of a hassel, for the same 4000 bucks I spent I could of got a b16a and built it up to the max and got more horse power out of it, or turbo’ed it for 4000, I could of got a h22a and put in for 3000 and spent 1000 on some headers, cams, and intake mani. But No I chose ls/vtec because I thought it would cost me 2000-2500, boy was I wrong.
trust me anyone that wants a Ls/vtec DONT do it. Not worth it, I could of built my b18b up for a turbo and ran 11 psi and killed my ls/vtec. well Live and learn love to hear everyones opponion
You know what, I’m starting to feel the same way too. I think most people’s problem is putting a whole chunk of money in within a short period of time, and they look back and go “where did my money go?” This is exactly how I felt after purchasing the head, the cam gears, the short shifter, the VAFC and pistons. Now that i have no money left and I realized how much this buildup is really going to cost and I’m not even halfway yet.
that’s what i think too. Ls/vtec, as a cheap power maker is not very feasable. For the money involved to do it right, so many other avenues could have been taken. Not to say that some folks havn’t gotten what they’ve wanted out of cheaper 's/v builds and have been satisfied…
Fact is, the ls engine is inherently much better suited for a turbo than high vtec revving. And turbo would be so much more pleasing.
yeh i regret not boosted my b16 instead of trying to make it an all motor monster, that whole dream collapsed when it dropped a valve and i wz now forced to do an ls/vtec
I truelly enjoy my lsvtec, but I do think about the turbo…I don’t think that 4k covers a reliable turbo set-up… You thought the lsvtec was cheap, don’t underestimate how expensive a turbo is to maintain and tune properly…
I am sort of feeling the same way. At first I thought this wouldnt be more than a 2000-2500 thing, but everyday there seems to be a new part I forget about and have to get. What makes it more expensive is putting it in a car that it shouldnt be in, buts a a different story. I think now I am just spending money on parts so I will not be disappointed in my numbers when I get the thing dyno tuned.
Originally posted by KiLLaTEG
[B]well I am still struggling to get the fouling plugs problem and other little problems out of my ls/vtec which ended up costing about 4000(properly built and installed) and I am contemplating if I went the right route. I love the torque and vtec it puts out but was it worth 4000 bucks?? Well I am starting to think NO. The little problems alone are horrible then the big issue of how long will it stay reliable. Its really kind of a hassel, for the same 4000 bucks I spent I could of got a b16a and built it up to the max and got more horse power out of it, or turbo’ed it for 4000, I could of got a h22a and put in for 3000 and spent 1000 on some headers, cams, and intake mani. But No I chose ls/vtec because I thought it would cost me 2000-2500, boy was I wrong.
trust me anyone that wants a Ls/vtec DONT do it. Not worth it, I could of built my b18b up for a turbo and ran 11 psi and killed my ls/vtec. well Live and learn love to hear everyones opponion [/B]
your problem is you think your situation is an definite example of every ls/vtec setup that has been done. I promise you it is not. So before you reccomend and give your opinion(for what it’s worth i think isnt worth the post you made) why dont you step back and look at what is more likely at fault here, you or the setup in general.
coming from someone who’s put 30k+ miles on an ls/vtec, I’m betting on you. I have not had one problem with my motor that is not symptomatic of any other honda motor that is driven aggressively, except for my own fault(using b16a head studs).
I love my motor! Had it for almost 3 years(this month is 3 years). The motor has 47k on it and my Teg is the only car I have. I put 2k in my motor to start with. No problems…the ones I had were my fault.
Oh and I love it so much I’m building a turbo version right now…should be running this summer hopefully.
Dont get me wrong its great when its running right its badass but all the trouble wow its a hassel and personally I dont think it was worth all the money I put in it. Ok lets summarize
91 integra ls special 5spd 2300
vtec heads 500
vafc 300
b18b motor 600
everything for the lsvtec swap 1500
labor 1500
exhaust intake,b16a comp guages cm stage 4 clutch new wires plugs and all the basics 1300
aprox 8k already just bought a body kit 700 + paint and put on 800 + rims 900 so 10,400 Im spending on this car (the only reason I got the body kit and paint is so I can sell it and get most my money back) for a 14.4 second car hmmmm lets compair to a used car for same price range
91 integra ls special 5spd 2300
vtec heads 500
vafc 300
b18b motor 600
everything for the lsvtec swap 1500
labor 1500
exhaust intake,b16a comp guages cm stage 4 clutch new wires plugs and all the basics 1300
Its seems like you paid alot for everything…
I didn’t count my car as a part of my ls/vtec since I have alreay driven it for so long before I killed my tranny.
complete b16a with ecu and tranny…$500
I drove the b16a for 6 months and realized that it suck balls.
b18a motor…already have
labor…did it myself
performance upgrade and basic rebuild parts…no more than $800.
(It helps working at a performance shop and getting everything wholesale)
My ls/vtec ran fine until detonation on damn cali 91octane killed my pr3 pistons…and I had it for well over 2 years before that happened. But I do think about turbo everyday…but hell I love the sound of vtec when it kicks in…scares alot of people. Girls even asks me is there something wrong with my car when i hit vtec.
Ken
*edit If you think maintenance on a Honda is already too tough try that Mitsubishi. Can you say, “Yeah those are fast cars…when they run!” You don’t know how many times my cousin and I have worked on his Starion.
sounds like the grass is always greener stories…
I have even heard turbo guys saying it wasn’t worth the trouble and the maintenance is to much…they wish theyed stayed N/A.
truth is it doesnt matter what you build. If you beat on it it will break. It is always just a matter of time. I drive ALOT of miles. I BEAT on my cars. And I have had ALOT of diff cars and trucks. Some do better than others but every one breaks eventually.
The fact is our cars are more reliable than most for the abuse we put them through. N/A is much more reliable than turbo because of the extra stress the turbo places on the motor. Every motor is only as good as the parts that go into it. And sometimes all the right parts and the best assembly in the world and you can still get a problem child. Just have to build to the best of our abilities and love what we get.
Originally posted by jeepxj66
[B]sounds like the grass is always greener stories…
I have even heard turbo guys saying it wasn’t worth the trouble and the maintenance is to much…wish theyed stayed N/A.
truth is it doesnt matter what you build. If you beat on it it will break. It is always just a matter of time. I drive ALOT of miles. I BEAT on my cars. And I have had ALOT of diff cars and trucks. Some do better than others but every one breaks eventually.
The fact is our cars are more reliable than most for the abuse we put them through. N/A is much more reliable than turbo because of the extra stress the turbo places on the motor. Every motor is only as good as the parts that go into it. And sometimes all the right parts and the best assembly in the world and you can still get a problem child. Just have to build to the best of our abilities and love what we get. [/B]
truth of the matter is, no matter what motor you have, how built it is, what you have done to it, how you drove it, they all need maintenace and tuning.
we build lsvtec and b20vtec motors everyday, no complaints from customers or any blown motors for that fact, it’s true that lsvtecs cost alot of money, but if you are not prepared to spend anymore money after a build, don’t build one because you will be disapointed when you have to keep up with regular maintenance and or if something went wrong.
if your rod broke or went through the block, most likely you were running too lean.
Originally posted by itec311 If you are in this hobby seriously you have got to get over the $ issue, any route you go is going to cost alot one way or another.
