I'm standing at the modding crossroads...

[Benji_Esi]

well basically, I'm looking to mod my civic over the summer. here's my predicament...

All the work I can do myself, I have access to my dads garage and can get his help (him and his dad are mechanics)

So labour aside, i need to know boost or n/a.

I don't wanna be paying ridiculous servicing costs and i really need the reliability tbh so I'm thinking a b16 engine swap is my best option for the money. But it's probs gonna set me back 1500-2k ($3k - $4k) cos that's the cheapest i can seem to find a b16. If i turbo it I can probs do it for 500 ($1k). But how reliable and costly is it?

Anyone with engine conversions/boosted engines testimonies to the pro's and con's of their particular choice would be great. i'm starting work in a few weeks.

oh yeah, i'm running a stock esi D16Z6 with a de-cat and k&n at the minute.

[vtec_gloucester]

go for the b16 mate!

you can get them ALOT cheaper than ?1500 if you look in the right places!

or, you can get ITR b18c enngines and everything need for a swap for about ?2000

[teal_dx]

even though I'm a fan of sohc turbos, for reliability, go with the B16 swap.

I don't know how many miles are on your D16... boosting a high mileage engine isn't always reliable. By the time you factor in a rebuild, you could have bought the B16. And those prices are a bit high. Swapping a b16 is also a lot faster and easier than going turbo. There's little or no fabrication involved compared to having to fabricate down pipe, IC piping, run vac lines, mess with mounting an intercooler, BOV, wastegate... and then being sure it is all properly tuned. To build a solid reliable turbo setup is more work than it seems.

[ChicagoMike]

Cheap-Fast-Reliable.

You can only have two out of the three.

[Benji_Esi]

cheers guys. got 156k on the clock of the d16.

i've been tryna find the b16 but they all seem a bit pricey, i've been lookin into the b18 and i'm really interested in it. how much of a pain is it to drop in the civic though?

I'm not loaded (believe me, i'm a student lmao) but money isn't gonna be an object for this project as long as it's done right. i don't mind paying a big initial cost to have a quick reliable car. and like i said, labour costs will be low cos i'm doing it mostly myself.

If anyone has any good sources for engine prices on a b18 then let me know, that'd be ace.

just out of wondering, why can't you put a b16 head on the d16 block. me and my dad (the newbie mechanic) don't know if it's possible. i'd ask his dad but it's probs a stupid question and i don't need to hand him a reason to laugh at a stupid question lol

cheers for the advise so far guys

[teal_dx]

B's and D's aren't compatable.

Europe members- lets find him a deal on a B18

Maybe a post in the Europe section about "where to buy engines" will get their attnetion

[Benji_Esi]

sweet, i'll try that out cheers.

My Dad has a V6 Calibra, i'm just as quick as him in first gear but after that he takes off, it's been my goal to kick his ass at some point. There isn't much where i live that can touch him, but the other day we were heading up the motorway and an integra type r tore opast him (remebering we were sat at 100+ at full throttle) like we weren't even moving. Man, you shoulda heard that honda scream

It was a good day for Honda and all i want is a slice of that pie lol

cheers for the comments so far

[vtec_gloucester]

http://www.japperformanceparts.co.uk/Honda%20spares.htm


theres a link for one of the best jap breakers in the UK

they have always got engines, etc in stock and have next day delivery.

this is where i was gunna buy my engine from but the place that did my work found one for my insted.

last time i got a price of them for an itr engine, gearbox, ecu, loom, drive shafts, etc is ?2200 delivered.

hope that helps mate

oh, and if your dad has a v6 calibra a b16 engine with a few simple bolt on mods like exhaust and air filter would blow him away!

[Benji_Esi]

cheers bro, that site is awesome.

After some heavy research (when i should have been revisin for my exams next week!) I'm gonna go ahead with a B18C1 from the GSR. It looks to be a bolt on job, and the ecu seems like minimal work.

I think all i need is the engine, gearbox, lume and some flexipipe from the header.

is there anything else anyone can think of?
cheers guys!

[vtec_gloucester]

if its going in an esi you will need...

engine
gearbox
loom
ecu
drive shafts


you say you want the b18c1 from the gsr?????? dunno what that is mate but im pretty sure thats the american type-r (correct me if im wrong)

the engine you want is either the b18c6 which is the UK type-r with 190bhp or the b18c from the jdm type-r which is 200bhp

[ChicagoMike]

The GSR is the B18C1.
Type R is a total different motor.

[vtec_gloucester]

never heard of a integra GSR in the UK though - thats what i ment...????

[Benji_Esi]

ok, i need to be sure of this before i start wasting time and money...lol

The B18c1 should be from the integra type R which is the 3rd gen (94-97).

1.8 v-tec? it's gonna kill me if i'm runnin on the wrong info

[vtec_gloucester]

if you want the best integra engine in your car you need the B18c from the JDM teg

if you cante get hold of that one go for the B18c6 which is from the UK teg

both engines are from the 96 - 01 integras

but 98 - 01 spec is once again slightly better than the 96-98 engine

[Benji_Esi]

i'm not bothered about havin the best, it's just the one that fits.

I read up a couple of write ups on the swap for the 94-97 integra type r and it basically said that it bolts straight in, no hassle.

Is the B18c1 not available over here? it honest to god wouldn't surprise me...