[2ndGenTeg]

Originally posted by IBPimp2U
well i would do the LS/VTECH. your going to get more HP and be able to upgrade from there with a turbo that will still blow away any gsr turbo. Go to import review and look at the dynos. they also sell the motors. BUT DO NOT BUY FROM THEM. they are a so cali shop and waht 8.5K for the swap YES 8,500$$.... but right around the corner i know another shop that will put in the same motor for 3K 3.5K if you want it ported and polished. so you do the math. good deal i say. but look around and find out who has done it and where. then ask allllllllllll the Q's you can. no matter how stuped they are. if the people answer them then they are willing to do buisness the legit way. if they dance around the Q then just turn around and walk out. or hang up the phone....

First, It's VTEC- Variable Valve Timing and Electronic Lift Control. No "H." Anyways...

LS/VTEC is all hype. LS/VTEC is a bad idea, especially on a budget. I wrote a rather lengthy article that can be found in either the all motor forum or in the HondaStyle article archives stating exactly what LS/VTEC is, and why it doesn't work as advertised. It works, but you'll spend much more money getting it to work properly and make good power than you ever will on a straight up B18C. Even then, it will never be as reliable, comparably built. There are lots of cheaper, more reliable ways to get displacement, reliability, and power out of a B series engine than LS/VTEC.

Turboing an LS/VTEC is simply a bad idea. The engine is already under enough stress from the sideloading of the cylinder walls and the extra pressure exerted on the connecting rods. Add 8 psi into the mix, and expect your bottom end to explode. It is possible, and has been done, but they never last.

If I were starting from scratch and trying to decide what engine to build, the answer is that it depends. If you don't want your A/C or power steering anymore, get an H22A. If you want plug and play and want to keep these plush luxuries, get a B18C. If you don't mind putting a little bit of work into it, do this: JDM B16A. Bore the cylinders to 86 mm with the help of Golden Eagle sleeves. Rods and pistons from Endyn. The bill and displacement would be very comparable to that of a B18C swap, and the engine has some very cool advantages. First off, you will already have forged rods and pistons as well as sleeved, reinforced cylinders. Second, you retain the rod ratio the B16A- 1.74:1 (read: reliable and rev happy). Finally, you would now be oversquare (bore>stroke, once again, rev happy). Upgrade the valvetrain, and you could rev this engine to 10K+.

But here's what I would do: Everything mentioned above, except I would swap in a B17A (2nd Gen GS-R) crank. The rod ratio would drop to 1.68:1, which is still exceptional, and would take 10K+ all day. The advantage over the previous scenario is the additional stroke, which translates to additional displacement. Total displacement: 1891 cc- FAR above and beyond you beloved LS/VTEC (1834 cc). Total bill? Less than $5000- much less than you'll ever spend on a halfway decent LS/VTEC build. It will make way more power, rev much higher, and last much longer.

Trust me, LS/VTEC is a bad idea once you really learn about what makes good, reliable power. My setups also have one more distinct advantage over LS/VTEC- it uses the B16A block, which is built for VTEC. advantage here? Better lubrication, and no time in the machine shop for tapped holes, oil squirter, and all the other fun stuff necessary when using a B18A/B block.

As for ImportReview and ImportBuilders- You won't find a better built engine anywhere, period. That's Jeff Schaefer. Let me say it again: Jeff Schaefer. You won't find a better businessman, more knowledgable and experienced engine builder, or cooler guy anywhere. If Jeff's price for an LS/VTEC is $8500, there's a reason for it- it's a better engine than you'll get for twice the price anywhere else, guaranteed. Don't think you'll be getting a B16A head slapped onto a B18A1 block. Expect a full build, expect power, expect reliability (for an LS/VTEC), and expect expert craftmanship. If you're considering any sort of serious engine work and don't want a half ass job or the runaround, I urge you to give Jeff a call. You won't be disappointed.

The beauty of the B series engine is that the damn things are like Legos. You can take just about any from any engines, slap them together, and make any engine you want. LS/VTEC is exactly this in a very simple form. Dig into the concept, and you can make a much better engine for much less money.