hey guys, i'm jus looking for some advice/opinions. 1st off i have a 94 RS with the stock ls motor in it. I have a b17a1 sittin in my garage which i got for 400$. i was thinkin of jus str8 swapping but everyones been saying i'm going to lose power and ls vtec would be better. So i got the Ls vtec swap priced out and its gonna come to 500$ flat complete. It is going to be my everyday driver and i know not to beat on the motor because the stock bottom end won't take the high RPM's. My mechanic said he'l do it clean hes running a b20 vtec swap and it runs 13's mint. I'm going to swap it this up coming weekend but i jus wanna know what u guys think...should i do it? i'm setting my rev limit to 8 grand so i don't burn the crap outa it with high revs. i don't really rip my car around with my everyday driving i jus cruise - the motor swap is for the ocasional track use in the summer/spring. So ye tell me what you think plz much appreciated

 

b20 bud

 

Any Ls vtec or b20 vtec that cost $500, isn't going to last and isn't going to hit 13's.


Here's some b20/vtec builds with quatermile times.
http://www.honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1555476&page=16

When I priced out my build it came out to just over $4000 including a gsr tranny. That price doesn't include a tune.

 

i'm not saying i'm going to hit 13's......i'm saying his car runs 13's with a b20 vtec so he has experience in the frank motors. I got a gsr dizzy and a gsr waterpump/timing belt along with a new head gasket for the swap which i got all on my own. Everything else he's installing with the 500$ ie head studs and such. I'm planning on building the motor l8er on i'm jus wondering if others think its a good idea. thanks though

 

I don't think revving the LS to 8K is a good idea tho.

I vote LSVTEC but not to 8K.

 

b20 vtec!

 

3mm bore isn't gonna make a difference when the block has a spun bearing from over rev.

if the builder isn't touching the bottom end like changing bearings, replacing rod bolts and such i'd be very weary about revving that motor past the stock LS redline.

if you wanna slap the head on the block and pay $500 for the head studs, ls/vtec kit, labour and what not then go for it. but once that's done look into another building up a block for when the 1st grenades on you.

 

Hm ye i'm taking the head to him tommorow afternoon so its cleaned and prepped for saturday. I'm gonna ask him how much more itl be for new rod bolts and new bearings..hopefully not to pricey. I just want it to be reliable and if that means spending the money then i guess i'l just have to. Thanks for the advice

 

I tracked a B20VTEC for 2 seasons and it took to 8K pretty nicely. But I also swapped bearings mid season as a maintenance thing. Looked fine when they came out but for me it was worth the 400 a season to do. Anyway, crashed the car and sold the motor, but 2 years later I hear the motor is still running strong.

 

WELL the swap is done and the motor is running fine. 900$ in total. replaced bearings, rods/pistons (with the pr3's out of the b17a1), piston rings, rod bolts, head studs, gaskets, sparkplugs/wiring, water pump/timing belt, dizzy, cam seals + more to lazy to type. reason for this post is i have one problem....vtec isnt working :S I'm running a stock p28 computer right now and i dont know if thats the reason...my mechanic double checked the wiring and he's pretty sure he wired it up right...i mean the car runs/idols perfect...its jus my tec won't hit. Does anyone have any idea why?

 

check engine light on? is it throwing a code? did you check the oil? oil pressure?

you got all the work done for $900? that's alot of work to get done and to have it done that quick did you get the block machined? PR3's didn't come in b17's, i think they're P61's and they only bump your compression ratio by 1/2 a point.

i'd get the P28 ecu chipped and tuned ASAP

 

yes the block was machined, the head was done on like the thursday so fri and sat the block was done and then the put-together was done sunday/monday night. Thats the thing he said usually when its wired up wrong the engine light should come on and it never did and still hasn't. I changed the ecu with my buddys gsr computer and its not making a diff so... i duno i think the oils good i'l check the pressure. would a knock sensor make a diff? because i don't have one

 

VTEC solenoid? Go to Nick @ --------...problem will be solved

 

What oil are you running? how are you breaking in the engine?

 

a knock sensor isn't necessary with a p28, they don't have knock boards.
Does the solenoid click when you put 12V to it (right from the battery)? If not, replace the solenoid.
The CEL would come on once you try to engage vtec if the pressure switch was broken. The CEL should (but doesn't always) come on if the wiring was wrong.
Is the p28 chipped? Does it have a vtec program on the chip?
If you replace all of the stuff i mentioned and it still doesn't work, i'd be worried about the assembly of your engine, maybe they didn't block off the stock oil port for the vtec (which you HAVE to do on a ls/b20vtec). Maybe they didn't feed the oil line up to the head at all. Is there a line that goes from the bottom end (behind the intake manifold) to the dizzy side of the head? If not, thats the problem right there.

 

well i got my vtec working lol sorry i havent posted in a while i been out and about. It was my oil line. I guess it was to small and there wasnt enough oil pressure being built so ye i got a bigger one and now vtec is hitting fine. Thanks for all your help guys