So here's the deal, graduated college, gettin' a "grown up" job with mad cash. Im an anxious ricer and want a mucho mucho wicked cool car. I gots a '92 VX (that's the sucky one) and want to put in a B18c in it. Now, with more horsepower (and a lot of it after all the fun bolt ons n such) comes added need. Here are some questions I have that I don't think I found the right answers to in the FAQ - or I missed them so a link as an answer would also be appreciated. Again, thanks for the help.

Bigger engine - Do I need to change the drive train at all? What should I do, or will the old drive train from the VX hold up to a B18c?

Transmission - with 130,000+ miles, new clutch (obviously) will the VX tranny hold up to twice the engine? Should I look to rebuild, add, or just suck it up and replace the tranny too?

Brakes/Suspension - Bigger engine, means heavier engine and much fater car. I may keep the little 13'' VX rims, because they are unique and a bit tough to get, so will I need better breaks and a certain kind of suspension? Or should I just put the rims away and buy bigger wheels and breaks to handle the new horses?

Fuel Pump, ingnition, lines, oil, ROM etc - all the peripheral stuff that eventually makes an engine go. What of these will I have to replace, or should I just expect them to come with the new engine. Here in Y-town Ohio, a good junk yard is hard to come by _I know of 1 - so I may just buy the new engine and head from Honda. What am I gonna need to do to get all the peripherals in the right working order?

I know this is a long one, but this is one of the best forums I've been too, I would greatly appreciate your help.
thanks again everyone
-wheel:)

with my knowledge i can tell you, you cant use your tranny you will need a new one, new tranny=new axles, im geuss when you say drivetrain you mean the axles so yeah, and youll need a motor mount kit

anyone correct me if im wrong on any of this

You're gonna need alot of stuff. you will need to update the brakes.....a big brake kit should work. Tranny will definitley will need to be replaced, axles the whole deal. I beleive( correct me if I'm wrong) but you will need a vtec computer and a wiring adapter or rewire to abapt the OBD systems into your 91, depending of year of b18c. Hope this might help, but if I was you I'd find a better vechile to upgrade.........thats just my opinion.
Peace

he has a 92, i have a 91 im not the one lookin for the gsr swap

So I'm gonna need a new tranny eh? I was afraid of that. By the time it's all said and done the darn thing would end up costing me more than buying a new one with that engine. Well poo.

Not to doubt you two (rycdrgn and civhb91), but if anyone knows a trick or if there's a cheap yet still effective way to swap, lemme know.

New axles too? sheesh.

Well then on another note, what besides my intake and soon to be headers/ exhaust can I do to get some power outa this thing?

thanks again
-wheel

jesus... does anyone know something about swaps anymore... for one... why go through all the trouble and cost of buyin a new motor from honda that will set you back like 10000 i mean shit its 7000 for my SOHC d16.

please do some homework and read past threads... and look to sites like www.hmotorsonline.com they sell used JDM motors and its between 3-5000 depends if you want b18c1 <GSR> or the c5 <type R>.

for that price you get everything you need for the swap... you dont really need new mounts for the motor. but if you have the money to drop... then i would go with some hasport mounts because they are nicer.

as for the OBD conversion... you should still be able to get a OBD 1 b18 from them... just let them know what its going into and they can help you out..

as far as if you wanted the motor like new... take it to a shop and have it rebuilt... that is like 1000 for my motor for top and bottom end... prolly more for yours... and if you wanted you could throw in some trick ass parts and get some HP and TQ gains.

bigger breaks would be really nice also a rear disc conversion... and if you wanna do a big break kit, most of them need 16" or larger rims to fit.

and regarding suspension... yeah upgrade.. your gonna need it right away... but yeah get it soon... it will help ya out.. and if like ya say money is flowin... check out www.tein.com badass full coilovers.

and just as a note... a lot of the stuff i have listed is on sale right now on www.groupbuycenter.com

have anymore problems... feel free to hit me up
webmaster@jadedracing.com
chris

it kinda sounds like you dont know that much about this, so i think you should just go to a shop and tell them you want a b18c, with coilovers and struts. you dont really need a new brake system, but like someone said, it would be nice. same thing with the suspension

i say about $5500 for the engine swap with the suspension. give or take a few hundred.

Well then on another note, what besides my intake and soon to be headers/ exhaust can I do to get some power outa this thing?

if your talkin about the intake you have now, you probably wont be able to use that either, if im not mistaken the gsr TB sits lower than your d-series and it'll probably have some stuff in the way and it might be too small to even fit on the TB

Well true enough, I don't know a damn thing about a swap out. the level 0 newbie rating aint because I don't post alot.

Actually....from Honda, a new b18c GSR for my car would cost 5,000 with the head. Youngstown is a GM town, the major source of employment here is building Chevy Cavaliers and Sunfires. Honda stuff is cheap cause they need to get into the market.
I checked out a used B18c, under 65,000 miles from a speed shop and they wanted 4 grand. So cost for the best engine here isn't too bad - its just a matter of getting one here.

Yeah, the homework, been doin lots of it - Im gonna go check those sites out now too. Still though, I find that experience in straight forwardness is better than any book or article. Especially when you don't know dick about engines.

None the less, thanks for your help and advice, though I think I'll skip the coilovers for now, I got money on the way, but eh why spend when you don't have to? (at least not yet)

-wheel

So having read through a bunch of the past threads, why isnt there something like this in the FAQ?

For instance, like a flow chart er something of base car and engine options with price? Kinda like the wheel calculator?

Just a thought...
-wheel

ps: it'd be nice if we were born with this knowledge

there is actually many sites that have charts like that... but for your car... i will list it as follows...

most common...
b16a2
and b18a/b/c dont matter just common as hell

better but pricy cause of money or mods needed
b16b <ctr motor>
b18c5 <itr motor>
h22a
h23a <both need a mount kit>
b20 <crv motor> you can also make that into a frank motor by placing a b18c head on it and it will just kill...

How much does it cost for a total engine swap? Is it possible to do engine swaps w/ an auto civic and if so how common is that? I have a lack of knowlege in the whole engine swap thing so please help....:rolleyes:

to wheel1856 Since you are looking into purchasing the b18c1 for you civic vx I think its a great swap.First of all to perform this swap you dont need new motor mounts, the gsr bolts right down with your old
engine mounts.And for your vx its not all that bad its the lightest frame (chasis) for the civic. Knowing this, when you perform the swap your car will just be one fast ass ride, compared to a 95 si swap, not to
much faster though. As for engine work such as intakes I would prefer the aem cold air intake system, when your purchasing this you have to buy the 92-95 civic intakes so that i would fit, correct me if
im wrong, I think that goes with exhaust and headers to im not sure though. And if your looking to save money goto www.hmotorsonline.com there you will find your motor for only 3,300 Im pretty sure that the shipping and handling is added with the motor. Go find yourself a good mechanicor a shop near by. I can get the swap done for 500 dollars Im not sure if swap prices are the same
where you live. The motors they have at hmotorsonline have under 30000 miles on them beats theone you found at that shop. And for maximusgtr it really depends on the year of the motor and
what motor your getting. And as for a civic auto swap, of corse its possible but who would reallywant to swap and automatic?

I think it was 91 AcrdMan who mentioned the head swap...I toyed with that idea, puting a B16 head on (i think B16, I have to check) anyway, with all the work, and with significant gain, I think Im gonna stick to the idea of swapping the whole engine.

Now as VTGSRcivicboi mentioned, with a B18c1 gsr enine, my car would be one fast ass ride, the main reason why I want the b18c1.

Here's another questions for you, I own a VX, made in Canada, and its the econo car, light chassis,frame, little engine, etc etc. Now, reading some of the FAQ and past threads last night, I see that similar letter series engines will swap out fine without having to change all the axles, trannies, and other fun stuff. Now granted, its worth my while, while the engine is out to change things like the clutch, belts, wires, fuel pump, etc etc. But lets face it, money or no money, a new tranny and axles is expensive. So...question is...what the hell series engine do I have!?!?! I know that sounds SOO stupid, but 3 hours on the internet and this forum last night and I couldn't find an answer. if I have a b-series engine, unlikely, Im gonna save the tranny and axles till later, Im a bit anxious :),

what ch'all think?

and yeah, why would you want to go from stick to auto? i dont get it.

anywho, thanks for all the help, you guys rock!
-wheel

Originally posted by wheel1856
I think it was 91 AcrdMan who mentioned the head swap...I toyed with that idea, puting a B16 head on (i think B16, I have to check) anyway, with all the work, and with significant gain, I think Im gonna stick to the idea of swapping the whole engine.

Now as VTGSRcivicboi mentioned, with a B18c1 gsr enine, my car would be one fast ass ride, the main reason why I want the b18c1.

Here's another questions for you, I own a VX, made in Canada, and its the econo car, light chassis,frame, little engine, etc etc. Now, reading some of the FAQ and past threads last night, I see that similar letter series engines will swap out fine without having to change all the axles, trannies, and other fun stuff. Now granted, its worth my while, while the engine is out to change things like the clutch, belts, wires, fuel pump, etc etc. But lets face it, money or no money, a new tranny and axles is expensive. So...question is...what the hell series engine do I have!?!?! I know that sounds SOO stupid, but 3 hours on the internet and this forum last night and I couldn't find an answer. if I have a b-series engine, unlikely, Im gonna save the tranny and axles till later, Im a bit anxious :),

what ch'all think?

and yeah, why would you want to go from stick to auto? i dont get it.

anywho, thanks for all the help, you guys rock!
-wheel

dude... you have to get everything... you have like a d15 or some shit.. i dont know stock engines.. sorry... but i know the other shit... but dont worry... if you purchase from those sites... its gonna be like 1500 less then from honda... and it will have EVERYTHING you need.... so just take the 1500 you saved get the motor rebuild at a machine shop... and at the same time drop in some fun toys

Yeah, checked out www.hmotorsonline.com last night - unbelieveable!
$3300 for the new motor, mounts, tranny, ecu, everything!

I checked out redline too, but from the link you posted, I only got the audio part without any links anywhere.

Anyway, who's got experience with Hmotorsonline? What's the shipping gonna cost me? Will I get any directions? Warranties? Shipping time? Do I have to buy bolts, gaskets? Are they pretty reputable? These are used engines, what risk do I run of getting a crappy one?

Alot of questions I know, but for $3300, I wanna know all I can

thanks everyone
-wheel

Originally posted by wheel1856
Yeah, checked out www.hmotorsonline.com last night - unbelieveable!
$3300 for the new motor, mounts, tranny, ecu, everything!

I checked out redline too, but from the link you posted, I only got the audio part without any links anywhere.

Anyway, who's got experience with Hmotorsonline? What's the shipping gonna cost me? Will I get any directions? Warranties? Shipping time? Do I have to buy bolts, gaskets? Are they pretty reputable? These are used engines, what risk do I run of getting a crappy one?

Alot of questions I know, but for $3300, I wanna know all I can

thanks everyone
-wheel
all this info can be found on their sites... and to tell the truth they are about the best out there.. a lot of the shops in towns order from them for their swaps.. but of corse they get bulk discounts.

What's the shipping gonna cost me? Will I get any directions? Warranties? Shipping time? Do I have to buy bolts, gaskets?

yeah but...?

I dunno, I guess I have some reservations about mail ordering an engine. What kind of support is there for an order? Can I call a customer service line if I have trouble with the install? What if a part is missing?

Basically, I need info about them from people that have dealt with them.
I'm gonna call the BBB on Monday, and see what they have to say about it.

Originally posted by wheel1856


yeah but...?

I dunno, I guess I have some reservations about mail ordering an engine. What kind of support is there for an order? Can I call a customer service line if I have trouble with the install? What if a part is missing?

Basically, I need info about them from people that have dealt with them.
I'm gonna call the BBB on Monday, and see what they have to say about it.

lol OMG dude your takin this a lil far.. like i said i have delt with them many times. they do have their warante info on their site regarding startup. and so yeah you can call them if you have a problem with something on the motor... but not if you cant get it into your car.... no company is gonna help with that sorry. and its not mail order. they ship it truck freight. if a part is missing or broke let them know and they will get it to ya right away.

and like i said ever shop that i know of in my local town and some of the biggest shops that i talked with in SoCal when i had a blown motor ordered from them. so whats that go to tell you.


anyways
lata:smoka:

Originally posted by wheel1856
What's the shipping gonna cost me? Will I get any directions? Warranties? Shipping time? Do I have to buy bolts, gaskets? what risk do i run of getting a crappy one?

Alot of questions I know, but for $3300, I wanna know all I can

thanks everyone
-wheel
ok shippin gonna be like 200 prolly cause it will be a home delivery and truck places charge for the lift gates.
if you need directions... stop now and take your car to a shop. you shouldnt even touch it.
warrantie... jack and you wont get one on any used engine... but they do have a startup warrantie.. meaning the motor WILL START! and run. shipping time.. delayed right now cause of x-mas but prolly like a week. no risk of getting a crapy one. and for the do you have to buy shit... yeah they tell you in their warrantie statement.
"
All motors sold on hmotorsonline.com come with a 100% start-up warranty only and is sold as is.
Motors come with all sensors intact unless noted or notified to the customer or ad description.
Start up warranty is only valid on USED, JDM & USDM motors and is unconditional when changing the following engine components:- spark plugs, spark plug wires (leads), rotor, timing belt, water pump and tension pulley. All of the previously mentioned have to be changed on JDM & USDM motors to become legible for the 100% start-up warranty.
Purchaser/user assumes all costs and risk to the motor and components if prior mentioned items were not changed, the 100% start-up warranty becomes void.
"

and they test the motors to make sure they work.

See, 91AcrdMan, that's what Im talkin about...info! Thank you. much appreciated.

Yeah, the direction thing, honestly - with the help of a few very good and experienced mechanic friends of mine - plus with the use of a R/D garage at a well known car parts/accessories manufacturer probably gonna install "myself" with help from people who know what the hell they're doin. -- Gotta learn sometime right?

well, cool beans, thanks again, for the info. mucho appreciato

can't wait to start a thread about puting this damn thing in once I finally get it.
-wheel

Lets see here.....can anyone help me with my dilemma......I have a 94 civic and want to upgrade the engine....but i have no idea what to get. I want alot of horse power and it to be really fast....but i cant think of what i need to get......if anyone can help me...then please do....and give me some prices........i need to get this b4 i start college n the fall cuz thats where all my money will go when that starts. thanks

somone pease help.....i need to upgrade my engine but dont know what to do. i got a 94 civic dx coupe. someone please help and get me some prices if u have them. thanks

94civicdude, if you want your car to be fast, take it to a shop, lay down about $5000 then ask them for either a b18c1 or a h22a, your choice. h22a may be alittle more

Do you want to do a motor swap? If so, you can get a D series vtec motor for about $500 at a junkyard. Or you can do the LSvtec swap for a little over $1000. I would recommend an acura integra gsr motor, B18C1, which is about $3300. You could probably turbocharge your motor for about $1500 and get some good speed out of it.

kicker,

thanks for tha input. could u tell me some more bout the lsvtec? how many horses? where i can get one at? i was plannin on boltin on a turbo to my engine but all i got is a lil 1.6. so iwant bigger and faster. lemme kno sometihn.:alien2:

94CivicDude did you read the earlier half of this thread?

You and I are in the same boat my friend, want bigger engine for littler money. read the earlier parts of this thread, and go check out the FAQ and the links everyone has posted on here.

They have all provided me with a wealth of info. I decided to go with a B18c1 (GSR) from www.hmotorsonline.com
yeah, I think Im gonna make the commitment.

Good luck Civicdude, you should be able to find all the info you need around this forum.

ok wheel, about how much is that gonna run me???? where can i find one and how long will that engine last me. i say that a long block for an 98-00 CRv only lasted bout 25,000 miles.........will this one last a while???thanks for the input

I can't believe that I'm replying to this, civicdude, honestly, there are smarter people for this than I, hopefully they'll catch anything I mess up.

But from what I've seen in recent research, the cost is relative to what you want. You mentioned a CRV engine. I've heard some god things about a CRV block with a head swap from a _________ (look a few posts back, I can't remember which head to use H22?) That could be somewhat pricy, but the only con's I've heard have been the usual not sure about the frankenstein engine.

Cost really depends on what you want, and what you need to handle your upgrade plans. Go check out www.hmotorsonline.com 91AcrdMan gave me the low down on that :rolleyes: look up there. And I was pretty impressed by all the engines, stuff you need to make them work, and the inexpensiveness of all the stuff.

For the B18c1 that I want to get, after shipping and install, including all the wheel, brake, suspension, and exhaust upgrades Im looking at about $5k. Not bad for everything that's goin into my lil' booger of a car.

Good luck with all.

And for those following the thread, Im lookin at the end of spring for the install and upgrades...beleive me, you'll all hear about it once I get goin. In the meantime, I have some other do-it-yourself questions, but that is for another thread.

-wheel

hey wheel....u really didnt have to get smart with me. ur right. i really dont know what i am doing. but thanks for the info. maybe there is someone out there that will help me:rolleyes:

Civicdude,
nonononono...Im not getting smart with you, I have no clue as to what Im doing either, that's why I started this thread. When I replied I meant I shouldnt be giving the advice, someone else should, because I just don't know.

But do what I did, check out the FAQ, there are some very well written articles and very helpful past threads in there that can help you find out the info, what kind of engine you want for what you want, and links to sites for prices and aftermarket support.

sorry if you thought I was being sarcastic, not so, I simply meant that Im not sure if what Im telling you is the best advice.
good luck in your search though
-wheel

thanks wheel...i think ill take your advice and check out the FAQ's.....cya

94civicdude, if you're planning on a turbo in the future then I would suggest getting a B16a. The B18b and B16a motors have always been a huge debate as to which is the better motor. They're relatively in the same price range but the B16a comes with VTEC whereas the B18b doesn't, but you can make the B18b VTEC. People have been arueing for years about the B16a being better with a turbo. A lot of people say that the B18b isn't really suitable for a turbo and will have major problems after about 10,000 miles. The B20 out of a CRV is just like the B18 except it has a bigger bore and different cam profiles. You can sleeve the walls of the B18b and the B20 so the walls aren't as thin and that will extend the life's engine, but that requires some major work. If you're not planning on a turbo for your motor then I would suggest the LS/VTEC (B18b) swap because those motors are easy to come by and probably the cheapest you will find. If you are planning on a turbo in the future then go with the B16a. I've never heard anyone complain about that motor and a turbo whereas there are people that say the B18b and turbo don't mix well. The B18b is the cheapest motor and then the B16a is next, but with the B16a you don't have to worry about adding VTEC. I would suggest the B18c out of an integra gsr if you have $3,300 just for the motor. The other B16a and B18b are somewhere between $1,000 and $1,500 if I remember right. So it's all about the money, if you have the cash then go the big guns.
I know I probably said the same thing 10 times, but it's about 1:30 am and I'm tired lol.