b16 or boost the zc

ok, my work is laying off and i am getting a severance package, so all together i will have a few grand to spend. heres the question.

i have a 89 crx si w/ dohc zc.......should i take the money and boost the zc? (only had it a cpl months) or should i take the money and get a b16? or any other suggestions?

i just finished boosting my car....IMO boost the zc....i like it alot better than my old b16....at 215whp outta my b16 i had slight traction issues....with the turbo d15 i have mad traction issues...i can only imagine its potential when im on slicks...

what kit did u use and what was the cost for labor etc..

boost a B16 like me !

hey im not rich here lol jk

you can boost your ZC... I was originaly going to do that but then Blew my tranny.

Cost you can make a Kit for less than 2g's or you can buy the greddy 92-65 civic kit and modify it like CWBETH(sp?) Did.

my zc tranny just went out and had to have another put one. im hopefully gonna get my old one and have it rebuilt.

i dont have much knowledge on turbos, would it be better to buy a kit or piece on together?

how much would it cost to install a turbo?

what type of fuel, ignition upgrades would i need?

well

Turbo -- t25 off a 95-99 eclispe is a good turbo to get -- cost no more than 400$
Manifold -- Use a HF manifold with an adapto plate, 30-100$ for the manifold and 55-100$ for the adaptor plate.
Downpipe -- depends on the muffler shop you use or build your own.
Piping -- depends on materials I'm gonna use 2 1/2" Exaust pipe and paint it.
BOV -- depends on the one you get... I'm looking at getting a nice Blitz unit or something allong those lines -- 20-500$
intercooler -- Optional-- but one that works rather well is the starion intercooler with some slight modifications makes for a very functiona and show-off peice price starting at 100$
Fuel-- get a Fuel Pressure Regualtor and a Air Fuel Guage and try to set it with the FPR so you avoid a lean condition if you are unable to acheive this use of bigger injectors may be required.
spark -- the stock Honda Ignition should be more than adequate at sparking the boosted motor... upgrade in sparkplugs is a good idea some Iridium plugs or the Zex ones are some to keep into consideration.
check vavle --- 5$ at local pet store OR get Chip for ECU to avoid the Map sensor going off because of Boost.
Welding return line into oil pan -- 20$
Pipes and FIttings for Oil lines -- depends
... that's about it...

Turbo -- t25 off a 95-99 eclispe is a good turbo to get -- cost no more than 400$
Manifold -- Use a HF manifold with an adapto plate, 30-100$ for the manifold and 55-100$ for the adaptor plate.
Downpipe -- depends on the muffler shop you use or build your own.
Piping -- depends on materials I'm gonna use 2 1/2" Exaust pipe and paint it.
BOV -- depends on the one you get... I'm looking at getting a nice Blitz unit or something allong those lines -- 20-500$
intercooler -- Optional-- but one that works rather well is the starion intercooler with some slight modifications makes for a very functiona and show-off peice price starting at 100$
Fuel-- get a Fuel Pressure Regualtor and a Air Fuel Guage and try to set it with the FPR so you avoid a lean condition if you are unable to acheive this use of bigger injectors may be required.
spark -- the stock Honda Ignition should be more than adequate at sparking the boosted motor... upgrade in sparkplugs is a good idea some Iridium plugs or the Zex ones are some to keep into consideration.
check vavle --- 5$ at local pet store OR get Chip for ECU to avoid the Map sensor going off because of Boost.
Welding return line into oil pan -- 20$
Pipes and FIttings for Oil lines -- depends
... that's about it...


good god you got a price list there....my kit cost me no more than $350 although i do not have an intercooler...i still have parts on order but its still roughly $350 for my kit. you just need to find deals here and there. if you wanna go turbo check out http://www.homemadeturbo.com (http://) they can help you out on how to peice a junkyard set up together and what all you will need to do so...they helped me quiet a bit and i say there very good at what they do!

-the link didnt work


i read somewhere (they used the greddy turbo on a dohc zc, set at 6 psi) was only making like 160-166 hp.....is this right? bc for that much money & lil boost, id rather have a b16 and turbo that later on.

-the link didnt work


i read somewhere (they used the greddy turbo on a dohc zc, set at 6 psi) was only making like 160-166 hp.....is this right? bc for that much money & lil boost, id rather have a b16 and turbo that later on.


Thats what im doing with my car. I have a ZC and I got a front clip and im going to turbo the b16 in awhile after i get the money and stuff. I wouldnt go with the Greddy kits no matter what engine you use. Of course, 6 psi is safer than 8 or 12 psi. I have seen the drag kits claim 250 whp out of a b16 at 7 psi. 7 psi should be ok for stock internals too. Go with the b16 and turbo later.

well i called a shop today about the b16 swap, and he said everything for about $2,700 (installed)....and i told him i had a zc and he was telling me i should just turbo the zc and dont worry about the b16 bc a turbo zc would blow a b16 outta the water.

well i just got another zc tranny, the one i got with the zc swap went to shyt in like a month

do yourself a favor and replace the rods with forged ones and replace the rod bearing with new ones before you put a turbo on it. zc rods are just too weak to take chances on. then you could run around 8-10 psi safely.(with the right fuel,ignition, and tuning)

how would a turbo zc fair against most cars?

couldnt i just do a b16, then a "cheap" turbo later? the stock internals on a b16 would stand up better to a turbo, than the zc internals

or what about an ls/vtec?...turbo later

and i told him i had a zc and he was telling me i should just turbo the zc and dont worry about the b16 bc a turbo zc would blow a b16 outta the water.

Its true, and the B16's reliablility would "blow the ZC out of the water". ZCs don't really handle boost that well. But its your call. I'd rather be a bit slower with a stock B16 and not have to worry about it breaking down than a boosted ZC, but I need my car every day.. I don't know if the situation is the same for you or not.

i need my car everyday too, its a biatch when it breaks down. everyone has told me to build a cheap junkyard turbo. but couldnt i just build a junkyard turbo for a b16 also, in the long run that would be better.

im trying to get in touch with a engine shop around here to see how much for an ls/vtec

for reliability I would stick to a B16a, B18a or B18C Frankies are nice motors if they are built properly. However if they were such a great idea in the first place Honda would have come up with it...

I heard they can be unreliable for general use.

Guys I was reading your replys and know I had to register to tell you my story. I went through the same problem do I turbo charge or get a swap. Well I decided to rebuiled in internals of my engine. What kind of engine you ask???? d16 in my crx. Go ahead and laugh.....Why would you do that everyone said . Thats stupid everyone told me. Waste of money. I think Not. I did what I wanted. And then put a turbo on it. Lets just say I am running 13.7 on a non vtec d 16 platform, at 10 psi. I ran my car at 15 psi but cant keep my wheels on the ground. If you plan on keeping the car rebuild you zc motor. Save some money and turbo charge it.

well what i have always hads my eye on has been a b16. honestly when i do take my car on trips (even if its not too far) i worry about it breaking down or something. the b16 is a newer motor, and i will have it professionally installed.....so i know everything is right and i wont be as worried. i can always sell my zc and what money i get for it, even if its a small amount, put it towards the build up of my b16 etc...