I'm beginning the process...

I'm looking at doing a b18 swap into my 98 ex civic. Probably a gsr, but if money is right then the c5 piece. The big deal is that I want to go high compression, all motor of course. My bro has tinkered on Hondas for quite a few years, and he says that a properly built turbo will yield better performance and be more reliable. The thing is, I'm not going to race it. Maybe a slip or two from MIR, but it's really going to be for fun factor. Is the turbo idea more reliable, or better for daily driving?(This is my commuter/weekend/everything else car.) I like the all motor idea better, but I WON'T sacrifice (much) reliability to get gains. I do however, want more than bolt-on type kid's play. As a newbie, I thank you for your help.

Well either way has its advantages and disadvantages. I personally would go turbo on whatever you decide to do. Power is easier to achieve with a turbo. It would also probably be about the same price to tune for 8lbs of boost as it would be to go all motor, but boost can be pushed to like 30lbs if need be and will whoop the shit out of an all motor car if it is the same motor. IMO

if reliability with decent power gains is your thing, I'd go with a supercharger. you won't have turbo lag, your engine won't run as hot, less added weight, and you won't be poisoning your motor. Don't get me wrong, I like turbos and they give awesome power gains. But for daily driving, it's not practical.

Go all-motor for daily driving unless you like sitting in your car 5 minutes to let it warm up every time you want to drive somewhere.

Daily driver, supercharger is nice, good lower rpm power, but a small turbo would be nice too, and could make more overall power. All motor is such a over used description. To me it means a complete rebuild, very high compression, wicked lumpy cams, etc... I'd just stick to either an stock (ok, some bolt ons) ITR motor, or a boosted GSR motor.

First off, jcrx, I love the MP5 SD. That's the Sh*t.

I appreciate all of you guy's help. The supercharger I hadn't given much thought. I haven't seen too many applications for them. I'm pretty sure I've seen a GSR kit. I am also under the impression that you don't get gains worth the 3500 thay ususally ask for. Is Jackson the best place to score a s.c. from? Why would I have to let my car warm up for 5 min. with a turbo? Anyways, the s.c. is starting to sound better and better the more I think about it. I really want decent torque down low, and it seems logical to go that route. How much reliablity is there in a supercharger, and is it possible to rum more than 6-7 psi if the motors built right?( I don't know what limits there are mechanicaly for one.) My brother does have a friend with a 99(?) Si 2dr, and it has a Jackson piece on it. I hear that thing is an absolute blast. Maybe i should try to drive his and see what's crackin' with that setup. His is supposedly a stock motor short of the s.c. Thanks again

You gotta let the turbo warm up and let the oil fumes run through and lubricate it. When you stop you gotta let it cool down for a few minutes too, hence why people buy turbo timers. With one of those when you take the key out and walk away the engine still runs for a set amount of time. A supercharger is more reliable because it is belt driven, not exhaust driven. Exhaust gasses are really hot and are constantly blowing through the turbo, heating that thing up to engine temps. A supercharger spins via the belt, and all it does is suck in cool, fresh air. They are hardly upgradable though, as the only thing I've see available for them is a different sized pulley on the end for a 1-3 psi gain. Turbos can provide a base 6psi up to 20+psi by a turn of a dial depending on engine mods and specific turbo kits. I would buy a turbo though, so many more power possibilities. The blower is a $3k - $4k shot and that's it, you're stuck with minimal (yet reliable) boost.

Come on now, SC'a are way upgradable, and all you need to run more boost is a new pulley, they run EM like turbos, and need to be tuned, but for everyday, around town low rpm driving they rock. 0 spool time, not really a problem with a small turbo on a high rpm engine, but still. As far as Jackson, they are great, there's a couple horror stories on the net, but I'd say owner maintaince was more to blame, You can also go with Vortech, but if the price of a Jackson scares you, imagine about a grand more.

I kinda meant relative to turbos they are hardly upgradable. I've seen 300hp civics with jrsc's on them, but I don't think it was cheaper than if he would have turbocharged it. The 0 lag from a blower does have it's pros, but the initial pull from 3k rpms into boost on my friend's turbo Civic is awesome. Also, I don't think having all that power down low would be too fun around here in the snow..

All very good points. I think I'll be saving for a b18. Which one, I'm not sure. I just read on another forum that this guy cheesefrog built an LS with a turbo than ran like a raped ape! There's vids and all. He pulled from a 10.7 Vipe and I almost sh*t. Supposedly the LS does very well with forced induction. Not too sure abot a sc though. Again, his was a turbo. Thanks again

Nobu the big white honkey

Tea cheesefrogs ride is sick, he has a dump pipe, you can hear it in that video when he opens it up, the rest of the time he runs through stock pipe to the exhaust I believe. But I hear also that the Viper was running like shit too, but still.