best engine build for boost

looking to get an engine and i am boosting it.....i want to know which one will give the best gains assuming each one is built to handle boost


B18C1
LS/VTEC with B18C1 head
B20
CRVTEC with B18C1 head

anyone?? just need a quick answer

well i wouldnt recommend boosting with a c1 ...or anything with a c1 head...Too high of compression for boosting unless u have the money to get forged pistons and sleeves( THEN u could prolly run a good amount of boost...i know someone with arias forged 10:1 comp pistons and sleeves...and hes running 21 psi)...but thats alot of money. Id just go b18b and while the block is out replace all the piston rings and seals...get some APR studs and eagle H rods...and ur prolly safe to run 8-10 psi daily driven....14psi if u wanna push it...

Go LS if you don't plan on keeping the car or at least keeping the car running for more than 2 years.

But if your like me, I'm going with a b18c1 and then turbo later on because I'm probably not going to buy a new car for another 3-4+ years.

Pretty much if your going to have a mass amount of funds in the next few years, go with the b18c1(or go with this engine if you plan to have the money later)

Otherwise go with the LS, it's a LOT cheaper to turbo.

i actually plan to build up the engine and keep it till it falls apart....every 4 months getting it retuned to make sure everything is runnin straight....car is mainly going to be used in auto-x and a weekend cruiser.....and the whole car is gonna be in the shop for the next year or so being put together.....that way it'll be done right.....

but with proper internals and what not.....which set-up would be best?

looking to get an engine and i am boosting it.....i want to know which one will give the best gains assuming each one is built to handle boost


B18C1
LS/VTEC with B18C1 head
B20
CRVTEC with B18C1 head


from the 4 ur interested in boosting i suggest goin with the crv motor. its simple and very strong. if u want to be cheap u can go with an ls turbo. they are really strong as well and if u put after market pistons and rods in it they can hold around 20 psi safely. just go with a b16 tranny or somethin and do some head work such as porting it and a valve job and itll be great for the money.

matter of fact i doing a b20 with type r head myself with turbo....its at golden eagle right now getting arias pistons 8.5-1 and bored 20 over with golden eagle sleeving...let me know how yours goes i get pics on her soon as motor gets back to my house

i actually plan to build up the engine and keep it till it falls apart....every 4 months getting it retuned to make sure everything is runnin straight....car is mainly going to be used in auto-x and a weekend cruiser.....and the whole car is gonna be in the shop for the next year or so being put together.....that way it'll be done right.....

but with proper internals and what not.....which set-up would be best?

I dunno bout everyone else, but I believe if I was going auto-x I would go with a b18c1. The b20 conversion is mainly(not always) for going BIG hp. Like 300+ all motor or 500+ with a turbo. The b18c1 can do anything, it can be a dialy driver,a weekend racer,a high hp drag motor, or a medium to high hp auto-x motor. It's also slight lighter than a b20(notice I said slightly) and there are a lot more aftermarket options.

lol b20 can be a daily driver to and all the other things you said....any b series part will bult on a b series motor....maybe you should master more in a b20 before you say anything else...lol

I hear that the b20 with a b16 is a good combo, or maybe h23/h22 combo?

so if i was going to go with the CRVtec set up....what would be a good/best head and tranny?

A good head for the money would be a b16 head for the b20. I think getting the type R head is a bit too expensive. And a good tranny would be something with long gears to aid the turbo in spooling up real good.

so my best bet would probably be a b18c1 head and ls tranny??

well, if you have a good amount of cash, i would do the crvtec resleeve it, forged internals.. that
+turbo = good setup. if you want cheap than deff. go with stock ls turbo on 10-12 psi.

lol b20 can be a daily driver to and all the other things you said....any b series part will bult on a b series motor....maybe you should master more in a b20 before you say anything else...lol

Ok you made a funny :rolleyes: But anyways, I never said that a b20 couldn't be a daily driver, I just said that in my opinion a b18c1 can be made into a daily driver or any of the other things I mentioned a lot easier than a b20 becuase of the head swap on a b20. Just in my opinion, I would go with an engine that can get good power and have the ability to rev high without having to do as many mods to it. Its just that most people who go with a b20 swap are looking for some major power, and in auto-x you don't need 300+hp(but it would be nice :iceslolan ) Also it can be confusing to some people without laying it out on a silver platter to them that when you search for parts, make sure you get the right stuff to work with the head for your ecu, fuel, etc. and then a totally different look-up for new pistons,rods, etc. for the b20 block, and then maybe even another look-up for whatever tranny your using.

If you're going to boost right away, don't get the B20, it has a 1 piece sleeve which is not boost friendly at all. Not only that, but it also has an open deck design. You said that the car would be in the shop for the next year, those are two things I would take care of right away. Resleeve the block and get it closed.

If you've got the cash for one, pick up a B-series block from Dart. They're already sleeved, closed deck, and have piston oil sprayers that the non-VTEC blocks don't have. I was gonna go with one of these when I start building a B20 in the near future. Worth the $ if you're boosting, IMO.

Check out Honda Tuning's buildup of a turbo'd B18 VTEC using the Dart block.

http://www.hondatuningmagazine.com/tech/0303ht_tenaciousb
http://www.hondatuningmagazine.com/tech/0304ht_bastardb

A Dart block is not NHRA legel, meaning you can't use it at a track in competition. AEBS makes VERY GOOD SLEEVES. In fact, they filed suit against Golden Eagle and Darton, for patent infrigement. Darton uses a Rubber gasket to seal off the sleeves, Golden Eagle uses a sealent which they will not disclose. I don't know about you, but I will not buy anything unless I know fully what is being used and how it's done. AEBS uses a 2000 interference fit. They uses lock-tight as a sealent for protection also, but that's not what seals the sleeves, so it's not needed in that regard, versus golden eagle, etc. The interference fit goes down almost 3 inchs into the block. The sleeves are fit down into the block. Their sleeves have the most solid install and design in this regard, if you ask me. All are a wet sleeve design. Dart is a dry sleeve design in their block. Whatever sleeves you get, make SURE it is fit using an interference fit, and make sure the place installing has done it and knows how. Too tight a fit, it cracks the sleeves. Too loose, it leaks. I recommend sending the block to the manufactorer for this. As for what block, I am guessing you are doing a full build, correct? In this regard, the stock compression ratio doesn't matter, as you can change the compression ratio when you install new pistions. As for rods, I won't recommend Eagle rods. They are an H-beam design manufactored in China, and finished here. I recommend a strong lightweight I-beam design. Crower makes a VERY strong I-Beam rod, the 4340 Steel Billet rod. They also make an H-Beam rod, called the "econo-billet rod." This one is basically the eagle rod: H-Beam, made in china, finished here. The H-beam design was primarily to shave weight, but the newer I-Beam rods are lightweight, yet still have the superior strength of the I-Beam design. Build it right, and get a rod like this.
Here is a link to Crowers rods like this for the B18B1
http://www.crower.com/cgi-bin/detail.cgi?prod_id=B93728B

This page discribes the difference for you between the "econo-billet" and 4340 Steel Billet Connecting Rods.
http://www.crower.com/cat/import/honda/rods.shtml
Anyways, as for what motor to get, I am guessing you are doing a complete re-build. The LS (B18B1) tranny is the most well suited for turbo apps. The longer gearing helps spool the turbo better and reduce turbo lag. The GSR and B16A trannies are better suited for the N/A route. As for the motor, you will end up re-sleeving it, and you will end up with new rods and pistions anyways, etc. The B18B1 with a vtec head will give you a little more displacement than the B18C1. The B16A head flows a little better than the B18C1 head (by 5.25%), is compatable with the type-r intake manifold, etc, and also has a bit more displacment (42.7cc vs 41.6cc). A B18C1 is 1797cc, and an LS/Vtec with a B16A or GSR head will be around 1831-1832cc (depending on which head you use). As I said, the pistons, etc, will be swapped out with lower compression pistions during your build, so no problem there. The B20 Has the thinniest sleeves stock. it's basically a bored out B18B1 block. Anyways, I am not a fan of the B20, though re-sleeving it will help with this. I would recommend the B18B1 with a B16A from your list, though I won't knock the B20 w/ B16A head either, if you re-sleeve it. If it wasn't going to be re-sleeved, I'd stay away from the B20. Either way, I personally am a fan of the LS. It has a little higher HP stock, and not much less torque. Yes, the B20 has more displacement, but the LS cams are better suited for performance, and it's tuned more for this as well, wheres the B20 was more tuned for an SUV in reference to the power curves, etc.