SOHC versus DOHC

I've researched SOHC versus DOHC engine designs and it appears that a SOHC is better for low end torque and a DOHC engine is better at high RPMS. What are your thoughs on this? The reason I'm asking is because I am going to do a ZC swap in my 89 REX DX. I don't race, drive mostly city and would like to be able to find repair parts easily if needed. Lastly, I researched the specs on SOHC and DOHC ZC engines. The SOHC makes 120hp and 105 lb ft of torque versus the DOHC 129 hp and 106 lb of torque. Is the extra money and installation issue really worth it for the DOHC to get an extra 9 hp???

stick with SOHC - SOHC VTEC even better

today i jus read an article about someone who swapped heads n initialized vtec and he got great torque and kept the mpg good

If you dont race, why not keep the stock motor?

The only reason I swapped my motor because my old D15 was getting weak. My car is just a commuter but if I had the extra money I would have swapped to something with a bit more oomph

Keep the SOHC. One less cam to confuse you by the sounds of it. ;)

In my opinion, its not worth the 9HP... ive got the SOHC ZC Dual Carb from a teg in my 4G4D, and ive driven with a D16A6, believe me theres a difference, the cam in the SOHC ZC is more aggressive than the A6 on the exhaust profile. Ive made up that difference with intake, headers and exhaust and more...

Nay Sayers can go here if they dont believe me:

http://www.d-series.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3982
http://www.d-series.org/forums/showthread.php?p=42763

Honda SOHC engines are torquier low down, and push out the same horsepower as competing DOHC car manufacturers like Toyota, because Honda believes two cams are more reciprocal mass to turn than one cam, stealing more power from the engine...

Also, Vtec is nice to have, but the 16 valve hyper engines have torque coming in sooner too.... u need to rev the crap out of Vtec to get the gains, which u will not really be doing with a commuter/shopper...

The SOHC ZC also responds to mods very well, like most Honda engines, and can easily be tweaked for more power.

don't race, drive mostly city and would like to be able to find repair parts easily if needed.

there is your answer right there. Haven had everything in my car from a lowly d15, to a sohc vtec, b18, and sohc vtec turbo, i will tell you this.

The D16 engine is most of the most versatile engines honda ever made.

Almost every part between different models are interchangeable, they are the stock engine 90% of all honda civics from 88-00 so they are readily available, and they are cheap to replace, fix, or otherwise modify.

The reason that a D16 engine will "out torque" a B16 is because it has a longer stroke. at 90mm, it has a longer stroke than the B18A/B, B18C1 and B18C5 ITR engine. the B16 has a lowly 77mm, which means it makes maximum torque at a very high rpm..good for racing, bad for "driveability".

D16s make power at a relatively low rpm.

They also have great gas mileage with conservative driving of course.

SOHC or SOHC VTEC, you simply cannot go wrong with a SOHC D series engine for this application.

^ very well said

Honda SOHC engines are torquier low down, and push out the same horsepower as competing DOHC car manufacturers like Toyota, because Honda believes two cams are more reciprocal mass to turn than one cam, stealing more power from the engine...

Also, Vtec is nice to have, but the 16 valve hyper engines have torque coming in sooner too.... u need to rev the crap out of Vtec to get the gains, which u will not really be doing with a commuter/shopper...

The SOHC ZC also responds to mods very well, like most Honda engines, and can easily be tweaked for more power. Go to D-Series.org., Homemadeturbo.com, or d16turbo.com Some guys there get 200+ whp on stock bottom ends, drive daily and get around 30 something mpg hiway!! Plus the bottom end advantage makes them the very street friendly. I wanna bore and sleeve a d16z6 or y8 to 1.7l and see what kinda mid and top end I can churn out. :naughty:

My D16Z6 gets 28mpg and it is running crappy

OMG Apples vs. Oranges thread!

yep...^^^

WELL I CAN SPEAK FOR EVERYONE THAT LOVES OR OWNS A SOHC V TEC I HAVE A EF.2 ALL MOTOR STOCK NEVER PUT PISTOn WORK NOR HEAD WORK AND TaKE OuT B SERIES ALL DAY DONT BOLIVE IN NITROUS JUST HAVE IT REAL CARED FOR GOOD TUNE UP ON A GOOD P.28 COMPUTER WHY WAIST ALL THAT MONEY FOR B SERIES WHEN I CAN PUT THE SMASH DOWN ON YOU WITH MY SINGLE BANGER LMFAO