vtec head

i cant find the thread anymore, but someone replied to one of my posts about a vtec head swap. They said you can get a head swap for less than $900? Where? if its that cheap i might get it done.

where do you live?

atlanta, georgia

yeah less than $900 * if you do it your self *

where can i get the parts? anyone?

i read in a thread that u can't take a vtec head and put it on an ls cuz it'll mess it up? i dont know if thats true or not. anyone know?

no, i dont think thats true as long as you get someone who knows what they're doing to do the head swap. this import shop near my house does head swaps all the time and they all work great. but they charge 2500 for parts, and someone said they can get the parts for 900, so i was going to get the parts and bring it to them to install. if i can find where to get the parts for so cheap...

inline four also sells a kit for self installation on their site. but you'll have to get the head. It just includes the pipes and fittings and instructions

I am looking for a dohc vtec head and also a hydrolic tranny for a 98. Does anyone know where i can get these.

check out www.inlinefour.com they have this kit they sell..it should definately help you out. it's a hundred bux. i would buy it first..just incase you read it and change your mind...

then yoyu can go to www.nippon-motors.com they have a b16a1 for like 500bux...use the head from that to swap...then sell the block...and the old ls head (if you can). you could probably even get more than 500 back after selling them...if you sell it to the right people...heh..

i've done three ls/vtec engines...they all work fine. if you get the right help and the right people to drill the holes for you then engine will work just as good as a stock vtec engine...

if you want to spend a little more money (which you should) you could port and polish, get new pistons, rods, valvetrain...crap like that. you would have like a new engine..and a lot more power than if you just did a straight swap...

exactly what I was looking for, thanks threethirteen. Got another for you guys, why a b16a head? why not a b18c1 head? would that put out more power?

what do you mean by "ok" do they last 50k miles, or crap out. I would think the GSR head would be cool because of the 2x stage intake manifold. i would like to do an ls/vtec but i am just a little nervous about the reliabality issue.

oh man, if you want to go for the b18c head then do it. the b16a is a lot cheaper, and ive always used it because i liked it, and rely on it more. ive actually heard it is the better choice...in order:

1. b16b
2. b18c5
3. b16a
4. b18c1

read this: http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19176&highlight=engine+swap+guide

it is amazing. about half way through it he starts talking about hybrids...i think it will help a lot.

so from nippon motors, you get an intake manifold with the motor you buy. thats good. what else is needed for the ls/vtec job? ecu?

oh, yeah...forgot about that. you need the ecu from the engine the head is from. it will work best for starters, until you want to chip it or other crap. the b16a1 from nippon doesnt come with the ecu...well, mine didnt so if yours does..tell me.
but you can get the b16a ecu for like a couple hundred...i got it for 225 i think.

i just got the pre-obd ecu from the b16a1...i think you could use the obd1 or obd2 from b16a2 or b16a3...but im not exactly sure if that works...if never tried. i would ask someone else. i dont really even know what the difference is between the three, ive never used an obd ecu...

but uhm..yeah, b16 head (maybe new valvetrain, depends on how you feel about it), ecu, ls/vtec kit, a little machine work shouldnt cost much. that is the basic what you need. if you want to get a lot of power out of it rebubuild the bottom end to handle higher reving. and you should be good.

how mich did the full head run you guys?

The big diff bewteen the ecu's is the obd1-2 status. I think the only real difference is the weather or not it uses 1 or 2 o2 sensors.

probably about a thousand after the valves, springs, retainers, guides, p&p...and the price of the engine (i divided the engine price by 2...just a guess).

I went to the import shop today to talk to them about going ls/vtec cuz i'm gonna let them do the installation.(no way in hell i trust myself machining and drilling the motor)

I got them to give me a list of what i needed and the prices they would charge if they provided them. this way i will know what i need to provide for them so it will be cheaper. here is the list:(they are using some skunk2 stuff so it will be more expensive but worth it)

skunk2 ecu- $550
skunk2 harness- $275
skunk2 intake manifold- $300
b16a head- $600
throttle body- $275
distributor- $275
exhaust manifold
(dc headers)- $325
head gasket- $95
timing belt- $75
machining of head- $200
oil line- $125
labor- $550
fluids required- $19.95
antifreeze- $9.95

equals a grand total of $3675

i almost fell over when he showed me the list. i know i can get the b16 head from nippon motors for 500, but they said the throttle body, distributor, ecu, and intake manifold that the motor comes with wouldn't work.

what my question is, how the hell can you get all this done for under $900? i realize i can get most of this stuff cheaper if i look hard enough, but its not going to bring down the price to around $900 like threethirteen said. so how did you do it threethirteen? i also realize that $200 for the machining of the head is pure rape and i could get someone else to do it for cheap. i want to go ls/vtec, but i dont want to get raped in the process.

what the hell? i dont know why that frown face is there, i didnt put it there.

if you want to replace everything then 900 wont do it. that was a figure for the bare bones ls/vtec. like enough to make it work...

but i think they are way overcharging you...and making you get some stuff you dont need.

1. ok the skunk2 ecu..eh, i dont want to talk smack about skunk..but i would drop it. the b16a ecu is perfect..maybe go hondata..but not skunk.
2. without the ecu you wont need the harness
3. intake manifold, if you are going to use one other than the b16 (which is fine to use, there is no reason it wont work) i would go with the b18c5 intake.
4. probably use the b18c5 throttle body too..you dont have to though. not a big deal. you can get a better bored out one too, im just trying to knock down your price..
5. distributor...if you are going to change it..get msd, and go for the msd ignition too, and blaster coils..whatever.
6. head gasket, yeah, need it, same with the timing belt, headers a good idea..the rest sounds good..200 for the machining isnt too bad, but i would still look at at least one more place..for an entire price even...never just goto one shop.


that should drop you about a grand...but dont go with the skunk2 ecu...plus i've heard stories of mechanics slapping a sticker on the stock ecu and charging you a couple bills...stick with the honda. it's the best for the engine cos it was made for the engine.

they told me if i could find an ecu from a 96-97 del sol or 96+ gsr to go with that, but since they're hard to come by go with skunk2. he said he will send it off to get burned or rechipped by skunk2 and it will provide me up to 50% more fuel than a honda ecu. he also said it will allow me to rev up to 9500 before fuel cutoff(not that i would rev that high).

as for the intake manifold and throttle body, he said it wouldnt work, the only thing useful from the motor is the head. i guess i understand why the throttle body wont work, he explained since the one from the b16a is mechanically controlled and the throttle body for mine is electronically controlled. not that it wouldnt work, but just that i would make up in labor to rig it to work what i would save using that throttle body. i dont really understand why the intake manifold wouldnt work, but hey, going with a skunk2 manifold will help performance anyway.

so what all did you do when you went lsvtec? how much did it end up costing? is it worth all this money? anything would be helpful.

i will definitely get a second opinion from another import shop, if i can find one. but like i said, i just wanted to get a list of what i needed and i will try to find the stuff on my own.

go to www.thepartstrader.com you can get heads for way cheaper than you can from companies because you are buying from individuals. a lot of times you can even find built heads, blocks, ect.

hell yea, i got the hook up at nopi which means i can get the stuff i need for a lot cheaper.:flash:

my friend was saying he can cut that price in half at least cuz he can get near wholesale price on parts. hes also getting me the tanabe exhaust for cheap.

the only thing is, i need to find a 96+ gsr ecu or 96-97 b16a ecu or else i'll have to go with hondata or skunk2 or something more expensive. any help? i checked that partstrader thing, but i'm not sure i trust the stuff works....i'd like some assurance that the ecu will work.

get the b16a ecu. i think you can get one from hondamotorsonline.com then definately go with hondata...its more expensive, but for like 475 you can get the stage 3:

Speed limiter removed.
Adjustable rev limiter.
VTEC controller
Shift light
Launch control
Full throttle shift

its a pretty sweet deal...i dont know what the skunk2 will get you, but i have only heard bad things about it.

http://www.efficientexperts.com/VirtualStores/SuperAutoParts/default.asp?cat=Stock+Ecu

this place has stock ecu's. kinda expensive though. $275 for '96 gs-r. call salvage yards in your area or buy stuff from the parts trader and use an escrow service. you get 24 hrs to check the item out and if its not good you can send it back and get your money back. www.escrowguardian.com is pretty cheap.

ok i gotta 90 teg rs, what head options do i got there??? can i do a vtec gsr head swap nearly as easy as u newer teg owners can??

as long as they are from the same series motor you have, it will work. so a b-series motor can take parts from other b-series motors and the same goes for d-series stuff and so on.