engine b18c5 typeR

hey will i want to do a engine swap for my 88 civic and iam not sure wat to get...but i want to get a b18c5 engine...and i know that is really hard to get...so i am trying to fine a place that cheap and that type of engine...do think that engine is to strong for the car?? wat kind of engine should i get???(help) i want a vtec on tho...willl i hope u guys could help me ok...peace

You can never have an engine that's too strong...B18C5 is one of the best engine if you can find one. Take a pick, B16A1/2, B16B, B18C, B18C5...Any of the B series Vtec motors is worth your effort. I'd stay away from the H22 motor though, unless you plan on just drag racing...:flash:

B18 is not too strong for the car. From what I hear, B18's are the best engines to turbo.

But you still have alot of other choices for engines, but it depends on what your needs are...

Is this going to be your daily driver, or a track-only car?
What trim-level is your civic now (DX, Si, Std., etc.)?
What kind of driving do you plan on doing (drag, autocross, etc.)?
What kind of 1/4 mile time are you looking to achieve?
How much money are you willing to spend on a swap?
Will you be doing the swap yourself, or will you be paying a shop to do it?

a type r motor is the worst motor you could ever buy, unless you plan on leaving the internals stock, the head and block stock

will i have a dx engine right now...and am planning to do a daily driving and race sometimes in the street...if someone wants to race u know...i want to try to get at least a high 13 or a low 12...it that possible...hhaha..willl am willing to spend at leas 5gz on it or soo...and let a shop do it..will and i want to get a low miles one and a clean one too so i coould put it in the show and try to win something...and then when i save up try to coustimize my interior..tooo...will wat should i do or get??

Originally posted by civickiller
a type r motor is the worst motor you could ever buy, unless you plan on leaving the internals stock, the head and block stock
Why is that? Just curious...:D

if you plan on leaving the stock pistons and cams then yeah get the type r, but if you plan to build a race motor then its a waste. why you asked

first in your race motor, hmm lets up the comp ratio cause the type r motor isnt high enough, ok there goes your $5000 type r pistons for $400 higher comp pistons, so why buy type r when your gonna up the comp ratio anyways.

then the cams, well if racing your gonna need more radical cams then stock type r cams, well there goes your $5000 cams for $400 cams. also there goes your whole type r valvetrain for an aftermarket to match the radical cams and high hp motor. so why buy the type r when your gonna upgrade the valves and cams anyways.

whats left, hmm the high flow type r head and intake mani. well the type r port isnt good enough for a race motor, and a aftermarket intake is in need, so there goes your $5000 port and intake manifold for a port and $500 intake mani.

so why buy a type r motor when your gonna replace everything anyways. but you can spend your $5000 and all that money to fix it up, but i am gonna buy my $3000 gsr motor, which after you add all those aftermarket parts will be no different than your fixed up type r motor with the same parts. plus i used that extra $2000 to buy all those parts that i need, but youll have to spend $5000 plus all the money needed to buy those parts

so after all those parts the gsr and type r motor will be the same, so why spend $7000 when you onllly need to spend $5000

Originally posted by civickiller
a type r motor is the worst motor you could ever buy, unless you plan on leaving the internals stock, the head and block stock
You took the words right out my mouth. I would go with B18C1 motor. The C5 is good stock and only stock.

IC...So if you can get a type R motor for $3000, do you think you're better off getting a GSR for the same price? Do you guys know, if the Type R block and head was made any different that the other B series Vtec motors? Strength wise? or are the oil squirters any different? block has thicker aluminum etc? :flash:

or if you are patient and have the know how, an slightly cheaper way to go is doing a, ls/vtec hybrid conversion......

Highs: you get the low end torque of an non vtec with the high end of a vtec, higher hp potential whether you go turbo or n/a, there a few hybrids out there making close to 250hp n/a... for boosted cars, you have a much stronger block to work with and can run 300+hp reliably...

Lows: Must have patience, finding all the needed parts can be frustrating, hybrids are still a bit sketchy, buildup can be confusing even though it is actually quite simple to do the initial coversion, and theres alot of trial and error involved..... but hybrids are starting to become more common.

I myself started off with a B20 block and eventually accquired a usdm ITR head, Im still in the building process because I decided(MAYBE) to scrap the B20 block for something a lil bit lighter like a B18A, the B20 made my car feel like it was running an H22...... So if anyone is interested in a moderatly built B20 block ready to be mated to a B series vtec head, drop me a PM.... Ill list the specs upon request..

i've heard thats lots of lsvtec motors throw a rod easily. that is something to consider. rod/stroke ratio is a little off "optimum" so in reality you're not utilizing the high revving vtec because you have a low revving high torque block

djakira how was your b-20 running. im waiting for mine to come out the shop and just curious what kinda power im gonna be felling w/it. its the stock b-20b head non vtec. I have the v-tec computer in there but yet to add the head. will do that in a few months. but let me know how the power feels.

I definatley agree with civickiller! Well u said u have 5g's to spend rite? Lets say u get a b16 complete kit for about 1800 (depending where u buy it from) and planning to install it yourself. Then you'll have around 3200 bucks left to spend on it. I'd say you'll be in the low 13's with that money left over. :)

Civickiller, mellowboy:angel: $3200 will buy you a lot of speed...

Ls/Vtec kick ass if they are built right. My friend has got one in his crx and it hauls ass. 14.1 all motor. Just got to build the bottom end a little before revving it up to high.

Originally posted by turbcivic
Ls/Vtec kick ass if they are built right. My friend has got one in his crx and it hauls ass. 14.1 all motor. Just got to build the bottom end a little before revving it up to high.

what does he have done to it to make it run 14.1?

rebuilt bottom end, i can't remeber what rods and pistons, i think the C/R is at 10.5. Stainless steel valves, tituium springs cams port and polish and a Frankenstein Transmission, he took apart four or five transmissions to build the one he has got now.

Originally posted by turbcivic
rebuilt bottom end, i can't remeber what rods and pistons, i think the C/R is at 10.5. Stainless steel valves, tituium springs cams port and polish and a Frankenstein Transmission, he took apart four or five transmissions to build the one he has got now.

Thats a nice set up but 14.1? Isn't that a bit slow for that set up?

He just blew his head gasket about two weeks ago after he went to the track. He was trying not push it to hard, shifting at about 7500, he cars revs to 9000. He has got great accel. but top speed sucks. he tops at about 115 on the highway but gets there really quick.

That top speed sucks...I have a semi stock LS and I my car goes over 125mph easy

Yea, I agree that top speed sucks. I got a 91 Civic DX almost stock that goes 115 easy. Almost does that in 4th and its a 5 speed.

Originally posted by Redline_civic91
djakira how was your b-20 running. im waiting for mine to come out the shop and just curious what kinda power im gonna be felling w/it. its the stock b-20b head non vtec. I have the v-tec computer in there but yet to add the head. will do that in a few months. but let me know how the power feels.


It ran great, I really can't complain about that, thats why its gonna be really hard to part with it...... But it really depends on what route you plan on going, n/a or turbo... I went turbo on mine running a TopFuel KKK turbo, dont even ask how hard it is to acquire a TopFuel turbo because you REALLY dont want to know...

But anyway, on boost it runs very good, I cant even complain about the lag.... But like I said before, the handling went to shit on my car in the form of buttloads of understeer..... Couple people recommended that I go with aftermarket front springs and shocks for a 94+ Prelude, but its a bitch to fit that to a CRX suspension, it was hard enought to retro fit aftermarketparts for a 3rd gen Integra.... But theres some guy out in Garland,TX that has fabricated a setup to mate Prelude parts to 88-91 Civic/CRX's he's loaning me a setup and if it works, Im buying it and keeping the B20 block.....

ya 125 does suck, but when he get there as quick as he does, i think it is just prefect.

Originally posted by mellowboy


Thats a nice set up but 14.1? Isn't that a bit slow for that set up?

I agree. Every CRX around here with a B16a with normal bolt ons runs 14.3 or better if they have decent traction and driving skills.

I've hit 115 on my car ...thats because of the jdm ecu. Take out the speed governor and you'll reach higher speeds!