I am going to be pulling the head off my set up in like 2 weeks. I do not even know if anything is wrong with it but while I have the head off the car than why not upgrade? (I am upgrading my bottom end, nothing crazy though.)

Anyway, on to the question. I will one day be shooting for 400whp. What if anything should I upgrade for durability sake? Would just a refresh do like replacing valve seals and lapping the valves and cleaning? Or maybe just replace the valve springs with new ones? Again not looking for a full build just a thing or two to help with reliability.

The car will be driven around town and a weekend test and tuner. I want it to be able to handle the occasional whoops I revved a little to high (like to 8krpm).

 

Maybe look into some cams? I doubt stock B18B cams would do good to 8k

 

I don't plan on taking it there intentionally lol.

 

Accidentally?

 

If it happens for whatever reason, again that is not the plan on how I am going to drive it. Let's just forget that and keep it simple. For 400whp on a LS motor what are some things I can do to the head as far as just replacing things that can make it stand up better, not really for any HP gains. Think reliability not performance, not that it is going to be "reliable" at that HP level but make the odds a little more in my favor.

 

I think stock parts will be just fine. Better valvetrain would be a good option for aftermarket cams if needed. As far as the "hope I don't hit 8k accidentally", set up a rev limiter.

 

I'm running crower dual valve springs and ti retainer in my ls at a little over 300whp. My car gets ran pretty hard as I build to be a fun toy for the track and street not a dd. For 400whp you should not run oem ls valve springs imo. Are you running stock cams? I know some companies make single valve springs with a higher seat pressure then oem springs and can be used with oem steel retainers. I can't remember the name of the company off the top of my head. Maybe someone else can chime in with that info...

 

I was thinking of rocket motorsports single valve springs. I don't think they make them anymore. Too bad they looked like a good budget option for an ls head with oem retainers.

I remember seeing them in this thread on page 2.

https://honda-tech.com/appearance-bu...ynoed-3007585/

 

Yes I am using stock cams so it is a good idea to upgrade to dual valve springs than? I do not plan on going any higher than 400whp. I just do not want to be under the hood every single weekend and actually enjoy the car lol. I am going to just build it right once even though its not going to be cheap.

I was planning on replacing valve stem seals with some supertech ones and just replacing all the valves with some OEM valves just so they are new.

 

What does the amount of power you make have to do with the valve springs if you have stock cams?

 

I just think it's a good idea to upgrade the valve springs even with stock cams on a turbo car making 400whp. I'm sure his car will loose traction and bang agains the rev limiter sooner or later driving it on street tires. Just less of a chance of floating a valve. That's just my opinion and what I would do. Op is already tearing the motor down so why not upgrade while its apart, it would make a cam swap in the future a lot easier too.

OP I would just take the head to a machine shop and have the valve to guide clearances measured. As long as that is within spec just lap the valves and install new valve seals. No need to buy new valves unless they are in really bad condition.

 

Have you considered the cost / benefit of an VTEC head swap instead of building the LS? For $5-600 you'd have a head that flows better than a ported LS with cams and you dont need to touch anything internally to rev 8k rpm. Just a thought...

 

Wouldn't it still be subject to valve float at the power level I am going for? Or no different than the LS? From further research it seems like that can be a concern and throwing in some dual valve springs should solve/help that. As far as over revving the simple solution is set the rev limiter. Another thing I have found is steel retainers for a "DD"/Street use application is better to go with than Ti. Not that Ti can't be used for DD/Street use but it seems to be the longevity comes into question with Ti retainers.

 

OP I would just take the head to a machine shop and have the valve to guide clearances measured. As long as that is within spec just lap the valves and install new valve seals. No need to buy new valves unless they are in really bad condition.[/QUOTE]

Should I take all the valves/springs/seals etc. out before I do this or leave it all in? (sorry learning as I go lol)

 

Just call the machine shop and ask them how they want you to bring it to them. If it's not completely taken apart they might want to charge more to disassemble it, but you won't know until you talk to them.

 

Skunk2 makes a single spring for the ls head. I ran them with delta regrinds and stock retainers worked fine.

 

Being mid way on an LSVTEC swap, to do it right is not as cheap as people say, unless you just like slapping parts together without trying to clean it up and build it. Add $1000 to whatever LS build he was going to do to get parts, machine shop work, new intake, lsvtec kit etc.

If hes going to be 400whp+ might as well do springs and retainers. Machine shop should check valve guides, do valve seals and do a valve job/seat valves. That was $350 for me including dis-assembly and assembly of valvetrain and media blasting.

 

I'll admit, its been nearly 7 years since I've built an LS/VTEC so my pricing might be a little out of date, but I regularly find complete VTEC heads for $4-500 around here. The LS/VTEC oil lines and fittings can be found for a lot cheaper than the Golden Eagle kit - I pieced together my own fittings for under $75.

All I'm saying is that if you're spending $500 making an LS better, why not simply buy the better head and be done with it. Even with cams and a better valvetrain, an LS wont keep pace with a stock GSR head.

 

If hes got to buy the head parts and rebuild anyway (springs retainers cams etc) then Id probably agree. But then again, parts for LS stuff is cheaper than a Vtec. Really depends on what he wants to do.

 

I am just going to lap the valves put in new valve stem seals clean the valves up and install dual springs and new retainers. I am looking at $250 done. For my power level I am shooting for I think that will be fine. I am only at 300whp now and the most I plan on going is 400whp down the road. As it is 300whp is plenty for just driving around and having fun.

 

Lightningteg don't you have your ls head with valve springs and retainer set up for sale? With the cams .
Op you can just buy his and use that . Also I hope you plan on getting forged pistons and rods

 

Yeah but the head will need new seals and probably exhaust guides most likely.

https://honda-tech.com/sale-10/fs-bu...cover-3249173/

 

Yes bottom end is getting built I just wanted to beef up the head so itll be more reliable in terms of taking the abuse. Not really looking to pull more power out of it. My end goal is only 400whp. After i take care of the motor with the turbo I am running I will likely not get more than 300whp out of it.

One day down the road like another year or so I will upgrade the turbo and get a re-tune to get to the end goal.

 

Stay away from rocket springs.

While 400hp is achievable with stock cams it will take a lot of boost pressure to get there. Are you positive your turbo will still be efficient and operating properly at 25psi or so? Aftermarket cams will greatly improve power production although ultimately the cylinder head itself is going to limit power production and make reaching high hp levels very difficult, mainly due to port size and flow limit.

Remember that LightningTeg had to run something like 34psi on his built ls head to break the 600hp mark. You could always try and source a P8R head but given how rare and desirable they have become by the time you find one depending on price you could have put a vtec head on your motor and made more power using less pressure with a bone stock vtec head and cams than you could with a built ls head. Why do you think Lightning is finally moving to a vtec head?

 

Because less power, more powerband