Alright so the current set-up is a b18a1 stock internals with 450cc DSM injectors and running a RB20 T3 Turbo set up at 5.5 psi making 170hp.

Car will be parked all winter in a garage, so i have plenty of time to do this but i wanted some opinions on either to keep the current setup or change it out. Now, i would like to keep the current engine setup (obviously saves me a lot more money) but the Kms on the b18a1 in the car are at about 180 xxx km, turbo'd since 160xxx kms.

Would it be safe to get the car to be around 8-10 psi and 210-220hp with stock internals and such high milage for a summer daily driver? What would you honda-techs do if you were in my position, keep the current b18a1 setup or be broke for a couple months and do the b18c swap

Thanks.!

 

stock internals will hold up to about 300whp with a good tune and thats not high milage your good

 

So just crank up the boost and get a tune, maybe some cams and I'm good to go?

also, I'm running the rb20 turbo but she has the whine of death so what turbo would you recommend for just a swap out replacement?

 

If you want to keep an internal wastegate setup maybe look into a rb25 replacement turbo?

 

any good t3/t4 can get you to the 220hp rating. 10 psi would be fine on stock internals as long as you dont race it every single day as hard as it will go. If you are wanting to drop the turbo and go b18c you will be disapointed i think. If you turbo the b18c thats a different story. But a stock b18c wouldnt put you any higher in hp ratings then you are now, probably a little less. So i say keep the setup turn up the boost, save until you can do a turbo b18c or turbo b16 imo. But im a vtec fan

 

I barely even take the car to the track, this is just for daily driving and maybe a trip or two to the track during the summer.
I already have the greddy pro spec || boost controller installed, so just turn up the boost once i get a new turbo and get a good tune and I'm ready to go? I also heard getting your timing adjusted when you get a tune is good for throttle response? can anybody elaborate on this??

 

the reason adjusting cam timing helps on turbo set ups is that you can reduce overlap. what this does is increase cylinder pressures thus helping spool the turbo faster

 

Not sure about that but ive never done adjustable cams on a turbo. On all motor setups you tighten the lsa and you get a much stronger power curve at higher rpms, you gain more high end torque that last longer in the rpm range, but you sacrifice lower rpm torque. Thus widening the lsa would give the exact opposite result giving you lower end torque and hp and sacrificing upper rpm power. But if your just going for daily driving then you will be good to go without them. Adjustable cam gears are something you can always add later but it will require the car to be retuned and dynoed for the max gains. So unless you have a dyno around you should probably just save your money cause good cam gears can run upwards about 300 dollars a set.

 

In N/A setups, high RPM exhaust scavenging creates a vacuum on the exhaust side that pulls exhaust right out. More overlap means more taking advantage of this.

But, turbo setups are not the same.

In a turbo setup, as the turbine begins to load up, it creates a lot of resistance - higher pressure. Now, exhaust gases have to fight past the turbine to escape. The engine actually does extra work to force exhaust past the turbine. The pressure on the exhaust side ends up being much higher than on the intake side. If the intake valve opens too early, it relieves all the pressure on the turbine. Later spool, less top end power.

 

I learned something today

 

hmm interesting. thanks!

 

Was also talking with a tech here in calgary and he is edging me towards scrapping the b18a1 and swapping in a b20.

i have heard good and bad things about the b20 but the good thing about them is that they are only 650.00 and they are legal were i live. Plus my whole turbo set-up would be just a straight swap and i would be able to keep the turbo setup only it would be on a b20.


what do you guys think i should do? stick with the b18a1 or go for the b20?

 

B20, the extra torque will be much more fun. And don't believe all the "cyclinders are too thin" crap. Swap the b20 and get a retune

 

I would stick with thte ls slap a vtec head on add boost and have fun.. even the same turbo youlll make more power

 

While I am not sure what those kms are equal to in miles off the top of my head I have not heard anything on here or anywhere else where a lot of miles on a car have any equal or less value to blowing it up when boosting it. I have heard stories of blue printed motors blowing up to old motors, it really comes down to the tune.

It also seems that you are running a bit low on the boost end. I would bring it back for a true tune as long as your A/F stays right and there is no issues going a bit higher.

 

Will be storing the car next week for winter

Oh well gives me time to save up for the things the car needs for spring time


I still have a while to think about the b20 swap or to keep the b18a but i am leaning towards keeping the b18a because of the fact i can save 1200 that it would cost for the swap and motor and use it for something else in the car, maybe some pistons and cams.

 

Having your ECTs below 200 degrees with a stock internal setup should not be overlooked...

 

I say keep the B18A1 and up the boost a little. I just finished my turbo set up on my completely stock, unopened B18A1. It made 252 whp at 8-9psi with a GT28RS.