Sawtooth97CX

Alright, so I'm new at all this. I just recently bought a '97 Civic CX and I am looking at doing an engine swap.
I've been reading for weeks, trying to get some ideas as with what to do, however I am still confused..
I'd like to know the following:
-What has more potential: the B16a or the B18c.
-I have read, the question should be "should I get a GSR or B16 head?" What is the difference?
-What tranny should go with what motor... I am basically looking for acceleration with a decent high end.

Cost is of no importance, I will gradually buy everything I need.
If this is in other posts, sorry for bothering you and my apologies for not looking hard enough.
I would just like a straight forward answer is all.

thanks

roadsqueegy95

both can make good hp numbers but the b16 is called the torqueless wonder for a reason...and if ur lookin for acceleration get the b16 tranny, i beleive it has the shortest gears

Sawtooth97CX

Alright thanks.

another question I had was about boost.. I've also read that the B16 is better for boost than the B18, is this true?

mynameizstitch

wow looks like you still got alot of reading to do. i say if you can afford a b18c then get that instead cuz it can be build for higher hp but if your going to turbo then just get ls-vtech haha

93SI-GSR

Go gsr (ls crank) with gsr tranny. B18c1 with built internals. Boostin'..go lower compression and there's so much you can do...so read up in the turbo/supercharge section.

Sawtooth97CX

Yeah I guess I do hah. I haven't read up much on the LS-Vtec yet but what I have read seems a bit more pricey.. I know I said money wasn't an issue but that could pose one.

And yeah, I'll go read in that section.. thanks for the help.

DAEF91

now these are the kinda questions that i love! just from living i will live and die with my b16s. i ran (in the same exact car) a 13.8 with a bone stock motor and tranny. only mods done were aem short ram and apexi full straight exhaust. then again my car was gutted and unsafe....VERY unsafe. if your just lookin to have a little more passing power then just go with what you can find the better deal on. i will tell you that the si tranny sucks *** and is no where near practical for highway driving. so either way you go i would go with a gsr tranny or si with an ls final gear.

R666_EK

B18c is just a better starting platform no matter how you look at it. I am personally running a b18c1 with a b16 trans and in town its great but highway driving sucks. About 4400 rpm at 80. Same as the ITR trans IIRC. But you can always swap 5th out for GSR or LS 5th gear.

DAEF91

thats what i meant by final gear.....and you wouldnt believe the number of gsr's/jdm gsr's that i absolutely RAPED with my b16....you should look into it. the smaller the motor the more respect!

iamthefollower

why swap out a Gsr 5th for an Ls 5th?? I have a Gsr tranny on my B16 and it runs perfect rpms in 5th gear.

iamthefollower

You could actually build an Ls Vtec for the price of buying a Gsr swap.. It is however a little more than buying a b16 swap.. anyhow, I have a B16 in my car and it is a great motor, but it isn't great with torque, now it has outran a built JDM D16a and I only have a Header and Exhaust, but the Gsr has same HP #'s and about 15 more ft-lbs of torque, for about $500 more...

buff1110

really depends on a few things like your budget and is it a daily or what?

low budget = b16a with ctr or itr cams
mid-high = gsr with cams
boost low budget = ls
boost high = lsvtec

hannslebo

well i bought my first HONDA about 4 months ago...it had D15B7 and i liked it even then... there just fun cars. i have been doing research on swaps a few months before i even bought the car and after months of research i ordered a b16 from HMO. oh and it was b/t a gsr or the b16. i chose the b16 b/c its going in a 95 coupe and bolts right in...and the b16 was 500 dollars cheaper and im really not getting that much more power. (STOCK) and .2 liters but *** that. after my research I THINK a b16 is the better platform to start...and even more so for first time honda owners.

yoontim23

I would go with the B18C.

99civicsiguy

this is a never ending argument between these 2 motors. they are both good and both have their ups and downs. settle it with a coin toss!

egtony

b18c

R666_EK

I was talking about the b16 tranny. My RPM at 80mph is at 4400. 1-4 is geared very nicely but for highway cruising a GSR or LS 5th is much more comfortable. If I was running a GSR tranny I would leave it as is.

92egvx

in my opionion i love the b16 the vtec is badass...although the b18c1 has more horse and the vtec kicks in twice i still prefer the b16...well good luck with the swap which ever one u choose...

jake 92eg d16z6

b18c1 is better then the b16a like someone said up there the b16 is more snappy cause you can rip threw the gears but there real high compressed and need alot of motor work to turbo as does alot of motors.. the b18c is somewhat high compressed but buy some forged piston to lower the compression and some other motor work and a 16g turbo running like 10 pounds you can make 200+ easy..

Rok_Stok

You got the short gear ratio part about the B16A right. But you don't have to buy forged pistons to make good power, and 200whp is not good power on a boosted B-series, especially at 10 lbs. These engines, when tuned right and with the right setup, can make over 300whp on low boost. And the B18C actually has a higher compression ratio, 10.6:1, than the B16A which is 10.4:1. But if you think that every boosted engine has to have low compression to make power.. you're wrong. The more compressed air a combustion chamber has (with an adequate amount of fuel and spark) the more power it will make. Therefore an engine with 10.6:1 cr @ 9 lbs can potentially make more power than a 9.0:1 cr @ 9 lbs. (Potentially meaning that it's tuned right.)

But I'm a NA guy. I chose the B16A for it's cost effectiveness. I could get one with LSD for much cheaper than a B18C without it, and having LSD was a must for me. I'm a fan of the B16A anyways, if you can't tell by my avatar.

del sol 1443

the B16 and the B18c is not a question of which is a good motor, cuz they are both awesome.... but just depends on what you end goal is... the B16 head is hard to beat flow wise.. and if you are gonna boost it you can throw forged low compression pistions in either motor and be fine they are made for high compression and high rpm... B16 is the cheaper route... I have a B16 (it is still a work in progress) but it feels so sweet when you just rape someone in a B18 and you know they paid dearly for there set up.... all a matter of opinion... both are good not gonna go wrong either way... would look into which one swaps easier....

R666_EK

Which swaps easier? Really? Its the EXACT same way. And the b16 head is hard to beat flow wise? Its the same casting as an R head and isn't even a noticeable difference compared to a GSR head. Flow charts prove that there is actually little to no difference in overall flow.

And to be honest its not really a matter of opinion. There are facts, and there are opinions, and the FACT IS the b18c is a superior engine. Its like i've said before, why does ACURA get the superior engines? Because Acura is a step up from Honda... Just the way it is. Not trying to be a dick, but im really getting tired of people saying the b16 is just as good, or better than the GSR. Im not being biased, its just the truth.

jake 92eg d16z6

thats why i said 200+ easy i didnt say fully build the motor and you will be pushin 300 horse im explaining the basics.

blueg6

i have the same set up, and completely agree.

iamthefollower

Ohhhhh, I gotcha... sry bout that.