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B18A1 rebuild advice(Y8 out A1 in)

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Old 01-20-2019, 04:32 PM
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Default B18A1 rebuild advice(Y8 out A1 in)

Hey all, Haven't posted in ages but i frequently search threw the site for knowledge when needed.
Alright.so.

i have a 98 civic ex coupe w/ a y8 and im damn near 300k.
i also have a B18A1 from a buddys integra that i plan on rebuilding in order to replace the y8.
have my game plan and info together for getting the drivetrain into the car,but and questions,
comments,concerns,advice, you wanna add in will be appreciated.

above is my list of things i think are important to get right. correct me if im wrong please.
what are some opinions about this list.
am i missing something?
my goal is to rebuild this A1 to be reliable,maybe make a tad bit more power over stock,and take a beating every once and still get my a$$ to work.
im not looking to build an N/A monster or boost it. all that money will go into suspension.

also. i've never had to take in a head or block to the machine shop before, so what are the reccomended things i should have them do in order to achieve my goal?
and should some of these parts be put on hold until everything is back from the machine shop just incase theres some issue or whatever with specs and clearances?
and what would one expect to pay for recommended services to the head and block? i will be assembling the engine myself,so that cost wont need to be included.

Any and all info/advice will be appreciative!
and i've searched so if i have missed where these questions are answered please post a link and i will read up.
Old 01-20-2019, 05:02 PM
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Default Re: B18A1 rebuild advice(Y8 out A1 in)

people don't measure the bearings or order the correct bearings?
Old 01-20-2019, 07:05 PM
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Default Re: B18A1 rebuild advice(Y8 out A1 in)

Originally Posted by tony_2018
people don't measure the bearings or order the correct bearings?
I don't understand what you're saying there..
Old 01-20-2019, 07:11 PM
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Default Re: B18A1 rebuild advice(Y8 out A1 in)

If you're going with Eagle rods, you won't need the ARP rod bolts - the Eagle rods already come with ARP hardware. Honestly, if you're just doing a stock rebuild (not wanting to increase the power a bunch), I'd forego the Eagle rods and the fancy pistons and spend the $ on other things you'll need for the rebuild. If you're keeping the stock valve train, I would think you should only pay about $150 for a valve job, new stem seals, clean, and resurface. Block machine work costs about $300 - deck, bore, hone, clean the block and inspect / polish the crankshaft. If you are wanting to stay at 81mm bore, I wouldn't buy pistons until your machine shop has the block and can check the bores - if they are out of round or scored, you may need to oversize. Similar for bearings, let the machine shop measure the crank first before buying. I also don't see an oil pump on your list (good idea to replace if the engine has a lot of miles, or at least inspect the old one) or a bottom end gasket/seal kit. There's also lots of things that can nickel and dime you as you close in on completing your project. If you're assembling yourself, make sure you have all the tools, or be prepared to pause the project while you order tools as you find out you need them. Be prepared for occasional stripped threads that will need to be repaired by helicoil or timesert. Good luck on your build if you undertake it.
Old 01-20-2019, 08:00 PM
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Default Re: B18A1 rebuild advice(Y8 out A1 in)

Originally Posted by DaX
If you're going with Eagle rods, you won't need the ARP rod bolts - the Eagle rods already come with ARP hardware. Honestly, if you're just doing a stock rebuild (not wanting to increase the power a bunch), I'd forego the Eagle rods and the fancy pistons and spend the $ on other things you'll need for the rebuild. If you're keeping the stock valve train, I would think you should only pay about $150 for a valve job, new stem seals, clean, and resurface. Block machine work costs about $300 - deck, bore, hone, clean the block and inspect / polish the crankshaft. If you are wanting to stay at 81mm bore, I wouldn't buy pistons until your machine shop has the block and can check the bores - if they are out of round or scored, you may need to oversize. Similar for bearings, let the machine shop measure the crank first before buying. I also don't see an oil pump on your list (good idea to replace if the engine has a lot of miles, or at least inspect the old one) or a bottom end gasket/seal kit. There's also lots of things that can nickel and dime you as you close in on completing your project. If you're assembling yourself, make sure you have all the tools, or be prepared to pause the project while you order tools as you find out you need them. Be prepared for occasional stripped threads that will need to be repaired by helicoil or timesert. Good luck on your build if you undertake it.
Thanks for the great advice.
So as for an oil pump,I imagine nothing is better than OEM on this right?
And so instead of getting the fancy pistons/rods. What would you suggest I use? Will the factory rods last?
Old 01-20-2019, 09:23 PM
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Default Re: B18A1 rebuild advice(Y8 out A1 in)

If the rod/piston combo doesn't fit within your budget... then forgo them for more important items that you need like a head gasket set and lower set. The ARP rod bolts will only be needed if you want to increase the performance significantly... the head studs as well. They are not necessary for a lightly modded NA non-vtec engine. Also know that if you do add the rod/piston components, you will need a tuning solution so that it will run properly.
Old 01-21-2019, 03:42 AM
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Default Re: B18A1 rebuild advice(Y8 out A1 in)

Originally Posted by chrysanderson
Thanks for the great advice.
So as for an oil pump,I imagine nothing is better than OEM on this right?
And so instead of getting the fancy pistons/rods. What would you suggest I use? Will the factory rods last?
Yes, I would say OEM is the best. I've used Melling pumps on my last two builds, though. Fit and finish on the first Melling pump was great - the second one was OK. Next time I'll be going back to OEM, just for peace of mind.

Honestly, for the Accord engine I built last year, I kept the stock rods and bought an Evergreen piston/bearing kit off of Amazon - it was $145 for pistons, rings, wrist pins, main bearings, and rod bearings. This engine is for my wife's Accord - daily driver, no modifications beyond stock. It's been running great, and I have no complaints. Evergreen also makes a master rebuild kit for about $350 (look up B00W61WJVO on Amazon) for the B18A1. Again, I would not necessarily recommend this for an engine that is being modified for increased power, but just for a stock rebuild for a person on a budget, I had good results.
Old 01-21-2019, 07:09 AM
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Default Re: B18A1 rebuild advice(Y8 out A1 in)

Wait to order parts until your block is back from the machine shop. If it has to be bored, you will need 81.5-mm pistons instead of 81-mm. If it has to be decked, and/or your head has to be decked, you may want a thicker head gasket to keep compression reasonable.

Check out http://www.zealautowerks.com/

The B18A1 pistons are pretty low compression. You can pick up some p73 pistons for about $50 if you want to get compression up over 11.

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