BlackNoise

I have a SOHC EX, and I am getting really sick of losing all the time. I have the basic Intake, Header and Exhaust. I also have an underdrive pulley, cam gears, and power pulleys. I am also running a 55 shot of nitrous at the moment. Now granted while I am spraying I do beat most things, but the power is not there forever, and that's whats making me mad. Is it worth turboing a SOHC? Or should I drop about 2 or 3 G's just into the engine and rebuild the whole thing. Or am I just out of luck and I should just buy a new engine and stop fighting a lost cause. Please help I need to know how to make it so I'm not the slowest in my group of friends. Help!!!!

Smashback

Go turbo dude. IMO swaps are too expensive unless you've got a LOT of extra cash. I got the lightweight flywheel which helps too, especially with turbo.

maxim

I am having the same delimma myself- turbo or swap? If I had the money I would swap with a B18c and then a little later turbo charge. The problem you might have later with the turbo option is that it might not be enough. Spend the extra and get the swap-it will leave you a world of opportunities in the future.

mafioso102

hmmm ex huh, you can bolt on 40-50 extra horses with a gude head pakage, only like 1500 too.

ZylexSNL

Agreed!!

I've always said (in another board) that there's only so far that you can go with ol' D16Z6... There's just too much more potential out of a B18C. But, yes, they ain't cheap. If you simply can't afford it, for 2/3 (or less) the cost, you can do a B18B swap, and then later when you have the $$, you can either do a LS/VTEC head swap or build up a turbo (or both). Either way, you're gonna be way more happier with a swap.

Good luck,
Steve

Powered by Honda

Yup, I double agree. A swap is a better long term choice in my opinion. Plus you'll love hearing VTEC kick in on a twincammer...

BlackNoise

What happens if the money is just not there. I am an 18 year old kid, spending way to much cash on his car. I'm about to go off to college, and I don't even get to have my car the first year. I just wanted something with a pop before I left, and I don't think an engine is going to be that easy to come by before early september. Looks like I will be waiting until next summer to be able to roll with the big dogs.

liam821

i have a built d16z6 in my EG hatch with a large turbo. Its very very fast..but lets put this into comparison.

my d16z6 at 12psi = b16/b18 at 7psi in terms of hp.

So if they are running 12psi, i need to run like 17psi to keep up.

Although..with a built engine you can run lots of boost...my engine is good to around 20psi (which gets a little scary) So i should beable to spank any stock b-series with a turbo without a problem.

Another bonus is..the cost! The cost of me to built my d-series was about 3/4 the price of a b-series swap. And since i have a built engine i think it handles poo-poos better..like detination. Because let me tell you i have had a few problems at really high boost and high rpm...and my engine is still 100%.

liam

ringgold

Stick with the sohc. I have one and have never really lost to another import car while I was spraying but that is what you have nitrous for to win. I myself like the underdog status in a race plus you can build single cams to run right with the dual cams trust me some people think that they cant run as good as a dohc and you should swap. Forget spending all that money just to get another bone stock engine to start all over on again.

maxim

I guess after reading all of these different options you should ask yourself: How long do I plan on keeping the car? If you plan on keeping the car long term-say 6+ years, get something that can be easily added on to in the future that will allow you to exceed the maximum potential of your D16y8 (swap). Do you want to just keep up with the big boys or beat them?

GRoceryTurbo

I had the same problem that you are having. As you can see, I chose the turbo route. Forced induction seemed to be a better route for me, I didn't want to do a motor swap and then do a turbo, I don't have that kind of money. My car is faster than a car w/ a swap and bolt-ons. The turbo is cheaper and faster, you will hit a plateau but it will take a while.

Smashback

If you hit the ceiling, get DFI and run more boost. Swaps are silly because of the extreme cost IMO. I wanted a swap so bad but there's just no way I'm going to pay that kind of money for so little horsepower. You could go turbo for less than a swap, and you could go turbo+DFI+strong build for less than a swap+turbo.

GRoceryTurbo

exactly

DragII

You won't loose to anything but heavily mod'd cars, or those w/ very powerfull engines from the factory....I think you will love the turbo.

ATYPR

sell the car

If you put a b18c in a EX you don't get a fast car, you get a GSR. If you want to go fast get a hatchback and do a swap.

No matter what you do to that EX, some guy with a hybrid hatchback is going to kill you.

I like the SOHCVtec motor. It's a good motor, it's just in the wrong car. We put one in a 90 CRX Si and it ran 15.3 with crappy exhaust and no header.




[Modified by FUCATYPR, 9:05 PM 7/20/2001]

ringgold

Dont sell the car hook up the sohc. I have seen hatchbacks with gsr engines in them and they dont run worth a damn. I have outran hybrid hatchbacks at the track before with a ex coupe with a shot of gas.

Smashback

Yup!

ATYPR

hmmmmmmm....a 92-95 VX with a b18c runs 13.9 in the 1/4 on street tires.

what does your EX run with spray?

Like I said the motor is ok, it's the car that's not good for racing.

ringgold

Ok Im sure you got a bone stock b18c to run in the 13's on street tires in a hatchback. I have seen a hatchback equiped with a built b18c that ran a 13.5 on street tires but like I said it was built. Cams,headwork,type r pistons,skunkworks intake manifold,valves,springs, turning 9500 rpm's. And I have seen a Civic Ex with a Greddy turbo kit run in the 13's on a stock engine a SOHC VTEC. Stick with the single cam and kick some dual cam ***. Like I have before. Oh my car with 600psi in the nitrous tank ran in the high 14's with a small set of slicks full interior with alot of junk in the car. I have it on video.

BoM

sell ur car get a bike....and you'll be tearing people up.....

can a prelude engine fit the ex coupes? cause i know when u put one in a hatch it goes 13's .....

yeah that greddy turbo kit does wonders on all their applications...on the DOHC theres soo much potential....thats a good turbo for ya.....pretty cheap....buy sum slicks and u'll be whooping some ***

ATYPR

The first time I ran my CX at the strip it ran a 9.5 in the 1/8 at 75mph (about 14.7 in the 1/4).

That's a 92 CX with a 110,000 mile B17a
stock 99 Si exhaust, cut down to fit my CX
a short hot air intake
on the stock 13" tires
I built the car out of junk I had around the shop!

After the charger (got it very used and cheap), custom cams (regrinds, also cheap), and cam gears, I could rape 5.0's on the highway, kill C5 vetts from a light (a stock C5 ran a 8.7 in the 1/8 at the track I run at) and walked all over a M3 with so much Dinan crap he had a Dinan badge (I sold him all of the Dinan parts. The only thing he did'nt have was the charger)

Guys around my parts are running 12.5 in all motor hybrids on slicks and 13.8 in a ITR with cams, cam gears, and headgaskets on street tires. These are car DRIVEN to the track, not race cars.

TypeR0207

And I ran a 13.87 in an R with stock cams and bolt-ons on slicks ........

The only reason to spend the bucks it takes to make an SOHC fast is to say that you did it, there's no advantage of doing it otherwise.

ringgold

Hook up the single cam!!

DragII

If you are talking about a stock b18c, you are officially full of ****

ringgold

If it is a Honda engine it can be made fast especially the sohc. I have faith just check out Bisi's single cam. Even though it is all out race it is a sohc non vtec. Stay with the single cam.