Addressing the reliability issue of the LS vtec so Im calling out all LS vtec owners , builders, and anyone that help assist a friend or whom ever to build an LS vtec. For others who don't own one or never deal with one don't post your opinion.... well you can if you want but i just want the ls vtec owners opinion not non ls vtec owners. Ok Ls vtec owner how long did your ls vtec last, if you boost it how long did it took to blow up. If it didn't blow up how long have you have it since it was built. So basically all im asking how long did you have your ls vtec until you run into problems.

 

ive had mine running strong for a good 6 months, no issues as far as reliability, all of the problems i've run into were my own building issues and have been fixed.

dont be scurred.

 

I built my best friends Ls/vtec and he had no head problems, but he didnt listen to me and he kept on revving to 8200 rpms, which on a stock ls block is a big no no. He ended up with 2 spun rod bearings about 3 months after i finished it. Trust me, as long as you dont skip out on important details and pay for genuine honda parts where you need em, your fine man. just dont rev high unless you got the rod bolts to do so.

 

i'm at about 1 and a half years with about 15,000 miles and its still running fine.
though mine is fully built and everything was new.
i also drive real hard all day everyday.
btw na in a integra sucks boost in the only way to go


Modified by riceball777 at 10:10 AM 6/19/2005

 

I've had my LSV built for about 2 1/2 months and about 1000 miles its a bone stock bottom end and stock b16 head. I am using a chipped p72 and rev to about 7800 on a weekly basis, only raced a few times and rev'd to about 8000 once or twice since I've had it.

The rod bolts are the weakest link in the ls bottom end not the rods like everyone like to say, as long as you use arp rod bolts and make sure eveything is balanced and decently new then your okay on the upper rpms. I know a kid who has an ls/vtec crx bone stock bottom end except for balanced crank and sirII p30 pistons and head has ctr cams and he revs to 9k all day er'y day!!

oem honda ownz!!

 

Ive had mine for 9 months, and no problems. I just got my turbo on and tuned 2 days ago, and she is just sick! As long as you dont rev like crazy on a stock ls bottom end, you'll be fine.

 

I've only had mine for about 2 months.
I've had a lot of problems.
But none of them have been motor problems, First i blew an oil line, replaced it with a stainless steel line, no problems since. Second i was driving and my crank pully fell off.. that upset me, but its back on no problem since. Third, i blew a coolant hose, then my clutch cable broke, then i broke an axle, then i forgot to hook up the transmission ground wire and blew some electrical stuff and my alternator.. But none of that is really related to LS/V
I replaced the pistons rods and bearings, and put in a GSR block girdle to make me feel more comfortable about revving it up.

mines setup for N/A I love it. A guy that i know has a Turbo Ls/vtec puttin down 500+ HP, so you could go that way also. But i hear turbo LS/Vtec won't last too long, but thats hearsay coming from me.

 

about 3 months now... no problems... driven hard everyday and revved up to 8100.

 

i have mine for 6 mos. about 2000miles.. and rev up to 8200(only when i race) and still cherry....

 

I had my old one in my car for 5 years. Not one problem at all. Bone stock ls bottom end. Would rev it to about 7800 occasionally higher but not on purpose. Daily driven 6 psi and never had an issue. I went through the whole motor over the winter and it's running even better. Just a few more pounds of boost and a lot more rpms.

 

thats awesome news, what did you had setup on that ls vtec? I created this topic to make sure im not spending my money on somthing that will only last for a year but with so many great response Im going to try to finish my ls vtec by the end of this year. (newbie to motor- b18b complete long block is going to be my first built motor. I know nothing of compression and only understand basic so im giving myself a year to do this motor. Already have arias turbo piston 83mm and turbo (no piping)). Gonna grab helms manual and do lots and lots of researching also posting so Wish me luck.

 

this is very reassuring. i plan on doing the ocnversion sometime this summer; i have the money but the only thing that was holding me back is the reliability issue.

 

3 years, 0 problems, all stock. usually, i shift no higher than 7500.

 

Helped my friend out with the build on one.Lasted about three months before the head warped.It was unexplainable.We took no shortcuts.I dont understand why people still go this route when turbo is an option for them.

Though it may not be ideal for everyone, N/A just isnt my fancy.Fully built LS/vtec or not. Anyhow Ive heard of LS-V motors lasting years.Just throwin in my experience.

 

Mine lasted 30 mins. I had the motor built by a professional shop. Its one of those shops that where in the wd40 engine shoot out. I thought it was the head gasket and replaced it and used copper seal. It ran fine for a month than it blow the head gasket. long story short i cracked the sleeve after a yr. I found out that the the shop did not resurface the block when they put in the ductile iron sleeves, which was the cause of the blown head gasket symptoms.

 

sorry for your lost. How was it though? driving the ls vtec did you like it? did it pull really hard?

 

I've had mines with a rebuilt block. From rebuilt, I've driven it for a little over 13k. I have a B18A1 with a B18C1 head running on a P72. I have upgraded pistons and rods. I can redline up to 8000 RPM, but I choose not to go any further. No problems what so ever.

 

almost three months now, a little over 2k miles. small problems that had nothing to do with the build.

I would trade ONLY for a sleeved block and boost-worked LS head .

 

my lsvtec pulled reallly hard down low in the low rpms. I was at the track and it would spin its wheel all the way to alittle in third gear. ( street tires)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by maxrpm &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">my lsvtec pulled reallly hard down low in the low rpms. I was at the track and it would spin its wheel all the way to alittle in third gear. ( street tires)</TD></TR></TABLE>

^ What's your setup? You shouldn't lose that much traction all the way to third gear. Bad tires? You need some LSD. What was your time for that run on the track?