Looking to get anyone .02 cents on motors swaps. I'm looking to go b18b or b18c depending on cash. My thought is since i have a 98 civic ex with the d16y8 which had a rod knock so im upgrading. If i do go ls i'll build it for turbo and if i go gsr maybe n/a high compression or go turbo also. I know i can get an ls for under 800 full swap and gsr for 1k but like i said it all depends on money. Which motor would be easier to swap is what im really asking because my car is obd2 and i'm not trying to deal with any wiring to obd1 any of that hassle. everyone opinion is welcome.

 

they are both straight forward swaps, It's more really about the money. either way you need a transmission and if you go cheap and buy an LS tranny then you will have a slow feeling car, but to get a better tranny like a GSR or an SI it usually isn't too cheap. In order to do it and do it right, take your numerical figures above and PLAN to spend double, just to be safe, theres always little things that go wrong or some things you will need or what and they all add up fast. GL keep us posted

 

just so your clear, and so everyone else knows what you speak of when you make a reference....

b18b1 = 94-01 LS
b18a1 = 90-93 LS
b18c1 = GSR
b18c = JDM ITR
b16b = CTR
b18c5 = USDM ITR

 

Get the GSR swap. I kind of wish I got one instead of my B16A, but I love the B16A tranny more than the GSR's. Give Steve at Hmotorsonline.com a call for the cleanest swap. Oh and if you can afford the LSD, get it, it's worth more than its fee. But don't go LS unless you want to turbo, I know there are LS NA guys out there, but they're not making much power, streetable power anyways.

 

Yea, your asking a question like theres a major difference in getting either accomplished... If you can get a GSR swap for $200 more... Then do that...

And i would chill out on the all motor build unless your running a gutted hatch..

 

b18b with a GSR tranny and a b16 head.

Thats your best bet IMO

 

Since your car is 1998 ODBII setup I would suggest one thing before you buy the engine and do the swap:

Check your local laws regarding emissions systems, engine upgrades, and ECU conversions. In California and some other states you cannot legally drive a car after doing some types of swaps due to their strict emissions laws.
There was a post recently in this forum about how swapping motors caused a guy to get a ticket and he could possibly loose his car.

This isn't discussed a lot but you should always think about it before considering any kind of swapping. Where I live in Texas the laws are strict but not as bad as California. But even here if your car is OBDII from the factory you can't legally put in an older engine unless you retain the emissions equipment from the ODBII ECU. They use an OBDII diagnostic computer to test your car and if the sensors aren't all correct...you fail.

It would be no fun to spend all the effort and money to do a swap just to be sidelined by the "FIVE O"

But after all of that...buy the B18C1....GSR swaps are the best...

 

I live in washington state and i'm tight on money but if a gsr did come around and i have the money for it i'll get it but if i get a b18b then i'll get either a b16 or gsr tranny for it. like i said it really depends on money. I don't really know anything about the obd2 obd1 stuff but can anyone explain to me if i could switch all the obd1 stuff from the longblock to obd2 and use it with an obd2 ecu and harness?