I just picked up a 96 ek coupe with a JDM b18C swap all stock with A/c and stock header ,cat , etc , only thing motor has is a intake and skunk2 intake manifold old version not pro series. Head is stamped 93 in the first circle so i think its a 1994 motor cause the b18 didnt come out till then Motor runs excellent for the most part. However when i hit that sweet 5,500 spot it doesnt pop hard like all my other previous gsr's and a few b18c5's , But i will admit this is my first b-series with a/c haha so im wondering with the addded belt on the underdrive pully is robbing some power and no doubt that stock 4-2-1 header sucks , but i still think it should pop hard or be able to hear it kick over at spudder we all now at that 5500 -5800 range and then take off like a bat out of hell , but my motor is just kinda one smooth powerband . Any ideas ? Maybe new vtec solenoid ? valve job ? etc thanks for your help guys and if you need any Kswap advice im your man look me up on k20a.org
EVOIX4me

 

Baseline on a dyno? If there is a problem, it should be apparent on your graph.

 

I have not got the chance yet to dyno the car i just picked it up 2 days ago , My boy bubba at do-it dyno and shwan church is a far trip from las vegas , about what whp range u think i should have with my bullshit intake and skunk2 intake manifold ?

 

There are dyno shops in Vegas

 

yea but that cant tune for **** , Mikey at factor x messed up my AEM EMS on my ek and dennis at ldl is a ***** never returns phone calls and very unprofessional , So i wont give them my business , i stick with my homies i grew up with in cali , i never have to worry about my car when it goes to church or do-it dyno bubba i have known for 15 years since he worked at trackmasters

 

I was merely suggesting a baseline as an economical troubleshooting tool. You will be able to tell if VTEC is working, if the car is running too rich or lean, and if the power you are making is at least in the ball park. If you really don't want to go to a local dyno, you can always make the road trip to Wilmington and we can baseline it for you

 

Thanks and correct instead of playing with vtec solenoids , new plugs , vlave , job etc a baseline dyno sounds like a good economical troubleshooting tool. What apprx numbers u think i should be between ? I was also gonna do a compression test today since i have nothing else better to do maybe that should give me an idea also

 

A mild GSR will put down between 160-175 on our dyno. 150-165 or so on a Dynojet.

 

Well, its a bad sign when you refer to it as popping in the first place. **** does not pop!

It is not your AC belt/system though...unless something is horribly wrong with it. Sounds like a tuning issue of some sort to myself....though you dont really state if its a GSR or Type R motor (I assume a GSR). Also, 5500 rpms isnt crap, vtec is 4400 (or should be) and secondaries are closer to 6k.

 

Well not exactly pop but you know what i mean when vtec enagages and you can hear it switch over , Its a GSR b18c and i never heard of vtec kicking in at 4,400 rpm bro i thought it engages at 5,500-5,800 ? And its not a tuning issue the car is stock with stock ecu etc stock cam gears . Im thinking its a vtec solenoid or soemthin but i agree with b19coupe a baseline dyno should show if there is a problem , But with me having over 10 b series cars in my life my butt dyno says somethin isnt right

 

B16 vtec kicks at 5500, gsr vtec kicks at 4500. At least that's what iv always felt when driving both of them. Check sparkplugs, sp wires and injectors

 

To think, you said this wasnt a newb question. Yet you dont know where vtec kicks in on a GSR. My guess is that you're talking about the secondaries (kick in at 5850ish last I checked...could've been 5950 though) and in that case, you probably need to check your vacuum hoses running to the IAB on the IM, as well as the sensor that is in the black box under the IM.

 

Id be willing to guess whoever swapped the car didn't wire up the butterflies (which means they are stuck open at all times.

VTEC on a GS-R is 4400rpm, and on most motors the changeover isn't that noticeable

The butterflies should open at ~5800, and the sound at that point is similar to what you would here at a B16/ITR's VTEC changeover.

 

Did anybody bother reading the orginal post? He has a skunk2 1st gen manfiold. No iab..."butterflies" for those who don't know

 

I put 2+2 together right away.

your motor has a standard B16 head on it. thats why it has a 1st gen skunk2 manifold which is the same as a ITR anyway, and is stampd 93. no one would have switched those 2 manifolds out, but if someone was trying to fake an ITR they might do something like that.

what you need to do is pull the VC and cams and check the valvesprings.

this brings me to my next point. the jdm gsr motors which came in the SIR-G were also stamped B18C. i would venture to say that you have the jdm gsr block, with the flat assed low compression GSR pistons, with a standard B16 head. this would explain why your car is so slow.

pull the head, look at the pistons. pull the valve cover look at the valve springs. tkae pictures, and go get some money from whoever sold you the car.

 

thank you for actually paying attention bro!!

 

Well the head is stamped p72-2 and i have been out of the b series scene for about 3 years with my k24 ek but from what i remember its a gsr head . The head is stamped 93 in the 1st circle but coudlnt that be a post production 94 motor ? Also the skunk2 1 gen intake manifold doesnt bolt up to a p72 head does it ? different bolt pattern ?

 

its a 93 head on a gsr motor with a gsr compatible skunk2 manifold then. it could be a number of things, but one thing it is not is an ITR motor.

 

its not a 93 head or it would be a b17 and would only have one punch mark at the front on the I/M by throttle body , im certain its a 94 post production gsr , if you know hondas the sometimes mark post production year on the heads also the skunk 2 intake maifold has 2 punch marks by the front of the throttle body indicating its a gsr manifold but thanks for the post bro any help is appreciated ,

1 punch = B16/B17/B18C5
2 punch = B18C1 GSR
3 punch = LS/B10

 

alright, so its been established its not a itr motor, so what else are you looking for?

 

If you read my 1st post you can clearly see i says its jdm b18c maybe i should have clarified that it was a gsr so there wasnt any confusion but my main focus it the power isnt feel like it should for a 1.8 liter vtec so im driving down for a baseline dyno and a few other things and will report back . Vtec just doesnt seem to wanna pull hard off the bottom at that 4,500 range but at 5,800 it opens up nice to the 8,500 redline

 

if it was made in late '93....its probably a 94 gsr head. do a compression test and a valve adjustment too.

 

my fault, i read jdm b18c and immediately assumed you thought it was an R motor and not a jdm gsr.

as to why it feels so slow, think about the chassis.

 

fuel filter?
whats the plugs lookin like?
+2 for a baseline dyno w/ wideband readings...

 

probably automatic cams.....what transmission is it mated with?