Hey everyone i have a '94 EJ1, and have been researching the b series and d series motors for quite a while and can't seem to pick out what the "best bang for your buck" is. I plan on NOT racing neither on the streets or on the track, i want to appreciate the Honda industry as a whole and not in a ricers prespective. I want it all motor. I want to be able to get the most torque/bhp from the motor with as little tuning as possible and of course at a reasonable cost.
So as far as the Q's go: Which motors do you seem is the best overall? Which ones please you the most? Which motor has a very good torque/hp base? And of course, which one has endless possibilities?
I do not want to see someone post "getz a b18 they're ftw. looolz" --- I want to know why the motor you chose is a good option.
Thanks guys, i really do appreciate it. I will be checking this hourly/daily.. so again thanks so much!
Cheers!!

 

well i cant really say much about the b series because i am a firm beliver in saving the sohc... i have a jdm d15b with a d16z6 vtec head on it... (Mini Me) i love it i havent had any problems with it...ita good strong runner and i ran it on all motor for almost a year then i boosted it this past winter...the parts are resonably priced...but i dont have any info on the b series except they make alot of power with that extra cam...good luck


i!~Save The SOHC~!i

 

there are sooooo many different ways to answer this....

you can definitely have fun with a D series. they're pretty cheap and easy to build and can make fun power, especially built and boosted....

B series is tons of fun, a little more money and sounds a bit meaner. ls swap is pretty affordable and will give you instant gains!

it all depends on what you're looking for and how much you wanna spend and where you wanna go with your build.

and after you figure out all that you need to decide.... what kinda person are ya...

you want a SOHC? or a DOHC? if you go DOHC do you want a b series or an h series.... or even a k series.

once you pick out which series you want... there's more.... b16a or b18c... ls/vtec or b20/vtec...

all motor, or boost? if boost.... supercharger or turbo?

want nos?

the list goes on and on

 

if u want it all motor and u have a bit of cash u should get a B18C1. it has good base power and torque. im not sure how prices go for where u live but u may consider a B16a2 or b16a3 too. they should be enough to get your coupe from point A to B with a little fun.

if ur on a really tight budget u could get an LS motor. they are cheap and plentiful. i suggest a GSR transmission on them though because they are closer gear ratioed.

 

Thanks for all your guys' help! Some awesome info. Exactly what i wanted to hear. I want to have it all motor.. and i want DOHC with some xtra power from that extra cam. I do not want nos, turbo, etc... i want it all motor. I know the B series have endless possibilities really, and i do not care on price wise.. i will pay anything up to 6k.
I just want something that can really make me proud of owning a Honda

 

^^nice. kinda like me. i did my GSR swap for about 2000 dollars.
wait u have 6GRAND!?

u can get my dream motor...get a B18C5 or a JDM B18CR
also, the LSD Type-R transmission :D
high compression most awesome B-series 200 base horsepower


if i had one i would probably be forever happy lol

 

lol nice man.
yup! i got 6k available for use.

i was actually looking at the B18c type r motor and that thing is crazy nice, and yes the LSD ftw! :D

lol yea same here.. its just so hard because theres so many motors to choose from! ughh haha. thats what's killing me.

 

For 6K, you can buy a K series. I don't know if you'll be able to swap everything in for 6K...but you can buy a K20R for like $4-5k now a days? I think??

If you want to stick with a B series, you can buy a B18C blacktop with a LSD also. The B18C-R redtop isn't the only one with a LSD.

Hell, even JDM B16As come with the option of LSD and it's only $300 more.

The problem with the B18C blacktops is the trans. The ratios kinda suck. It's like the JDM version of a GSR. It's called a SIR-G. If you could do either a USDM B18C1 or a B18C blacktop with a B16 or ITR trans, you'd be golden.

The B18C redtop (ITR) motor is great all around. You get B18 torque and HP potential and an awesome trans ratio. The 98+specs also come with a shorter final drive and the larger CTR cams.

The H22 shouldn't be overlooked either, though. They make TONS of torque. You can do a H2B adapter kit to use a B16 or ITR trans...or even just use the H22 trans. H22s are CHEAP. You can buy a regular blacktop swap H22 for the price of a B16A swap. You can buy a blue top or red top swap that makes 210 or 220 hp for the cost of a B18C-R swap.

H22s are bad ***.

 

this was phenomenal info! about the best reply i've read in a long time. wow. just great..
now that you mentioned the h22 i am considering the h22s, i am doing some researching right now and damn, those seem like a fantastic motor. the only thing i got to ask, is an h22 (JDM) going to be worth buying over a USDM h22? i really want to make sure that the h22 can have the same hp or more as the b18c-r swap. not only that, they seem very reliable as i am reading through some information on them.
Lets keep in touch man, i am very interested in that h22 now.
Thank you very, very much.

 

The JDM and USDM blacktops are pretty much the same engine. ~195hp and like 160lbs of torque IIRC. The OBD1 H22s are closed deck. That's nice to have, but really isn't a big deal for you since you said you wanted to stay all motor and I'm guessing this is a street car build.

Even if the H22 made a little less horsepower than the B18C5, the fatness of the power band and the torque difference will put the H22 at an advantage anyway.

The gearing used to the the main advantage of the B series. However, now they make adapters to put a B series trans on a H22 block. Best of both worlds.

The disadvantages to the H22 is that it's harder to rig up the A/C and power steering if you want it. You also have you use polyurethane mounts. Some don't mind polyurethane mounts...but I don't like my car to double as a vibrator. Manufacturers have started making softer durometer polyurethane mounts available, so it's not as much of an issue anymore, though.

Most well made mounts also position the engine nicely in the engine bay so maintenance is convenient and the axle angles are close to correct.

So it's a little more "involved" than the B18 swap...but you get a lot more power/torque.

The other thing is that H22s don't quite have the aftermarket support like the B series does. But you can still do bolt ons and cams and make K20 style power. 210-220WHP all motor street H22s aren't that uncommon.

 

My advice? Don't blow 6 grand on a motor swap. I saved up more than that myself, and balked at the chance to buy a k20 and a gt35r turbo that I had dreamed of and I'm happy every day that I just stuck with my stock b16. You don't wanna blow a ton of money on a car, only to get laid off or have personal problems and be forced to part it out. I would hold onto what you have for the winter and maybe upgrade come spring once you have more money on standby.

 

Superb!
So now i know more about an h22 than i think i ever would, haha and really i am leaning towards the h22 but the only thing thats making me turn away from it is the lack of support of aftermarket parts. I am that kind of person that wants the most aftermarket parts available. I am leaning towards the b16b type r motor since it's less used than the b18c-r... but these swaps are exspensive! holy crap, i might as well just buy a k series motor and call it good, but yet i don't want to go that far....."yet".
So again, i am back to where i started and i really need to figure this out. Ugh...

 

good thinking, i am starting to feel the same way. i got the d16z6 and i will say i love that motor a lot.. i really do. i don't have any add ons and i am still enjoying it like a little kid at a candy factory.
i have decided i am going with tw1tch's idea, and just hold off until spring time and see where i direct myself. gives me a while to think about which one will be good and obviously keep in touch with you guys and then do a write up on my swap!

 

I find all these suggestions are sorta the opposite of what u were looking for in the OP. u mention best bang for the buck and reasonable cost..most of the options provided are expensive upgrades!!

if u consider 6k as a reasonable cost, then ya..go with whichever n/a option the above posters are saying (b18s, k20s, h22s).

but if u want bang for the buck, forced induction d-series do pretty darn good. u can reliably get 200-250 hp at the WHEELS for 1500-2000$ with a little time and research..better than any of the unmodded motors mentioned above..

i know u want all motor, but if thats the case, dont expect to find reasonable prices..