So i did some research among the different swaps i could put in my ej6 sedan and i am cant decide if its going to be a gsr swap or a b20vtec. Can anyone who has driven these motors or built them tell me which one they found better?? And yes i know its an opinion but i do want to hear about other peoples experiences.

 

After doing research I found out that tje b20vtec and lsvtec cannot be bar'd. That being said, has anyone been able to bar it somehow??

 

Moved to it's own thread being a full swap doesn't ahve anything to do with a mini me from last year....

Best to create a new thread with more accurate title details, you will or should get a better response.

 

@tomcat39 thanks for the move
Ill make sure to start new thread next time

 

Gsr swap.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by 'bar'd'
I'm sure it's simple, too, and I'm being dumb.

My plan for my 99 EJ6 is to do a built B20vtec first, NA, high revving high compression, so I'll have a reliable motor that will throw me back in my seat, but will last a while. Plus, relatively flat torque curve for power in all ranges, and instant throttle response.

I've seen people get 200-250 out of them without boost. Plus, they have higher torque numbers, at least in stock form. the reason I don't want to boost it is because of the weak cylinder walls. I'll save the turbo for a J-series in a second car

If I want to, in the future, I'll have either a LSvtec, or a B16 with a mildly tuned turbo.

Of course, this is all in a span of about ten or fifteen years.

 

BAR'd has something to do with California Registration and Emission Compliance. No fun from what I understand.

 

GSR, the b20 can not be BAR'd and neither can a hybrid head block combo.

 

There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

GSR swap is easy and factory assembled.

The B20 is cheap and makes more power/torque. But the reliability depends greatly on assembly and part selection.

 

GSR if you need to pass emissions. keep the proper ecu to swap it in everytime it's time to do emissions.

 

For D.D. and reliability GSR swap.

I'm a Ls vtec owner and not the first nor the last, but as b serious state the building and quality play the big roll.

 

if you want to BAR your car with the swap, then you're forced to get a gsr as b20s cannot be BAR'd since the CRVs that they come out of are considered a light truck, while your civic is a car.

 

Is it Cali only, or all states?
Sorry to thread jack :/

 

Thanks to everyone for the input
And yes BAR is only in California from what I know.

 

Whew! I'm glad I don't have to worry about that in TX...

 

You are in Cali, the only option you presented that is even possible is a GSR swap.

 

Ok you guys like you guys said due to being bar legal the only option is gsr. Here comes an extremely noobish question...will i be able to use my current dash gauges or will i need the gsr ones??

 

no, you can use your current cluster.

 

You will need to work with the inspection place and do some independent research to BAR a gsr. I believe you need the engine, ecu, and all stock emission components for the gsr.

 

Thanks you guys i really appreciate the input of info you are providing ☺

 

I live in ca and I know people that have bar'd b16's, b17's, and b18's fairly easily. From what I've read a b20 is possible to bar (if you Google bar b20 you'll see). As far as a "Frankenstein" or gsr I'd say gsr, less headache and less work. What car is this going in?

 

The B20 is classified as a light truck motor. No, you cannot get it BAR'd legally. It's also federally illegal, but if you have feds looking under your hood, you probably have more important things to worry about than an illegal motor swap.

 

@mmr it is going in a 98 ej6 sedan

 

Then your options have to come from a car made in 1998 or newer. That limits you to a D16Y8 from a 98-00 Civic EX, B16A2 from a 99-00 SI, B18B1 from a 98-01 Integra LS/GS/RS, B18C1 from a 98-01 Integra GSR, or B18C5 from a 98-01 Integra Type R. Going with a 99+ motor will necessitate converting to OBD2B, which will make your life more complicated. Whichever motor you go with, you'll also have to install all related emissions hardware. For each swap other than the B18B1, you'll also have to swap your wiring harnesses for the necessary VTEC wiring - last I checked, "DIY" wiring was a guaranteed failure.

Just like with EVERY thread where someone asks this question, it comes down to how much you're willing to spend for the given level of performance. Assuming all motors are freshly rebuilt, a B16A2 will give you 160BHP/111Ft/Lbs, B18B1 will give you 142/127, B18C1 will give you 170/128, and a B18C5 will give you 197/130.

If money is no object, find yourself a complete 1998 B18C5 with matching harness, emissions hardware, and ECU, get some good swap mounts, and drop it in. If you want to "ball on a budget", Find yourself a 1998 B18B1 with matching emissions hardware and ECU, and some mounts, and drop it in. Pair it to a GSR transmission for a little more "oomph" in the pants. Yes, the B16A2 makes more horsepower, but it also has less torque. Horsepower is how fast you can go, torque is how fast you get there, and for a daily driven car, torque should be the more important number for you.

 

@notaracist thank you so much for all the info and specs on all the different swap possibilities