Hey folks. Been away from Hondas for a while, so I'm rusty on my knowledge and any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Just bought an 04 VP (5 spd) with 150k miles. My plan is to turn it into a boosted sleeper/daily driver. Goal is ~300whp. Budget is smaller, but I'm a patient bastard and don't mind waiting longer to buy the good stuff.

Here's a slightly more detailed plan:

1. Buy a motor/tranny.
2. Build it. (Internals/machining)
3. Attach turbo goodies.
4. Get engine management/get tuned.

Now, here's where I'm stuck. What motor do you think would be the best in terms of reliability, AND (this is important) ease of swapping?

I'm most tempted to go with either a B16 or D16, because A) I'm most familiar working with those motors, and B) build cost.

Which would you go for? Would you suggest something else? What about specifics? B16A2, D16Y8, etc?

Note: I'm a pretty severe Honda noob, but fret not -- I'll have the help of some more knowledgeable friends, and I plan on paying to have the more specialized work done elsewhere (machining, internals, TUNING, etc.).

Ideas?

 

I'd start at the FAQ's. All of what you asked has been covered in there. https://honda-tech.com/honda-civic-2...sting-2101211/

You can boost your D17, it will be expensive to get to your 300 mark and be reliable. Best bet would go for a cheaper less sought after K-swap (K20a3 or k24a1) for example. They are low compression (great for reliable turbo builds), cheap because they aren't sought after because they aren't high power from the factory.

 

Neither of these are really viable options, as there are no swap mounts/harnesses available for either platform, and they'll never be a legal swap (can't swap old engines into new vehicles in several states).

Your only truly viable option is either a K20-series or K24-series drivetrain.