I have recently decided to put some money into my daily driver 90 Acura Integra LS. I am new to the integ forum so I do not know in which way I should take this car. I eventually want to run it at the track. I was thinking of an LS VTEC head swap then a 50-75 wet shot. I am about to put in a new clutch and get the car repainted and un-dinged. The car is in good condition so I really want to restore it and make it a sleeper. The car has 150K on it. My question is if an LS VTEC head swap would be the best bang for my buck since I already have another car that I blow too much money on. What would be the average price for an LS VTEC head?
Would I be okay with running NOS with a stock 150K bottom end and a stock LS VTEC top end? Thanks for any replies.

 

ls/vtec swap needs more attention than a
regular gsr swap
not to mention $$$$

and the way you talk about it seems to me that you want the easy way out
on the build up
plus you are thinking of giving the ls/vtec set up a shot of the
laughing gas

and from what forum did you came from?

 

I am usually in the Prelude forum. I am not too familiar with swaps, but from what I've been told, the LS/VTEC swap is not too much work. I really don't want to spend a lot of money on this car, but I do want it to be quick and look clean. Just so my daily driving is a little more enjoyable when I'm not driving my lude. What would I need to complete the swap? About how much does the swap usually cost in terms of parts?

 

kit....
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=719412

b16 or b18 head
around 500-800

chipped ecu or piggyback system (a must have)
200-400

get fancy with
ctr pistons or p30 for around 250

new bearings, new vtec oil and water pump plus timming belt...

 

Thanks for the info. I was planning on replacing all the belts anyway. Is a new water pump really necessary? I like the kit, especially because it makes the swap all the more easier. I am not going to waste my money on pistons or any internals. I am saving that money for my built H22A4. What ECU would you recommend I run? B16 or B18? Will the stock head hold up under some juice?

Kit -$339
ECU- $200-400
Belts- $75
Head- $350 (price I might get one at)

Does that some it up?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ProjectPenny &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Thanks for the info. I was planning on replacing all the belts anyway. Is a new water pump really necessary? I like the kit, especially because it makes the swap all the more easier. I am not going to waste my money on pistons or any internals. I am saving that money for my built H22A4. What ECU would you recommend I run? B16 or B18? Will the stock head hold up under some juice?

Kit -$339
ECU- $200-400
Belts- $75
Head- $350 (price I might get one at)

Does that some it up?</TD></TR></TABLE>
350 for a head is very cheep and dont forget the distrubitor too which is another 150
u forgot the pistons pr3 and rings (250-300)
arp rod bolts which is a must (40)
all the machine work resize rods for the bolts (50) relocate dowels and plug vtec oil on the head (30)
arp head bolts (120)
vtec oil pump (100)
timing belt, water pump, all new gaskets inchuding head gasket.... (200-300)
knoch sensor (50-100)

and sinch your building the motor you might as well just go ahead and do all the machining cuch as , hot tank, balance rotating assemble, deack block, born and horn, ...... (400+++++)

and this is only the begining i'm sure i'm forgeting a lot

trust me a lsvtec done right will cost many many thousands

 

Damn, that is a lot more than I expected. I wasn't really going to go all out with the swap, but I did want it reliable since it is a daily driver. I think I might just look into a new motor instead of the swap. It would probably be easier on me and would be more cost effective. What motor would be good to drop in? I have heard from a friend that there is a shop in so cal that will to the swap w/ parts and labor for $1000. Is that price realistic?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ProjectPenny &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Damn, that is a lot more than I expected. I wasn't really going to go all out with the swap, but I did want it reliable since it is a daily driver. I think I might just look into a new motor instead of the swap. It would probably be easier on me and would be more cost effective. What motor would be good to drop in? I have heard from a friend that there is a shop in so cal that will to the swap w/ parts and labor for $1000. Is that price realistic?</TD></TR></TABLE>

A complete GSR swap will usually run for less than a properly built LS/VTEC setup.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Kendall &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

A complete GSR swap will usually run for less than a properly built LS/VTEC setup.</TD></TR></TABLE>


but well over $1,000

 

I have a friend of a friend who works at a shop that sells motors. I think I am going to go with a 95 LS non VTEC motor w/ 80K. I just bought a new clutch, and I am think the tranny will bolt up if I'm not mistaken. He told me that he can get it for $600. What do you guys think about that price? I have been searching in the parts trader for a couple weeks and have not found a better deal. I have explored my options and I think a new motor would be the best plan for integ. I would rather have a new VTEC motor or an LS/VTEC, but I do not have the money to be wasting on two cars. Are there any things I should be aware of when doing the swap on my 90 integ?

 

In summer I should be done with my LS Vtec . Its gonna be a daily car too. I think if you are gonna build a LS Vtec you better have a complete vtec head, that'll save you bucks. I didn't, so I had to buy many parts.
My boy drives a LSR daily and doesnt have any problems, it depends how you treat your car.

Its not that expensive, but it'll take time

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Kendall &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

A complete GSR swap will usually run for less than a properly built LS/VTEC setup.</TD></TR></TABLE>
yes true a lsvtec built right will cost a lil more than a gsr but a lsvtec build properly will be much faster than a gsr and everything will be new, and the motor will have 0 miles (pistons, bearings oil pump timing belt, ect) and the 3k for a gsr swap everything will be used

 

my LSvtec is daily driven, about 40,000 since the conversion was done 2 and a half years ago. A shop did the labor so I can't go into detail on what must be done to make it work. I do not have built internals, I merely have the head swap, oil line and supporting mods (boltons, VAFC, and Skunk2 P28). Mine runs great.

I paid 700 for a rebuilt head, and 500 in labor, and some extra for the bolt on parts I had put on at the same time as the swap.

 

i know a guy selling a b16 head for 300 on team-integra.net colorado forum

 

if youre not mechanically inclined, the ls/vtec is definitely not the best bang for the buck.

just ask any integra owner who has tried to sell their car.