Okay so I know a lot of you guys go for 8,000 RPM motors with 200+ BHP with a B20 block and VTEC head. I have a 97 CRV and fear the stock B20B motor has burnt valves. I want to go to my "you pull it" junkyard and it is a lot easier to find Honda cars than Honda CRVs. Riddle me this scenario:

* I'm happy with a 5,500 RPM motor setup. I really don't want to lose low end torque, maybe gain a little.
* I don't want to change the ECU, intake, etc.
* Can I use my existing distributor from the CRV? I have an MSD cap and rotor, external coil, and special plug wires. If not I can pull the distributor off the motor.
* Shouldn't the bolts that come off with the VTEC head fit the B20 block?
* Most importantly, if I only use the first stage cam profile (2nd stage 4,500 RPM right?), do I still need the oil line mod? Does that line provide lubrication, or just oil for the 2nd stage solenoid?

Supposing I find a Honda car with a non-VTEC head, what pros/cons of using that for the B20?

After all this maybe someone here can offer me a good deal on a B20 head that they pulled off when doing a VTEC upgrade? Costs quite a bit to ship these things though, and I can get DOHC heads at my junkyard for $90. Hard to beat that.

 

if you don't want to change the ecu, don't bother doing any of this.

 

Why don't you just replace the burnt valves?

 

Just have the valves replaced or find a B18 head in good shape. Your VTEC plan doesn't really make sense if you don't want to use a VTEC ECU.

 

What everyone else has said. Putting a vtec head on would still require more work than it is worth, especially if not to use vtec.

 

The source I initially read about parts inter-changeability implied that the intake from my CRV would match up to a VTEC head, which turns out to be wrong. If all I needed to do was add that external oil line that would be no big deal. Still never did find out if that was need for lube or if that is used just for the 2nd stage solenoid.

I got the valves adjusted Friday night and the car runs okay now. I couldn't sneak my Endoscope into the cylinder because of that long tube to the spark plug. The valves may be burned, but sealing better now with the adjustment. Compression was good on all 4 cylinders though.