I am currently looking into buying a new motor for my 96 civic coupe. all i have in it right now is nothing but worthless sohc. i heard alot of good things about ls-vtecs being that their bottom end is great and with the v-tec head you get lots of high end power. but i also heard some disadvantages which include high rev limits. a friend told me to just go with a b16a route...any suggestions??

LS/VTEC's are the shit when it comes to power production but you wont be able to rev as high as a B16A. 7500ish would probably be the most you could let it spin up to safely. B16's are good in their own rite, but they are overrated. NO TORQUE. It's hard to produce good numbers on it. Another option: B20/VTEC engine!
The B20/VTEC setup (aka CRVtec), is even better then the LS/vtec in my opinion. Same concept as the ls/vtec, but istead of a 1.8L block, you up the displacement to a 2.0L....best part is that you're still in the B-series family too. You use the bottom end from a B20B or B20Z and the head of a B16A. But it still has the same weaknesses as the ls/vtec, ya can't spin it as high. The good news is that it's not uncommon to see these buildups producing 250hp with MILD parts! So you can't rev to 8200+, big woop....you're making 250hp, are you really gunna care that you can now only take it up to 7500 instead? I need to read up on my B-series engines more, but if i'm not mistaken you will need new pistons because the valve reliefs aren't big enough (same problem with the ls/vtec). This is something you should look into though for sure. Look to pay about $700ish for a JDM B20 engine and another $400 for a B16 head. For the street, you will be MUCH happier than having a B16. Look to pay about $3500 for a ride that will send most type-R's packing!~

yeah i heard of a insane combo like that before...a friend of mine has that on his integra. ITS LOUD AS HELL THOUGH. not a problem for me. i know i would have to build up this motor to gain some serious power...but would 500-550 hp be dreaming too high of what i could get if i were to build it up....what im basically wanting to do is make this a pure kick ass street machine

500-550hp would be dreaming a little too high for a street setup. You have to remember that having a 500hp engine on the street would be anyone's dream in a civic, but you have to be realistic. This car is street driven so it has to be reliable. Has to be able to run on radials and on 91 octane. I can easily see this setup breaking the 325 mark lightly boosted though. And 500hp means nothing if you can't get that power to the ground, FWD's already have traction issues, add that much power and you'll spin through every gear on radials. Sometimes there is such a thing as too much power.
I would start off with just a NA B20/VTEC build for starters, keep the compression around 10:1 and then add a GReddy turbo kit (smog legal) and run it at an easy 7psi. Cspeedracing recently put the B20 build in their project integra: Made 210hp with no power adders, all stock stuff, and ran mid 13's in the quarter with full interior on street tires. When boosted, you could easily do mid to low 12's....corvette beater. But all that power comes with a price tag, around the $7k range out the door turbo'd.

i guess i see what ya mean. I had seen a civic though with a fully built JG engine 1.6 L dohc. basically this b16 a had 584 hp at the wheels. yeah...im willing to spend a bit of money for this build up...i might just go with that b20/vtec route...its pretty cheap to start off with and ive heard more good things now about it..

o yeah that civic i said.. is here

http://www.jotechracing.com/html/projectcars/projectcar_details.asp?ProjectVehicleID=42

what type of transmission setup should i go with. i am gonna do the b20/vtec route. any suggestions?

B16 or B18C1...a type-r tranny would be the best but it would set you back way too much. Just get a nice b16 one

puting me back way to much? Try me! : )

Well, if price is of no concern:
B20 bottom end
ProDrive Oil Pump Gear
Type R water pump
TODA timing belt
Crower Rods
JE custom 12.5:1 compression pistons
Cometic Head gasket
Underdrive pulleys (UR or STR, etc.)
B16 head (ported out, 3 or even a 5-angle valve job)
1mm Oversized Valves
TODA individual throttle bodies
JUN stage 3 cams
Spoon Cam Gears
Bisimoto Header
2.5" Exhaust
TypeR ECU, JUN chipped or Apexi VAFC
TODA springs and titanium retainers
Integra TypeR Transmission w/ LSD
ClutchMasters Flywheel
ClutchMasters 6-Puck Race clutch
TRACTION BARS!!!!!
....there, the "dream" B20/VTEC setup. Now add a 88-00 civic/crx/integra platform and hold on tight.

on another off the subject note..how much stock hp does a ls-vtec put out? not the frankenstein build up but the regular?

and one more thing....what motor is it thats in the civic si's. its the b16 right?

There is no "regular" ls/vtec buildup. The motor goes by many names. LS/VTEC, ls/vtec hybrid, frankenstein, etc etc. A newer stock LS puts out about 140hp at the crank (120 range at the wheels) if that's what you're asking. Yup, the 99-00 Civic Si's came with B16's stock, but don't be that intimidated by them...they're not THAT fast, but are still pretty quick. Some quick hp numbers in case your curious:

B18B1 (integra LS): 142hp
B16B (jdm civic typer): 185hp
B16A6 (civic SiR/Si): 170hp
B18C5 (US integra typer): 200hp
B20B (97-98 CRV): 126hp 8.8:1 compression
B20Z (99-00 CRV): 146hp 9.6:1 compression
B16A1 (88-91 CRX SiR): 160hp
B18C1 (94-01 GSR): 170hp
B17 (92-93 GSR): 160hp
Ls/Vtec w/ B16head: 208hp @ wheels (mild buildup) 136lbs torque
B20/Vtec: 212hp @ wheels (stock head with 12.5:1 pistons, very mild build up) 155lb torque
D16A6 (88-91 civic Si): 108hp
ZC (JDM civic): 137hp
D15B7 (92-95 Civic Dx/Lx): 102 hp
D16Z6 (92-95 civic EX/Si): 125hp
D16Y8 (96-00 civic EX): 127hp
JDM D15B (92-95 civic VTi): 130hp

Edited by D15powerd (Tue Jul 20, 04   1:22 PM)

I DONT NO WHY YOU GOT THE WRONG INFO BECUZ LS/V IS THE QUICKEST THING OUT WE HAVE A 1990 4 DOOR INTEGRA ALL MOTOR WITH LS/V IT HITS 12.7 IN THE 1/4 IT REV'S TO 10 G'S ALL DAY ITS A STREET CAR

That's terrific. *single clap* But last time i checked a 2.0L with the same work as a 1.8L is more likely faster. I'm sure there are exceptions, but like they always say, there is no replacement for displacement. Those horsepower numbers are from:
"How to Build Honda Horsepower" by Richard Holdener
The B20/Vtec build is the engine used in the Bonneville Record-setting Civic from Progress/Vortech.
I don't make claims i dont' back up, the B20/Vtec is better than the Ls/Vtec; better torque.

WELL LAST TIME I CHECKED ALL THE FAST CARS IN CALI ARE LS/V AND ALL THE FAST CARS IN NHRA ARE LS/V B20'S ARE OLD THAT SOMETHING I DID BACK IN 2001-2002 U WONT FIND A B20 HIT A 12.7 IN AN ALL MOTOR 4 DOOR