B18C1 or B18B

RainyDaze

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I would like to swap my engine with either a B18C1 or B18B depending on which I feel is a better buy.

My questions are as follows:
What other things do I need to have done to my car before, during and after the engine swap? i.e. do I need to get a new transmission, will either engine require a vtec head to be added, will there be any fabrication required to do the swap, etc.... :?:
What things do I need to know before going to a shop and having them do the engine swap :?:

Also does anyone know where I can find a supplier of either the B18C1 or B18B engines online by any chance :?:
 

BioHazard the Reaper

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yeah go to http://www.hmotorsonline.com , or go and talk to 99excoupe, either one can hook you up, and i think talking to 99excoupe would be a better place to start, and as for what you'll need: Engine, transmission, mounts, axles, halfshaft, wire harness, ecu, shift linkage those are the big parts, and theres lots of little stuff youll need, um id recommend the b18c, but im not good with engine swap info, becuase you have to get the right obd type, and right clutch type, so id just either mail handlebsfsr, he knows hella lot on engine swaps and which will work best for you, just to say b18a is cheaper, but less hp, but im not sure how nice it will your car, so like i said hit mike(handlebsfsr) up and its not that expensive, im getting a b18b with almost everything you can imagine for 1900, so look around.
 


RainyDaze

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Re: B18C1 or B18A

Thanks for the info BioHazard. BTW what is the difference between the B18b B18c1?
 


BioHazard the Reaper

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im not sure all i know is that the b18c1 is from a 94+ teg and has
1797cc
4 cyl, 16 valve
DOHC VTEC
10.0:1 c.r.
PGM-FI (MPFI)
Dual stage intake....
....with.....
170 bhp @ 7600
Redline: 8200 rpm
now a b16 has
has i thnk 160 hp...
but like i said you really need to find that will work well in your car, if you buy the wrong, your stress level will rise dramatacally....
o and another dif is lots of cash =)
 

BioHazard the Reaper

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from hmotors online the b16a complete swap is 2300 + shipping the b18c is 4600 + shipping....so in all respect id go b16a if its compatiable with your car......man handlebsfsr needs to read this....
 

RainyDaze

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Alright cool. Ya I went to hmotorsonline.com and found the B18C usdm for $3199 + shipping, etc..for a complete change over which is pretty steep. I don't believe the B16a will work on my car, but I will ask 99excoupe and handlebsfsr as well when I get the chance.
 

BioHazard the Reaper

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blah sorry about all that b16 crap i thought that was the other motor...but i personally am getting a b18b, 2200 is alot less....
 

Team 4R

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the one-eyed leading the blind.....? :lol:

if you buy a complete longblock, it will come with the motor, tranny, ecu, and some mounts...... i personally prefer factory vtec motors, my favorite being the b16a2 (you can get these for ~$2300 and they drop right into your car).

the b18c is a gsr motor..... 1.8L vtec. nice, but not my cup of tea..... not impressed with some of its details. the b18b is a 1.8L non-vtec...... in this case i believe the b18c is infinitely better because it is already built to do 8500rpms, where all your power will be made.
 

Je

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Hey TEAM4R how much horses does a b16a2 come with?
 

Handlebars

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what motor you decide on is dependent on how you drive, what other mods you are going to do to your car, and your goals. the b18b is only 140 hp, and is definitely not the motor you want to run if your going to stay n/a. if you do this swap, you definitely are going to want to turbo it too. this is probably the best stock b series motor to turbo thanks to its lower compression ratio. correct tuning can allow you to run 12 psi on it, which can equal almost 300 wheel hp. this is by far the cheapest swap, as you can find these motors in local junkyards. they are also easy to get parts for because honda build far more b18b's in the us than it ever did b16's or b18c's. stock they make more torque at a lower rpm than either the b16 or b18c, so if low end grunt is what your looking for, this is a good motor to start with. 142 hp, 127lb/ft

the b16a has similar hp to the b18c, but it has less torque. its best feature is its almost perfect 1.75:1 rod stroke ratio, which allows it to safely rev to 9500-10,000 rpm's. all this motors power is concentrated high in the rev range, so be prepared to do a lot of shifting to keep the engine well into vtec. there is a reason that this engine is almost a grand cheaper than a comparable b18c, the extra 25 lb/ft of torque in the b18c makes a world of difference, especially around town. 170hp (160 usdm) 111lb/ft

b18c is the best (affordable) b series motor. the b18c5 (type r) motor makes more hp, but its $5000+ pricetag is just out of this world. you should be able to find this motor for around 3 grand or so. stock it is faster and torquier than the b16 thanks to its extra displacement, and mods are also more effective on it. if you plan to do only bolt ons and leave the motor pretty much stock, this is the engine to get.

all these motors will go into your car with a mount kit from hasport or another engine mount company. the wiring changes needed depend on the year of the motor and what wiring cutting was done when the motor was removed from the car. the easiest motor to swap in would be a b16a2 from a 99-00 si, which if you get the full package from the car, should bolt in and plug into your car. otherwise, there will be some wiring mods needed to your car. if you get a vtec motor, you will need to run a wire for the knock sensor, and i believe some of the emissions equipment wiring is different and will need to be modified. i know some companies make wiring harness for this swap, im pretty sure place racing does, which can make it easier.
 

Je

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damn i want a b18c1 for my car now..... i was kind of confued when reading all that....so a b18c1 comes with 170hp and costs a little over 3g's? Correct me if i mis understood please
 

Handlebars

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the difference is in the engine coding. b18c1 is the usdm 94+ gsr motor, it has 170 hp. the b18c is the jdm version of that engine, which has a bit higher compression ratio and 180 hp. hmotors online puts the price at a bit over 3 grand. you might be able to find a c1 cheaper in a junkyard, but you would have to be really lucky.
 

Je

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Damn im stupid.............here is a dumb question........
Handlebar you were saying that you will have to do alot of shifting to stay in vtec...what does that mean? When does your engine kick into vtec?
 

Handlebars

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i was saying that because the b16 doesnt produce much torque, so if you want to go fast, you really need to work the engine. compared to the b18, you need to make sure you dont let the engine go below vtec (if your racing or drivng fast on a twisty road) or the engine will bog. vtec engages at different points depending on what engine you have, but its usually between 4500-6000 rpm.
 

Je

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OH i see, but right now i have the Vtec-E.......i dunno what that is, i just read it on the specs for my car. But then i heard its not good to red line your rpm's when you have a stock engine. :?:
 

BioHazard the Reaper

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Originally posted by "Team 4R"

the one-eyed leading the blind.....? :lol:
well hey give me credit i told him i new and that in order to get a good accurate advice he should talk to mike, so at least i was pointing him in the right direction
 

Team 4R

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b16a2 has 160hp. the b16a (jdm) has 170hp due to higher compression. the displacement advantage of the b18c1 (~.2L) is a small amount, and doesn't justify a ~$1000 increase in price over a $2300 motor...... (cost effectiveness, hp/$)

a b16a2 will drop right into your car (i know because i've done the same in my 99 ex), and you don't need to do any wiring changes or anything..... just plug and play. a friend of mine and i swapped my motor into my car one saturday afternoon in about 8 hours. a b18c will also drop right in if you get the correct factory mounts.

handlebar, i'm curious, what car and motor combination are you running?
 

Team 4R

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Originally posted by "handlebarsfsr"

i was saying that because the b16 doesnt produce much torque, so if you want to go fast, you really need to work the engine. compared to the b18, you need to make sure you dont let the engine go below vtec (if your racing or drivng fast on a twisty road) or the engine will bog. vtec engages at different points depending on what engine you have, but its usually between 4500-6000 rpm.
regarding this comment i have to disagree......... the b16 is, of course, faster when you stay in vtec..... but, my b16 pulls hard from 4k rpms (vtec at 5500rpms). you just need to have the right parts on your car.....

i've driven the b18c as well, but the theory behind small, peaky four-bangers is best exemplified in the b16 motor. for a small motor to make power, it has to spin at high rpms..... an optimal r/s ratio allows the b16 to do just that. forget about low-end torque.... that's just an excuse.
 


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