Boost or Swap?

[lowandslow]

Hey guys,

So I'm pretty new to the whole D series/B series (meaning going in depth other than bolt ons, suspension, etc) and I wanted to get opinions from everyone as to what I should be leaning towards. It's a 00 civic 4 dr and it has the single cam vtec motor - 5 spd. It's my daily and it's great on gas and everything works. Now, the wife wants it to have it a little more go in it. Nothing ridiculous like, 500hp but a little more power. I've talked it over with a few buddies and it's a 50-50 as to either boost or swap the motor. I wanted to ask you guys what you think. I don't want a ridiculous high HP car. anything in the 200-230 range would be great. So what would be the most efficient/time saving/money saving route that I could go?

Some things to consider are (at least, I think it'll apply)

Want to keep A/C and P/S
Really hoping not to run a full exhaust (probably not going to happen if going boost)
Reliable as it's a DD
Don't want it to be a money pit (but it's a Honda lol)


If there's any other information that I would need to help you guys out as well, let me know and i'll try to provide it. Again, I'm pretty new to the D/B series as I'm a K-J series guy.


Thanks in advance!

 

[Failsafe88]

Depending on how many miles are on the d. If you were just looking for a little pick me up if low enough miles you could buy you a good turbo kit or piece one together and with a good tune and few adjustments turbo the d. However if it's a higher mileage d series then i would suggest a rebuild. You can also get another d series engine and build it for boost. As long as you keep boost down with a good tune on stock rods and pistons it can be enough to hold you off until you wanted more power.

 

[mylovehx]

Turbo the D

 

[Shaaaft]

Turbo the D. It will be better experience in the long run if you decide to swap in a LS engine perhaps and then you can turbo that and have even more fun!

 

[Em1 Powa]

Turbo it. I had a turbo d16z6 and it was quite fun.

 

[mylovehx]

Im getting my turbo D tuned in a week

 

[Trekk]

The only problem with going turbo is the price will sky rocket really fast. To hit those numbers and be able to do it for thousands of miles it will cost you. You will need some sort of mgt system, tune, clutch, real exhaust, injectors, wider rims and tires, blah blah.

I ran my setup for years w/o problems. I would change plugs and oil a lot but that was it. Copper plugs are really cheap so it's not a big deal.

 

[Turbo_Freak]

The only problem with going turbo is the price will sky rocket really fast. To hit those numbers and be able to do it for thousands of miles it will cost you. You will need some sort of mgt system, tune, clutch, real exhaust, injectors, wider rims and tires, blah blah.

I ran my setup for years w/o problems. I would change plugs and oil a lot but that was it. Copper plugs are really cheap so it's not a big deal.

You need wider rims to run a turbo?

 

[TokyoSkies]

You need wider rims to run a turbo?

Yeah.. um..

Turbo is fun, but it's more maintenance on a DD. There's no way around it. You're going to be doing oil changes every 2k miles, with full synthetic. You're going to be changing your spark plugs/wires once every 2 months, you're going to need to re-tune anytime anything is changed on the car etc., but the power is awesome (even if it is a little D series ).
As far as cost effective, properly boosting will likely run you more than doing a swap to a B-series, but you'll yield more power if done properly.

 

[Trekk]

You need wider rims to run a turbo?

Well unless you consider a cloud of smoke and loss of traction fast then no you don't. If you plan to put power to the ground a wider set will help.

 

[B16Ferio]

Two things, first is that I'm jealous your wife wants your civic to have more power. Mine wants me to get rid of mine. Second, I have a 98 4 door with a b16a2 swap and its loads of fun! Just gotta do the basic oil changes! So if you're looking for a little more power maybe do a semi-built (top end) B20 swap. The motors are pretty cheap for the most part and you're looking at like $1500 to build the top end. Just my 2 cents.

 

[TigBitties]

i would consider a swap way more reliable than boost. and with a lighter flywheel setup it will feel much faster than your current engine

 

[RealRabbit]

For the price of a complete swap, remember its not just a 500 dollar engine and $300 transmission. You're not gaining enough HP per dollar to be worth it in my opinion. Unless you go with a gsr then you're into money. For that price you might as well rebuild your motor and boost it.

A b18c1 is rated at 180HP to the crank. Being generous that's about 160HP to the wheels. For the same price or less you can make 250 HP to the wheels safely with boost.

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[stcopley]

For the price of a complete swap, remember its not just a 500 dollar engine and $300 transmission. You're not gaining enough HP per dollar to be worth it in my opinion. Unless you go with a gsr then you're into money. For that price you might as well rebuild your motor and boost it.

A b18c1 is rated at 180HP to the crank. Being generous that's about 160HP to the wheels. For the same price or less you can make 250 HP to the wheels safely with boost.

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Not on a d series. You will have to rebuild the internals and get a big turbo to make 250 at the wheels

 

[Trekk]

Lots of Internet racers in here!
250 to the wheels is like 140% increase in power. That alone should tell you something, the old saying goes, speeds not cheap, how fast do you want to go.

 

[RealRabbit]

Lots of Internet racers in here!
250 to the wheels is like 140% increase in power. That alone should tell you something, the old saying goes, speeds not cheap, how fast do you want to go.

I didn't say he was going to get 250whp for 500. If you price a gsr complete swap from hmotorsonline.com its about 3k. For that price you can properly build and boost a d series. That's machine work, new internals etc. Quality parts for a d series are not expensive.

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For that price you might as well rebuild your motor and boost it.


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Yes, that's why I said rebuild it.


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[dck1ng69]

if you dont have to worry about smog, do a b20 swap with an ls or gsr tranny, then boost it...if you go this route, plan on getting it tuned so itll run well and try to get a turbo kit with a good turbo and exhaust manifold, some of the cheap kits they have out there dont bolt up that well or arent that reliable

 

[TigBitties]

turbo ls if you want reliable 250, end of discussion

250 is upper limits of a stock single cam and the transmission are s**t

 

[lowandslow]

I appreciate all the advice you guys are giving whether it be swap or boost. I knew it was gonna be 50/50 as well. lol but little more info in case that'll help out anyone else providing good inputs;

it's at about 154,xxx
sometimes it idles funny but i think it's because of the IAVC? (i think that's what it's called; behind the intake manifold?)
again, don't want it to be a money pit
if it removes A/C or P/S, i do not want to go that route.
if it'll prevent from going lower, don't want that route. (the wifey likes the height it's at; doesn't want to raise it if i swap/boost)


But it really all depends on the wife. She wants it to have a little more pick up, BUT doesn't want to affect the reliability. So if swap in, lets just say a gsr with gsr trans i think that'll be enough for her. Even if it's not tuned (i'm assuming i would have to get it tuned just so it'll run correctly?) that'll be great cause i know i can always slap on some bolt ons and leave it like that. But if i boost the single slam, would i pay the price down the road; lets say, 5,000 miles after install/tune, would i be right back to buying replacement parts?


it would be an easier decision if i wasn't bagging her car and getting her wheels and if i wasn't boosting my J series. I also thought about just throwing my K series into the 4 door. LOL

 

[TokyoSkies]

I appreciate all the advice you guys are giving whether it be swap or boost. I knew it was gonna be 50/50 as well. lol but little more info in case that'll help out anyone else providing good inputs;

it's at about 154,xxx
sometimes it idles funny but i think it's because of the IAVC? (i think that's what it's called; behind the intake manifold?)
again, don't want it to be a money pit
if it removes A/C or P/S, i do not want to go that route.
if it'll prevent from going lower, don't want that route. (the wifey likes the height it's at; doesn't want to raise it if i swap/boost)


But it really all depends on the wife. She wants it to have a little more pick up, BUT doesn't want to affect the reliability. So if swap in, lets just say a gsr with gsr trans i think that'll be enough for her. Even if it's not tuned (i'm assuming i would have to get it tuned just so it'll run correctly?) that'll be great cause i know i can always slap on some bolt ons and leave it like that. But if i boost the single slam, would i pay the price down the road; lets say, 5,000 miles after install/tune, would i be right back to buying replacement parts?


it would be an easier decision if i wasn't bagging her car and getting her wheels and if i wasn't boosting my J series. I also thought about just throwing my K series into the 4 door. LOL

If you start modding the car, you are effectively turning it into a money pit, no matter how you look at it. The defining point will be: what KIND of money pit do you want? You can swap and retain all the amenities you want, but you need to buy all of the components from the swapped motor's car to make them all work. You can keep them with boost, but it will require some garage engineering to make everything fit and work fine.