b16 cams

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new2me93

New Member
I want to change the cams in my b16. I know i need to replace the valve springs, retainers and lma's. Do the cam followers need te be replaced with new ones if i get new cams? Does anyone know how much they cost? Are cams even worth it?
 
Cams can make good power, but just like most bolt-on parts, they work better when matched up with other modifications, like a decent intake pipe, throttle body, intake mani, head work, exhaust, proper tuning, etc.

What is your current setup?
 
stock bottom end and head, type-r intake manifold, 4-2-1 header, high flow cat and exhaust, injen intake, fuel pump, p28 with hondata dyno tuned. 155 whp
 
I want to change the cams in my b16. I know i need to replace the valve springs, retainers and lma's. Do the cam followers need te be replaced with new ones if i get new cams? Does anyone know how much they cost? Are cams even worth it?

With stage 1 cams or ITR cams you can use your stock vavle springs, retainers and lmas, as long as you use the 8K redline. If you want to find more power there after, upgrading to at least type r springs and retainers

Stage 2 I think that they are a must.
 
do a thinner headgasket (for more compression), and put in ITR cams. 98+ USDM, or 96-97 JDM ITR. CTR cam would be too much for stock valvetrain, but respectively obeying your 8k redline is whats going to keep you from breaking things. You should also look into the CTR crank pulley. set your vtec at 6k and tune it. Should make 10-15whp over the b16's.
 
I had my civic dyno tuned and they put where it has the smoothest hp curve on the dyno chart. It is at 5500 now.
 
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Be very careful fitting even ITR cams with standard valve springs because at the standard retained height of 33.5mm some standard springs have a coil bind height of only about 10.54mm , ITR springs are 11.5mm. If you dont check the coil bind with the VTEC engaged you wont know until its too late. Sometimes you will end up with a higher retained height if you head has had a valve grind but this also reduces your seat pressure to as little as 30lb so watch the RPM.Most stage 11 cams have lift well above even ITR springs bind height as most companies only vary there duration but maintain about the same lift (ie comp) JG make a good set of high lift springs.XS power .com has a good combo of springs and ITR spec cams and they are cheap
 
Good first post noob!

Yes thanks, i try not to come off as a dumbass noob who is having a problem with there first car that mommy bought them. I do have experiance with engine building, turbos, and tuning, i hope to be a usefull addition to HS.
 
ive never seen a b16 with itr cams want vtec lower than 6k. even with the b16 cams, vtec comes in (on original ecu) 5500 rpm. every engine will put out different numbers considering its condition/modifications. I'm no tuner, but I dont just sit in the waiting room when my setups get tuned. It mainly depends on the cam you want to run. you can tune an engine multiple ways... not just for the maximum power output, but you can tune for more reliability as well. Some tuners feel the need to tune it on the fat side (inexperienced customer safety) as i like to call it.
 
Hard hitting VTEC is never correct. From the quick search I just did, I'm in a hurry at the moment, it looks like the B18C engines cross over at 4400rpm.If you're tuning for reliability, you'll want the crossover to stay smooth instead of creating a power plateau and following spike by moving VTEC higher. If you're tuning for power, you want VTEC to be just before the low lobe starts to fall off so the power curve is nice and smooth. There's a method to the madness. My tuner is an both an ITT Tech and EFI University graduate, he knows his shizz and is very open with the theory.

If anything, leave it stock until the tuner decides it needs to be changed by looking at the dyno graph.

Your right and wrong at the same time... b18c1 = gsr. stock gsr ecu, vtec engages at 4400rpm... thats the stock ecu. if you infact run the larger cams (itr), if you even contemplate vtec running on the stock gsr ecu (which IS possible), but vtec crossover at 4400rpm is way too low for that cam. Im not trying to knock your knowledge whatsoever, nor your tuners but it all depends on the cams (like i said before). For example, look at Jeff Taylors old engine (which a friend of mine bought from him). he had toda C's with vtec crossover @ 6900rpm, and spun it to 10,000 rpm. and ive driven IN the car that engine was in when Terry owned it. When vtec comes in, it comes in HARD. Its all top-end. That is what it was tuned for. But like i said, with my personal setups ive had sufficient torque to bring me up to 6800rpm and ride out hardcore in vtec from there to 9,000 rpm. I could have set vtec lower, but for the rev range I planned on using it worked out pretty well for me. As for him, stock b16 with itr cams...5800-6000 rpm is pretty much where you would want vtec to crossover. Your totally right about the smooth engagement deal, im all for that (with mild setups). But if you do your research, that rpm is where you would want it to come in as well. =)
 
"It all depends on the cams..."

Do you not see that that's exactly what I'm saying? How many times do I have to say "set VTEC crossover just before the point where the low lobe falls off"?

You sound like you know garage tuners. I'm talking about real tuners who use dynos. If VTEC hits noticeably hard, the crossover point is wrong.

If you know REAL tuners, than THEY would know that tuning is more than just a "smooth crossover". You tune for your powerband, like i said, depending on the "cams" and where you want your power curve/rev range. Most bigger cams make their power UP TOP.

Secondly, ive never seen a big cam, for example, Toda C, have vtec crossover come in "smoothly" regardless of tuning. Thats a BIG cam. When vtec crosses over, you WILL feel it. I'm not a tuner, I build. But thats just common sense. Your saying that when "tuning for vtec crossover", it should come in smoothly... thats NOT the case with all engines Blanco, you should know that.

I'm finished with arguing over the f'ing vtec crossover. I know what works for ME and thats all that matters to ME.
 
Lets move on here.
If i get new cams do i need to get new cam followers (rocker arms)???
When i was building my toyota 22r the new cam required new followers, this is why i ask.
 
If you know REAL tuners, than THEY would know that tuning is more than just a "smooth crossover". You tune for your powerband, like i said, depending on the "cams" and where you want your power curve/rev range. Most bigger cams make their power UP TOP.

Secondly, ive never seen a big cam, for example, Toda C, have vtec crossover come in "smoothly" regardless of tuning. Thats a BIG cam. When vtec crosses over, you WILL feel it. I'm not a tuner, I build. But thats just common sense. Your saying that when "tuning for vtec crossover", it should come in smoothly... thats NOT the case with all engines Blanco, you should know that.

I'm finished with arguing over the f'ing vtec crossover. I know what works for ME and thats all that matters to ME.

Ya man. Try and get Skunk2 stage 3 cams to cross over smoothly. Just won't happen
 
Ya man. Try and get Skunk2 stage 3 cams to cross over smoothly. Just won't happen

My point exactly. The lobes are larger than oem by a lot, which makes smoother engagement that much harder.
 
Some lame Photoshop images for the intelligence impaired.

This is what happens when you set VTEC too high for where the low cam makes power.
Incorrectcrossover.jpg


This is what happens with a large cam and a proper VTEC crossover.
Correctcrossover.jpg


The jump you feel is from the power, not from the VTEC crossover itself. It's called larning, maybe ya'oughta do sum!
BWUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
 
Hahaha
"OMG!!! VTEC JUST KICKED IN!!!":bo::bo:

Blanco is such a sarcastic dick, I just love him.
 
lol that was funny =) whatever works for you i guess.. i learned from experience... most ppl online learn from search engines... thats the difference. I personally will be setting vtec SUPER HIGH just to satisfy myself and once again dyno 200whp =)
 
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