ls or sohc vtec

We may earn a small commission from affiliate links and paid advertisements. Terms

slowredhatch

Junior Member
i have a 94 cx civic h/b. I would like to do a sohc vtec swap and just make it the same as an SI. but i knwo it owuld be hard to get the kind of power out of it that would do what i want it to. I was wondering what would be requierd to put in an ls longblock into it? and also i would like to knwo how much it would be. I am loking more for autocross
 
just buy an LS engine. it's a much better building block than the sohc in my opinion. if you want to go fast in a honda. you need two cams, or a single cam with a huge turbo
 
The LS engine has more power and torque than the D16Z6, and it'll require fewer wiring changes since you don't need to add VTEC control. It'll be more fun to drive in the city, plus your power band will be much broader. The LS might arguably be better for autocross if you pair it up with a transmission that's geared shorter than the LS tranny- maybe a GSR tranny.
 
yes that is what i was thinking. but do i have to change my engine mounts or get difrent axles? or would it all more or less just drop in. also what year ls would i have to get cause i am pullin my engine tomorrow and need to find one kind of soon but dont have a giant budget. i work landscaping so i probaly wont touch it much this winter mod wise.
 
Yes, you have to change some of your mounts... I'm not sure which ones off the top of my head though. You can find that information in our swap guide. You'll need new axles since you'll be running a different type of transmission- the D series trannies and the B series trannies are not interchangeable. Since you have a 94, look for a 94 or 95 B18B1. Make sure you get an OBD1 version (94-95 are OBD1)- it'll be cheaper, plus easier to wire. 96-00 are OBD2 and cost more.
 
LS is by far the better choice. More displacement, more tunablility, and more power to start. The only pro the SOHC has is cost.
 
Originally posted by lsvtec@Oct 25 2002, 12:31 PM
The only pro the SOHC has is cost.

It'z als0 g0t vTec y0! Dr0p sum stikaz 0n da sh|zZy and j00 get 50 mo' hozepowa biZz0tch!

:D
 
:D

In all seriousness, the LS swap will be much better than the SOHC VTEC. You gain barely any torque with the SOHC VTEC over the stock engine- it just flattens out so you can still generate some horsepower in the higher revs. With the B18, you'll have a much broader powerband to work with, and have wonderful block to boost on later if you want. Since you're an autocrosser, you might want to see what class an engine swap with an Integra would place you in if you want to stay competitive. I think that dropping in a B18 will place you in a different class than dropping in a D16Z6, but I could be wrong. Then again- if you're not worried about staying competitive and want to just have fun, the B18 is the way to go.
 
whats up wit you guys? have you no faith in the sohc? i guess it depends on your budget also. the ls is a straight forward swap, no extra wiring is involved, and the sohc vtec is just cheap as you can get. its really your call.
sohc parts are easy to come by though. ls parts arent that much more expensive, but hard to find. i think either one is a good swap. they are both different. nowdays everyone and their grandmother has a b16 or gsr swap. i like being the underdog...
 
I would go ls if you have the money. The z6 isnt bad for a budget.
 
808- you need to add the VTEC wires for the D16Z6 still. He asked for a comparison between the SOHC VTEC and the LS, and the LS is the better choice- barring budget.
 
Back
Top