Too Many Choices!

[BigPawr]

I just recently got a 97 civic dx hatchback and will be doing a swap this summer. Only problem is there are way too many setups to choose from the honda engine family. I've jumped from almost every setups possible. It will be my daily driver, but i'll probably drag it at the track for fun on occasion against all my auto classmates. I would like to go turbo and have a budget of about 5grand. My fellow honda buddies have suggested to go Ls motor with lower compression pistons and turbo, or even h23 with turbo. I know non vtech with low compression is best to turbo, but i'd hate to give up the coveted vtech that honda prides itself on. I've even bounced from b18c5 to h22a and b18c1, but more money for those b series motors kills the turbo dream and the h22a cuases understeer which i really don't want to have driving problems. I'd build an Ls/vtech but the guy inclass just finished his and spent like 6-8 grand and we hope it has 200hp to the wheels. Any suggestions on good setups let me know, coming down to crunch time and need some help.

 

[liquid00meth]

Ls/T all the way. throw a junkyard turbo kit on it, and your good to go. Your last dollars should go towards some proper tuning if you can. Ls/T > h23/T

 

[dohcvtec_accord]

For that budget, you probably couldn't get an H23/T into a Civic. If you HAD the cash, it would own an LS/T, but if that's your budget, stick with an LS/T.

VTEC (not vtech) isn't as necessary for a turbo setup as it is for an n/a setup. It makes tuning a turbo setup kinda tough. It's there partially to allow for more overlap in a tuned n/a setup, and the overlap is not desired for the turbo setup.

EDIT: Now that I think about it, you MIGHT get a working H23/T into a Civic, but you'd have to do alot of shopping around, and make sure you know what you're doing.

 

[ekPhred]

off of your budget, i would go ls/t like meth said. good luck on your project.

 

[Jeef]

You should do a lot more research on the engine on your own. If you can't even spell vtec correctly then you do not know enough to be spending that kind of money on the swap. DO as much research as you can, it will save you money and time down the road.

 

[E_SolSi]

 

[BigPawr]

My bad on the whole "VTEC" thing. I was typing fast and didn't really have my thoughts together. I just got rid of my 90 accord and was planning a 240sx SR20DET swap but it fell through, so i got a civic hatch. I've never had vtec before, so i've never really had to spell it often. Sorry if i pissed anyone off. I do know a lot about the motors, so don't take me as being a lil kid who don't know shit. For god sakes I'm engine reapair certified from Jefferson Technical College.

As for another concern is that the ls motor will burn up quick being turbocharged. If I'm only going to get about 200hp from the Ls/T swap, i wonder if i should just stay simple with an all motor dohc vtec engine such as a b18c5 or b18c1(with minor bolt ons such as intake manifold, cams, etc. to reach 200hp) I just don't want my engine to fail down the road do to turbo charging. I know of course i will most likely build up the Ls engine. I just don't know for the long run if just keeping it simple would be better (less breakage and wear n tear). I'm not trying to be the fastest or anything, just something fun and fast around town and occasionally at the track for those whip your auto classmates ass days. Plus I'd like to kill my older brothers 97 vtec prelude.
Who knows maybe I"ll even beat my fellow honda guru classmate's Ls/vtec.

 

[EGLSHB]

my buddy in wisconsin has a 97 LS complete engine w/ 100 miles on it for sale, he works logistics for Realtime Racing. if you are from any where near there, you ought to give him a call