Originally Posted by b20hatchy
Yeah the b20 is the cheappest but it is also the most expensive to build. I had one in my hatch and i blew it after 5 months and 15 lbs. I wanted to sleeve it and it was a shit load compared to other b series motors. I called darton to see how much sleeves would be and they said they didnt make them anymore because they had too many problems.
You can still deck the block or buy guards, and there are other companies that still make sleeves. I'm not surprised that 15psi blew the motor, my observation is that a Honda block will handle about 40% increase in power before any problems arise in block integrity, or around 15psi. Tuning is also critical for CRVTEC or LS/VTEC swaps.
The build isn't all that substantial IMO, a CRV long block will run you $500-$600, with the head anywhere from $700-$1100, depending on choice. There is machine work involved, but you can build one hell of a motor using this platform.