Sounds like the research you've uncovered has been posts/info from people who don't know much on the subject.
A lot of hear say...A friend of a friend's sister says this will happen you do this without doing this or that....get my point...
yes you can put a b16 crank into an ls block but you will need longer rods.
Deck height is still the same...
It won't be the same as a vtec block, they still have oile squirters, block girdle (b18c) diff oil pump..etc..
Changing rod bolts is to make them stronger, the ls bolts aren't meant to withstand the high rpm that the vtec engines run, the stock bolts can stretch and then you spin a rod bearing....
The ls/vtec makes more power due to the higher compression and the longer stroke.