Originally Posted by kartman2
Can you build the LS motor with good cams,springs & retainers, port and polished head and redoing the bottom end and have a motor with good power? I guess I'm asking if the LS motor can be made into a performing
motor with just building the LS motor itself and no going LS/VTECH or turbo.
Thanks,
It's certainly possible to build a high-performance naturally aspirated B18B1, but the LS-VTEC conversion -when properly built- is going to be more cost-efficient in the long run.
My question to you is what's your objection to turbocharging or the head swap?
For the price of a set of LS cams and retainers alone, you can purchase the head off of a B18C1 and be on your way. Porting the LS head is an option, but compared to the stock flow rate of the B18C1 head, it's a waste of money IMO.
There is the option of building your stock motor for nitrous oxide injection, but then you'd be continually refilling a 10lb bottle at $4.50 a pound. And should you get stopped by an officer, they're not going to be happy when they see that bottle connected.
Realistically, forged rods are overkill for an LS-VTEC. Brett (aka Dubcac) had a friend running a B20-VTEC. He used shotpeened B18B1 rods and ARP rod bolts on a B18B1 crank in B20 block. If memory serves, the motor saw over 8000rpm on a routine basis (Search for the thread, it wasn't too long ago).
So an LS-VTEC setup can be built to run reliably. If you're concerned about the setup being too powerful, you could set an external RPM limiter to stop the fun at 7000 rpm.