arp rod bolts are only $70 or less...if you are spending the money on the ls vtec...might as well spend that to rev higher. WITH arp bolts, my friend shifts at 8600 on his high compression ls vtec (all stock honda parts [rods, pistons]) he has taken it higher, but only accidently. Someone else i know had a built ls/vtec and was shifting at 9200, but there was an air bubble in one of the honda valve stems....and scored everything up pretty good. Dont rev higher than the factory parts were designed to. but the results are well worth spending a little more, depending on what your goals are.