Originally Posted by
Rooftop voter
I have a 1994 integra RS that I am planning to turbo, but I just found a 98 GSR at a good price. The question is, how much more benifit am I going to see from turboing the GSR vs the Stock b18b motor? Is it worth it to shell out more money now and get the GSR and turbo it when I have the funds, or should I just turbo the B18? Is vtec vs non vtec that big of a deal when FI is brought into the mix? I also know that the GSR has a better tranny, but I figure if I stay with the RS I can just find a GSR tranny at a junkyard or whatever and just switch them out. Am I correct that it is do-able and that it will just link up? Also, I can swap out for a b16a1 head with minimal amount of headaches if I'm not gonna run Vtec, am I correct on this? Thanks, Ramsey.
Also, I found a LS/Vtec conversion kit on ebay, how reliable are these? says no machining involved, is this true? I heard it was a risky procedure, does this make it easier?
1) At the same boost level, the GSR's B18C1 will make more power than the B18B1. Where your 94 RS will be making about 170 wheel horsepower at 8lbs, the 98 GSR will be making about 220 wheel hp, all others things equal.
2) When it comes to trading cars, only you can make that call.
However, I would just turbocharge your RS rather than take a chance on the health of a newer GSR. What's to say the previous owner didn't beat the piss out of it?
You can make up some of the difference through higher boost level and minor headwork. Also, the GSR transmission will help your acceleration times, despite the lower redline of the RS motor.
3) Slapping a VTEC head on a stock B18B1 block is a recipe for a short-lived engine. Search the term "LS-VTEC" build and you'll see that the process of building such a motor is not a cheap proposition. This goes double when you're paying other people to turn the wrenches.
4) The B16A1 is one of the most overrated engines ever. Sure it has 160hp, but it has jack shit for torque. Also, depending on emissions laws, this engine may not even be a legal option for you.
5) The "VTEC Conversion" kit is just a set of hoses and an adapter to faciltate plumbing the oil feed line to a VTEC head. While they claim there is no machining involved, you still have to mill out the head for the B18B1 dowel pins. And after that, you're still dealing with a marginal bottom end. (see #3)
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