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View Full Version : D to B Review on my EJ8



hondavti25
13-02-2011, 09:12 PM
Hi Guys,


Thought I would post a quick review to help those who have tossed up between keeping there D series or doing a swap to a B series.

My car (EJ8) was always fun to drive around good on fuel and reliable. Then last year from what the mechanics have told me my gear box was slowly dying and no one could work it out. The advise given was change it out. After allot of thinking I decided I will go for the B series swap when I weighed up the costs. Decided on a B16B but when I went to drop the car of found the motor had sold. So Ivan and the guys at HiPower sourced me a B18CR (98 Spec) and had it landed in 6 weeks. The team there did an amazing job working all the way through boxing day to get my car done. I have to give it to the guys there my car was the last in the work shop and didn't stop till mine was done to there standard.

We ended up installing:
B18CR
Carbon Fibre whale Penis intake
Hasport mounts
Cat back was already installed.
New OEM clutch.
New timing belt.
New water pump.

My first drive I was stocked the car had a whole new feel to it! Allot more responsive and that VTEC cross over just screamed! :D Going for the Y8 to the B series was just a realisation of what I have been missing. The car is great for daily driving in the D series I would find my self shifting from 4th to 3rd up his in the B I can easily cruise up most hills in 5th. I haven't been able to work out if its better or worse then the old motors fuel economy as I have been having a little bit of fun with it so far but it comes close. The car also seems quieter but every one in the car who knows it says its allot tougher sounding and you can just tell somethings different about it. I have noticed the car will sit at higher revs while cruising for example in the D in 5th doing 80 I would sit on 2K with the B I am sitting on just under 3k.

The B18CR is perfect I have been in B16A's and there fun and revy but they lack the torque and pull the B18CR has to offer.


The Hasport mounts do make the vibrations through the car a little obvious but you get used to after about a month and leads to a more solid feeling and confidence in the car. The intake I think probably could do with a shield on it as on many occasions opening the bonnet after a drive you can feel the heat around the intake and the tube. How ever it does make an epic deep tone so I am happy at the moment and was half the price of any big name brand.

All round one very happy camper and a massive thank you to Ivan and the guys at Hi Power. I can't imagine having anything else in the car at the moment from the D series almost sounding like its hurting when going in to VTEC, to the B that just eats the revs all the way to 8900.

Hope that helps if your in the same position I was.

MikeyG
13-02-2011, 09:17 PM
or

get a b20 block 400-600$
get b16a longblock
get ge b20vtec conversion kit

better then type r :D

1996_EK_Civic
13-02-2011, 09:23 PM
you make me want to put a B in my EJ8!

question - how much was the B16 you were gonna buy and how much was the B18 you got?

[daan]
13-02-2011, 09:36 PM
great review of your route, congrats on getting the DOHC as well!!

I was also in the same boat as you, except my EJ8 was immaculate in terms of the driveline. I weighted up the pro's and con's of doing the B Swap and realised that it just wasnt worth injecting the $$. I've just sold my EJ8 and im importing a JDM typeR as it just makes more sense for me and will wind up being cheaper in the long run.

mugen_ctr
13-02-2011, 09:51 PM
sure hope u done the rear brake conversion...., cause that makes a huge difference even more lol...

But yea, some how its swayed me a little to go engine swap, but boost will always be on my mind, lol

hondavti25
13-02-2011, 09:57 PM
or

get a b20 block 400-600$
get b16a longblock
get ge b20vtec conversion kit

better then type r :D

Yeah that would of been great but reliability is mainly what I was going for and this is great for that! If I was going B20 I would have to build it I think. But cheers for the insight.

hondavti25
13-02-2011, 09:59 PM
Breaks haven't been an issue so far. Its a daily driven car and breaks are definitely on the shopping list :)

boy180
13-02-2011, 10:04 PM
i like the write up!

on another note, im down the same path as u lol.. ive got the motor, jst the matter of changing everything to oem, such as seals, gaskets, clutch, flywheel, pumps, etc..
n yes definately the rear brakes!

hondavti25
13-02-2011, 10:06 PM
Yeah I had Clutch, Pumps and Timing belt replaced and everything else was stock was worth doing all of it purely for the reliability aspect.

TheSaint
14-02-2011, 01:09 AM
you have had the best of both worlds - the Y8 is as good as it gets for SOHC and the B18cR is as good as it gets for DOHC lol

GSi_PSi
14-02-2011, 03:28 AM
^ B18CR isnt the best dohc vtec motor lol you might wanna change it to best b series factory motor

TheSaint
14-02-2011, 09:47 AM
k20 asides they are the best out of the common honda line up for dohc/sohc

cra16ybaby
28-02-2011, 04:13 PM
i have a em1 with a jdmb18c and i have to agree they are a bit of fun.

davidvtec
28-02-2011, 09:31 PM
Great write up mate. Glad to see your enjoying your car more now :)