Bang for your bucks – VtiR Civic / Vtec CRX

[TODA AU]

By request,
Bang for your bucks – VtiR Civic / Vtec CRX (B16A ~ B16B engine)

As with other bang for bucks posts…

If you only ever drive on the street, stop reading here…
If you drive on the track…
The following parts are must haves…
Oil cooler / low temp thermo fan switch…
If you can’t afford a good aftermarket radiator, at least fit a low temp thermostat.
Both are better…. Suspension & brakes also need to be addressed.
These aught to be addressed before you chase any extra HP.
As for getting more power, Honda’s are pretty fussy…
The actual parts combination is everything…
It must be put together exactly right… I can’t stress enough how important this is.
Once it’s put together right, it can be tuned… This also should be spot on…
The three work together, if 1 side has a weakness, power suffers…
Examples: Your pipe dream combination isn’t right… Power suffers…
Your mechanic doesn’t really know what he’s doing… Power suffers…
Even with perfect combination & assembly, with crap tuning… Power suffers…

Low budget – never going to get an ECU
#1 – Lightweight flywheel
#2 – Heavy-duty clutch
#3 – Lower final drive (EG: ATS)
#4 – Intake (CAI – Eg: Injen / Mugen)
#5 – Header + cat + cat-back system
#6 – Type R camshafts / adjustable cam pulleys (optional)
Power output: 106~110kw @ wheels (Dyno dynamics- shootout)

Medium budget – Stop @ ECU
#1 – Lightweight flywheel
#2 – Heavy duty clutch
#3 – Lower final drive (Eg: ATS)
#4 – Intake (CAI – Eg: Injen / Mugen)
#5 – Header + cat + cat-back system
#6 – Spec C camshafts / valve springs / adjustable cam pulleys / oil pump gear /

fuel pump - optional / fuel pressure regulator - optional / ECU / dyno tuning.
Power output: 114~118kw @ wheels (Dyno dynamics – shootout)

High budget – best power delivery
#1 – Lightweight flywheel
#2 – Heavy-duty clutch
#3 – Lower final drive
#4 – Type R Intake manifold & throttle + (CAI – Eg: Injen / Mugen)
#5 – Header + cat + cat-back system
#6 – Ported head / Spec C camshafts / valve springs/ Titanium retainers / adjustable cam pulleys/ Hi power timing belt / oil pump gear / fuel pump / Forged pistons 12.5:1 / modified stock rods / fuel pressure regulator / ECU / dyno tuning.
Power output: 122~126kw @ wheels (Dyno dynamics – shootout)

NB: Add 1.8L stroker kit for more power. 132kw ~ 136kw (Spec B camshaft)

Maximum effort (extreeme budget) – Change to B18CR engine. (Std intake manifold)
#1 – Lightweight flywheel (Consider super single or twin plate carbon)
#2 – Heavy-duty clutch
#3 – Type R gearbox & Lower final drive
#4 – Intake (CAI – Eg: Injen / Mugen)
#5 – Header + cat + cat-back system
#6 – Ported head / Spec C camshafts / valve springs/ Titanium retainers / adjustable cam pulleys/ Hi power timing belt / oil pump gear / fuel pump / Forged pistons 12.5+:1 / TODA sleaved engine block / lightweight aftermarket rods / fuel pressure regulator / injectors / ECU / dyno tuning.
Power output: 146~154kw @ wheels (Dyno dynamics – shootout)

Race engine - Improved production car / drag - Use B18C engine as base
#1 – Hyper R or twin plate carbon clutch
#2 – Type R gearbox with cross gear kit
#3 – Lower final drive
#4 – Intake - Muiti throttle (Sports injection) or suitable alternative.
#5 – Header + cat-back system (65~70mm)
#6 – Ported head / Spec C camshafts / valve springs/ Titanium retainers / adjustable cam pulleys/ Hi power timing belt / oil pump gear / fuel pump / Forged pistons 12.5+:1 / TODA sleaved engine block / lightweight aftermarket rods / fuel pressure regulator / injectors / ECU / dyno tuning.
Power output: 156~162kw @ wheels (Dyno dynamics – shootout)
For D series (Incl ZC) engines…

Due to poor aftermarket support & lower outputs

An engine swap offers better value than modifying the existing engine.

Cross gear kits do exist for the std civic gb, best to compare the price with a Type R swap…

For cuircut cars, remove std Type R LSD & replace with clutch pack style dif centre. (Cusco, ATS, KAAZ, etc)



4cyl FWD shootout reference
150 ramp rate / 80 inertia
Correction per dyno weather station.

Avoid temptation to use B20 engine...
This engine block is not as strong & does not last.
Further the crankshaft is not capable of sustained high rpm.
For 2L & over capacity, use B18C engine as base.
Comment away...
Cheers

Adrian

[ian]

have you got cost estimates for low & medium budget mods please adrian.

[wynode]

Nice work Adrian thank's for that!

So if you were in the market for a LSD for the track you'd advise something aftermarket as opposed to the ITR LSD?

[raff]

great post!

should be a sticky!

been waiting for one of these posts for civic/crx for a while....

[**Ghost**]

yay... : )

[z3lda]

now u just need ti add price tag to that and it'll be complete

[DMT]

upto 136 fwkw from a 1.6lt n/a and upto 162 fwkw from a 1.8lt n/a its amazing the power outputs these engines can muster when built properly!

i only got an average 115 fwkw from my 2.2lt (H22A) which is pretty stock

good info though, how about some quad throttle bodies added to the list

[Astro]

can u actually use ITR camshafts with vtir valve springs?

will it support it? or is the valve springs too weak?

[hoonda]

yeah, cost estimates would be good

shouldnt JDM b16a2 be pushing your 'low budget' figures w/o camshaft but with ecu anyway? or is this just more a general type of thing with AUSDM engines in mind?

[panda[cRx]]

good info though, how about some quad throttle bodies added to the list

not too much point unless its a track only car. would be a bitch to get them engineered coz i guess u'd need a box around them.

[TODA AU]

can u actually use ITR camshafts with vtir valve springs?

will it support it? or is the valve springs too weak?

ITR cams are ok as a drop in if the rpm limit is never increased.
Should you change the ECU & increase the rev limit at a later date.
Be sure to fit a set of ITR intake valve springs to the inlet valves & move the existing intake valve springs accross to the exhaust side. This will prevent valve float should you up the rev limit using ITR cams.
For sustained high rpm, ITR lost motion assemblies should also be used.

[TODA AU]

good info though, how about some quad throttle bodies added to the list

Cheers,

Quad throttles are mentioned in regard to the race engine.

#4 – Intake - Muiti throttle (Sports injection) or suitable alternative.

I don't recommend these for the street due to exessive drive by noise & non compliance with any road laws. Though they offer great gains throughout the rev range, particularly mid range & offer incredible response. They really don't suit an application where the car often sees a public road.