Basic B20 build questions

[_FeRiO_]

Thanks ZeForce, im impressed with the power output of your motor. Any trips down the quarter yet?

[ZeForce]

Thanks ZeForce, im impressed with the power output of your motor. Any trips down the quarter yet?

Not yet, AIR is reopening in the new year.... cant wait

[_FeRiO_]

Should be good, interested to see what times you can pull.

Would you have any further info towards my setup since your going from experience, like what you would have wished you had done differently when the motor was out etc?

[ZeForce]

Should be good, interested to see what times you can pull.

Would you have any further info towards my setup since your going from experience, like what you would have wished you had done differently when the motor was out etc?

Im quite happy with my current "basic" setup.... If I was gonna do cams though, I wouldnt bother enlarging the valve reliefs. I would just install new high comp pistons and rings while I'm at it.

[RtN]

What would make a B20 reliable for quiet a while? sleeves? changed pistons, rods??

[TODA AU]

Not sure what you mean by being fooled by snake oil, but im trying to gather as much information as i can before i plan my setup. What do you think is necessary in a budget reliable setup for a B20 apart from piston fly cuts?

If you’re going to do it on a tight budget & never change the cams,
Get your Vtec head & take it to the head shop.
Have it overhauled & at the same time get the location dowel holes drilled on the other side + weld up the Vtec oil supply hole.
Just use an OEM B20 head gasket.
Then make yourself an oil feed line for the Vtec & plumb it into the back of the head.
You’ll need either an oil block adaptor or a t-piece under the oil pressure switch.
You can get the parts to do this from Enzed, Pirtek, Earls or Speedflow.
Fit your new water pump & B18C timing belt, Strap it together & you’re done.
If you want to spend more money, use one of the conversion kits available.
Now if you use larger than STD cam, this includes Type R cams, you run the risk of the valves touching the pistons as the valve heads are larger than the fly cuts in the pistons.
To run larger cams this needs to be addressed.
This is an optional process when STD cams are used but it offers a small degree of insurance should you over rev the engine by chance. (On a down shift)
Even with STD cams, the valves cam make contact with the pistons in an over rev situation.
The term budget is fairly loose…
On this forum it seems to be a term more closely associated with cheap as possible or minimum effort.
Above is what I would say is the minimum effort required.
This is also the lowest possible benchmark for performance from this sort of combination.
Headwork & cams will allow the engine to produce more power.
Strengthening the bottom end will allow the engine to rev harder & survive extended periods of abuse.


The term “Snake Oil” was me being cynical in reference cheap cast pistons to being pushed as “on par” with top shelf forged pistons or even OEM pistons for that matter.
Think about it… TODA, Mahle, CP, Wiseco, & others…
What fools they are to make pistons the expensive way by forging them…
How silly… when they could have simply cast them…
Strangely, forged pistons are still stronger for some reason?
& really good ones run the same pistons to bore clearance as OEM cast pistons?
Making them quite like stock…
Good ones are very, very, suitable for both road & race engines…
The downside is they come at a price.
Cast pistons have their place… But they’re not top shelf.

End rant

[tinkerbell]

Now if you use larger than STD cam, this includes Type R cams, you run the risk of the valves touching the pistons as the valve heads are larger than the fly cuts in the pistons.

OR if you are using stock b16a or b18c camshafts with adjustable cam gears!

[TODA AU]

OR if you are using stock b16a or b18c camshafts with adjustable cam gears!

Agreed... I missed that bit. Cheers

[Benson]

If you’re going to do it on a tight budget & never change the cams,
Get your Vtec head & take it to the head shop.
Have it overhauled & at the same time get the location dowel holes drilled on the other side + weld up the Vtec oil supply hole.
Just use an OEM B20 head gasket.
Then make yourself an oil feed line for the Vtec & plumb it into the back of the head.
You’ll need either an oil block adaptor or a t-piece under the oil pressure switch.
You can get the parts to do this from Enzed, Pirtek, Earls or Speedflow.
Fit your new water pump & B18C timing belt, Strap it together & you’re done.

I think using a vtec conversion kit like Golden Eagle is a simpler process then taking the head to a machine shop.

On the other side, yes i do agree if money permits, forged pistons is good to use. But for some reason with the B20's, those RS machine pistons seems like the way to go. Nearly all the yanks use them and make insane power for those cast pistons. Those piston measure up perfect

[tinkerbell]

I think using a vtec conversion kit like Golden Eagle is a simpler process then taking the head to a machine shop.

i have never built a B20vtec without overhauling the head and getting the mating surface machined...

[delsol9000rpms]

the way adrian explained the b20 is much much simpler then you think... and as tinkerbell said you would take the head to a machine shop anyway?

[delsol9000rpms]

I think using a vtec conversion kit like Golden Eagle is a simpler process then taking the head to a machine shop.

On the other side, yes i do agree if money permits, forged pistons is good to use. But for some reason with the B20's, those RS machine pistons seems like the way to go. Nearly all the yanks use them and make insane power for those cast pistons. Those piston measure up perfect

where not in america? dont you know those dynos are whackkk