How to Rebuild Honda B-Series Engines

CHAPTER 1

THE HONDA B-SERIES

(BEFORE YOU BEGIN)

Rebuilding any engine is no easy task. The reason for your rebuild can range from refreshing an engine with hundreds of thousands of miles, to wanting to extract every bit of performance, and everything in between. The information provided within these pages can serve as a reference to not only familiarize yourself with the Honda B-Series engine, but also give you the foundation you need for your rebuild. Whether your goal is to rebuild your engine back to factory specs or for additional performance, this text explains the necessary tools, steps, and products to help point you in the right direction. Before we begin, let’s take a look at the history of the B-Series engine and the differences between each and every one of them.

Introduction of the B-Series

To start, we can look back to the 1986–1987 Prelude 2.0Si and the 1986–1989 Honda Vigor and Accord, where the B20A engine was first introduced in Japan. While many different variants of the B20A evolved from 1987–1991 in the Honda Prelude, the basis for that motor was very different than the popular B16/B17/B18 family. Our main focus for this text is on the B16/B18 family, where many of the popular B-Series parts (OEM and aftermarket) are interchangeable. Honda reintroduced the B20B and B20Z in the first-generation Honda CR-V (1996). This generation of the B20B and B20Z was designed more similar to the B16/B18 family, and lead to the enthusiasts’ development of the B20/VTEC engine, similar to the LS/VTEC transplant, which we will get into more detail later on. The B20B and B20Z shared similar traits with the popular B16/B18 series.

The B-Series engines have become the most coveted Honda engines due to their reliability and the ability to produce high horsepower relative to their displacement. They are also readily available and can be found reasonably priced. The major benefit of the B-Series engine is also the ability to be transplanted into various Honda chassis, such as the Honda Civic. At the end of this chapter, we touch briefly on the parts and the procedures necessary to transplant a B-Series motor into various other Honda chassis. (Or see Honda Engine Swaps, SA93, by Aaron Bonk.)

Even if you are just a beginner with the B-Series engine, this book will be helpful to you. Feel fortunate that the aftermarket has embraced the powerplant with much support and that there are plenty of parts out there for you. No matter what performance level or budget you’re building for, there will be something available for your application. Best of all, Honda and Acura dealerships nationwide still have a huge support for the B-Series and its factory parts.

The B16 Family

The Honda B16 has appeared in six different forms over the years. To identify any B-Series engine, the letter B is normally followed by two numbers—which designates the displacement of the engine—another letter and in the case of US-spec engines, a final number. The Japanese-spec engines are normally designated with a four-digit alphanumerical designation. The B16A was first found in the 1989–1993 Japanese-spec Honda Integra RSi and XSi vehicles. It was also placed in the 1989–1991 Japanese-spec Honda CRX SiR and Honda Civic SiR/SiRII. The first generation of B16As was a 16-valve 4-cylinder with a displacement of 1595cc, or just under 1.6L. Sporting a 10.2:1 compression ratio, it put out 158 hp @ 7,600 rpm along with 112 ft-lbs of torque @ 7,000 rpm. This first generation of DOHC VTEC technology from Honda formed the basis for the everpopular B-Series engine.

One of the rare occasions you’ll actually see a B16A in a third-generation Integra GS-R. The owner of this vehicle actually blew his factory B18C and replaced it with a cheaper first-generation JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) B16A.

From 1992–1995, the Japanese-market B16A was seen in the Honda Civic SiR/SiRII chassis with a horsepower increase due to a slightly higher 10.4:1 compression ratio. A variant of that generation B16A was also seen in the 1992–1995 Honda Civic VTi in Europe and the Honda CRX del Sol SiR. These engines still had the 10.4:1 compression ratio and ranged in horsepower from 158–170.

The B16A1 variant can be found in the European-spec Honda CRX and Honda Civic from 1989–1991. It had a 1595cc displacement, 10.2:1 compression ratio, and 160 hp. The first time the B16-series set foot on American soil was in the B16A3-powered 1994–1995 Honda del Sol. Its specs varied slightly from the existing B16As, keeping the 1595cc displacement, but bumping to a 10.4:1 compression ratio and an output rating of 160 hp @ 7,800 rpm and 111 ft-lbs of torque @ 7,000 rpm. With its 8,200-rpm redline, the B16A3 became the envy of many Honda owners.

The more popular B16A2 was spotted in the 1996–1997 Honda del Sol and in 1999–2000 when Honda reintroduced the Civic Si in a coupe form. Sporting the same 160-hp rating and 1.6L displacement, the popular B16A2 was a nice fit to the Civic coupe. The B16A2 was also seen in the European-spec 1992–2000 Honda Civic VTi.

Less commonly spoken about or even seen is the B16A6, found in the 1996–2000 Honda Civic in South Africa. Lastly, the infamous B16B was found in the extremely rare Japanese-spec Civic Type-R. This 1.6L sported a high 10.8:1 compression ratio and put out 185 hp @ 8,200 rpm and 118 ft-lbs of torque @ 7,500 rpm. To this day, the B16B stands out as a highly sought after swap.

The 1999 Civic Si came with a B16A2 engine and was a huge hit with Honda enthusiasts nationwide. It was the first time the Civic chassis (other than the del Sol) came with a B-Series from the factory in the United States.

The B17 Family

The B17-Series was actually fairly uncommon and was only seen in the 1992–1993 Integra GS-R. This 1.7L put out 170 hp @ 7,600 rpm and 117 ft-lbs of torque @ 8,000 rpm. You don’t come across one of these very often. If you are one of those lucky owners looking to rebuild a B17-series power-plant, do not fear! The methods and procedures explained in this text will apply to your engine as well.

The B18 Family

The B18s are arguably the most popular members of the B-Series family. The B18 came in both non-VTEC and VTEC variations. The B18A non-VTEC powerplant was first seen in the 1986–1989 Accord Aerodeck, EXL-S/EX-S, and Vigor MXL-S in Japan. It was a 1.8L that made 160 hp and 128 ft-lbs of torque with dual Keihin carburetors. This B18A won’t apply much to our text, since they are hardly (if ever) seen stateside and are essentially a destroked version of the Honda B20A engine mentioned previously.

The first B18 engine that we saw stateside was the B18A1 in the 1990–1993 Acura Integra RS/LS/GS. It was a non-VTEC 1.8L motor that put out 130 hp from 1990–1991, while the 1992–1993 version had a slight increase to 140 hp. The beauty of the 1.8L powerplant however was its 121 ft-lbs of torque. The B18A1 was then updated to a B18B1 that was found in the 1994–2001 Acura Integra RS/LS/GS bodies. The B18B1 became a popular engine swap candidate, often referred as an LS swap among Honda enthusiasts. The 1.8L made 142 hp and 127 ft-lbs of torque, but also became a donor for the LS/VTEC swap that became popular later on.

Here is a B18B LS engine. Notice the difference in the valve cover (it is not equipped with VTEC) compared to the VTEC B-Series engines.

The most sought after and arguably the most popular B-Series engine comes from the B18C family. The B18C engine inherits the best of all the B-Series has to offer, with a 1.8L displacement and DOHC VTEC technology. The B18C could be found in many different variations, similar to the B16A where the Japanese-spec engines were simply B18C, while the American-spec were B18C1s in the GS-R and B18C5s in the Type-R. Versions of the Japanese-spec B18C were found in both the popular Integra Si-R and Type-R. While there was no way to differentiate between the two engines, the Type-R B18C built 197 hp compared to the Si-R version’s 178 hp.

The USA-spec B18C1 came from the factory in the Acura Integra GS-R model and sported 170 hp @ 7,600 rpm with 128 ft-lbs of torque. In 1997, the Type-R was introduced stateside and the USA-spec B18C5 made 195 hp @ 8,000 rpm and 130 ft-lbs of torque.

This 1999 Civic Si had the factory B16A2 replaced with a monster LS/VTEC setup. Though it looks stock, the LS block has actually been rebuilt with Type-R pistons and topped with a Type-R head. This motor setup with basic bolt-ons and tuning put down 200 reliable horsepower to the tires!

The B20 Family

While the B20 was not popular at first, once LS/VTEC swaps became popular, many enthusiasts pushed the envelope, using the B20 as the bottom end for their Frankenstein swaps. By combining the bottom end of the 2.0L and the head of a VTEC B-Series version, many enthusiasts were able to extract plenty of torque and high-end horsepower for their Hondas.

The B20A3 and B20A5 were first seen in the 1990–1991 Prelude S and Si models, sporting 104 hp and 135 hp, respectively. The B20 variation that will apply more to our text is the B20B found in the US-spec CR-V. This 2.0L B-Series was seen in the 1997-up CR-V models, sporting 126 hp and 133 ft-lbs of torque.

The B20B was also seen in Japan from 1995–1998, but it was similar to the USA-spec B20B. In 1999–2000 however, the JDM B20B utilized higher compression pistons and was rated at 146 hp. In 1999–2000, the US version of the JDM B20B became known as the B20Z, sporting the same 146 hp.

We are going to assume very few of you will be rebuilding an actual B20B/B20Z from a CR-V, but we wanted to note that for the most part, this text applies to those motors as well.

This is a genuine B18C5 Type-R engine in a USDM Integra Type-R. These are becoming more and more rare each day!

This is a photo of a completely new LS/VTEC B-Series engine. This hybrid engine never came as original equipment in any Honda or Acura vehicle, but horsepower junkies in search of an edge can come with some very creative combinations.

Here is a 1999 Civic Si equipped with a complete B18C5 Type-R engine. The owner of this vehicle decided that the B16A2 wasn’t enough for him, and with all the hype of the B18C5 Type-R engine, he purchased one and transplanted it into his car.

What You Need to Know

The majority of you will be working with the engine that came stock in your vehicle. But for those who are seeking options, you should be aware of the differences between the various B-Series that are out there. The B18s have become extremely popular as a great replacement for the smaller B16 and many enthusiasts still praise the LS/VTEC and B20/VTEC conversions. We do not get into complete details on how these conversions are done, but we wanted to bring them to your attention.

The rest of the text explains the process involved in rebuilding the B-Series with various tidbits of information on performance upgrades. The B-Series engine has quickly become Honda’s coveted powerplant, not only for its reliability, but also its potential for horsepower.

We get into more detail once we start looking at parts for your rebuild, but we want to point out at this time that the vast majority of B-Series factory parts are interchangeable. If you are currently working with a B16A powerplant and seek the performance of the B18C1 GS-R or even the B18C5 Type-R engine, many of the engine vitals—including pistons and valvetrain—are interchangeable to bring the B16A performance aspect above factory specifications. Best of all, you can obtain these parts from any local Honda dealership brand new. Several distributors also import the Japanese counterparts for those seeking additional performance.

OBD Differences

OBD stands for On-Board Diagnostics. When people distinguish between OBD1 or OBD2, they are referring to the generation of diagnostics system contained the ECU for your B-Series engine. While the vast majority of you will not need to be aware of the differences between the generations of OBD technology, those who are rebuilding an engine for swap purposes, or wish to extract as much performance as possible from your rebuild, might find it handy.

OBD1 is arguably the most popular OBD generation with Honda tuners worldwide. Its versatility and ability to be tuned has made OBD1 the standard by most engine management manufacturers. If you’re wondering which OBD generation your engine is equipped with, there is a general rule to follow for the B-Series application: pre-1991 engines will be utilizing OBD0, while OBD1 was used from 1992–1995. OBD2 was used from 1996–1999, and from 1999–2004, the Civic Si and various models of the Integra came with OBD2.

Each new OBD generation came along to upgrade the emissions control and monitoring system. The majority of the changes are within the ECU, though additional sensors were also added to the powertrain. One of the easiest ways to spot whether your vehicle is OBD1 or OBD2 is to count the oxygen (or O2) sensors. OBD1 vehicles were equipped with just one O2 sensor on either the header or catalytic converter. OBD2 vehicles are equipped with two.

We get into more detail about specific parts as they pop up over the course of the rebuilding process. But for the most part, the vital information is to know which OBD generation your vehicle is equipped with and whether or not you wish to make a change. Most aftermarket engine management systems require an OBD1-compliant vehicle, which might involve changing ECUs, some slight wiring variances, and interchanging some parts from a previous B-Series engine. Don’t worry about that if you’re sticking with your stock engine.

While it may seem odd for us to speak about the Japanese-spec B-Series engines in the scope of this text, they are mentioned due to their popularity with performance enthusiasts. Many of you are probably working with the stock B-Series engine that came in your vehicle, but we wanted to show the different variations of the Japanese-spec engines. This information could prove important when picking out parts for your build or buying parts online or from other sources.

The most valued and rare Japanese B-Series motors that are out there are the B16B and the B18C Type-R, found in the Civic Type-R and Integra Type-R, respectively. We were fortunate enough to capture photos of completely stock Japanese-spec Civic Type-Rs and Integra Type-Rs