Re: tough choice. let me know what ya think, built d or keep the dohc
 

ya i've been leaning a little towards keep the ls and pick up the head. just out of pure lazy-ness. i've never replaced a head but i think ill be ok i have a manual. can i get a head resurfaced even if its assembled? or do they only resurace bare heads?

Re: tough choice. let me know what ya think, built d or keep the dohc
 

I've changed heads and never resurfaced. Don't think it really matters unless the head is warped due to overheating, I've never had one leak. I've never replaced a b-series, but doubt it is too much harder...although the headbolts seem to be under the cams, that'll just be a nuisance. I don't think it matters if the head is assembled or not.

Re: tough choice. let me know what ya think, built d or keep the dohc
 

I myself enjoy a D that fucks B's.

as for your piston slap, is it only under cold engine temps? forged pistons expand a tad under temps...

Re: tough choice. let me know what ya think, built d or keep the dohc
 

its pretty much all the time, it kinda sounds like if youve ever heard a jetta diesel, sounds like a truck but not nearly as loud

Re: tough choice. let me know what ya think, built d or keep the dohc
 

plugs/oil/coolant all look and smell normal, i checked all the easy stuff before i got it, ive driven this car all over too, i think the piston clearence is probly a good bet as far as the noise/ possibly the compression too? what would happen if i were to turbo it and the piston clearence is off like that anyways?

me too, and id like to get and build / have built another d sometime, but this might not be the one

Re: tough choice. let me know what ya think, built d or keep the dohc
 

Piston clearance being off will introduce oil into the combustion chamber and cause your pistons to melt around the rings, or else the detonation this causes spins a rod bearing. A couple other things could happen, but they are much less likely than those two things. Keep in mind that piston clearances deteriorate quickly with a varying size forging scraping the hell out of the bore - and that's when clearances are *correct*. Since they are already sloppy... ick.

LS is sounding pretty sweet, bro.

Re: tough choice. let me know what ya think, built d or keep the dohc
 

word. with that knowledge the ls is lookin like the keeper

Re: tough choice. let me know what ya think, built d or keep the dohc
 

I'm just curious why you think you can make more torque with a ~1.6L D versus a 1.8L B?

All that aside, you should keep the LS for sure. I've never really been a D series fan but the one boosted D series setup I had felt pretty fast, but didn't actually end up being any faster than my stock (afaik) B16 swap.

Plus the D seems very sketchy...I personally wouldn't feel comfortable using somebody else's throw together built motor that they've been doing their best to kill because it's "built." If you replace the head on the LS then you know it's a 100% solid motor and it's not going to ---- up on you, plus they love boost and fairly large turbos. Throw a VTEC head on there if you get bored and then you're really talking about power that would require forged parts in a D.

Re: tough choice. let me know what ya think, built d or keep the dohc
 

from the dyno sheets ive seen the hp/tq numbers are usually closer on d series. ( i said i was shooting for 250whp)

if you had a boosted d and your n/a b16 felt faster somthing was defiently wrong.. b16s are weak.(no offence) ive driven alot of cars, and various b series. my boosted d16z6 and y8's were quik. they had torque, n/a b series dont. i would put money on my last z6 on 7psi off a 14b against a hype r swap in the same car anytime.

but i am a fan of boosted Ds. anyways i probly will keep the LS, you guys confirm my thinking. basicly i just dont trust it, its a built motor and i dont know who built it. probly just better off sellin the car, got it cheap anyways. gona swap the front brakes/larger mc off it onto my lx though before i sell it.. free upgrade :6

Re: tough choice. let me know what ya think, built d or keep the dohc
 

keep the ls imo... i had one that i was putting together for my hatch that i traded for a 5 speed swap into my TA. all in all it wasnt really a bad deal, but sometimes i wish i would have kept it over the d i have now. just boost it on stock internals and call it a day. seems like that would be fine.