ok im new to this site and let me say RIGHT ON!! i didnt know there was a site just for us non vtec guys! anyway i have a b18a and im rebuilding it right now with p30(b16) pistons and oe everything else in the bottom end. what should i do to the head? i want the max hp gains without spending a ton of money

i would:

buy a set of crower 404's $350
some compatible valvetrain $200 OR LESS
some cam gears $~150
have the head milled a good amount ~$100
get a good vavlejob ~$200
get a edelbrock performerX IM $350
thermal IM gasket $20
65mm TB $130
3" intake with a BPI vstack ~$100-150
a adjustable FPR ~$50-80
a means to tune it (either yourself or proffesionally) (wideband - $200 and crome - free socketed ecu and dynotime

you dont need all of that stuff at once, its pretty easy to break that down over time if you want. at the least id get the machine work on the head done now while the engines apart, everything else can be bolted on later.

with that set up what kind of hp ratings do you think id b around?

160-175hp depending on your header/exhaust system.

i know this is a non vtec site but if i did an ls/vtec set up would my hp ratings be around the same? bc its bout the same price

it would be about the same if you use OEM cams such as GSR or type R cams. the advantage to vtec though is the huge cams that are avalible like skunk2 pro 1's that will destroy just about any non vtec build with the same bottom end

ok ok. i can to the ls/vtec swap for bout 600 so i might just do it

keep in mind youll loose a ton of midrange (say from 3-6k) compared to a good non vtec build unless you use cams with large primaries like skunk pro series

if your going to put a new head on your motor you should atleast have it ported an polished . you would be suprised at the differance it will make .

it is a good idea yes, the shop can do a good port job, a valve job and have springs and the valves installed for you as well as surface the head (good idea in a LS head due to the rather large chamber volume and lack of good quench pads)

only problem is the cost $700-1000 and downtime.

this ownt really max HP for the $ so thats what i didnt suggest it. the stock head starts to become a limmiting factor over 6k and around the 170hp mark.

well since im doing the p30 pistons what would that raise my compresion ratio up to with the ls head? also will i need to get arp head studs due to the rais in compresion?