LS/VTEC Head Swap - Still The One

The dowels that orient the head correctly on the block are on opposite sides of both components. On the deck, the two pins are located along the exhaust side, while the dowels in the B16 top end are found along the intake edge. The fix is to enlarge the dowel holes on the head and relocate the dowels. Castro uses a 9/16-inch bit to open up the holes in the head and recommends anyone attempting this to do it on a drill press. If the hole is drilled at a slight angle, the head will become difficult to seat.

In rebuilding the bottom, many tiny steps are easily overlooked, like making sure this oil control orifice and O-ring are installed in the block. With VTEC a feature now, proper lubrication becomes an great concern, which is why it's a good idea to check details.

HT enforcer Dane Sloan shows us the oil filter Castro scored for the hybrid, a bitchin' billet number that is reusable and cleanable. Made by TruFilter Oil Systems, the strainer installs like a regular filter and uses T304 stainless-steel filter media to remove particles that are 35 microns and smaller.

Since the block came from a non-VTEC engine, a method of oil delivery for VTEC must be established. To do this, Castro taps the oil pressure sending unit port on the back of the block, using a T-fitting to relocate the sending unit and create an oil feed for the hose that goes to the head. Hasport and Golden Eagle offer kits for rerouting oil pressure for LS/VTEC swaps, and the fittings should be steel for best results.

Final touches to building the bottom is installing this magnetic oil drain plug from Password: JDM. The ingenious little device attracts any metal that's floating around in the oil pan during normal engine wear.

After completing the bottom, Castro preps the B16 cylinder head. Again, the critical step is to create a passage to provide oil pressure for VTEC. On the intake side of the head near the distributor, a VTEC oil galley set screw is removed and replaced with a steel AN fitting. This is where oil pressure for VTEC will enter the head.

Castro previously sent the top end to Port Flow Design in Harbor City to be assembled but not ported. Anyone attempting such a swap should pick up a head complete with its valve cover, internals and VTEC solenoid assembly. The B16 intake manifold will also be useful, although Castro's opting for an aftermarket Blox Racing manifold for a little better induction. Blox flat-bottom valves also adorn the valvetrain, raising compression a bit.
To engage VTEC, the B16 head receives oil pressure from a hole in the top of the block. That hole is absent on our B18B1, which is why the LS/V requires rerouting oil pressure externally. Meanwhile, the existing hole in the head (arrow) is threaded and plugged.

The head is flipped over, and we spy Port Flow titanium retainers and dual valve springs that will come in handy with the burly stage two-style camshafts Castro has planned.

Castro employs an LS metal gasket and lowers the head upon the block. To fasten the top to the bottom conventional wisdom says to use only GS-R head bolts; not doing so could strip the bolt threads in the block. Generally, the bolts are tightened in a specific order, moving from the center two bolts outward, diagonally alternating from one row to the other (crack open your Helm's to get the exact order and torque).