Honda B18C Model

This is a detailed model of a Honda B18C engine, part of the B Series family of engines commonly found in the Civics, CRXs, and the Integras of the late 1980s to early 2000s.

While there are several variations of the B Series engine, the engine I decided to base my model on is arguably the most well-known, the B18C from the Integra Type R. This engine was a DOHC VTEC engine. It had a redline of 8400 RPM and produced 197 HP at 8000 RPM. It is undoubtedly a masterpiece of engineering and an engine that is still popular today despite the design being introduced over 25 years ago! This is why I decided to build a model, few engines stand out in the automotive world like this one does, both in the Honda stable and out of it.

When I decided to make a model, I knew I didn't just want a fancy exterior. I wanted detail everywhere, and that included the inside of the engine. I originally wanted to use the existing LEGO piston and the related pieces but I felt that would limit my creativity and take too much space for my liking. I wanted something relatively small, something you might be able to display on your desk for example. But I still wanted to represent a lot of the features present on the actual engine. And I didn't want to hide that away either, I wanted those details to be easily accessible. I decided the best way to do so was to make the engine in sections, to pack in as much detail as I could.

The famous wrinkle-red Honda Valve cover was one of the more tricky sections of the build. I know I wanted to include the ignition wires from the start and a removable cover to allow access to said wires and sparkplugs. It has a silver cover, an oil cap, and an attachment for a breather hose. The only lament I have is that I just could not find a way to work at the end of the valve cover, the part that covers the cam gears.

The Cylinder Head proved to be the most difficult challenge when it came to this model. It became a struggle to decide whether I wanted detail or compactness. Too much detail and everything else would have to change to accommodate the change in design. Too little and it no longer looks like a cylinder head found in a Honda B18C. Finally, I was able to come up with a design that makes a compromise. While the cylinder head isn't an exact match, it still has some of the more crucial features of a cylinder head. It has two camshafts, with VTEC (or as close as I could get it, which connect to the cam gears on one end. It also has the tubes in which the spark plugs would sit. It has a distributor on one end, and studs on the side to allow for the connection of the exhaust and intake.

While the exterior of this section was not the most challenging part I had to design, the rotating assembly was a headache. However, once I managed to make not only something that resembles the rotating assembly and was also compact to fit inside a 1x6 space, I was immensely proud of my work. The Cylinder Block includes the pistons, crankshaft, flywheel, pulleys, and a blue Honda oil filter.

Despite its rather simple shape, the oil pan needed just as much consideration when it came to designing as any other part. I wanted it to match the shape of an OEM oil pan, while still being slim in size. In the end, I was able to design a pan that indicates oil inside, and the drain plug in the correct position.

The intake manifold was a challenge to build, trying to recreate the OEM shape and size with a few pieces was not easy. However, I think my final design proved satisfactory.

For the exhaust, I tried recreating the joining of the 4 inlets into a singular outlet, and while not as seamless as I wanted it, I believe it portrays the idea well enough at this scale.

All in all, I have to say I am proud of my work, but I cannot go on without mentioning some of the flaws I see in my design. First of all, the engine is rather tall, especially the cylinder head. In real life, this engine is compact and rather stocky, but it is the best I could do with the amount of detail I wanted to be added. Secondly, I am in no way an experienced builder. I am sure the engine could be designed to be more compact with studs-on-the-side building techniques, but my knowledge is limited. I used simple techniques and common pieces. And thirdly, I just feel like I can keep improving on it. I feel like most creators feel this way about their designs, but I wanted to get my idea out there, and maybe with some feedback I would be able to improve on it.

I at first wanted to build this model simply to see how well I could do such a thing. Never have I designed a model, with LEGO or without. My inspiration comes from the model engines found in the large LEGO vehicle sets, like the 911 turbo or the Mustang. I liked how much detail was put on such a small part of a build, and I wanted to expand on that. I think this would make a great set for any Honda and Acura fans, it certainly would for me.

In the future, I would like to explore the idea of upsizing the model. Initially, that was the idea, to make a large, well-detailed, and closer recreation of the engine. However, I found that idea too far out of my ability, at least for now. I have no expectations this will garner a lot of attention, especially with all the talented builders on this site, but I would love to be able to share my design with like-minded people. Thank you!