Upvote:1
There's no clock, and the US has no 90/180 rule. For VWP travelers, the rule is 90 days per visit, and for B visa travelers, the rule is six months per visit. Getting a B visa is not necessary.
Your more likely problem is overcoming the statutory presumption of immigrant intent, given your pending K-1 application. This applies to both VWP travelers and those with B visas, so getting a B visa won't help you there. It's also unclear to me whether you are allowed to apply for another nonimmigrant visa while the dual-intent K-1 application is pending.