karay240

although the catalog claims the Z33 as an R200, it's actually different than the R200s we know and love. we were looking for a spool for the Z33, but found that the R200 for the 240SX/GTR would not work. When i talked to nissan NA about this, we were told that the one in the Z33 is actually an R205 or something gay like that. stick w/ a diff that is mdesigned for that pumpkin. sometimes the stub axles' diameter can be different on certain models.

what do you mean by this? the main reason for multilink/doublewishbone is to get the best of both worlds. w/ the conventional strut design, you need to run stiffer suspension to maintain the ideal alignment in a turn. the problem w/ this is that if you make the handling too stiff, then you run into problems like bouncing around and not getting any traction around bumpy surfaces. The goal of these complicated designs are to allow the contact patch to be ideal throughout the travel, thus being able to run softer suspension that is more compliant on rough surfaces (less spinning out on rough track surfaces). the only compromise these complicated suspension geometries have are cost and weight. if your Z is going to be a strictly a track car, i don't really see IRS having that big of an advantage, since weight is a big key of getting good times. advantages: -better ride quality -less hopping over imperfections of the road -relatively inexpensive bigger brakes -better diff/axles -requires less static camber (longer tire life) -and of course, it's pretty sexy disadvantages: -cost -weight -finding a shock/spring setup that will work -major problems if not done right I think that about sums it up.

my best advice is to stay away from the JP EPROMs. the japanese tuners program their ECUs according to the type of gas they have available there in japan. I'm not sure about 93 octane, but I do know that some of the ECUs run horribly on 91 Octane here in CA. Unless you're gonna be running really high octane, I'd stay away from EPROMs from JP.

I'm talking about the JZA80 ('93~). We're mainly a nissan shop, so I'm not an expert in toyotas. what i do know; however, is that the older supras (jza70) had a double wishbone setup, but that's what the design is--old. the newer models (jza80) utilizes a newer design w/ cast aluminum pieces, and will allow for the HUGE 13inch rotors.

yes, supra.

since there seems to be a little confusion over the Nissan multilinks, so here’s a quick breakdown. S13: The most narrow one of them all. Which is why many Z owners consider it the choice for their swaps. You get decent traction w/ a lot of antisquat built-in w/ the front of the lower control arm tilted up. This makes for a stable feeling when accelerating, but in reality, you’re not getting the desired weight transfer (traction.) That’s one of the reasons why the S13 tends to break loose w/o much notice compared to the S14, and have limited traction out of the hole @ the strip. (this is true w/ the S13, R32, and Z32) . We’ve modified a subframe for an R32 we have here to eliminate this problem, and if you’re interested in similar things, you’re more than welcome to come & check it out. R32: Everything from the S13 applies here, except the GTR subframe is substantially stiffer, and in theory, will handle better. But instead of the toe control arms it has HICAS, so you’ll need the HICAS eliminator bar for things to work properly. S14: The theory of “newer = better†does apply here, in that Nissan took the good parts of the S13 subframe, and improved on it. Some of the differences are that they are a little wider, the upper control arm is more service friendly (anyone that’s changed the suspension on both of these cars know what I’m talking about. lol), addition of braces underneath the lower control arm, and the mounting points for the lower control arm are more parallel w/ the ground (less antisquat.) This lower control arm mounting has helped out w/ the traction issues of the previous model. R33: Everything from the S14 applies here, except the GTR subframe is, again, substantially stiffer, and in theory, will handle better. But instead of the toe control arms it has HICAS, so you’ll need the HICAS eliminator bar for things to work properly. This improvement in traction is why you’ll notice that every S30 w/ a multilink setup has the R33. S15: Pretty much it’s the same as the S14 subframe, but the lower control arms and the frame itself got more bracing. Stiffer = more traction. The subframe bushings (isolators) are different also, but not really applicable for this crowd. You’ll see several shop demo cars/drift cars from JP w/ this subframe on their S13/14. one final difference, though, is that the higher model S15 (turbo and other limited versions) came w/ a helical/torsen LSD instead of the VLSD like the previous S chassis cars. R34: blah blah, stiffer than the s15, blah blah, HICAS, blah blah. Z32: Wider than any of the above, but very similar to the S13, R32, and the G50. Many might suggest to go w/ this subframe for high HP cars due to the bigger R230 diff. It’s true that the TT model has a bigger R230 diff (non-turbo version has an R200); however, the stub axles are pieces of crap, and tend to break. Even high HP Z32 like the Escort Z has the GTR R200 diff. Another advantage to the R200 diff has more gearing options than any other Japanese cars. Mazda Double Wishbone setups: since some of you guys were talking about the Mazda double wishbone setup (miata or FD.) Unfortunately, Mazda uses a PPF (power plant frame) that connects the tranny to the front of the diff. You would need to figure out a way to allocate a mounting point for the front of the diff. Besides, the differentials on those things are crap. They may survive high HP, but not high torque. Other setups: I’m tired of typing, so you’re on you’re on your own.

i believe that they are all 4x144.3 (or 4.5 inch); however, i doubt that the offset of the wheels are the same. meaning that the OE wheels are interchangeable, one way, but maybe not the other.

here's a testimonial. I was replacing brakes on a customer's car. he had the type of spacers that bolts onto the hub, and the wheel bolts up to the spacer. when i took the wheel off the spacer, to my astonishment, 2 out of the 4 lug nuts holding the spacer to the hub FELL OFF!!! I don't think that these wheel are necessarily a piece of crap, but just like any wheel, it's a good idea to retorque the lug nuts. it's just that it's easy to retorque the wheels that are on the car, but it's a little more annoying when you have to take off the wheel, retorque the spacers, then put the wheel back on and then reattach the wheels. no harm came to this customer, but he never tracks his car either. i can only imagine if tha car actually had power and/or was taken to the track w/ lug nuts that keep comming off. btw, these wheels/spacer combination was manufacturered by volk racing, a company i expect good products from. imagine how an ebay special one would perform.

this may not be a concern since you are talking about spacers to convert to 5 lug; however, i'd like to express a concern. to my knowledge, those roh wheels are for standard nissan rwd offset--meaning 240SX. the offset on these cars are waaay too different. the 240SX uses anywhere around a +35ish offset, whereas the S30 utilizes more of a negative offset. when looking for wheels, make sure you look @ offset before purchase.

BTW, look for the N/A 300ZX diff (R200), the TT one is a R230, and you'll be seriously limited in the final gearing selection. FYI. and yes, since you are talking about changing both ends of the driveshaft, you will have to have a custom piece Kenny http://www.rbmotoring.com

yea, 260DET is right. if you're determined to go w/ a twin turbo swap, then the 1JZ is probably the motor of your choice. you can get an engine for $1500 for a complete motor set. (less than $2k for a front clip.) Compared to the $3k+ for the rb26, it seems like a great deal to me. As for the VG30DETT, I think that it's waaay too much work involved trying to get it to fit. not only that, but you also have to think about servicing the car after you're done w/ the car. (not something I enjoy even in the Z32. . . I couldn't even imagine it in the narrow compartment of the older Z) the VG30ET would be much more feasible due to the head design, but again, it's a V shaped turbo motor and the same logic applies as above. kenny http://www.rbmotoring.com

it's an interesting that you're choosing to go w/ the vh45. why are you planning on such a PITA of an undertaking? are you able to do the majority of the welding/fabricating? we discected a VH45 the other day @ the shop, and honestly, it was great. the motor is awsome!!! it's built very nice. the ports ate HUGE and straight, and after studying the motor for a while, we were VERY impressed w/ the construction. 6 bolt mains, x beam construction b/w the banks, roller rockers, flawless bearings after over 200,000 miles on the odometer, etc, etc, and the list goes on. that being said, there were a couple of complaints. even though i fugured out how to convert the hydraulic pivots to solid, the base circle of the cams are tiny, so a regrind might be out of the question. meaning we'll probably be stuck w/ low lift and narrow duration cams. unless you're willing to reengineer the VH, or you've got enough $$$ to go through motors often, i'd go w/ a more proven engine like a domestic motor, RB or a 2J. not trying to piss on your ideas, but unless you're very well off, very smart, or both, going w/ a proven combination would be a better decision to me. either way, i'm sure it'll turn out great w/ the track you're on kenny http://www.rbmotoring.com

I was going to post about this earlier, but completely forgot. As someone said on this thread earlier, there was an NA version of the RB26. It was in the R32 Autech version. It came w/ a slightly smaller intake mani for better response (it retained the ITBs), different cams, pistons, and a stainless EX mani (several other differences, but I can't remember off the top of my head) All of the NA GTRs came in dark green (almost black) w/ matching camcovers. I believe the HP was somewhere b/w 220~230. A hair over the GTS-t. Like I said before, It's a cool idea to go w/ an NA RB26, but unless you get one like this one that's already NA, you're going to spend a LOT of $$$ getting it to run right. Kenny http://www.rbmotoring.com

I believe you've been misinformen. The SINCROS are interchangeable b/w the two trannies. They are NOT the tranny. Get it rebuild using new parts.

I highly doubt that it'll bolt up, nor that it could handle the torque of the VK56. It would be a cool swap if you could mate a MT on it though.

There are two kinds of ppl I know that don't like the miata: 1. People that have never driven one b/c they believe, passionately, that the Miata is a "girl's car". Usually, but not exclusively, extreme homo phobes that will not be caught dead standing in close quarters to one. 2. People who are claustrophobic and can't stand the cramped interior. As for whether or not it's a "sports car," I think anyone who's driven one will agree. Edit: I don't, however, agree that it should be that high on the list. But then again, they didn't say "Super Car", and there's a whole lot of ways to determine the "Best" sports car.

I think you completely missed the point w/ Dave's 240SX. He got the GT28RS and spent that much $$$ for a car w/ decent power and a nice powerband that's available on demand. Of course, if you're going for bragging rights or a drag car, then you'd go w/ something else. Would I go w/ the same setup? No, I wouldn't. I'd want a little more topend than 300; however, I don't think that I'd go much over 350 on the SR. Not just b/c of reliability, but for drivability. Some ppl like peaky powerband. It makes the car "feel" faster, and for a drag car, it's not that bad of a thing. The problem arises whenever you take it out on a road course. A flat powerband w/ 300rwhp will be more forgiving at the limits, and could yeild better times AND be funner to drive than a monster SR pumping out 500rwhp. Just my $0.02

That 510 is Hella impressive. Nismo H-beam Rods, solid lash kit, Nismo N2 304 degree cams, and HKS valve springs. Also the direct ignition from the turbo model. I'm assuming it has the pulsar N1 or N2 package head. The titanium retainers alone are $30/ea. The cost adds up. I really don't think there's a point in doing the N/A SR swap. Unless you're going to spend thousands of dollars. . . but wait, If you're going to spend that much $$$, why not spend that much on the L, and be faster. It's cool in the 510 and other small cars to swap a N/A 4 cylinder, but I don't think it's worth it. The only way that it makes sense is if you get the RB26 long block w/ no turbo or anything like that. We've never done an NA RB26. I think it'd be interesting to do. I guarantee it won't be cheap, but I'd love to help you out if you need.

So johnc, how did you get to the conclusion that the "best" Skylines in the US were pushing 600hp? You are right in a way, in that the stock internals' limit is about 600rwhp, but all you really need to change are pistons and rods to go past 800. Xtreme motorwerks has done a 1000+ dyno pull on thier drag car w/ a stock crank, BTW. There's a R33 here that did a mid 10 second pass w/ two 2530 turbos and a little bit of Nitrous. I don't think we ever dynoed it, but I'd guess it had more than 600hp. And here are a couple of GTR's we have you might be interested in: This is the crazy HP one. This one's got EVERYTHING-a 2.8L stroker kit, cams, the whole 9 yards, and a Dogbox to handle the power. http://rbmotoring.com/gallery/album298 These 2 are the ones we're working on right now. This one also has everything done to it to collect show points. (kinda hurts my feelings that the full potential will not be realized) The motor will be just as capable as the one above, but has a small turbo (T04Z. . . 700ish HP) and the 300Z MAFs (limits power to 600ish HP). http://rbmotoring.com/gallery/album378 Even though we didn't build it, Here's our pride and joy. lol. Nismo was the one that actually built it for the Super Taikyu (N1). The motor is actually stock N1 motor, and it pumps out around 600HP on 100 octane (probably on 91 octane, too, but regulations required pump gas in JP). The only parts different than the regular 26 are the water pump, oil pump, exhaust manifold, injectors, gaskets, and the turbo. Of course, the accesories like the radiator and oil cooler have been upgraded. I'm not 100% sure, but I if I was a betting man, I'd bet that the 700HP Z was modified a little more than this R34. http://rbmotoring.com/gallery/album238 BTW, you'll probably be seeing this 34 more next year. Igor, the founder of automotivefourums.com, will be racing in the Speed World Challenge next season.

Hmm. . . I was not aware that the L series motor was that good. . . I thought that the counter flow design significantly limited really high HP and RPMs. And that the head stud placement/design wasn't as good as the RB. Doesn't the turbo heat up the manifold a little? Interesting. We have an R32 that pumps out 927 to the wheels. . . do you think we should've gone w/ the L series for more low-end torque of a single cam? Jokes aside, I hate to admit this, but $$$ per HP, the way to go is the V8 swap. On top of that, anything you'll need for modification or maintenance is on this continent. However, there is something to say about the RB26DETT sitting in the engine bay of a Z, though. . . To say that the RB20 is a good deal is a little far fetched, thogh. . . It is a decent motor; however, it's not even close to what the 26 can do. I'm pretty sure the military guys that've been into the JP car scene can tell you the same, but I've seen more than a couple ppl ditch the RB20 in favor of the SR20 in their R32's. There's more torque, lighter, and a whole lot more parts than the long retired RB20DET. Speaking of retired, a lot of aftermarket RB20 parts are no longer in production. The only company that I know of that still produces a full line of RB20 parts is Tomei (very high quality, but not cheap). There are ways to make the RB20DET competitive, but it co$t$. You can use the RB26 crank, rods, and aftermarket pistons and bump up the displacement up to 2.3ish L (depending on the bore you choose). That takes care of the torque portion. Now for the top-end. The factory valvetrain used hydraulic lifters for a maintenance free head; however, that limits your cam selection to a lowly 270 degree duration w/ a 8.8mm lift. You could probably get away w/ slightly wilder cams, but I don't recommend it. For the next step, you can either convert to the Tomei solid lifters ($500+$8/shim=$692). Then you'll be able to run more radical cams (up to $700/pair). By the time everything's said and done, you're spending MORE than you would have if you'd just bought the RB26DETT. Sorry for the long post. I just get a little passionate when ppl talk about the RB20 and 25's like they are as good as the 26. Yes, the blocks are similar and they are from similar looking cars, but the 26 is a completely different animal. I've seen several base model Camaros/Firebird/Mustang V6's w/ respectable HP, but regarless of the price, you don't see that many ppl swapping a 3.8L V6 into their Z; the V8 is the way to go (the GN is an exception here). This is due to their higher rating in base trim, and the ultimate potential they have. If you're final goal is only 300~350, then the RB20/25 may be the choice for you, but if your ambitions are high, spend the extra cash and get the 26. I'll shut up now. lol.

Another thing to keep in mind when getting a donor motor in CA is that you will HAVE TO get the motor from a CA car. Some cars are different in CA, and just like anything else, "they" are taking it too far. We're trying to get a couple customers' cars' swaps done by the book, and have been talking to the "Ref" about legality issues and such. Just be sure that the motor came in a car that was originally sold here, and retain the smog equipment. Another thing that kind of threw us off guard is that they are a little strange about AT to manual swap on a AT only model. This is for the guys that want to swap the VH or VK motors into your car. Hope this helps.

Oil foaming is where the crank whippes up the oil like whipped ceam. This happens when there's not enough clearance b/w the crank and the pan. It can cause a reduction in power; however, the worst part of it is that you can get the foam sucked into the pickup. Engines don't like air bubles in the oil. It tends to lead to a blown engine. Kenny http://www.rbmotoring.com

I agree w/ PROJECTRB240SX. No matter what you think now, it's NEVER enough. We, and I think eveyone can simpathize w/ this, get customers that are very satisfied w/ their car for about a couple of weeks (more or less, depending on how they drive) complaining about how the car doesn' seem fast anymore. They are genuinely concerned that there might be something wrong w/ their car. 99.9% of the time, it's the steering wheel gasket. Humans are very adaptive and can get used to pretty much anything. HP/speed being one of those things that the body adapts to quite well. Go w/ the bigger injetors and you'll have a little more room to play. Kenny http://www.rbmotoring.com

Hey Al Keller, I was wondering why you were selling the JEGS cage? Does it have anything to do w/ the quality or fitment? The reason being, I'm thinking about getting a JEGS cage down the line, and modify it to suit my needs. I'd rather not spend $600+ on crap, so I'd appreciate any feedback on the JEGS cage. Thanks Kenny http://www.rbmotoring.com

If you do decide to go the spherical bearing/bushing, make sure you get ones w/ Teflon coating AND a rubber boot around the bearing. Try to stay away from the ones you have to regease w/ the zerk fittings. They're a PITA and don't last as long. Just my $0.02 from experience. Kenny http://www.rbmotoring.com