SR20DET in a 240Z, problems????

[Hugh]

If you're going RB, then go all the way. Do the RB26DETT, or just put the SR in it.

[hotimport]

and thats just what I was going before you jumped down my throat. I was really trying to see what in the long run will cost more. If the RB can be done for the same money or less I think I will go with that as I would refer the torque factor of the inline 6 over the 4. Plus it keeps some the nastaglia of original car. Thats why I was trying to make a list of parts needed for the swap so I could price each one out for a total build cost. The RB I have already done that with.

 

and to The Stig .... I never said I could spell

 

 

 

These swaps arent that easy to do:cry: !!! Unless you can fabricate, weld and if the mesh spegetti dosent make you dizzie then more power too you. The things you need is pretty simple, custome mounts, custom, driveshaft, custom plumbing, and the most important thing is the oil pan.

 

And as far as cost goes SR20vsRB26 $1500vs5K and all the fab work. You do the math. Hope that helps more info can be found on the rb forum just start reading from top to bottom on stickies.

[Hugh]

The stock oil pan on the SR20DET is a perfect fit using Vildini mounts. I couldn't use my ARC aftermarket oil pan without modifying the front cross member to fit it... so I sold it for good money and reinvested it elsewhere.

[M3This]

Thanks guys for all the info. I think im going to go RB26. For Fab work I was considering taking it to someone but I saw the kit for the RB in the Vendor Forum and showed it to my friend who builds Class 1 trucks in So Cal and he said that it shouldnt be a problem

[Hugh]

Sweet. You're gonna love it.

[Z U L8R]

sr20's are front sump 2 piece oil pans that even if you did sit the motor really far back the cross member'd probably be directly underneath the oil pan.

 

you probably wouldn't need a drive shaft you'd just need to saw off the collar on the 240z's considering rb20's, ka's, and sr20's (except s15) all have the same transmission and just different front belhousings (tip if you blow up your tranny *wink)

 

if you get a motorset it should come with the ecu and harness, make sure you get ignitor, mass air flow sensor, and cam angle sensor as they like to leave out those parts.

 

240z fuel return line is pin hole size you really just need to tap a bigger nipple on the tank and run a hose/line from the tank to the fuel rail.

 

you don't need stand alone.

 

i agree with the guy that said it'd be gay to put a 4 cylinder in a z car, rb20's sound way better than sr's and everyone and their mom's got an sr nowadays. my first sr i paid $1000 for a black top s13 sr20 and it came with everything even the side mount intercooler and piping. that was a good while ago though.

 

there's nothing wrong with sr's except the floating valve train problem which rocker arm stoppers help. they're stout engines, but in all honesty (and i'm far from a purist) i'd rather see a 240z with a 1g-gte than an sr20 in it or any other 4 cylinder for that matter. rb20's are like half the price of an sr.

 

i started my rb20 in my 78 280z saturday afternoon, i had the car running sunday night and drove it to work monday morning. later that day smoked my boss's 2002 vette (automatic) by 3 cars, won $50 for the bet, then dyno'd at 187 rwhp.

 

i spent $950 on that rb20 motor set, it came with a blitz bov, and all the intercooler pipe and down pipe which i just cut it an inch below the flange and turned it a couple degrees then welded it to the rest of my exhaust. i used the 1jz-gte intercooler i had laying around and routed it to the stock over the valve cover intake.

 

rb20, the motor mounts you can use, the trans mount from the 240z bolts right on, the driveshaft is usable, you have to do 3 wires, then just change the alternator/starter plugs/connections cause they're smaller/different on the Z, then start that ♥♥♥♥ up (that's for a 280z though).

 

what i'm saying is the most expensive part of that swap besides the motor set itself was the rear sump oil pan.

 

think about this too

stock redline on an sr20.... ?? ~7200?

rb20...~8200

 

sr20 $1700-2200

rb20 $850-1400

[hotimport]

what i'm saying is the most expensive part of that swap besides the motor set itself was the rear sump oil pan.

 

think about this too

stock redline on an sr20.... ?? ~7200?

rb20...~8200

 

sr20 $1700-2200

rb20 $850-1400

 

 

Nice write up, the only one bid concern with everyone doing these swaps, is how much power can i put out with these set ups. The sr20 is a good swap in Z car since its light and very coviniet in pricing and parts are available. The power goals could measure out to be around 450 hp that on fully buit motor with a biger turbo. Now the RB20 probably will handle about the same amount of power but the bottom end might not hold.

 

And the costs of fabbing anything out on either motor is about the same...

[jfairladyz]

Looks like it clears the crossmember to me:

http://www.vildinimotorsport.com/gallery/Gavin%20-%20SR240z/1.JPG

 

How much of a power-band advantage does the RB20 have, if any, over the SR's that it will make up for not only the extra weight it has over the SR but also the fact that with the SR in a Z you practically have a mid engined car so weight distribution and center of gravity are optimized with the SR vs the RB.

[Hugh]

The RB20 doesn't have a power band advantage over the SR20.

 

Comparable weight cars with an SR always beat the RB20's.

 

There was a rash of Japanese pulling RB20's out of Skyline GTS-T's, Laurels, Cefiros, etc... and dropping SR20's into them.

 

For example, here's a pic I took several years ago while living in Okinawa, Japan:

Thats an R32 Skyline.

 

There's a reason the RB20's can be had for so much cheaper. They're all over the place in the junk yards over there, and keep piling in. The motors are not as reliable as the SR, contrary to the popular belief that the RB with its iron block is somehow going to keep its pistons or bearings together pushing high horespower.

 

They have a tendency to overheat a lot, and many of them you find will be covered in rusty water spray, due to this overheating. The coolant necks are usually rotting off of them when they're ten years old or more. I'm willing to bet you've seen some of this with your RB install.

 

Now I will admit the RB20 sounds freaking sweet. Any inline 6 sounds better than an inline 4 in my opinion. I just don't see sound as the biggest factor, though.

 

I've built more than one SR20DET to 350-400+hp at the wheels on stock internals. Thats right, stock. No pistons, rods, bearings, head work, cams, or anything. Just a rocker arm stopper to push the redline to around 7800rpm, and bolt ons for air and fuel flow.

 

While you're quoting redlines, bear in mind the S13 redlines at 7500rpm on the stock tachometer. The rocker arm stopper is a mild band-aid that lets you reach around 7800rpm safely. If you're building the motor, then solid lifters with proper lash adjustment makes the sky the limit. These motors hit 9000+rpm like its cool. (with fresh bearings of course)

 

The RB20 doesn't make any power at 8000+rpm without a huge turbo, at which point you will need to rebuild/refresh the motor to make it hold together. At this point the motor gets pretty laggy, losing its 6 cylinder feel. The stock RB20 winds out pretty quick and feels good and torquey, but the top end is not impressive. The power band is not any wider than the SR20's stock for stock.

 

I bought my SR20DET long block for $1250, engine and transmission, stock turbo, and no electronics. I already owned my Tec3 from my previous car, so standalone was a given.

 

The bottom line, the "240hp" RB20DET you dyno'ed hit 187rwhp.

 

I've dynoed stock turbo SR20DET's at 250rwhp with a little boost and a front mount intercooler. The stock MAF and stock turbo are the only thing holding it back at this point.

 

Bigger turbo, Injectors, MAF, tuning, and 350rwhp is right around the corner. This power level can be sustained safely for a long time. I ran 18 months racing every weekend on a stock internal SR20DET making 395rwhp. Near the end of its life, it just needed new piston rings. I finally killed it boosting 22psi on a T04S 60-1 that was burning off oil so fast it blew the turbo and engine all in one fell swoop. (whoops) However, it held that 20-22psi for a long time before this happened.

 

 

Not trying to be argumentative or to disrepsect your engine of choice... but your opinions of the SR20 sound pretty strong. I'm just arguing the other side of the coin using my personal lengthy experience with both motors.

 

 

Now for ease of install, that sounds great. RB definitely wins there. If you're totally worried about ease of install being the biggest factor, why not keep the L28?

[Hugh]

Oh yeah, haven't made any bets on races with the stock turbo'ed SR20DET 240z yet... but the list of kills keeps growing:

 

3 WRX STI's (all of them hooked up)

2 or 3 EVO 8's

E46 BMW M3 (lightly tuned)

Newer Benz SL500

 

Just to give you an idea.

[Z U L8R]

, it's a matter of opinion really. to each his own, none of the motors are bad, there's pro's and cons to every motor. like now you see the ka-t craze going on

 

my last sr20 with stock injectors, ecu, and t25, just a front mount, 13psi, and a lightweight flywheel ( i think it was a jun it definately wasn't aluminum crap ) i put 238.9 rwhp and 260.9 rwtorque. i have to say i definately wasn't impressed with the rb20's 187 rwhp, but the fact that i could go from 4th to second and take off like a rocket with the 3.5 r200 rear end really made me happy LOL the thing revs like a rotary(my rb20 came with an Access tuned ecu they had bumped the redline to 8500) they're both great motors, as far as reliability i'll say sr20 > rb20 no question. the 6 sounds way better than a 4 no doubt about it.

 

i never disliked any sr car i had and i i've had 3 this is my second rb20 car which by the way i just cracked a ring land, which is what they do LOL, so i'm keeping the rb20 tranny and putting my 25 in it, then since i'll have an extra 25 tranny i'm putting a 26 in my widebody 240z which was going to get my 25 once it's done being painted.

 

for a 240sx i'd go sr20 before i went rb20. for a Z i'd go rb20 before i went sr20, but in either scenario i'd go rb25 before i went 2.0.

 

i'm finishing up my friend's rb25 in his 72 240 this week, saturday we're shooting it to the dyno, then i'll have my xmas labor $ which is paying for the 26.

 

^^ that sr does sit nicely in your Z btw, i didn't think it'd work but i was wrong LOL so gj

[Hugh]

Good job goes to Vildini, they hung the motor for me. I do the tuning.

[twoeightythreez]

I chose the easy-to-install L28ET I got in exchange for an old 510 but it's nice to know how many options are available.

[N2744]

I have been watching this thread and reading about this sr20 swap for years. I remember back when nobody did it yet. I want to put an s2000 motor in my 240z. Its just what I want, respect it. it seems like it should be an easy fit. But I cant find any information about it. For the first time swapper, being a pioneer may not be the best idea. The time is rolling around to get an engine in this thing... Looks like I may end up getting a sr20 or rb20 like all you other folks.

[Hugh]

If you want the S2000 motor that bad, just do it!!

 

I've seen plenty of other cars with that motor swapped into them... maybe you will have to google S2000 swaps on other chassis' to figure out what problems they ran into. That will give you some idea of where to begin.