RBxxDE's

[NZeder]

Well I thought I would start this thread given there is not much info on this site about the RB26DE's or RB30DE or RB30D's that have been build by different people. So I want to see what others know about these builds.

 

First off we all know that the RB30DE or RB30D (ie Carbs) are not an official engine but a hybrid or custom build. Then there is the RB26DE build by Autech for the 4 door 4wd auto R32 thing. I believe only about 200 of these engines/cars were build = very rare.

 

We all know the RB30E was only available in a few select countries Australia, New Zealand, South Africa ??? anywhere else? Not even in Japan.

 

A Japanese tuning house (I am not sure who but much like Autech I assume) did make a few RB30DE engines for the R31 and R32 Skylines. There were marketed as the Tommy Kaira special (R31 and R32) and the R31 Hartge Limited Edition (only 3?).

 

These RB30DE for the Tommy Kaira and Hartge Limited what were they made from? Did they use the a RB30E block or a modified RB2? block (I can't find out if it was a RB20 block or RB25 or even the RB26 block, but given the RB25/26 block did not come out until the R32 I assume a modified RB20 block) custom crank (or the RD28 crank) RB20DET rods and a custom piston. All this with the following specs.

 

Bore = 87mm

Stroke = 83mm

CC = 2960

 

These engines were badged as M30 in both the Tommy Kaira and Hartge models.

 

The RB26DE was just a RB26DETT without the turbos, custom forged pistons and different ECU programming and Cam shafts these were rated at 220ps (not bad given the RB26DETT was rates at 280ps at the same time)

 

Ok that is all that I know so far about these RB26DE and M30 (RB30DE) engines.

 

Here are few links to some nice pics of these engines - they are in Japanese so if you use some translation software you can sort of work out some of the info.

R31 Hartge info

M30 Rebuild - nice headers

A few R31 powered by M30, RB26DE and RB25DE

Build of RB30DE using RB30E block and RB26 head - The Furukawa R31

 

I will add more as I find info out.

 

If anyone else has info or can correct me then please do so - I want to learn more about these engines and how they were built ie the M30 at 87mm and 83mm was this a hybrid like the L28 stokers ie RD28 crank (which is 83mm) and a sleeved RB20DE/T block. Does anyone know the block height and rod length of the RB20DE/T would this hybrid RB/RD engine work - does anyone know?

 

And here are some pics of a RB26DE (not mine I only wish) and a scanned copy of the TommyKaira sales brocher it state 240ps

 

UPDATE: I did find on another Japanese site that they stated the M30 was made from the RB30E block - however it did not state if they used the RB30E crank so maybe this was a custom build using RB30E bottom end, RD28 or Custom 83mm crank (could it have been a fully counter weighted unit?) different rods and pistons with a modified RB20DE head (this I believe is the case it was a modified RB20DE head) see

M30 on a crate

[NZeder]

Engine bay of a R32 TommyKaira - uses RB30e bottom end and a RB26 head converted to N/A meant to have 280ps = same as the RB26DETT in stock form.

[Stealth-Z]

Interesting belt setup they are using. Wonder what belt it is? Idler looks smaller than stock RB2xDE(T)'s.

[Careless]

Interesting belt setup they are using. Wonder what belt it is? Idler looks smaller than stock RB2xDE(T)'s.

 

150 tooth - 1200mm belt with 8 mm pitch, possibly with CA18DET idler, so that they don't have to force the belt on.

[Careless]

The R31 House TommyKaira RB30 used a welded chamber RB20 head. There are pics on their website.

[NZeder]

Thought I would bring this thread back from the dead. Some might know that I have a RB30 bottom end and I plan to install a RB26 head on with triple TB etc. Anyway I will be picking up an engine in the next month or so that is hybrid out of Japan. It is a RB25 bottom end with RB26. The engine is a DE with modified stainless steel header, RB20DET gearbox and "Top Secret" ECU. This means that I can put this into the car and get it back on the road sooner as the RB30DE that I want to build will require more $$ spent on it which I don't have.

 

Anyway until I collect the engine (still need to pay for it) I will drop its pants to install the rear sump and I will check the internals out to see what has been done.

 

This is what I do know - it has HKS high lift cams, HKS adjustable cam gears, 1.0mm metal head gasket. Gearbox as a quick shifter installed so I can only assume it will have a twin or triple plate clutch (again once I get the engine home I will drop the box off and check that out too). I have been told by the importer that it has some special internals too and their guy in Japan heard the engine run before it was removed and imported into NZ and it sounded/ran/rev'ed well.

 

So this got me to search on Japanese sites to see what they are doing to RB's and I found a few tuning houses are building RB29's to increase the torque of the RB25 bottom ends. I guess this is because of the rare RB30 bottom ends even in Japan (most were in Australia, NZ and some in South Africa).

 

Anyway the RB29 is made using a RB25 bottom end, with custom rods and pistons with the RD28 crank that has been worked. The RD28 crank is a 83mm stroke so does this sound like the old LD28 stroker trick but in RB's

 

So anybody know more about using the RD28 crank in the RB bottom ends? I can only hope that my new engine will have some of these Japanese trick, time will tell.