Hey guys, I'm posting on here to see what you guys think of my idea for my VL, and possibly some pointers on this conversion!
Sometime next year I'll be purchasing a SR20DET and 5 speed (probably from an S14 200sx) to put into my currently auto and RB30E VL. Reasons for doing this are pretty simple, to reduce weight, to better the weight distribution of the vehicle, to make it go faster (!), and because noone seems to have done this before!
Anyway, obvious things I will need will be the engine, ecu, and gearbox, clutch pedal and other parts necessary to make a clutch operate, a SR20DET engine crossmember and gearbox crossmember (hopefully these would fit with minimal modification, does anyone know if a R31 engine crossmember and VL crossmember are interchangable??), new springs for the front when theres wayyyy less weight over them ... among other sure to be encountered problems usually encountered when attempting an engine conversion!
Tell me what you guys think... cheers!
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everyone will say this
DONT DO IT
ur putting a little 2 litre 4 in a commo
rb20's r bad
this wont be much/if any better
imho if u want to turbo a vl either rb25 or rb30, dont settle for less
Just my opinion. I don't think it would be a very worthwhile project. You would want something with a little more displacement and torque as the sr20det prob wouldn't be very nice to drive in such a heavy car like the vl.
sr20det is prob suited to something much lighter, like a gemini or datsun ute, now that would go faster! However talk to the people that have done a rb20det swap, motor is great can make decent power at the wheels but lacking in torque which makes it not as fun to drive?
Sounds like a twim cam head swap might be suitable for what you want?
hmmm Yeah have a go, plenty of knockers out there, but until ya try it ya dont know what it's gonna be like.
Those S15-S14's aren't exactly small lightweight cars, and they seem to go ok standard, so if you get the gearing right, who knows it may be ok.
Good luck, and thinkin outside the square should always be encouraged!! well done
Some original photos have not been recovered yet.
SR20DET's are torqueyer than an RB20 from what i've heard (from people who have had both in the same car, an R32 to be specific). the VL isnt that much heavier than the silvias/200sx's anyway, so if you really wanted to go to the effort of doing it, it probably wouldnt be that bad.
having said that i'd still rather an RB25 over either an SR20 or RB20.
Sr20DET are awesome engines, they crap on rb20's and im saying that even though i hate 4 cylinder engines. Although i wouldnt exactly recommend this conversion, im not gonna knock it back either cus i reckon its quite interesting. If done properly i think it would be reasonably successful.
i just cant see an sr20 having enough torque to be any fun to drive in a vl with 5 ppl in it. Plus ur downgrading displacement!! it is true turbos take away the need for big cubes but u still need decent cubes to spin a decent sized turbo!
Anyway if i was going to do this conversion id definately get the s15 engine (6 speed box and a ball bearing turbo) the reason for this is cos ur gona wanna be on boost as early as possible to help the little SR move the big vl.
Okay did a bit of a look around on the web today to find some facts about this engine and the car it comes from...
The S14 200SX makes 147kW and 265Nm of torque in stock form running 0.7 bar boost. This doesn't sound like an engine that completely lacks torque, having more torque than an RB30E and not a lot less than a RB30ET. The S14 200SX weighs between 1263kg and 1350kg depending on the model - these numbers sound very similar to a VL sedan. The diff ratio in these vehicles was a 3.692, and the car was good enough when stock for a 6.3 sec 0-100km/h and 13.55 sec 1/4 mile, a slightly modded SR20DET in a VL with live axle rear end should hook up a bit harder so these times are quite respectable I think.
Some original photos have not been recovered yet.
A overweight motor for what it it (its only 18kg lighter than a FJ20 and 40kg heavier than a CA18DET!!!!!), the blocks warp at moderate power loadings, the aluminum spacers between the top of the liners and the had gaskit surface blow (easy fixed tho) , the standard cooling system (inside the motor, poor flowing cooling galleries) is crap, timeing chains (enuff said), there is an inherent problem with the number 3 cylinder leaning out (even when all the combustion chambers have been cc's and a diffrent inlet manifold has been used.....this from a ex Nissan Rally works mechanic)........Yeah good motor......
The only reason Nissan ditched the CA18 for the SR is the production costs....and now they have ditched the SR20 for the QR motors, again due to production costs (In case you don't know, Nissan is owned by Renault...tsk tsk....)
Sorry I have a major biast against this motor.....(too many people with FJ20's and a few bad experiences of a mate of mine), but on the flip side they are a nice moderate powered motor, that go like a cut snake in a sub 1000kg car.......nice
Still a VL isn't that heavy I mean how much does a S13/S14/S15 with a SR20DET weigh? I have the S13 with a CA18DET listed at 1190kg.....I mean thats only 70kg....*** crazy is corect, VL's are very light cars for what they are (they just look big) people think they a big and heavy, but its just not true....
The main problem with VL's is the lack of good (and easy to get) Diff ratio's, 4.11 is about the max we can go. The S13/S14/S15 all run 4.3 (I think) and up ratio diffs.....I mean if we had access to 4.3 and 4.6 ratio diffs for our Borg Warner diffs, I'd be the first to put a RB20DET/SR20DET in my VL.....but we don't.....
Some original photos have not been recovered yet.
Bosnjak Engineering in Wetherill Park can get 4.3, 4.6 and 5.1 gearsets for BW diffs. New, approx $700. Roughly double that of a std ratio set, but I guess thats what you pay for stuff thats hard to find.
haha even a 6 is average, going down again to a 4??? yuk
270nm of torque is **** all, and especially considering the rpm it makes that torque which im guessin is 5000rpm or more..
its not about sticking a different motor in your car just for the unique factor, u want it to perform and drive well too.
Better off doing what the smart ppl say and stick with the rb30 or some other rb (not a 2!) sure a sr20 is different but meh, ppl are gonna be like "ooer a sr20 in a vl!........................why would ya bother???"
i mean u can paint your vl hippy rainbow colours very different but is it good?
Some original photos have not been recovered yet.
Thanks for the replies, a few mixed responses but I expected that.
OK, the main reason I'd like to put this engine into my car is due to its low weight (149kg, anyone know the weight of an RB30ET?), and also because not much of the engine is going to be in front of the strut towers. This I would believe should improve the weight balance of the VL, in turn affecting the way it handles in a positive way. The car will be a street/track car, I'm not interested in good quarter mile times and outright straight line speed, where's the fun in that? (though when I'm done I'm sure it won't pull a mediocre time)
I also love the sound of an SR20DET being put through its paces, imagine the confused looks on Jap import drivers faces when they hear a SR20DET'd VL!
Just did some digging around for more pro-SR20DET info.
It makes its peak torque figure (265Nm) at 4800rpm (S14 SR20DET, 4000rpm for the S13 SR20DET), which is the same as an RB25DET, which also makes its peak torque (294Nm) at 4800rpm.
could u use a SR20DET from a pulsar gtir ???as they have quad throttle bodies 1 good thing bout the sr20 is that there r so many aftermarket items u can get for them easily
