There is a lot of interest in fitting RB20 engines into VL Commodores, hence there is already a lot of good posts regarding the pro's and con's of this conversion. Please do a search on these forums before you start posting about this subject as its starting to become a very annoying and stale subject with long time seasoned users of this board. So to avoid being branded as another keyboard warrior please click on this link below first.. http://www.ozperformance.net/search.php

Ok, We have gone one better for you, here are a list of links and comments about this conversion, they relate to RB20 Engine. 1 minute of seaching netted these results... 1: RB20 in a Calais - http://www.ozperformance.net/viewtopic.php?t=2948 2: RB20 lifters - http://www.ozperformance.net/viewtopic.php?t=1788 3: RB20 in a VL - http://www.ozperformance.net/viewtopic.php?t=1266 4: RB20 in a VL - http://www.ozperformance.net/viewtopic.php?t=743 As well as a few facts. Consider these facts before fitting a RB20ET engine to your VL 1 - They are out of a lighter car. 2 - It has a poorly flowing head and manifold. 3 - They are only two litre, as the saying saying goes, "There is no substitute for cubes". 4 - They will have to be driven hard to drive the car as the power is higher in the rev range. 5 - They produce 153kw@6400 rpm and 265nm of torque@3200, The RB30ET produces 150kws from the factory. Remember the saying, "The bitterness of poor performance will remain a long time after the thrill of a cheap buy has passed" From a few board members.. Quote: plz dont put a rb20 into the vl!!!!!!! Go to fullboost.com.au and look at the orange vl turbo with the rb 20 - i rang the guy and was thinking about doing the same and he told me it was the biggest load of crap he ever did, - thats just a opinion spend the litle bit extra and put at least a rb25 in there - it will make a big difference - Quote: yeah, from what I have observed, you seem to hear a lot of clueless young guys thinking they can buy an RB20DET half cut, slap it in their VL and they have cheap easy performance because the figures on paper look good compared to the RB30 engines. The problem I can see is that once you get to the stage where you want to start modifying an RB20 - you run out of potential pretty quick and wish you had something bigger to play with If you dont plan on going any further than having a cheap, revvy, mild performance stock engine then it may be for you - if you plan on looking for more horses eventually, the larger RB's have more potential for easy power gains. Quote: RB20's are cheap **** engines and have no torque, you will have to thrash the **** out of them to make them move a VL, ie: Driving around the city with no torque is a prick. Remember its torque that moves the car, not horsepower. You could have 1000hp and 10 newton meters of torque and you will go no where. Quote: You'll end up driving the thing on boost all the time just to get anywhere. You may as well spend the money on the RB30et and do it right. Quote: If you want a bit of quick fun, the rb20det will do the trick, but if you looking to keep the car and actually drive places go on holidays and ****, the rb30et would be the way to go as more torque lower down in the rev range, its what i consider a lazy motor, doesnt really like to rev and hold high revs, but thats what a long stroke motor is i guess.

The other thing... This conversion may be worthwhile if done properly, although how many people have done such a thing? Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

Um just wondering how many people have been to performance shop in japan, My mate now lives over there, working in osaka,in a tuning shop, He gets heaps of rb20det to tune up , and with the right mods, that only come from 15yrs of japanese playing with these things...YOU get performance, He has one over there only cost him $900 Aus $ to mod, and would kill a $2000 upgrade rb30det. Sorry guys, i Believe in "There is no substitute for cubes". This said, a Rb30det has more torque and power, if you think you can buy a rb20det and get it to go hard stock...NO CHANCE..Sorry guys cheers chris

Well Ive done the conversion bout 12 months ago now, 1: Ive raced 180sx, toyota soroer's and tons of ****ty vn-vp v6 and it kills them eaisly, 2: in the conversion to get max power it is nessisary to change the diff ratio to 4:3 3: With the right combo of cams and turbo etc these motors are not that bad 4: no good trashing the conversion when you haven't done it, so there!!!!!!!!!!

Quote: Originally Posted by VLRB20DET Well Ive done the conversion bout 12 months ago now, 1: Ive raced 180sx, toyota soroer's and tons of ****ty vn-vp v6 and it kills them eaisly, 2: in the conversion to get max power it is nessisary to change the diff ratio to 4:3 3: With the right combo of cams and turbo etc these motors are not that bad 4: no good trashing the conversion when you haven't done it, so there!!!!!!!!!! i've done the conversion, and it bites arse hard....

Quote: Originally Posted by Sadistik i've done the conversion, and it bites arse hard.... finally someone agree's it is a good conversion.. If anyone needs help wiring up the rb20det loom to the vl etc.. PM me, i can also supply photos on the conversion if required

i never said it was a good conversion? i pulled the rb20 out of my VL because it wasn't good enough.

yes My interpretation of "Bites Hard" means that it was f.ucking sh.it

Goes Hard and Bites Hard are 2 ends of the scale Some original photos have not been recovered yet.

haha - to be bluntly honest, i pulled it out because it was a ******* to drive. you couldn't drive it off boost because it didn't go. don't waste your money on one of these conversions, just sell your car and buy a factory turbo one..

Ive done the conversion, and at the time 4 the money, it was a better option 2 buy a rb20 with 60000 on the clock then a clap out rb30det for the same price with 200000 on the clock, rego is cheaper than me datsun 1600, plus insurance is cheap. Ive had mine for 6months, i don't get what u guys are saying that u have to flog it to move, drive around town etc of boost with no problems, no probs, mates got 180kw out of his, and all he has got is rb25 turbo, 3 inch mandral and a front mount supra intercooler, not that bad if u ask me!

i have to agree with what you said, the rb20 is good it kills a sr20 anyday

Quote: Originally Posted by VLRB20DET i have to agree with what you said, the rb20 is good it kills a sr20 anyday who cares if it kills an sr20? point is, rb30et is a much much much better motor to drive.

a clapped out 200000 thousand kay rb30et ? yep - lets not forget that we have those so called clapped out 200000 kay motors running 10's at the moment - look at lowey's gold calais.

lets put it this way I have a VL berlina RB30ET which im rebuilding and a VL Calais with a RB20DET in it, so there, who cares if someones car is pulling 10 or 9sec mine is probably more reliable than that...

good call, from what ive herd....... the only problem with the RB20 swap is the VL's crappy diff ratio. (which would make it sluggish) once you put a 4.11 or somthing in, should go the same, if not better than an R32 skyline. + 150Kw stock is the same as an RB30ET is making ? wTF? why waste fuel? oh and yes before someone says a VL is heavier than an R32, IT ISNT, they are basically the same weight.

Quote: i pulled it out because it was a ******* to drive. you couldn't drive it off boost because it didn't go. don't waste your money on one of these conversions Interested in what mods like cooler,exhaust etc and diff ratio you had?

large front mount mandrel 2 1/2 exhaust 3.9 diff ratio bov microtec 12psi went like a nugget off boost, had to thrash it to make it more, never enjoyed driving it..

hey guys, bit of a mixed feeling bout this subject, i want to do the conversion but i only want bout 200rwkw and i like the chararistics of thr rb20 (revvy) but would it b ezy to 200kw out of them????