My Rb swap - incase you're interested

[Walkingpig]

Hey All,

I never got much of a response from Hybrids, so this stays here where i feel happier:)

Please note, in the near future i'll add this info to my website with pictures included.

The Scenario

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The warm L24 sounded great, but just didn't have to go when push came to shove. I'd always dreamed of the mighty Rb26 but it was far out of my price range. So i was off tuning my SU's one day and took the car for a sprint down an industrial street - to the amusement of a Police cameravan, i prefer to consider myself lucky i was only caught at 104 in a 60, not the 140 icould have been.

So i lost my license, and though PERFECT. Since then every dollar has gone into my Z

I went out and purchased a halfcut for my Blue 2 seater 260z

in the form of an Rb20DET.

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WORK BEGINS

I am by no means a mechanic, so between friends and a very good local performance mechanic - the car was set to work apon.

Out came the old engine and gearbox, and preparations began to slot the new gear in. I imagine this bit will be of the most interest to you.

We found that the Mounts were all a perfect lineup, the engine mounts sat square, and the gearboxmounts lined up with the tailshaft slotting in perfectly and the selector coming up nicely through the floor, if a little forward.

However there was a problem, the rb mounts pushed it about 2 cms outside the constrains of the bonnet. So, with all my friends driving damn Mini's, i had to call a towing company to charge $25 to go 400 meters down the road to my mechanic.

They made my custom sump for me, and also chopped a little off the right mound, and remade the left mount to suit, as the engine sat on a slight angle. Having these things fixed, the engine now sits perfectly, and the bonnet clearance is a few cms or more! For the sump they chopped the bowl out and made a new bottom with the bowl more towards the middle(to allow the engine to gearbox mounting bracket to go on.

This is where we are up to, (i decided to post now as most people are interested in getting the car in - not buying exhausts and coolers) but needless , i'll fill in the 'to come' bits below

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ON THE WAY

Next stop is the last of the difficult things, the wiring. The engine bay side is easy and normal, however interfacing with the old guages is the unsurity, It is planned and recommended that we just splice and join the new loom into the old loom where needed, given on the RB20 the speedo cable is still mechanical, and the Tacho can be connected to the coil still. its only a few other guages (we all know) that need connecting.. And the ignition.

Hopefully this will be conquered by me and a friend, but if not the mechanics will take care of it.. for a hefty sum:)

Following that, i am replacing the stuffed turbo with a small upgrade to the VG30 T3 model.

I'm also going all out on the exhaust, including a $550 custom dump with separate pipes for main and wastegate, an item proven to bring the RB20 onboost 800rpm earlier... connecting to this will be the 3inch mandrel bent exhaust all the way to the back(with CAT and Muffler in there)

The intercooler is a 600x300x76 HYBRID rated to a pressure drop of 1.5psi at 600hp. It will also be connected with mandrel bent stainless steel.

once this is all done and the mod plate passed, i will finish the custom stero that is midway to completion (but no one here seems interested in them), and add things like a surge tank for when i am forced to corner hard with no fuel:)

If anyone is interested - I am also midway through a central lockig, and power windows expedition - it is working very successfully. Will post pictures and info on my website.

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Summary

So.. if you hadn't noticed, i'm after the beautiful Z car looks, with some real useful power, and a more modern feel to it. Most of you will probably stomp up and down yelling about this:)

Judging by another RB20 my mechanic just worked on with the same turbo and exhaust/cooler as me, it should come in at about 240RWHP at 13psi. Something that should keep me happy for a while, and then a little bit longer when i get my license back:)

As i said, A full pictured explanation of the entire project will be available on my website when i get a littlemore time (assignment)

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The Goal of this was to help those who are contemplating the RB swap find a little more out about how it actually works when push comes to shove... Keep in mind that that while the RB series is almost physically identical - the R25, R26, R30 all have a Higher engined by varied amounts - so be prepared for a bit more work getting it to fit under the bonnet.

I hope i have helped!

[Datsun-Fever]

Nice man, the same day i was thinking about a RB20 or a 25. Good luck, that car's gonna haul some major arse!.

[Walkingpig]

Thanks, I hope it will. I might need to get some tires on there,

my mild l24 could make enough smoke.. that was only half the power this has

The point of the post was, that i know how hard it is to get some genuine info on the swap, so there is some

and i'm here to talk to anyone that needs to know something - if ican help

walkingpig@hotmail.com - i live on msn:)

[1971rb26dett]

I am happy for you. I thought about an RB swap too, as the name suggests. I was all set to get it too before I suffered a major financial reversal. Now I am thinking about an L31et. Yes, I know it will cost as much as the rb26 but it's a way cooler project and I dont have to come up with all the money at once. Or at least that's what I keep repeating to myself over and over and over....

[drunkenmaster]

Hi,

Photos on your website would be great.

I am a little behind you in my swap.

I have my 260Z body ready to go and I have a freshly rebuilt RB30DET waiting to go in. I have bought some engine mounts that will supposedly do the trick but time will tell, I am also looks at a sump so to see yours would be good.

I assume you are using the RB20DET g/box, how did you go with the g/box cross member? You mentioned the standard one lined up but it sounds too easy?

Once I get my garage setup a bit more I will take some more photos and have a website running too.

James

[Walkingpig]

The mounts did line up correctly:)

Unfortunately my L Crossmember was stolen by the man i sold my engine too - do not deal with him, i was conned and stolen from.

So we just made a custom one, it does run on an angle however

(yes i'm using the rb gearbox)

Pics are on the way, camera is with my mother at the moment:) she needed it for a wedding

[zeiss150]

Hey guys, I have a few questions?

What car does the RB engine come out of? Is it an L series engine? Does it have a double over head came? If you're looking for big Horse power why not use L28 turbo out of the 83 280zx? the L28 turbo will produce 250 rwhp easy with out much modification, and you don't need to do any mods to get the engine and trany in. Is it a euro thing? Because I can pick up an L28 turbo at my local junk yard for $180.00 compleat! Add a T-5 borg warner trans for $150 and you have a smokin hot car. I've read threads on this site with L-28 turbos that are running almost 400 RWHP, but that has a lot of money put into the engine. So what is the deal with the RB engines?

Just wondering?

Matt-

Rock on Z people.

[26ounce]

I not an expert on RBs but I can probably cover your questions zeiss.

Firstly you'll notice the posters are from Australia and we never got the L28ET here. You could build an L28ET up at a cost but it tends to get expensive compared to the RB motors.

Now the RB motors are a newer generation of nissan straight sixes that succeeded the L series. They were mainly used in nissan skylines since the late eighties. They have been DOHC for some time now.

Through the nineties the skylines were not sold much outside Japan, however, Japan has very strict licensing rules that makes it expensive to keep older cars on the road. Now a thriving trade of japanese engines occurs where they extract engines from unlicensed cars (or cut the back end of the car off behind the firewall) and send it off to other countries to sell. In australia you can buy these engines relatively cheaply and they have the virtues of modern engine design compared to the old L series.

Doing an RB swap into our Zs is more difficult than a L28ET swap because you have issues with sumps, gearbox and engine mounts, and finally because we never got fuel injection till the 280zx (so we have simpler wiring harnesses and no baffles in the fuel tank).

Here are some examples of imported Japanese 2nd hand motors..

http://www.adelaidejap.com.au/nissan.htm

[Walkingpig]

Firstly it may help to point out that i am from Australia.

The RB shipped in Nissan skylines from 1989 onwards, the R32,

not counting the older SOCH RB30ET

The RB20DET is an RB 2000cc DOHC Efi Turbo (correct me others if that is wrong)

Over here the 280ZX wwas never releases as a turbo. it is quite expensive to build one.

For the RB20, the modifications are quite minimal.

and for example, i have only the basics(an intercooler,3inch exhaust, pod filter, and a small upgrade from stock T2 turbo to T3 from a VG30 engine)

It is expected to make at least 240rwhp at 13psi.

while the RB20 is the baby of the RB series, it is capable of making some serious power also. And at less cost than an L28 i would imagine (especially in australia)

Anyway, my point is i looked into both - and the RB is in my opinion a much better choice.

but there are many many resons behind that decision

[zeiss150]

Thanks for the info guys.

I sort of figured it was an auzzy thing.

To bad you guys never got the L28 turbo It's super cheep in the states.

What does an RB cost in Auzzy?

Is the Dohc head a cross flow?

Do they make a DOHC head for the L28 block?

Rock on Zed people!

[grnskyline]

hey,

RB30 is an OHC 3lr 6c that were put in late 80's skylines and holden's (GMC) sedans and wagons. Pretty potent with a manual, even more with a stock turbo. Around 9psi I think. Very popular motor here in Aus. My friend has one he is willing to sell. If I had any mula I would buy it and whack it in. Minus the engineering.

check this blokes site for some good shots

http://www.users.bigpond.com/allanreynolds/twinvl/thenewtwinvl.html

cam

(rb power, only an infinite amount of dollars away)

[drunkenmaster]

The RB family use twin cam crossflow heads, unlike the L series family they replaced.

They are a newer motor, make big power very easy, have very tough standard internals, and are more drivable and fuel economical than the L series.

Check this out:

http://www.fullboost.com.au/cars/readerscars/sinisha240z.html

355HP AT the wheels.

Not that the L series doesnt have attractions of its own, but they are more taste/personality traits rather than on paper figures.