My RB20DET swap journal, w/pics!

[DriftingisLame]

Hi, I'm Max.

I just bought an RB20det front clip and I am going to put it in my automatic '91 240sx SE coupe.

I thought it would be a good idea to introduce myself to the RB forums by keeping a log with pics of my journey to RB powered goodness. Hopefully people can learn from my post in future swaps, but I am by no means making a step by step swap guide...This is my first motor swap other than a hybrid VW motor I did for a friend (very simple). I know I'll be needing some help/questions answered, and I know this is the place to get that...so If its not too much to ask, stop by this post once in a while to check out my progress/new problems.

Thanks!

-Max

Modified by DriftingisLame at 5:48 AM 6/21/2005
Modified by DriftingisLame at 6:55 AM 6/21/2005

[DriftingisLame]

As you can see my first problem was that the clip didnt exactly fit in the trailer... I asked for a 7' wide flatbed and they gave me a 6' "open" trailer...

So, I had to pull the motor before I could get the clip out of the trailer.

Cool stearing wheel huh??

[DriftingisLame]

Problem #2.

Pulled the KA out last night and I am ready to put the RB in. I have a question...

I never bought a mount kit, because I heard you can use the r32 crossmember instead, and the motor will fit in. Before I started on the project I failed to find out HOW to swap crossmembers... So any help at all would be veeeery appreciated, I'm just a wee big discouraged at this point..

HELP!

[Carl H]

last time i checked there were only 4 bolts holding the xmember in?have you even looked under the car, its no that hard.

[modestmouse]

I'm sorry Carl it's ACTUALLY held in by four nuts. J/k man.

DriftingisLame, it's really not that hard to use the crossmember from the R32. It's plain as day to see what you have to undo to take off the old one. It's just a knuckle busta trying to break loose all that rusty old suspension harware. So on a skill level of 1-10 it's a 2 or 3 but on a pain in the *** level I'd rate it a 7. Don't lay under it when you take it off. You'll die.

[Carl H]

I'm sorry Carl it's ACTUALLY held in by four nuts. J/k man.

DriftingisLame, it's really not that hard to use the crossmember from the R32. It's plain as day to see what you have to undo to take off the old one. It's just a knuckle busta trying to break loose all that rusty old suspension harware. So on a skill level of 1-10 it's a 2 or 3 but on a pain in the *** level I'd rate it a 7. Don't lay under it when you take it off. You'll die.

yeah, yeah so sue me.i def agree tho dont want to be under that thing when it falls, it can and will crush you and drop all kinds of nastyness in your eyes.

[lyon23]

yeah, yeah so sue me.i def agree tho dont want to be under that thing when it falls, it can and will crush you and drop all kinds of nastyness in your eyes.

you are right about this and getting alot of stuff on you, if you can clean it it works great though..oh and about getting off all those suspension parts all it takes is just 2 bolts, one on each side..just disconnect the sterring shaft from the rack, take out the 2 bolts that connect to those lower control arms that are coming off the rotors(i think it would help if you take off the wheels) so you can push them out of the way from where they connect to the xmember, finally unbolt the crossmember, jiggle, and take out... from the pic you can see I still have the tires attached and the rack is just hanging for 5 minutes till i put the other one on..(note the engine was off the xmember before i removed it.)

[themadscientist]

You have a short-shifter in that transmission, lucky man.

[Valley]

that clip looks really good, where'd you buy it from?

[DriftingisLame]

Lyon - THANK YOU! very helpful, good pics.

MadScientist - Yeah i was pretty damn stoked to find that, I guess there pretty rare huh? Clip also came with a blitz supersound BOV, and some GAB coilovers that are useless to me lol.

Valley - Custom Imports in tacoma washington. I drove up there to pick it up, about an 8 hour drive round trip...Definatly worth it! I got to see a real s15 in pretty much perfect condition, an 80's saab 9000 4 door running 34 psi, 2 rb26 s14's, FD powered FC. and a ton more.

[OKCA18DET]

so where's the picture journal? all i see is a clip...

[DriftingisLame]

Uploading takes a looong time on this computer (dailup)

Here's some though.

[DriftingisLame]

cherry picker broke, so I had to lift the motor.

[DriftingisLame]

KA came out 2 nights ago.

[DriftingisLame]

Current state - Havent had much time today to get that Xmember off, but its one bolt away and let me tell you this bolt is a ***** and a half..

[DriftingisLame]

I'll try to get some better pics and more info on my swap soon... I'm borrowing a camera that I have to drive across town to upload/e-mail to my computer which then takes forever as well.

Here's the turbo, seems to be in great shape with next to no shaft play.

[OKCA18DET]

I'll try to get some better pics and more info on my swap soon... I'm borrowing a camera that I have to drive across town to upload/e-mail to my computer which then takes forever as well.

Here's the turbo, seems to be in great shape with next to no shaft play.

until u start the motor and it shoots oil out the

[DriftingisLame]

until u start the motor and it shoots oil out the

Of course it will with that attitude.

Lets look at this positivly can we?

okca18det - Great job max...I'm impressed i thought you were a dumb noob but man your a master mechanic...nice turbo, hot damn.

Max - thanks okca18, you really encouraged me to finish my swap and go smoke an SR.

[hannibal]

Max, youre a funny guy. Good luck with your swap. I'll be following along...

[OKCA18DET]

haha max ur funny, i just hope you transmission makes it to all the gears..cuz mine sure doesn't....so its gettin sent back to the place i got it along with the wrong ecu i recieved

[Sil240]

Hey did you compression test it?That was my mistake.I only had a 5cyl lol

[modestmouse]

Good luck man. Hope it goes quicker than mine has.

[DriftingisLame]

Custom Imports compression tested it and I took their word that it passed. They did start it up for me right before I took it home.

Thanks for the support guys, I'm gonna go get started on the crossmembers, maybe by tonight I'll be done. I'll keep you guys posted.

[PoorCollegeKidd]

How much did you pick that clip up for? Everyone around the pacific northwest seems to be out at the moment! Right when I have some money for the swap!

[DriftingisLame]

$1700.

Try calling Venus Auto 1-916-386-2286, i think there the only other shop even close to us. That was my only other choice, but I'm not 100% sure if they have one in stock right now.

Or try Custom imports, I'm not sure if i got the last one or not, 1-360-790-3606.

[DriftingisLame]

Okay just got the xmembers swapped. I looked at the power stearing lines with the r32 Xmember on hmmm.....screw power stearing!

I'll get some pics up as soon as i can take them to get uploaded.

Anyone have any suggestions for preparation on the RB before I drop it in?

[Carl H]

Okay just got the xmembers swapped. I looked at the power stearing lines with the r32 Xmember on hmmm.....screw power stearing!

I'll get some pics up as soon as i can take them to get uploaded.

Anyone have any suggestions for preparation on the RB before I drop it in?

wow you must either a)work out alot or b)masturbate alot because no ps on a s chassis sucks *** on a daily driver.i would put the ps on its not hard to to, just ditch the stock 'cooler' and get a real transmission fluid cooler thats what i did on my car.gonna have to disable hicas part of the pump but that isnt hard either.

[Carl H]

now this may be a silly question but where the fork did your upper radiator support go?

[DriftingisLame]

Me and this car had a little accident when I was driving to school in the wee hours of the morning. I had been up late at work, and i was very tired. I came around a corner at about 52 mph (55 speed limit) and someone was stopped waiting to turn. I hit the breaks which then locked up (raining), i cranked the wheel to the right to put myself in the ditch instead of hitting the camaro in front of me, but you know, understear's a *****... So I ordered a new upper core support and I decided to put off welding it back on untill the swap is done.

Here's the car the day of the wreck.

[DriftingisLame]

wow you must either a)work out alot or b)masturbate alot because no ps on a s chassis sucks *** on a daily driver.i would put the ps on its not hard to to, just ditch the stock 'cooler' and get a real transmission fluid cooler thats what i did on my car.gonna have to disable hicas part of the pump but that isnt hard either.

Yeah lol, everytime something like this happens I just say to myself "dude, racecars dont have power stearing" or "racecars dont have luxury's like AC and interior and all that crap".

But seriously, is it really that bad without PS? my friend with the rb25 s14 said it wont be that bad, he doesnt have PS.