300zx GTR swap

[Lecher08]

Hey yall...my 93 300zx n/a 2+2 is gonna to have a new engine in some time 184k on it. I was gonna just do a VG30dett swap but I have seen something that caught my eye... it was a 300zx with a RB26dett in it...the car looked ALSUM!!!! So have anyone else have ever done this OR know what is envloved in the swap? or the price... one person said it will cost around 13k to do full swap. anyone got any advice? thank you!

[partymonster 975]

It will cost a lot. the money you spend on that swap can be spent on a new VG and mods rather then swapping in a probably almost stock RB26. IMO its a waste of money. It has been done to at least 3 different z32's I've seen but more for sure. IMO I think you should spend it differently. I don't want to sound like a jerk or be offensive but, Just cuz it looks sweet is not a good start to do a swap this intense. REALLY think about it. Research it and then if you still want to do it go ahead. Some were around 10k seems right, IDK though. Plus its harder to find parts for an RB then it is for a VQ.

[partymonster 975]

O, BTW. welcome to the forum!

[Lecher08]

thnx for the welcome to the forums. But yeah i already got 8k saved up. I thought it would be very different than most Zs. then since it is in a n/a 2+2 it could be kinda of a sleeper. The 300zx swaps with the rb26dett, do you know how they mounted it in there? is there mounts you can buy or is it all custom. The VG is very hard to work on also... not much room this swap will make alot more room actually. Ill rather spend more money on a RB than VG just because easier to work on...even i have to order parts from Japan. I really like the style of the Z and respect Nissans very much. So i want the best Nissan has to offer for a engine...also its a I-6. I rather do that swap then just buy a Supra Turbo to go fast.

[partymonster 975]

OK, well. If you want to do it go ahead. I belief another member on this forum is doing the same swap as well. I'm pretty sure it requires custom mounts. I'd Google it or something and do some research about it.

[evildky]

unless you have really deep pockets or are comfortable welding uo your own mounts, I'd suggest you stick with the VG, and the RB is overpriced IMHO, if you want an easy to work on I6, go get an 83 280ZXT, easily built to 400whp on stock internals and will smoke most anything on the street

[nsrZ32]

^^^ agreed

Plus, the VG isn't hard to work on and isn't hard to make a lot of power out of.

[Lecher08]

Yeah thanks after doing ALOt of research i found out that the VG makes ALOT more torque than the RB. Ill rather have alot more torque just to feel all that power... dud im power hungery!

[dickie]

lol, pics of your car?

[ChicagoS14T]

Ive seen a RB25 powered 2+2 out here in Chicago. I dont know the details of the setup but the engine bay did look gutted and easier to work on then a VG. The VQ is a nice and new motor. I used to want a 300ZX TT and actually still do, but having a low budget and a Turbo 240 I cant afford another project car anytime soon. If I had the money I might consider the RB but I imagine its a very custom project and might not even be that good. Plus wouldnt the RB throw off the power and weight distribution of the car?

[drft5redemption]

Yeah thanks after doing ALOt of research i found out that the VG makes ALOT more torque than the RB. Ill rather have alot more torque just to feel all that power... dud im power hungery!

yea but how many vg's do you see making 1400 hp...

[NSRsheets]

For the money I would stick with the TT swap.

[dickie]

so when you say your 300zx na 2+2 do you mean you actually have this car?

werent you looking for a t/a recently because you coldnt find a 300zx? whats up with that?

[evildky]

yea but how many vg's do you see making 1400 hp...

how many 1400 hp rb's do you see? of the rb's swaps I've seen and heard about only a few are over the 400 whp mark, easily within rang of the VG30DETT, who cares what some no budget shop half way around the world did, whats on the street is all that matters

[greatgonzer]

I performed an NA to TT JDM motor swap on my Z. I absolutely love the results. My Z kicks some ***. With some simple mods while the engine is out you can turn it into a beast. I opted for the AMZ StageII turbos, 555cc Nismo injectors, XTD 6 puck racing clutch, Fidanza aluminum flywheel, Underdrive crank pulley, AMZ 1 piece drive-shaft. and all with the NA rear diff to get better launches than stock TTs. So to make a long story short, you can turn the VG into a beast for a lot less money than you can to an RB with the same money... Just my 2 cents...

[drft5redemption]

how many 1400 hp rb's do you see? of the rb's swaps I've seen and heard about only a few are over the 400 whp mark, easily within rang of the VG30DETT, who cares what some no budget shop half way around the world did, whats on the street is all that matters

uhh well the rb26 puts down over 400hp with just a few bolt on mods. and the 25 is the same way.. there are an extremely large amount of swapped rb's running around with numbers well over 400hp everywhere in the us alone.. and my point was that the rb is capable of making more power than the vg not that there are alot of 1400hp rb's

[evildky]

uhh well the rb26 puts down over 400hp with just a few bolt on mods. and the 25 is the same way.. there are an extremely large amount of swapped rb's running around with numbers well over 400hp everywhere in the us alone.. and my point was that the rb is capable of making more power than the vg not that there are alot of 1400hp rb's

the VG30DETT puts down 400whp with a" few bolt on mods" as a matter of fact a few have achieved ti with the stock turbo's! heck the L28 puts down 400whp with "a few bolt on mods"my point is that max power potential is pointless, the L28ET is supposed to be capable of 800whp, I've never seen one that high and the power band would be useless, don't get me wrong the RB is a great motor just an over rated, over priced motor, if you want achaivable power with the least effort and dollars, then the VG is gonna be the way to go

and the wiw factor of the RB is wearing off as they become more common stateside, of course I also that it's silly to reduce displacement

[txQ45]

Stock internals, 555 or better injectors, ECU upgrade, cat back, down-pipes, GT2860R turbos should get you around 475-500 rwhp

[dsc4130]

how many

yea but how many vg's do you see making 1400 hp...

rb's do you see with 1400hp last more than a week. sure you can do it. you can do it with any motor. but it wont last. i had an rb20 power 240 and i loved it but to make any real power out of those things you need to have lots of money. plus there is an rb26 powered z32 here in st.louis and the shop that suposably did it said it was a pain in the butt. it took for ever to get the thing to run right.imo id stick with the tt motor. more common and way easier to get parts for. just think of how far 12g would go on the tt motor

[donyouth718]

Well i think if you wanna be different, go with the RB Swap, I put about $15,000 into my car, it was a pain in the a** but she does justice for me, I did everything myself though

[raremotive]

Yikes 4 year thread bump from the grave!!

Nice Rb25, and welcome the the forums.

[300ZXttZMAN]

Yikes 4 year thread bump from the grave!!

Nice Rb25, and welcome the the forums.

Yea sheesh

[aroche25]

While were bumping old threads, There is a very nice rb26 swapped 300zx for sale right now. (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/_W0QQcmd ... MEWAXQ3aIT)

[300ZXttZMAN]

While were bumping old threads, There is a very nice rb26 swapped 300zx for sale right now. (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/_W0QQcmd ... MEWAXQ3aIT)

Hats off to the guy that did that swap ^^^
He even kept ac idk if i have ever seen a z32 with an rb26 have ac

[raremotive]

Zboost did his build thread on rbz32. Watch that for years. Also he did some youtube videos with the rb noise heard in the cabin of the car while merging on the highway. Pretty sick sounding.

[TTkickedin]

I was wondering why this had the 4+ year old "Im so Jdm I'll swap an rb26 in there!" gung-ho hybrid swapper attitude with no follow up. The thread title seemed promising which is why I'm here. BUT sadly, it has not delivered Instead of making coming into this thread a complete waste of time at work, here's a feasible option for you:


Z1motorsports has crate vg30dett 'racing' motors you can pick up for (+-)8 grand depending on if you still have it. Would be a lot easier than buying an rb26, buying rb25 rwd transmission, cusotm driveshaft, engine + transmission mounts, custom wiring harness, and other mods (if you were swapping an rb26 and you didn't do anything performance wise to it before it was shoehorned into a z, )

It's been 4 years since an update on your supposed "GTR" swap...so my guess is you blew it all. So if you got the money if not

[ZFreak]

Ok... I'll play.

Yes, you can put an RB26DETT in your Z32. No it will not come cheaply.

ZBoost (i.e. Bryan C. I believe his name is) started the swap himself and had MA Motorsports finish his swap. They are also the same shop that did the RB Z32 that was featured in Super Street. (google Super Street MA Motorsports RB26 and you'll see it). ZBoost has tens of thousands into his swap to get it that way, and it's still relatively stock.

I'm also a member on RBZ32. I have been working on this swap for almost 3 years and it's almost finished. I have almost $30,000 into the SWAP ALONE and I'm still throwing money at it like crazy... and at the end of the day, it's a relatively stock RB26 (turbo, manifold, injectors, FMIC, standalone the only basic mods)

Anyway, that being said, here's a little bit of what needs to be done for the swap:

* Z32 trans mates to the RB26DETT bellhousing. Bolts right up.
- You need a RB25DET slave cylinder, and there is a place on the RB26 bellhousing to tap the bolts for this.
- That converts the clutch from a "pull type" that is terrible to change to a "push type".
- RB26DETT non-multi plate flywheel (i.e. stock flywheel)
- N/A Z32 clutch and pressure plate.
- You have to move the clutch pivot ball to another location... simple as tapping a new hole.
- Use Z32 driveshaft, Z32 trans mount.
- When you have the engine/trans in one piece in the car, and bolted to the trans mount, this determines where the motor mounts will be. (custom motor mounts...see below).

* Speed & Sound STL Motor mounts, or make your own. These bolt to the unibody framerails, not the lower crossmember...so you can no remove the oil pan without pulling the engine. You simply remove the lower crossmember and the engine stays in place.
- you have to notch the front crossmember to clear the RB26 oil pan (don't run the RB25 oil pan, it sucks). The RB26 block has bolt holes for the RB25 oil pan (stamped steel and WILL LEAK) and the RB26 cast aluminum pan (rocks).
- You have to remove the front sway bar, or get one made. I have a speed & sound STL sway bar... at at cost of about $750.
- The RB26 oil pan has to be modified (and I highly suggest running this pan). You have to hack off all of the AWD components (front diff and housing) as well as grind some of the "fins" off the bottom of the pan, then TIG weld up the axle holes in the oil pan.

* Custom made radiator and piping/hoses. Some guys run a Honda civic radiator. Some guys have overheating problems. Do it right or it WILL overheat.

* FMIC - All piping will have to made custom...not a huge ordeal, but not easy either.

* Power steering - If you get an R32 RB26 (has a two chamber power steering pump) you have to block off one chamber, or buy an R33 GTR pump (R33 GTR's had electric HICAS, not Hydraulic). You have to get custom made lines for your swap too. (the 240sx RB26 lines don't work... ask me how I know!)

* Wiring - Get an RB26 wiring diagram and Z32 wiring diagram and match them up. Not many wires. I did a fuse box wire-tuck at the same time so there was a lot more that had to be extended. Also removed a TON of wires from the RB26 & HICAS stuff in my R33 RB26 harness.

* Standalone. You really need a Standalone like Apexi Power FC D-Jetro (that's what I'm running) or EMS, Emanage, etc.

* Turbo manifold - Depending on what you run, you will have to modify the wastegate pipe to clear the steering column. You also have to shield the fuel lines, as the Z32 feeds from the driver side, and the RB26 input is on the passenger side. You "can" just run all new lines from the fuel tank to the passenger side, but that's even more cost.
- Exhaust: Everything has to be custom made.

When everything is done, all the factory Z32 gauges work, your swap is several hundred pounds lighter, and your Z32 is now "unique". Had I had the chance to do it all over again, I wouldn't do it again. It is FAR too expensive, and that money I put into this, I could have easily had a 750hp VG30DETT reliable monster. And my Z already was making 585 RWHP and 505tq before this swap.

Many of the "custom" parts I have came off of Charlie C.'s car (the RB26Z you see on youtube that's title "RB26 300zx (not my car)... those parts are on here. He parted his car out.

That being said, here's a few pics:





Crossmember modification:



New sway bar:




FMIC (custom made):

[ZFreak]

[DCaff300ZX]

[quote="ZFreak"]Ok... I'll play.

That being said, here's a few pics:





GORGEOUS Swhite Z, and love the look with the RB26.
Considered this myself but...the info above tells the tale.
Probably too much trouble for the payoff in the end unless you have buckets of $ to blow or can do most/all of this yourself and source cheap RB parts.

[ZFreak]

Agreed. And ZTune.CA used to be my source for the RB26 parts until they closed down. Now the parts are all still available, they just got a LOT more expensive.

Yes, it is a VERY indepth and VERY expensive swap. Stick with the VG and call it a day.