Does anyone here have a RB20DET and is really Satisfied?

[drksol22]

I am in a dilemma where i have a rb25 longblock that need rebuilding or i can buy a rb20 swap for cheap but people say not to go the rb20 route. are there people that are really happy with a rb20 swap?

[Yellow4g63]

Rb20's suck don't waste your time lol.

[Kevin.A]

I have an RB20 in my 300zx, it's hard to find parts, there are a lot more parts available for the RB25.

If your goal is ~250-275 HP there's not a whole lot of difference.
If you want more, you don't really want to go with the RB20.

The other big problem with all RB's is when they break, they are down for weeks.
I lost a PS Pump and it took 2 weeks to get the parts to fix it.

[drksol22]

hmmm....good info....i want to build my rb25 but its gonna cost alot where as i cann pay 1g for rb20swap.

[bmart]

I love my 20. Don't think I would switch unless I could get a 26 cheap. I'm also plenty satisfied with around 300 whp.

[Kevin.A]

I'm by no means talking down the RB, i love mine.
Only engine i would rather have then my 20 being the 26. but doesn't mean you shouldn't know what your getting into.

[Sil240]

Is your car already wired for a rb25 and you you have a rb25 dshaft?
if so then just rebuild your 25.

[Gabes13]

I love my 20. I like it bc it was a "cheaper" alternative to an sr20 or kat, not bc it was some godly 6 cylinder platform. Yeah the torque is kinda blah, probably no different than an sr though. Im not looking for more than 300hp, so Im satisfied at the moment. Plus it sounds dope.

[drksol22]

I don't Have anything at all except for the longblock. So im looking into what to do.

[touge whore]

I love my 20 as well.
Pros:
cheaper
Awesome sound
reliable (if done right)
when everybody asks " do you have a sr?" you just shake your head an say " skyline motor"
transmission matchs a ka, sr, ca.

cons
not much info available on the 20 online.
parts are harder to obtain than the ka, sr, 25(unless you live in socal)

[Cjmartz2k]

Maybe it's because I'm disolusioned from living in japan and owning a RB20 Skyline (well, started out that way a LONG time ago), but if the main reason you choose an RB20 over say and SR is bragging about having a "skyline motor" in your car, that's kinda gay. No offense touge whore, I'm not trying to talk s***. It's just for all the time, effort, pain in the a**, and extra expense of going RB20 over SR, the most you can get out of it is bragging it's a skyline motor and the sound? Not good reasons IMHO. Now when you start comparing RB20's to other RB's, the argument is even more lopsided at that point. I quickly gave up on my RB20 in the skyline. Think about the price differences for the motor sets and installs. I'm going to be generous and say $1000? Now how much money are you going to spend trying to get your RB20 up to the same level of HP as the RB25 is stock (not to mention the lack of torque or over all power potential.)

Also, please lay off the RB26 nutswinging people. It's not that much better than a RB25 in stock form, and maxed out the motors are about the same.

[drksol22]

so im conclusion, get a rb25?

[Carl H]

said it before and i'll say it again...i can build an rb20 that will rape the crap out of an rb25 for the same price as a stock rb25 swap.
it all depends on the overall power goals for the car as well as the money at hand, you can get the rb20 in and running for less but it will be harder to make big power.

[drksol22]

i have 1500 right now. it is going in my RHd Vert project and looking to be in the low 300 or low 400whp range.

[drksol22]

also does anyone know if i buy a rb20 or rb25 with the crossmember and trans member will it bolt up perefctly to the s13 chasis?

[Kevin.A]

probably not, the skyline is wider then the S13, but mckinney makes mounts for RB into S13's they sell them on RawBrokerage

[Carl H]

yes it will, has worked just fine for me the past 8 years i've owned an rb powered car.

[ST240]

also does anyone know if i buy a rb20 or rb25 with the crossmember and trans member will it bolt up perefctly to the s13 chasis?

You need the AUTO s13 transmission crossmember for bolt in fitment.

[drksol22]

Thats so awesome. im useing a s13 vert auto crossmember to run my manual trans right now but it doesnt fit great. so having it is awesome im just stuck between having enough money to buy a rb20 or saving more and buying a rb25

[RustspecS13]

The major difference is the 25 will have a little bit better torque and response at the same power level. And the parts are a little more common.

Both are great motors. But if you have most of a 25 setup, Id stick with that. If you want it done asap, go buy an RB25 DET AUTOmatic long block/motorset minus transmission. Should be cheaper then building the one you have, and you get all the accesories, brackets, bolts, all the little stuff you need putting a motor together. You don't need an expensive transmission and you can part out the stuff you don't need. You should come out under your $1500 you have now.

I had a full RB20 setup, running and everything, and I bought a rb25 long block that needed some minor stuff for $300. I had mostly rb20 stuff, so I went back to it. Id love to have the extra flowing head, and .5L of displacement, but it is what it is.

~Alex

[bmxer300zx]

lota people dont like the rb20s but a few things are rb20s have smaller injectors than most turbo cars they come with 270ccs instead of 370.also they have ceramic turbos that cant be boosted as well.another thing is there is a hp rating from the skyline to the other rb20s used in the other nissans .theres like a 10 to 15 hp difference due to smaller cams the skyline has bigger 1s.rb20 is good if ur looking to get around 275 300hp without crazy mods and bolt ons.if u want more go 25.every 1 says they are hard to find parts for but the parts are all interchangeable from 300zxs,240sx,rb25s and other nissan engines.i have powersteering of a sr20det have a 300zx na stage 3 clutch,300zx slave cylinder ka24de radiator sr20det intercooler piping cut to fit.so idk man its up 2 u the route u wana go.

[eazyduzit64]

i bought my rb20det 240 about 3 moths ago, and everytime i fix something, something else goes wrong. I use to have a b13 se-r with an sr20 in it and not once had a problem. Even tho the 240 i have now is sexy as hell i kinda miss my sentra. let alone finding parts for the rb is a b**** and a half.

[RustspecS13]

My RB20 was extremely reliable. Drove it 60 miles a day to work and back. Got 27+mpg easily.

All RB's are made to be reliable in the skylines. They will be reliable in 240's if you do all the proper work. And if your on a budget, that just might make things more drawn out. Some things will get damaged in shipping, or things will wear out while they are sitting not being used. Understand that and you'll be prepared for problems.

~Alex

[Carl H]

sounds like whoever did your swap did it half assed...every rb swap i've done was straight to go unless the owner mucked with it.

i bought my rb20det 240 about 3 moths ago, and everytime i fix something, something else goes wrong. I use to have a b13 se-r with an sr20 in it and not once had a problem. Even tho the 240 i have now is sexy as hell i kinda miss my sentra. let alone finding parts for the rb is a b**** and a half.

[Cjmartz2k]

RB20s are damn tuff to break, I'll give them that.

[eazyduzit64]

lol id say so. Dont get me wrong i like them i just at the hassel. But once i get the timing fixed, the wiring for the tps redone, and my boost leak all situated, it will be a beast.

[eddiegordo]

I have a bone stock rb20 in my hatch and im more than satisfied. In fact, my buddy had the same car with a redtop sr and he said stock to stock mine pulled harder and boosted earlier. i make max torque at 4K and max hp at 6k the dyno looks like a table top on the high end, which is really good cause its an even power band. yeha the 25 is better, but i can make 400hp too, and with the same mods: turbo, injectors, maf, tune..