full clip VS. motorset

[ka-t_2_be]

I plan on doing an RB25DET swap into my S13. I called Venus Auto and they said that their next shipment got delayed for another month to a month and a half . I really want to get started on my swap. They do have a few motorsets in stock. What else comes with the full clip that doesn't come with the motorset? What else would I need to make it work if I got the motorset? Also, I want to make this RHD and I will be getting a 180SX clip with no motor. That should take care of my dash, pedals, etc. But do I need anything from the skyline clip that would make this install impossible without it? Also, does anyone know of another company in Northern California that imports this clip at a reasonable price? Thank you very much.

[tjmhillz]

if im not mistaking a clip comes wit just about everything u need for swap. a motorset is just like its says motor, transmission and ecu. but most of the time when u get a motorset its a few things missing. if i was u i would just wait it out until they get clips in. im also in the same situation as u im trying to get rb20 i found a few motorsets but i want clip. cuz sometimes they come wit goodies. i think if u ask everybody they going to say wait it out for clip..

[FriedEGs]

with clips you can use the clutch master cylinder to convert your auto... thats what i did... plus you get a good condition brake master cyl.

but, the front hubs DO NOT work for 4 lug s14's... i dunno anything about fitment for s13..

Also, if you use the mount kit that requires the RB cross member, you'll have it with the clip..

I pondered the idea of a clip vs. swap, but i had a nice deal on a clip and from someone i knew.. it was nice getting the clip cus, i knew everything was there, but, moving that thing from the warehouse i had it sent too to my garage was a pain, that's where the swap on one palette would've saved the headache.. but, it was totally worth the effort..

anyway, if you just get the swap, just make sure you have a complete harness with the igniter, teh sidemount if you use it, and the hoses, ecu, etc... that's about all y ou need.. good luck!!

[RB20DETodd]

I plan on doing an RB25DET swap into my S13. I called Venus Auto and they said that their next shipment got delayed for another month to a month and a half . I really want to get started on my swap. They do have a few motorsets in stock. What else comes with the full clip that doesn't come with the motorset? What else would I need to make it work if I got the motorset? Also, I want to make this RHD and I will be getting a 180SX clip with no motor. That should take care of my dash, pedals, etc. But do I need anything from the skyline clip that would make this install impossible without it? Also, does anyone know of another company in Northern California that imports this clip at a reasonable price? Thank you very much.

sounds like a lot of work by the time you get your rhd swap done i bet the shipment will have come in

[Bronze MFP]

with the rb25, you may want the gauge cluster too, I doubt you'd get that with a motorset.

be patient young grasshopper

for a rb20, the motorset i got was fine, but the 25 sounds like a clip would be in your best interest. don't rush things or you won't be happy with your swap.
Modified by Bronze MFP at 3:15 PM 2/25/2006

[tjmhillz]

like i said i think everybody will tell u its better to get a clip because it comes wit everything u just about need to swap it to ur car..

[Wulfgang]

You're in CA, so shipping should not be as much of an issue. For myself, I wish I would have gone with a motorset instead of a clip. For an RB20 at the time I bought from Venus (~2 years ago), the price of a shipped clip was ~$700 more than a shipped motorset to Illinois. Back then, people said you needed a lot of stuff from the clip, which we now know to be false. In fact, I only used the motorset + the SMIC + the x-member. Since you can source an SMIC for only about $200 and I could fab mounts, I wasted money that could've been used on an FMIC.

For an RB25, I would think it is more important to just buy the motorset. You already have to buy a custom driveshaft, so you don't really save any money or hassle by using the stock x-member, i.e. you can't just use the KA driveshaft, so why worry about mounting location?

Plus, RB25's run hotter, so you might be upgrading the radiator anyway, and nobody wants the SMIC, so those are both wasted. Things like brakes, headlights, and suspension parts are definitely not guaranteed to be there if you buy from Venus, so you can count those out.

In the end, you've paid extra for shipping and gone through extra work to remove an engine from a clip and have nothing extra to show for it. You won't really have saved any money, and you'll have this huge hunk of metal and broken glass that you have to dispose of.

My opinion: get the motorset.

[ka-t_2_be]

Thank you for everyone's input. I think that I will just get a clip and wait. I just want it all to be there. My past expeieinces with engine swaps lead me to think that if something could be missing or go wrong for me it will. So I think that I will just play it safe and clip it. Plus I live like 20 minutes away from Venus. So, I dont need shipping.

[lucky7]

i got a motorset and i got a broken intake manifold. its a gamble getting just the motorset.