Need Wisdom- s14 sr20 questions

[S14-KOUKI-MONSTER]

I'm going to be buying an sr20 to finally do the ever popular swap on my car after owning it for four years. Call me anal, but I'd prefer to stay true to the heritage of the car by getting an s14 kouki notchtop. In the s13 redtop vs s13 blktop, someone said that no sr20 engines are obd II, and that's why it's hard to import post '96 cars.So my first Q- Are s14 kouki notchtops really obd I?

Besides vtc, and the t28 turbo, whats the main difference between s13 blacktops, and s14 notchtops?

Would I be better off getting the s13 blacktop instead?

Is vtc somewhat ineffective for making power?Thanks in advance!

[SpeedRacer1]

No JDM engines are OBDII because OBDII is a North American thing. A bunch of US automakers got together and said "lets make it easier to find out whats wrong with our cars by making a universal port that one scanner can read." That scanner reads the OBDII port but the Japanese car manufacturers only made US spec cars with OBDII, they kept their own JDM cars regular with their own consult ports.

In Canada you can only import a car thats 15 years old or older which means that right now you can only import cars from Japan made in 1991 and earlier. This is why it is hard to import cars from 1996 and later.

The only main difference between the S13 and S14 black top is the turbo, vtc, wiring, and intake manifold/head design. And some other minor things such as the waterpump design. VTC makes a lightly modified S14 SR feel better than an S13 SR.

S14 Zenki and Kouki engines have different harness' and ECU's. But the engines remain practically the exact same.

[S14-KOUKI-MONSTER]

So when you say " they kept their own jdm cars regular with their own consult ports", does that mean that they have the obd I system with the 8 pin connector or is it a different diagnostic system altogether?

Thanks again.

[SpeedRacer1]

Yes basically they still use the same connectors that they have used for the last 20 years or so.

[vutony]

Parts for S14 motors are less than S13

[S14-KOUKI-MONSTER]

Yes basically they still use the same connectors that they have used for the last 20 years or so.

Weird, I suppose I assumed that all post 96 cars would've had the same obd II system as in North America.

obd II systems were introduced primarily for emission-related purposes due to the clean air act, whereas the primary purpose of obd I was to detect faults in sensors or sensor circuits.

I assume that JDM cars have better emissions systems than our old N.A. obd I? I'd think that a heavily populated country like Japan would have strict laws. That must be why they have so many expensive inspections?

Maybe I'm just smoking too much of this killer BC bud lol...(this is where I would've inserted the "bong-hit" icon) Bring back the bong-hit!

Thanks again

[SpeedRacer1]

Actually California has the strictest emissions. They required a bunch of crap to be cleaned up because their pollution problem got out of hand. That is the reason why the Skyline had to be brough up to California specs before it was brought into the US, otherwise it would not have been 50 state street legal.

[S14-KOUKI-MONSTER]

Thanks for clearing that obd issue man. Don't be suprised if you see a few more questions of mine posted on this forum lol. I'm pretty dead set on getting the s14 kouki notch-top, and I was quoted 2800 cdn shipped for everything even radiator, so I'll be ordering that soon. My plan is to completely disassemble, evaluate, and then rebuild it. I'll install it this winter, when my car comes off the road.

Thanks again.

[SpeedRacer1]

Why do you want to take it apart?

[sblack13]

maybe he's buying it from osakajdm

[S14-KOUKI-MONSTER]

Because I want to build a solid engine and transmission that I have complete confidence in. I feel a bit uneasy about buying an engine with an unknown history, and throwing it in my car. I'm sure most people have done it without negative results, but I don't even want to take the chance.I'm definately going to take the time to do a perfect job.

[SpeedRacer1]

Whats the plan for your car?

[S14-KOUKI-MONSTER]

Just to have one bad-*** s14 pretty much. I wanted to do the rb26 swap, but I've heard that It'll throw off the balance of the car, and I want a car that handles well over a car that has a ton of power. What do you think about the rb26 swap?

[180fan]

bs to the "throw off the balance" with the rb26. Just it's alot of cash. Alot more than people think it realistically is.

[SpeedRacer1]

Its not that big of a deal to put in an RB26, just that everything is more expensive and will drain money faster. You are dealing with 2 more cylinders so everything you would be buy for an SR is 150% more expensive (ie pistons, injectors, etc.) My shop works on a few RB26's (all in GT-R's) and they have great potential. One of our shop sponered cars just recieved an RB25DE out of an R34 and the driver said he was drifting great with it. Too bad he lost sight of the wall tandeming a week ago in Portland...

[S14-KOUKI-MONSTER]

Damn, that sucks! But I guess you gotta pay to play! Thanks alot for the info and advice, it's appreciated. Hope you'll checkout any other posts I might make, seeking info.