New to the SR... Need some help.

[young-gunn]

Hey, never thought I would be in this section but I found a nice deal on a lot of nissan parts this weekend from a guy who decided he was too old for imports and started building jeeps. This is a very odd engine I find and I'm just curious who knows some stuff about it.

It is an SR20DE with an automatic trans out of a 1998 Silvia.What I find wierd is that it has a distributor with a built in coil, I thought they all had coil packs. It also doesnt have a cover over the plugs, did these have one at all? Thats all I can think of without looking at the engine.

The guy also threw in a LSD for a 300ZX, full rear brake swap from a 300ZX with adjustable camber and toe arms, 2 factory turbo manifolds, turbo dump pipes, 1 bottom mount aftermaket manifold (I forget the name stamped on it), 2 sets of rear knuckles for a 300ZX, Full SR Wiring harness, SR ECU, and I cant even remember what else.

I was also wonderng if someone could link me to a few writeups. I've been searching but there is so many threads about these kind of things it's hard to filter through it all.S14 to S14 SR20 swapWiring auto SR harness to manual trans300ZX Rear brake install300ZX LSD installPutting A/C on an SR swap

I plan to build this SR before dropping it in and run a top mount T3/T4 and a KA trans. I'm hoping for a successful 14 PSI and a proper tune by next year.

Any help would be great. Thanks

[joker350gt]

the SR20DEs that come inthe G20s and SERs use a distibutor and the SR20DETs come with coil pack

now i dont know if that applys for every year or if im 100% accurte

[rc1honda]

Alright, i think you have a Sentra Se-R motor. These are different form the Sr20det motors but not much. Im pretty sure the trans wiring is the same it just the ECU that is different. And maybe the speed sensor. Do you have any engine pics?Stay away from the KA trans. Just use the Sr trans. Or even better a 300zx trans with mazworx conversion kit . Im really confused by this post. Sounds like you have a automatic front wheel drive engine in a 240? I can't really help with the write up those are easy to find. Google is your freind.

[joker350gt]

silvias came with either DE or DET if i remember correctly

[young-gunn]

The motor has a RWD manifold and a RWD trans. but has a through bolt style mount, unlike the 240 does. It has the angled valve cover still, and Variable valve timing. it is setup exactly like a KA, but has a distributor which confuses me. He brought it over from Japan with 23,000 kms on it from a Silvia.

Is there a difference between the turbo and N/A throttle bodies? he has the turbo one on the car, and gave me the N/A one seperately, I think he said something about the turbo one being smaller but conical, I forget.

[young-gunn]

Every sentra picture I can find has a totally reversed intake than mine. Also my distributor sits where the KA one did, not in line with the cams.

it looks something like this

[joker350gt]

the DE engines use a distibutor and the DET use coil packs since the turbo engines need a stonger spark

the DE has a smaller TB since it doenst get air rammed in like the DET

the intake on the sentras is revised because of the way the engine sits in the bay

[Seishuku]

It should look exactly like that pic (that's my car btw ), but anyhow... The engine is actually a pretty nice engine, running 165bhp and 160 ft lbs torque, it's right around the KA24DE.

In stock form it takes turbocharging fairly well, though it can be tricky with the 10:1 compression ratio.

As you've discovered, it uses a distributor instead of coil packs (turbo motors only came with those).

I've posted more info on the engine else where on this forum, just search for it.

[young-gunn]

So what would my options be as building this with a T3/T4? I know a lot of KA guys that are dealing with blowout at 15 psi. Is there a common way to go to coilpacks? Or a way to use an S13 240 disributor and external coil?

Here is my truckload of parts, I just took these so they're a little dark

The guy who had the engine before was going to go with a bottom mount setup, but I plan on running a larger top mount turbo. The distributor will definitely be nicer to set and tweak timing, but I'm worried about installing, wiring and spark blowout. is there a write up on an S14 SR20DE swap around? I'll give that a search right now. Are there any other obstacles or issues I will run into when using this engine for the swap?

[young-gunn]

So, I just read that the N/A version is weaker internally than the turbo model. What would I have to upgrade to pull some decent boost from this engine. I know it has 10:1 compression, so different pistons are a must, what about the rods and crank? I'll be putting an aftermarket head gasket in and larger injectors with a 255 lph fuel pump. I plan to sell my 3 (2 stock, one aftermarket) manifolds that came with the car, and start saving for a top mount T3 setup. I'll probably need some sort of external coil or swap to coil packs if I ever go over 15 psi.

I'm almost thinking KA-T would be better than turbo'ing an SR20DE. My KA has 215,000 kms, and this SR has 23,011 kms, so I dont want to give up on it for that reason.

Any input is welcome

[rc1honda]

Well if you going to put pistons and rods in i would just turbo the KA just becuase of the larger displacemnet. The only thing is getting a tune for the KA is a bit harder. Also the aftermarket for the SR20 is huge and it will be much easier to source those hard to find parts. If i were going to build the Sr i would buy the Spitfire Igniton setup. It comes with the coilpack. Unless you wanna pay a lot on machine work i would stay with the stock bore and get the block honed and decked. The get the crank polished and balanced. The get some CP pistons 9-1 compression ratio and some eagle rods. Then ARP main studs and rod bolts. Then renew all gaskets and change the oil pump while you have the motor apart. After that i would work on the head. Get some BC vavle sprongs and retainers and some SuperTech valves. Get new guides and seals. Have the head ported polished and then get some HKS or Jim Wolf cams (no BC cams you have to degree them HKS or JWT is easier and just as good if not better). Get some rocker arm stoppers and the motor work should be done. After that i would suggest large injectors. Get at least 740cc. Then you will have to get a good ecu tune or better yet a standalone. I would highly suggest a standalone. Power fc is good and relativley cheap. AEM EMS is awesome and so is the Haltech e8/e11. Get a tune and enjoy. Good Luck and take your time, but don't be lazy. Another thing you can do is start fresh and sell all that stuff and then buy a SR20det and then do the things i told you. Or sell a ll that stuff anf get a RB25/26 and then you already at 300hp and with a little work can be at 400 easy. Either way your car will be a monster if you build a motor or buy one.

[Seishuku]

The rod are the same as a SR20DET, pistons are obviously different (10:1 vs. 8.5:1 CR).The only differences between an SR20DE and an SR20DET are the pistons, ignition system, no oil jets for the pistons, MAYBE the oil pump (can't confirm that), and the injectors (260CC vs 370CC).

Swap is the same as any S14 SR swap, wire colors are the same unless you have an odd-ball harness, if you have a harness at all.

If I were to redo my DE+T, I would get 9:1 CR forged pistons and leave the rest stock. The pistons are really the only weak point between the SR20DE and SR20DET.

[buster415]

eh my friend has the same motor the SR20DE he boosted it with the stock sr20det turbo and injectors hasnt had a problem yet. he just used a jwt ecu flash. Just wondering but what makes the sr20det pistions so weak?

[Seishuku]

Cast aluminum and a small ring land, it's usually what's wrong with OEM pistons, turbo or not.

However, SR-DE pistons are MUCH stronger than KA-DE, the KA's ring land is tiny in comparison. Though the SR-DET's ring land is thicker yet compared to the SR-DE.

They just can't take knocking like forged pistons, that's why a lot of people end up with cracked ring lands or holes melted in them.

But if you're going to buy new rods and pistons, you might as well get some really nice H or I beam rods and some 9:1 or 9.5:1 forged turbo pistons... Build one bad a** mofo!With just those, you can hit 350+ no problem. Well, with an equal sized turbo, of course.