RB26DETT 350Z Hybrid Swap

[xJC350x]

I get a mixed bag when it comes to going with the rb over the vq. Many people have been saying it is the worst thing I can do to dump the already built vq and go to an older rb. I guess it is the fact that I got so screwed up at first with the first guy that I took some real drastic measures the second time around. Also the fact that I know by the time I finish my VQ project it is going to be a lot more than I am spending on the RB swap because I still don't have a lot of things that I still need such as the entire fuel system, all cooling mods, an upgraded manifold (I am not sure how reliable the stock plastic one will be at higher boost levels). Howevevr I am very excited about the RB, but I always do have that thought on the back of my mind that I have wasted Alot of money I should have never wasted from the beginning and even more money starting over. It is never too late to continue the VQ project but to get the engine to the level it will be with all the mods that will be in the RB is going to be a lot more money. The shop is really giving me a good deal compared to other shops that do the same kind of work, I just hope that 2 years from now it is not breaking down on me every 100 miles... Nothing about this project makes sense!

[krash]

Read everything that AZhitman said. You might be mad at him or whatever, but he gave you golden information, that you don't want to listen to.....

Also, think about this in the simplest way possible. The RB26 is a 2.6L twin turbo. What you had was a 3.5L twin turbo. What do you expect to happen???

[xJC350x]

I appreciate all his information, just could deal without the sarcasm, because I don't make other people feel dumb about asking questions that's all. I have nothing towards him, I let that go, and if he wants to add more info then I am not stopping him, but just be courteous about it

Giving up displacement is the first thing I looked at in this swap, but I also took these things into account:
-Inline 6 vs V6, Correct if I am wrong but inline is smoother and generates smoother and more linear power than the V6, for example stock RB vs stock VQ, or stock 2JZ vs any Toyota V6, or for example a cummins turbo.
-Reliability over the long term, the RB that comes boosted from the factory vs the VQ that was never really meant for boost. I have no idea how long the VQ35HR will hold up 5 years down the line vs the RB26 down the line. I am taking a chance either way. I have seen that many RB hold up well past 100,000 miles and in upwards of 200,000 miles.
-Either way I go maintenance and good tuning is key to engine reliability and survivability. The design of the ITB is a nice feature as well if whoever is tuning it knows what they are doing. The design of the intake manifold
-RB is proven in the skylines to hold reliable high HP numbers, The HR is still kind of too new to know how long it can hold a reliable 600-1000 wheel horsepower.
And this did impress me: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrjNHHBG ... ideo_title[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au2v9TNn ... ideo_title[/youtube]

Yet this impresses me too: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZvSFBiyKIk[/youtube]

I guess power for power it is hard tom compare the two, I mean to you, what does it boil down to when you say that one is better than the other?

[RustspecS13]

Your screwed if you get pulled over. Cops know enough in California to be a danger to your cars health and your wallet. They send you to get emission tested, you'll fail. Ive heard rumors of ways around it but, eventually you will get caught. They are cracking down on it. And good luck if the cop THINKS you were "street racing" some one, your car could be impounded and crushed regardless of what powers it.

The linear power thing is stupid. Ive seen plenty of twin turbo VQ's have a very nice broad linear power band. Its all in the engine setup including tune, cams, turbo sizing, exhaust size, every thing. This takes experience and experimentation to achieve, and there are a few shops that know what they are doing. A quick look on My350z forums and similar should reveal a GOOD shop that knows the VQ35.

And since the RB26DETT has been out since 89, and the RB20 even longer, there are far more people experienced with setting them up. Also its had plenty of time to get lots of miles on them. You think that 500HP engine is going to last 200K miles though? Sure its possible but unlikely. Some small part could fail at any time and take everything out. or you tear it down and upgrade something blah blah blah. But thats stuff that can happen to any engine of any HP level or manufacturer.

Back when the 350z was new, people though the engine and trans were weak, as in plenty at the 400ishHP level were blowing up. Now there are people pushing 500whp out of un opened motors, and stock 6 speeds have been holding 800someHP with minimal if any help.

The thing about nitrous and why your motor blew, is all in the tuning. If the shot wasn't even cylinder, and the fuel was added unevenly to the nitrous, some cylinders will be setup for failure. Nitrous misuse and improper setup kills tonns of motors.

You've been given plenty of good info from Greg (AZhitman) and other people regarding both motors.

Bottom line, you shouldn't let stupid crap like sarcasm and on line fueds get in the way of good information. Text is hard convey a lot of meaning and tone and its easy to offend some one. Grow a thicker skin and get over it...

~Alex

[RustspecS13]

Oh and ask adam from Z1 how smooth his VQ35 is. Its a built and balanced NA setup that revs to 8300rpm and makes over 300WHP. Its super smooth, which comes from a good engine builder balancing the rotating assembly.

~Alex

[slidestyle69]

I guess spenders like yourself do help the economy so more power to you but your ways are unpractical IMO, 20-30k+ in your daily driver just to get the "i got 500 horse status" so you can always be on stand by whenever a race emerges is quite funny. I mean seriously what are your gonna do with 500HP with your daily?

[xJC350x]

Honestly I never intended to spend this much in the beginning. And it will be under 20k, hopefully... but no this isn't all going to the engine I am doing other things as well to track ready the car. I don't really care about saying to someone on the street that I have 500 under the hood because frankly if you can't handle 500 it doesn't matter... And what am I going to do with 500 +??? :-) I'm going to destroy anything at the track and hopefully be able to beat my dad and I 530 hp DD. I never tell anyone now when I'm at a meet or store or at a light, "hey I have 500 under my benz!" I let exhaust fumes and a shattered corvette ego talk for me.

[PyR0NiAk]

"It doesn't matter if you win by an inch or a mile...................."

[AZhitman]

I never tell anyone now when I'm at a meet or store or at a light, "hey I have 500 under my benz!"

Yeah, save all that for the Internet.

I let exhaust fumes and a shattered corvette ego talk for me.

[Eikon]

This thread is fun to read!

I wouldn't worry about the Cali Cops.. They are factory tuned.. If you can go more than 180K/hr they won't even chase you.

[AZhitman]

One thing I can't stand is seeing somebody either spend a lot of money on a setup or alot of money on a car like ferrari or something and never push their car to the limit. That won't be me though! I plan to eventually track the car because why have something fast and go slow?

I have dragged my car a lot already so yes I have experience. However, I do not have actual track racing experience

I let exhaust fumes and a shattered corvette ego talk for me.

Keep it on the track.

[slidestyle69]

"It doesn't matter if you win by an inch or a mile...................."

winnings winning ask any racer any real racer and now me and the mad scientist have to rip apart the block and replace the piston rings that you fried.

wheres the pictures at of your car, I wanna see the car

[themadscientist]

Dumb swap. It is only valuable for weird factor.
I don't even like VQs and I think trying to shove an RB in place of one is dumb. If you want to really do something interesting and that has the potential to eclipse the VQ throw a boosted VK56 in it. RB swaps are so five years ago.

I can tell you aren't interested in reason, though, so I encourage you to proceed.

Please spend all your money, use credit cards, cash in your savings bonds, collect recyclables, turn tricks in the mall parking garage, whatever it takes to fund the forcing of a straight six into a shell it won't easily fit in and produces power figures you already could have had.

Try desperately to fly under the inspection radar like all the SR20 240SX kiddies and get all stoked about how impressed people are going to be. When very few people are, come back and let me lick your face. Tears are delicious.

[xJC350x]

I just signed up for flickr because of guess it is hard to just load pix on this site easily, so by tomorrow I should have some pic up of the beginning of the build.
Question: does anyone have any experience with the borg warner efr turbos? They seem to be popular as they have a write up in a magazine as well as seem to be popular amongst some people. BY monday I am going to have the exact turbo narrowed down... Since I'm going single I need something with relatively quick spool time and I am beginning to lean toward the efr. Check them out on youtube: skyline efr turbo

[RustspecS13]

EFRs are pretty much brand new turbos. They are an amazing step forward in technology thats for sure. Id run one if I had the budget for it. I'll stick with my cheaper options a little longer though.

~Alex

[Ace2cool]

I still say you're buying into hype......

[xJC350x]

Yes, they seem to be nice turbos. Which part is hype, the turbos or the rb?

[xJC350x]

Your screwed if you get pulled over. Cops know enough in California to be a danger to your cars health and your wallet. They send you to get emission tested, you'll fail. Ive heard rumors of ways around it but, eventually you will get caught. They are cracking down on it. And good luck if the cop THINKS you were "street racing" some one, your car could be impounded and crushed regardless of what powers it.

The linear power thing is stupid. Ive seen plenty of twin turbo VQ's have a very nice broad linear power band. Its all in the engine setup including tune, cams, turbo sizing, exhaust size, every thing. This takes experience and experimentation to achieve, and there are a few shops that know what they are doing. A quick look on My350z forums and similar should reveal a GOOD shop that knows the VQ35.

And since the RB26DETT has been out since 89, and the RB20 even longer, there are far more people experienced with setting them up. Also its had plenty of time to get lots of miles on them. You think that 500HP engine is going to last 200K miles though? Sure its possible but unlikely. Some small part could fail at any time and take everything out. or you tear it down and upgrade something blah blah blah. But thats stuff that can happen to any engine of any HP level or manufacturer.

Back when the 350z was new, people though the engine and trans were weak, as in plenty at the 400ishHP level were blowing up. Now there are people pushing 500whp out of un opened motors, and stock 6 speeds have been holding 800someHP with minimal if any help.

The thing about nitrous and why your motor blew, is all in the tuning. If the shot wasn't even cylinder, and the fuel was added unevenly to the nitrous, some cylinders will be setup for failure. Nitrous misuse and improper setup kills tonns of motors.

You've been given plenty of good info from Greg (AZhitman) and other people regarding both motors.

Bottom line, you shouldn't let stupid crap like sarcasm and on line fueds get in the way of good information. Text is hard convey a lot of meaning and tone and its easy to offend some one. Grow a thicker skin and get over it...

~Alex

That's true about the VQ and there are some good shops all within about 4 hours to 5 min from where I live and that would be good to have them tune the VQ. A VQ that revs to 8300rpm must be real nice... I could imagine the feel and torque of that is very nice. SSAUTOPOWER, the shop that is doing my work, has done a few RB swaps and he has tuned them to be very responsive. And hey, if anybody would like this VQ for their build please shoot me a PM, I am open to offers. Did you hear about that earthquake in Japan this morning? That's sad, and also there might be a slight delay for the RB26... but that is yet to be known.

[xJC350x]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/60473004@N ... otostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60473004@N ... otostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60473004@N06/5515168425/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60473004@N ... otostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60473004@N ... otostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60473004@N ... otostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60473004@N ... otostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60473004@N ... otostream/
Here is all my things I am selling not including the engine and transmission on the bottom shelf...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60473004@N06/5518174602/

[PyR0NiAk]

Yes, they seem to be nice turbos. Which part is hype, the turbos or the rb?

Both?

Also, the fact that you are using a magazine to choose your turbo says very negative things about your experience.

[AZhitman]

I've put the IMG tags right there for you to use. All you have to do is put the URL in between them - it's simple.

[xJC350x]

HA! I would never choose something just because I saw it in a magazine, please know that I do my research past what a magazine says, BUT I am mentioning the fact I saw it in a magazine...
Pictures Posted!

[xJC350x]

I've put the IMG tags right there for you to use. All you have to do is put the URL in between them - it's simple.

I did that and it just posted blue boxes with question marks. I will do it again and see if it goes through this time.

[xJC350x]

[PyR0NiAk]

You're not using the actual image links. You're using links to the pages they're on. Please tell me you're smarter than this...

[AZhitman]

I will do it again and see if it goes through this time.

The definition of insanity is...

If the url doesn't end with .jpg, .gif or .png, you did it wrong.

Surprisingly, you've done it right everywhere else.

[xJC350x]

well... for now check out the links. I might have to use a site different than Flickr.

[AZhitman]

[AZhitman]

...when in doubt, ask an old person.

[OutToWinPAHC]

eww godspeed