This has too good to be true...

[goofynick6]

Well, things are going well with my swap, and today I decided to testfit the engine alone to see what I'd have to do in the way of making my own custom mounts....

I dropped it in using R33 crossmember and stock RB mounts. I was amazed; there was 2" from the radiator core to the crank pulley...isn't that really good?

So, since I had 2" behind the engine, I drilled 2 new slots in the r33 crossmember that were 3/4" back from the original. I then bolted it up and yeah, I have 2.75" of space between the crank pulley and radiator.

..OH YEAH AND, the swaybar and oilpan clearances are perfect and after measuring, I found that the shifter is only going to be about 1/2" forward of center.

Am I superlucky? or is this common for an RB20 in an S14? I'm glad, because now I don't have to mess around with new mounts :ylsuper

Today just HAPPENED to be the one day I didn't have my camera with me, so pics will come tomorrow.

Nick

[Joe]

thats the way the RB20 sits.

its not like the 25/6's

[GTR Shop]

All RBs sit the same if you use a R33 crossmember and stockmounts.... 20/25/26.

[gprodigy85]

yes but how is your hood clearance and steering rack clearance, those are the kickers

[goofynick6]

Steering rack is perfect, just moved the cooler lines outta the way (snapped them by accident!), I'm making a custom downpipe so that's no worry.

Hood, well, I am making a custom intake manifold, so that isn't a worry. I just always thought it was way forward when people installed them, so I was happy.

Also, I don't think it could go any lower than it is right now...it has JUST the right clearance over the xmember and sway bar.

Nick

[GTR Shop]

We just trim a little of the support and it fits no probs.Why spend hundreds on mounts when a 4" section trimmed fits perfectly??

[goofynick6]

Exactly, buy a lightened flywheel instead!

[BoostFab]

would there be any difference w/ the r32 cross-member?

[GTR Shop]

Nope..

[Wulfgang]

goofynick6, you said R33 x-member. Did you mean R32?

As for the hood and steering shaft issues, I had decent clearance on both. No hood cutting needed on the S14 for me.

I did have a problem with my steering shaft reaching the rack tho. I know it's supposed to telescope a bit, but mine would not budge. I ended up cutting it and welding in a section of steel pipe to extend it.

From what people are saying, it seems like the 20 fits better overall in the S14 than in the S13.

Btw, your shifter would sit 5/8" forward if you did not modify your mount points. But if you were able to move it back 3/4" as you said, then your shifter should be almost exactly in the center of the hole.

[goofynick6]

I guess I don't know which Xmember I have, because I bought the motorset and xmember from a guy in north carolina, and he got it from someone else....so I don't know if the xmember was from an R32, but it probably was and I was just assuming r33 and r32 were the same.

Nick

[goofynick6]

Well..I hate to say it, but I'm always right, and when I said "this is too good to be true", I was right.

When I redrilled the xmember, it moved everything back 3/4", now everything is off by that much..the transmission mount, the transmission, which, despite pounding of the firewall, is hitting all around it...etc.

So, tonight I'm borrowing the engine lift again, and unhooking everything and re-pulling the damn engine. It's frustrating, because I struggled for hours today lifting that transmission up and bolting it in by myself, no jacks. All that, and it didn't fit right

I'll let you know what happens.

Nick

[skillzilla]

teh 5uxx0r mang, good luck with that. Hopefully you will have better luck with the stock mounting points.

[emperor_lunchbox]

i would just get the motor mounts. i think the 400$ is worth it, but then again, i am not fond of headaches...

[goofynick6]

Ok, I went back tonight at like 8, grabbed my buddy's engine hoist in the pouring rain, brought it across town to my car, and pulled the engine, beat the hell outta the firewall/tunnel area, bolted the transmission up to the engine, and dropped it back in at a severe angle (ps rack and crossmember still in place. I was able to get it in by myself in about 15 minutes.

Now, the transmission mount lines up PERFECTLY and there's no spot that's close to touching the firewall, and I still have good radiator clearance.

Anyway, the lesson to be learned is DON'T try to move your rb20 back farther unless you have totally custom mounts.

Nick

[Wulfgang]

Yeah, that's a good point. I had totally forgotten about the transmission mounts when I was considering drilling my x-member.

[goofynick6]

Yeah, I'm just amazed the transmission mounts bolt up like oem fitment..heh.

[lyon23]

I agree with wulfgang the rb20 seems to fit better on the s14 i did not have that much trouble with my hood clearence but i did the downpipe and everthing bolted right up and didn't have to turn the transmission mount around like some suggested some time ago..... alot of people go witht the mount kit but isn't it all is doing is using the ka xmember and with the mounts put the engine in the same location as if using the regular r32 xmember and mounts?