Z32 project rescue (pic Heavy)

[JayNoel]

1990 z32 auto na 2+0 shell with manual swap



Got my hands on a rb25 bellhousing and mckinny motor mounts for the Rbz32 swap




mounts with drop engineering bushings and 15mm grade 8 bolts

[JayNoel]

Got my hands on a Rb25det series 2 out of a r33


manifold is getting cut up and redone to make it twin scroll


test fitment for a 3.5" full exhaust off an R33 it fits with modification to one exhaust mount

[JayNoel]

Whole car is getting redone and engine bay is getting shaved





Front bumper support is going to get tubed out for a custom fmic mount


polly mounts


Other parts and MIsc stuff Ill go over once I start putting everything together


Oh and this is a side project im trying out on an old rusted out hood , the bare metal that isnt rusted is at 2000grit and i need to take it down to 7000 and polish then clear

[DCaff300ZX]

Wow, quite the project.
Keep it up and keep us posted, we all love this kind of stuff!

[Ace2cool]

Awesome, love these ground-up builds!

What are your plans for power? Are you gonna tear the engine down and build it, or just swap it and call it a day?

[JayNoel]

Awesome, love these ground-up builds!

What are your plans for power? Are you gonna tear the engine down and build it, or just swap it and call it a day?

I plan to do head arp studs, cams, freddy intake, custom twin scroll exhaust manifold (forward turbo mount) 750cc injectors, nistune type 2 board, i have a greddy profec eo1, bigger turbo (holset hx35/40 hybrid) gaskets and get it running good. I would like to eventually swap in a rb26 but thats far in the future, $700 for a fresh import motor was too good a deal to pass up on the rb25

any recommendations to achieve around 400 hp? or do you think that set up will be good?

[DCaff300ZX]

Wow, sounds serious!
Not a RB pro but do know a bit of the engine, it sounds like you have plenty for your HP goals as the RB already makes good power, my only concern would be the turbo as I know that Garrett is the normal route...but you may know enough about turbo tech to make that work with your profec and workarounds.
Like you say $700 for the RB is too good to pass up, and honestly you can make the 25 PLENTY good for a Z32 and you may well forget about the 26 unless you really want TT's.
Now, get to work!!

[JayNoel]

Wow, sounds serious!
Not a RB pro but do know a bit of the engine, it sounds like you have plenty for your HP goals as the RB already makes good power, my only concern would be the turbo as I know that Garrett is the normal route...but you may know enough about turbo tech to make that work with your profec and workarounds.
Like you say $700 for the RB is too good to pass up, and honestly you can make the 25 PLENTY good for a Z32 and you may well forget about the 26 unless you really want TT's.
Now, get to work!!

I heard the regular hx40s can be a bit laggy but with a hx35 exhaust housing it'll spool the hx40 cool side faster. This is based off info I found on forums, it'll be my first time building a hybrid turbo. Now if I can just sell some of these stock rb parts I could get it built faster. :cheers

[DCaff300ZX]

Interesting...I've seen Holset's used here and there but can't comment on the unit itself as we typically use smaller twins for our cars.
I don't know if you've seen addicted4life's awesome single turbo build, he's a regular here and may well be a source for some valuable big single turbo info and/or insight.

[JayNoel]

Got some more parts coming in, I found a twin scroll manifold on a facebook group looks like an X-force rb25 manifold, my Freddy intake manifold is taking forever but also on its way and I bought my wheels avid-09 they look like the rota grids (fronts 18x9.5 +38/ rears 18x10.5 +22). its like christmas time haha cant wait

[JayNoel]

New twin scroll manifold

[Ace2cool]

Consider my eyebrows raised. That looks awesome.

[NolimitZ32]

I am a bit confused on how you plan to run the twin scrolls? There is no equalizing the pulses from an odd number of cylinders so I am genuinely interested in how are you doing this.

[JayNoel]

I am a bit confused on how you plan to run the twin scrolls? There is no equalizing the pulses from an odd number of cylinders so I am genuinely interested in how are you doing this.

Rb25det's have the manifold on one side vs the odd number per manifold that would be on the vg30de/t

Firewall
6
5
4
3
2
1
Rad support

With the firing order 1,5,3,6,2,4

My manifold split these half and half as seen here



What this does is per volume of exhaust that is released it now only has to fill 3 header mains instead of 6 like the cheap ebay one I also have.

This creates pressure faster and spools a dual throat turbo faster because the lack of volume the exhaust gas has to cover now that it's split in half.

So in a way it's like utilizing how a vg30 would distribute the exhaust but instead of it being twin turbo it's one bigger turbo with the manifold on one side.

[NolimitZ32]

hahaha, I feel very dumb right now, I was for some odd reason thinking you were doing this to a VG, my bad man, it was late and I was tired. carry on.

[JayNoel]

hahaha, I feel very dumb right now, I was for some odd reason thinking you were doing this to a VG, my bad man, it was late and I was tired. carry on.

No biggie man, my first pic of the manifold does look like it's only for 3 cyl. And it's not a common swap so I could see the mistake haha. I don't mind questions tho. Even with my low number of posts I've been looking over these forums for a long time gathering info on this swap. I'm more than happy to share any knowledge I've found. My personal opinion is the rb25 is one of the easier swaps in the 300zx just need the correct parts considering you can use a lot of oem stuff

1990-92 ecu na/tt auto or manual w/ type 2 nistune board (if you do this it will make the ecu plug in no wire splicing)
Manual gearbox tt/na (most people don't know the only difference is the bell and the gears inside are the same as the rb25 maunal)
Rb25det/26dett (with some modification for the push to pull slave cyl conversion) bell housing
Rb25det complete motor + wiring harness
300zx alt/ manual trans wiring harness- keeps your gauge cluster oem
Stock manual driveshaft depending on 2+0/2+2
Relocation of rad
McKinney motor mounts. Stock trans mount
And notch out the crossmember or modify the oil pan

And I'm open to new information as long as it can be verified

[JayNoel]

Anyone ever try this setup for breather tubes 20mm 2.5 thread push hose coupler for hi psi air line? Trying to clean up the motor

[Ace2cool]

I would think 20mm would be more than enough. Are those check valves? Also, wouldn't you just need the one for an inline motor?

[NolimitZ32]

Dude I'd love to do a RB swap but If I do I would like it to be in a S30 or maybe a datsun 2000 (like that would ever fit lol) I know that the biggest complaint from everyone, myself included about the VG is the lack of space and complexity of any job but I just love popping my hood and having anyone that knows anything about cars look at it like

[JayNoel]

New wheels came in

[JayNoel]

I would think 20mm would be more than enough. Are those check valves? Also, wouldn't you just need the one for an inline motor?

This is them next to the oem



I want to do a breather set up with a catch can like this...



I want to run the hoses under the coil pack cover to try and make the engine bay look cleaner then hide the catch can near the firewall then have the other line go back to the motor

The only thing is I do need a check valve in the system but I haven't decided on how to do it yet

[Ace2cool]

Huh, didn't think they'd have two. Interesting. Sounds like a solid plan to me though.

[DCaff300ZX]

Interesting stuff man, looks like you've done your homework and have a solid plan. My Z guy does a lot of RB swaps and his recommendation for the Z32 is a RB25 because of the swap potential for ECU and more as you mentioned, currently mine will be running on an RB25 ECU and custom AFC with my upgraded turbos and injectors.
Hopefully you have done a lot of study of the crossmember challenge a well as steering linkages/etc, this seems the biggest issue area and one that can ruin the front end if done incorrectly so again, hopefully you have a solid plan to follow there or have fab capabilities to ease those issues.
As said earlier, carry on!

[JayNoel]

Interesting stuff man, looks like you've done your homework and have a solid plan. My Z guy does a lot of RB swaps and his recommendation for the Z32 is a RB25 because of the swap potential for ECU and more as you mentioned, currently mine will be running on an RB25 ECU and custom AFC with my upgraded turbos and injectors.
Hopefully you have done a lot of study of the crossmember challenge a well as steering linkages/etc, this seems the biggest issue area and one that can ruin the front end if done incorrectly so again, hopefully you have a solid plan to follow there or have fab capabilities to ease those issues.
As said earlier, carry on!

I copied what McKinney offers and notched out the crossmember. I added a 1/4" piece of steel to the notch part to strengthen it up.



The only part I hope i get lucky with is where the wastegate/downpipe will be in relation to the steering linkage

[NolimitZ32]

You could always turn it up and run a stack through the hood. . . . I kid I kid.

[NissanZDreamer]

LOL! That would be funny! Make it looks like a 70' Chevelle SS!

[JayNoel]

Haha yeah that would be funny, idk tho I have mixed feelings about the dump tube. Part of me wants to run it out the fender but the other part wants to have it go into the down pipe

[Ace2cool]

Part of me wants you to run it out the fender. Are you going for sleeper (as much of a sleeper as a Z32 can be anyways) or full on race look?

[JayNoel]

Part of me wants you to run it out the fender. Are you going for sleeper (as much of a sleeper as a Z32 can be anyways) or full on race look?

Well I think with how I'm doing the hood the sleeper look is out the window. I guess it's more of the question with my 3.5" exhaust how much louder do I want the car lol

[NolimitZ32]

and the fact that stuffing a 3.5" exhaust under the car and not scraping the hell out of it is going to be a feat.