The N/A RWD SR20DE was never sold in this country. I am however able to pick one up form an engine importer.

I would like to build it and turbo it for a S13. Possibly later slap a 20V VE head on it. My reasoning is that why pay extra for a DET if I am going to replace the rods, pistons, turbo, manifold, injectors and work the head anyways?

I am hoping someone can give me some more info on this motor. In specific:

Any major differences from the SR20DET?
8CW crank?
Can it be turbo'd easily?
Will most DET aftermarket parts just bolt up to it?
Does the DET gearbox fit it?

Overall is this a good idea or a bad idea?

Come on over to the 240 section we have answers to your questions :)

Cool can one of the MODS please move my post there?

Done

Thanks.

So can someone here pls shed some light for me?

Thanks.

So can someone here pls shed some light for me?

Do a search on NissanTuner's post in the "240sx Technical Forum" and you'll get plenty of information about the SR20DE, and what we had to do to put it in his car.

Ok I've gone through NissanTuner's thread. All 12 pages :-)

However, the following questions are still unanswered:

Does the RDW High Port SR20De have an 8CW crank?
Is the Head the same as a SR20DET? (Cam profile's aside)

ANy critical differences from DET?

I plan to take the DE apart, use forged rods and pistons with OEM crank, and then turbo it. Possibly add a VE head.

Well, aside from his thread, I figured you might have looked around a bit on your own once you were in the "library of knowledge" on the RWD specific SR or 240sx specific topics...

But the short answer is:

1) FWD and RWD SRs use the same crank.
2) DET rods are slightly bigger than DE rods, making them stronger
3) heads are the same, maybe different valves, but nothing major to where you need to freak out

And lastly, if you were going to take it apart and use forged everything, why do the above matter?

You would have seen with your own 2 eyes, the 8CW crank in front of you, and it doesn't matter if the DE and DET rods were different cause you would be replacing them with aftermarket forged units.

And you wouldn't need to worry about the head if you were dead set on putting a VE head on there.

I am going to ASSUME that the rwd de does not have the piston oil squirters, so you will need to buy those and tap the block for them. Then find a cas and use LT1, or is it LS1 coils, I dont remember. Use that to replace the distributor. You will also need to get your hands on an igniter chip. IIRC suzuki sidekick works.

Dont even worry about 8cw crank. I think people have HEARD of *** 4cw crank and then dwell on it too much. If you are not using an IIRC 98+ FWD sr20, generally speaking, then you will not have the 4cw.

Honestly, you can get the det for like 1250 for a redtop, so just do it and save yourself the trouble.

Another assumption I will make *** I dont feel like searching for you is sodium filled 7mm stem exh valves on det vice non sodium filled 6mm stem de valves.

Time is money, so don't go spending all your time wich would equal more than the extra $650 for the det with tranny, ECU and uncut harness with turbo ignoter bla bla bla.

As far as SLAPPING a VE head on later, it is more complicated than that.

The VE has solenoids and a CAS(for 20v) or distributor on the back of the head that will be in the fire wall

For the solenoid you will need to make an adapter plate to bolt to the back of the head and run oil lines to the remote mounted solenoids to activate the cams high profile.

For the CAS or *** the most probable fix is expensive. You use Haltech or Megasquirt or Electromotive EMS and run just a crank trigger and EDIS to eliminate the *** or CAS on the rear where it will not fit.

Or you could go ghetto and smash in your firewall to allow the room for the CAS =)

You don't have to use a CAS and coilpacks. You can use the distributor-based ignition on the DE and get the ECU tuned for whatever injectors/maf you use.

Fro the Newer version of the SR20VE the 20V uses a CAS that is small enough to fit into the space where the firewall is. It also uses only 1 VVL solenoid vs 2 and will also clear the firewall. Its just getting the parts can be trickey and expensive.

Thanks for the info and comments.

Yeah I've owned both FWD DE's and 2x SR20VE's, so I'm aware of all the VE bits and what I need to activate and run it.

I do realise that I'll need to move the vvl selonoids and tap the head on the ve if it gets bolted to a de(t) block. I may (big may) get a 20v motor in which case that will make the single selonoid clear the firewall.

We are lucky enough to have an excellent local management system called XMS which runs any ignition setup, activates vvl (independantly if you wish), stores 2 maps which can change on the fly etc etc etc and it retails for about $800.

As for the dizzy not clearing the firewall, I'm running a trigger wheel on the crank with a magnetic pick up and coil packs on my N/A VE motor so will probably do the same if the VE head went on the RWD block.

I can get a RWD NA DE for about $500 less than the DET which was why I'm considering that option.

The alternative is to keep the CA18DET that's in the car and spend all the money modding it. My gut just says the frankenstein SR20VET RWD will make heaps more power, reliably. Cheaper I dunno so much...

Seems all high port DE's have 8CW cranks so that puts my mind at ease. The oil squirters being missing on the DE is a good point. Noted.

If I did buy the DET instead of the DE, I may well sell off some of the bits I'm upgrading (like turbo) and recoup some of the cost difference.

You don't have to use a CAS and coilpacks. You can use the distributor-based ignition on the DE and get the ECU tuned for whatever injectors/maf you use.


Right you are, but why would you want to use the *** when you could run CDI.

The LS1 coils are like $20 a piece and you can pick up a good cass for $120. Of course you gotta source that part of the wiring harness 2.

I realize the 20V uses a CAS, as I stated earlier, if it does fit, that is gonna be hella tight, and god help you if the CAS goes out and you gotta swap it for a new one.

I forgot about the 20V using only 1 solenoid, but do you think it would fit, there is about 1-2 inches max behind the head in a s13.

With my Nismo mounts it looked like 1.5 inches and with my Cusco mounts it looks more like 1.75 in. But I also did rework my heater hoses, so it could just be an optical illusion on the extra space.

If I did buy the DET instead of the DE, I may well sell off some of the bits I'm upgrading (like turbo) and recoup some of the cost difference.

And people will buy them.

Just a note on oil squirters:

If you can find used ones, buy em and clean the hell out of em. Sometimes they are difficult to find used, at least in the US.

If not, good luck finding new ones, and they are about $50 a piece, in the US. Then you gotta tap each cylinder to accept them. You would of course need to make sure you get a det piston to clear the squirter as well.

If you get a whole 20V motor, it will have the oil squirters in it, so I am told all VE's have oil squirters.

DETs are over rated :)

DETs are over rated :)


DET's are great motors. The 52F block and 54C block are both beefier than a 53J. They can handle more power on stock bottom ends.

That is why Nissan used a 54c block and went NA with it for their 300hp ITB 8 inj motor.

The only time it is overrated is in a FWD car that has no good LSD and suspension to handle the tq, then I say on with the VE

Yeah had a problem on my built VE when my tuner fitted SR16 pistons without notching the skirts. Pistons killed the oil squirters which then led to bearing failure in no time. Managed to pick up a second hand set of this forum in order to fix that motor. (going ITB VE NA etc with that motor in a b13 chassis - nearly done)

I want to run a GT-K350 or 450 turbo and I fear it will kill me CA18 in no time if I boost over 0.8 bar. Perhaps I should just drop in a SR20DET and see if it can handle the boost beforeI build a motor with trick bits.

DET's are great motors.

Not saying they aren't, I obviously have one. I'm not about to pay the drift tax though, screw that. Sure a DE will take a little less boost on pump gas but if you plan on building the bottom end and upgrading the turbo then buying a DET is just dumb.

I forgot about the 20V using only 1 solenoid, but do you think it would fit, there is about 1-2 inches max behind the head in a s13.

With my Nismo mounts it looked like 1.5 inches and with my Cusco mounts it looks more like 1.75 in. But I also did rework my heater hoses, so it could just be an optical illusion on the extra space.

I believe I saw pics that a member posted awhile back.

The 20V CAS and solenoid both only stuck out 40mm behind the head, so they would fit, but it is a very tight fit.

Would suck to have to take them out for any reason. For example, you cannot really pull the CAS out and restab it if you think the timing's off. Or, if you plan on changing cams... well, you'd need to take the CAS off first... ouch...