Hey all,
I haven't posted here much since I got my '96 200SX SE-R last year. This car is my daily driver, NOT a project car. Most of my wrenching time and $$ are devoted to my '88 200SX SE V6 (S12, VG30E).

That being said, I wouldn't mind sprucing the SE-R up a bit when the time is right. For example, it's due for a new air filter soon. I figure if I'm going to replace it anyway, why not throw in a K&N? Is there a drop-in K&N available for the B14 SE-R, or only the cone setups?

I figure when the exhaust goes I'll probably do a 2.25" mandrel-bent cat-back, I can get that for nearly the same $$ as OEM replacement. I've got a 2.5" cat-back with a Flowmaster muffler on the S12 and I'm happy with it, but that's a 3-liter. 2.25" seems more appropriate for a 2-liter, I don't want to lose what torque there is in the lower range.

Does anybody have any other suggestions on simple upgrades for the B14, preferably related to stuff I would be replacing anyway?

The B14 has about 108K miles right now, with fresh plugs, cap, rotor, and fuel filter around 100K.

Again, the B14 is a daily runner, not a project. That's what the S12 is for. I'm only interested in cheap, easy upgrades to parts that I'd be replacing anyway.

K&N drop in filter from auto zone. While you're talkin about exhaust, you might as well go ahead and put a new header on (really cheap now, like 80 shipped). As for exhaust, if i was takin the time to mess with exhaust, I'd do it right the first time and go at lease 2.5 diameter. Simply for the fact that 2.25 is ok, but if you're buying somethin for more hp, why not get as much as you can? You wont lose torque, trust me, as long as you have enough back pressure. If you really want to, there's a thread on here for a diy side exit exhaust system that i was gonna do on my B14. The only thing you have to remember is this is for turbo guys, so I'm guessin you're still all motor. If you do this, you will also need another muffler/resonator to go along with what is in the thread so you will have enough back pressure and wont lose power

http://www.sr20forum.com/technical-information-library/214828-how-build-quiet-inexpensive-3-side-exit-exhaust.html

here's a link. Hope this was of some help :biggthump

Bump the timing to 19*, add a highport intake cam, and a G20 ecu.

C

Thanks for the advice, guys. Yes, my SE-R is all-motor...actually it's bone-stock. I bought it with 96K in 2009 because I needed to retire my S12 from daily driver duties after 8 years and 110,000 miles. (I bought the S12 in 2001 with 122K).

I'm in the process of buying a new house with a big 2-car garage, so once I have the good workspace the S12 is getting a fresher VG30E and transmission w/ a 240SX shifter (I already have the engine & tranny), probably some lightening of the interior, suspension work (it's already lowered 1.5"), and a general refurbishment. Then I plan to take a shot at AutoX with it.

So like I said, the B14 is not a project, it's a runner. I don't plan on doing any major mods other than upgrading parts when they need to be replaced. Also, since it's a daily runner, I don't plan on doing any mods that would significantly affect the fuel economy or longevity, which 19-degree BTDC timing or the ECU might do. It's already a great little runner, but as parts wear out I'd like to make what improvements I can.

The ECU I suggested is a factory part from a G20, and can be had for ~$50. Same for the intake cam. Bump the timing, see how it feels, check your fuel economy, and then decide if it's the right thing to do.

Ah, one other thing. When you need to replace your front brake pads, consider upgrading the calipers/pads/rotors to the NX2000 system. It's a direct bolt on.

C

BTW, if anybody wants to see the S12, you can check it out here:

http://www.v6-s12.com

It's an ancient site, I built it years ago and haven't updated it in forever, but I plan on putting new stuff up there once I start the refurbishment project.

I thought 17 degrees was the max timing for an un-tuned car?
But this is just what i read from some of the old threads on here.

I vote for underdrive pulley setup because there aren't really any drawbacks to that.
K&N drop in is fairly worthless, you want a real CAI and a real mild muffler.

That would make for a half decent DD setup. Good extra 5-10 horsepower right there.

I'm a B13 highport guy, but I was extremely happy with the Stillen popcharger alloy venturi with the cone filter. It's a warm air intake (I'm going to box it in for a cold air feed), and it added a nice, unobtrusive, mild snarl under strong acceleration that makes winding out the SR20 even more enjoyable on a daily basis. I wouldn't criticize a cold air intake, though. The butt dyno also says it added a little oomph. Well worth the difference in price over the K&N drop in factory type filter. The K&N version of the Stillen has a stamped metal base and lacks the cast internal venturi design for no significant savings in price. I think if you add a header, appropriate exhaust, and maybe the highport intake cam mentioned above, you'd be happy with the results for not a lot of money or effort.

yeah i well noticed the difference with the high port cam and i just had a filter and aftermarket exhaust on mine i did not notice any difference in economicy at all you will notice the power difference at higher revs

I had the g20 ECU and highport intake cam and still got 30 mpg. I also put on a cheap Ebay warm air intake. When I did it, I found all kinds of cracks in the stock rubber bellows for the OEM intake. Check that out if you plan to keep the stock intake and use a K&N. Clean the MAF and throttle body.
ES suspension bushings will do wonders to make the car handling more crisp.
FWIW, I had a VE engine put in and I am still getting 30 mpg.

Still getting 30mpg on a VE? that's good news... *hopeful*

That is on my daily commute. 40 miles each way. 1/2 surface streets, 1/2 X-way. I am not on the big cams much. JWT ecu.

Bump the timing to 19*, add a highport intake cam, and a G20 ecu.

C

the highport cam is direct drop in without shims or anything? i need to change my chain soon (peace of mind) and id like to throw cams in, but im not ready to spill 500 on a set of crowers or something.

how much whp should i expect with that cam and a timing bump? whats the ecu benefit if i stay nonturb?

With a stock engine, the timing chain should last as long as the rest of the moving parts. I had about 335,000 miles on mine when I installed the high port cam and put another 20,000 miles on it before I replaced the engine. By then, I had a difficult time starting it if it sat for a few days because cold compression was about zero. (until I started using STP)
Use your time for something more fun. It is probably easier to replace the engine than it is to replace the timing chain while the engine is in the car. Maybe cheaper, too.