My S13 build. Phase 01. Engine Swap
03-07-2007, 07:53 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: VA
Posts: 434
My S13 build. Phase 01. Engine Swap
What’s up? I’ve been on this site for a bit but didn’t make this post till now. Some of you may have already seen the pictures on other 240 forums, but I’m planning on posting on this board primarily.
Anyways I just wanted to share my pictures and goals for my car.
Background: I used to have a civic like everyone else with a motor swap and all that junk. I sold it in 03 to put money towards my own business. Since then I’ve wanted to get another car. I was leaning heavily towards a MKII MR2, but never got one I liked. Then last April I happened to come by a 92 240sx for sale for a great price. Solid body but it died randomly and the previous owner couldn’t figure it out. Long story short I picked up my current 240 for $1100, great body, low low low rust. I bought it to swap it to an SR20DET. I’ve got friends who’ve build multiple 240s and they recommended it. FR with good power; can’t ask for more.
Goals for me: Learn to be a better mechanic. I’d also like to have a car that I can track and learn to be a good driver on. I’m taking welding classes this fall, hoping to apply that to making one-off parts for my car. Goals for the car: Light weight (simple gutting and eating less food
). Great throttle response, flat power band. 300 WHP give or take a few horsies. I just want good acceleration, solid chassis and suspension.
What I’m working on right now:
Well I’ve gotten the car torn apart. Originally it was going to be to do the swap with FMIC and a 5 lug conversion. Since I keep adding to my “to do” list, I have cut it down to the swap. I am however taking care of things that are a pain in the *** now since the motor is out. 5 lug is planned right after the swap.
Here are a few pictures of when I started:
Car first on jackstands:
Took the motor out:
Cleaned up the engine bay:
Before
After
In December I finally ordered up my motor swap and other parts. I ordered it up from Durdan Perfab (great place to do business with. The motor is in great shape and he did a great job on my wiring too!)
Motor: SR20 Redtop:
5Spd Tranny:
180sx Rear diff. 4.36 rear end gears, VLSD, and USDM triangular output flanges (really like that!)
Durdan Perfab wiring job. Speed governor killed. This swap is def. plug n play now.
Right now I’m in the middle of putting my turbo manifold back on. I took it off to drill it for my Greddy EGT gauge. I just ordered up some gaskets I needed, gotta get some lock washers and this puppy is about to go back on. I’m hell bent on sealing it up nice and tight!
I also swapped in a GTO bushing in my steering column (write up coming soon!)
GTO bushing:
When I did the bushing I had to disconnect the column from the rack, and I wanted a hicas front rack for the better gearing. See how that “to do” list keeps getting bigger?!
I’m not redoing this thing again so I got the rack and ES steering rack bushings. I gotta put it in and send the old one back for core exchange.
HICAS front steering rack remanufactured by steeringrack.com
ES bushings for the rack:
I‘ve been at this thing since October collecting parts and working on it slowly. I’m buying lots of tools in the process of doing this. Proper tools make jobs so much easier. I work a lot of hours so sometimes I don’t get a chance to work on the car for weeks on end. I hope you guys enjoy it. I’ll try to answer any question you may have.
Here’s a list of parts I’ve collected for the swap. I’m really going through it as detailed as I can. I’m not trying to back and redo things. Some of these to me are basic maintenance items:
B&M Short shifter
Cusco Motor Mounts
300zx drum ebrake assembly
Enjuku Racing hotpipe for Greddy Type RS
Greddy Type RS BOV
Exedy Stage 2 clutch Pic 02
New clutch slave cylinder with stainless steel line
300zx 1/16 Brake Master Cylinder Pic 02
NGK PFR7G11 Spark plugs. One step colder.
Redline MT 90 & 75W90 oils
Stock SMIC.
SR20 ECU 63, from an automatic swap
SR20 MAF
Walboro 266 lbs fuel pump
300zx NA rims for the 5 lug
Peak Performance Race tranny mount
Greddy Turbo Elbow
Apex S13 Air intake
Greddy 3” Downpipe
Greddy EGT Gauge
All pictures can be found here: Project Eva
Check for updates! Thanks.
Anyways I just wanted to share my pictures and goals for my car.
Background: I used to have a civic like everyone else with a motor swap and all that junk. I sold it in 03 to put money towards my own business. Since then I’ve wanted to get another car. I was leaning heavily towards a MKII MR2, but never got one I liked. Then last April I happened to come by a 92 240sx for sale for a great price. Solid body but it died randomly and the previous owner couldn’t figure it out. Long story short I picked up my current 240 for $1100, great body, low low low rust. I bought it to swap it to an SR20DET. I’ve got friends who’ve build multiple 240s and they recommended it. FR with good power; can’t ask for more.
Goals for me: Learn to be a better mechanic. I’d also like to have a car that I can track and learn to be a good driver on. I’m taking welding classes this fall, hoping to apply that to making one-off parts for my car. Goals for the car: Light weight (simple gutting and eating less food
). Great throttle response, flat power band. 300 WHP give or take a few horsies. I just want good acceleration, solid chassis and suspension.What I’m working on right now:
Well I’ve gotten the car torn apart. Originally it was going to be to do the swap with FMIC and a 5 lug conversion. Since I keep adding to my “to do” list, I have cut it down to the swap. I am however taking care of things that are a pain in the *** now since the motor is out. 5 lug is planned right after the swap.
Here are a few pictures of when I started:
Car first on jackstands:
Took the motor out:
Cleaned up the engine bay:
Before
After
In December I finally ordered up my motor swap and other parts. I ordered it up from Durdan Perfab (great place to do business with. The motor is in great shape and he did a great job on my wiring too!)
Motor: SR20 Redtop:
5Spd Tranny:
180sx Rear diff. 4.36 rear end gears, VLSD, and USDM triangular output flanges (really like that!)
Durdan Perfab wiring job. Speed governor killed. This swap is def. plug n play now.
Right now I’m in the middle of putting my turbo manifold back on. I took it off to drill it for my Greddy EGT gauge. I just ordered up some gaskets I needed, gotta get some lock washers and this puppy is about to go back on. I’m hell bent on sealing it up nice and tight!
I also swapped in a GTO bushing in my steering column (write up coming soon!)
GTO bushing:
When I did the bushing I had to disconnect the column from the rack, and I wanted a hicas front rack for the better gearing. See how that “to do” list keeps getting bigger?!
I’m not redoing this thing again so I got the rack and ES steering rack bushings. I gotta put it in and send the old one back for core exchange.
HICAS front steering rack remanufactured by steeringrack.com
ES bushings for the rack:
I‘ve been at this thing since October collecting parts and working on it slowly. I’m buying lots of tools in the process of doing this. Proper tools make jobs so much easier. I work a lot of hours so sometimes I don’t get a chance to work on the car for weeks on end. I hope you guys enjoy it. I’ll try to answer any question you may have.
Here’s a list of parts I’ve collected for the swap. I’m really going through it as detailed as I can. I’m not trying to back and redo things. Some of these to me are basic maintenance items:
B&M Short shifter
Cusco Motor Mounts
300zx drum ebrake assembly
Enjuku Racing hotpipe for Greddy Type RS
Greddy Type RS BOV
Exedy Stage 2 clutch Pic 02
New clutch slave cylinder with stainless steel line
300zx 1/16 Brake Master Cylinder Pic 02
NGK PFR7G11 Spark plugs. One step colder.
Redline MT 90 & 75W90 oils
Stock SMIC.
SR20 ECU 63, from an automatic swap
SR20 MAF
Walboro 266 lbs fuel pump
300zx NA rims for the 5 lug
Peak Performance Race tranny mount
Greddy Turbo Elbow
Apex S13 Air intake
Greddy 3” Downpipe
Greddy EGT Gauge
All pictures can be found here: Project Eva
Check for updates! Thanks.
Last edited by Bumnah; 03-29-2007 at 09:26 PM.
03-14-2007, 07:08 PM
#11
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: VA
Posts: 434
well i was going to do a big update over the weekend.
i ordered in the following stuff
new water pump
new nismo thermostat
new gaskets for the turbo (turbine side, compressor output, and oil return)
new exhaust manifold gasket (01 sentra 2.0L)
found out my hicas rack isn't really a hicas rack so i sent it back and ordered up another one from another source, and is guaranteed to be the proper gearing (paid through the nose for it).
there is more stuff. i'll take pictures and post 'em up in the next few days.
if you want more pictures just go to my project eva link in my original post. has a bunch of pictures of all the random stuff
i ordered in the following stuff
new water pump
new nismo thermostat
new gaskets for the turbo (turbine side, compressor output, and oil return)
new exhaust manifold gasket (01 sentra 2.0L)
found out my hicas rack isn't really a hicas rack so i sent it back and ordered up another one from another source, and is guaranteed to be the proper gearing (paid through the nose for it).
there is more stuff. i'll take pictures and post 'em up in the next few days.
if you want more pictures just go to my project eva link in my original post. has a bunch of pictures of all the random stuff
03-15-2007, 09:30 PM
#14
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: VA
Posts: 434
Update time 
Bunch of the pictures aren't working because I renamed them and got them in some sort of order.
All are still available and can be found here: Project Eva Pix.
There's a bunch of stuff I'm working on, but I've got pretty much just one big order left and I should have all my parts in. I got a bunch necessary upkeep parts.
New water pump and thermostat. Got the nismo thermostat might as well upgrade right?!
I took my manifold off and cleaned up my block where there was oil and dirt.
Taking the manifold off I wound up replacing all sorts of gaskets. I ordered up a new exhaust manifold gasket from an 01 Sentra with the 2.0L. I was told it was the best gasket to go with. Seems to look just like the s15 gasket everyone says to get. Just cheaper.
I took the manifold off so I could drill into it for the egt gauge. I drilled into runner #1
I am also in the middle of locating a HICAS front steering rack for my car, and that's just turning into a nightmare. I'll let you guys know how that turns out, but I'm losing patience on finding one.
This weekend I plan to clean up my differential, taking off the pullies and putting in the new water pump and thermostat. I'll do the necessary heater hose running. I gotta locate some lock washers and crush washer and I may even put the turbo and manifold back on. The car will be running in April. My bday is in april. I want this thing running.
I'll leave you with this, my favorite picture so far.
Bunch of the pictures aren't working because I renamed them and got them in some sort of order.
All are still available and can be found here: Project Eva Pix.
There's a bunch of stuff I'm working on, but I've got pretty much just one big order left and I should have all my parts in. I got a bunch necessary upkeep parts.
New water pump and thermostat. Got the nismo thermostat might as well upgrade right?!
I took my manifold off and cleaned up my block where there was oil and dirt.
Taking the manifold off I wound up replacing all sorts of gaskets. I ordered up a new exhaust manifold gasket from an 01 Sentra with the 2.0L. I was told it was the best gasket to go with. Seems to look just like the s15 gasket everyone says to get. Just cheaper.
I took the manifold off so I could drill into it for the egt gauge. I drilled into runner #1
I am also in the middle of locating a HICAS front steering rack for my car, and that's just turning into a nightmare. I'll let you guys know how that turns out, but I'm losing patience on finding one.
This weekend I plan to clean up my differential, taking off the pullies and putting in the new water pump and thermostat. I'll do the necessary heater hose running. I gotta locate some lock washers and crush washer and I may even put the turbo and manifold back on. The car will be running in April. My bday is in april. I want this thing running.
I'll leave you with this, my favorite picture so far.
Last edited by Bumnah; 04-01-2007 at 07:48 AM.