To Convert Or Not...

[Genesis®]

hey guys.. just wanna heard your comments/views on this one...

why would you wanna do an engine swap when its more economical to get a GTST instead? i mean yeah its interesting and fun and not forgetting the tremendous gain in power-to-weight ratio but still, the cost can eventually increased to a fair bit...

reason being that i have been asking myself on whether to keep my girl stock as she is or do an engine swap later in the future...

glenn

[owned]

there might be some things that come inherent with the chassis. For example, the R33 GT4 came with a RB25DE, might want to swap the engine for a RB25DET.

Just my 0.005 cents

[Ryno]

As you know genesis, I've had my car for 4 years now, so I'm kind of attached to it...

After the conversion it will have more power than a R32 GTSt because as you know the 32 didn't come out with the RB25DET. With 150 kilo's less weight than a R33, but the same engine, she should go alright. The engine is due for a recondition now anyway, so with only a little bit extra money, I'm getting a lot more car!

[slip]

You have to consider the other differences as well.

4/5 stud hubs, diff, brakes, gearbox, bodywork etc.

You may be better off just buying a turbo one, as it will also have better resale than a converted car, be much less hassle etc.

R32 with a turbo/fmic/zorst/ecu could be a suitable replacement.

[666DAN]

As slip said, there are things to be considered...in my case getting a NEO Turbo put in my N/A was prohibitively expensive..so I'm getting a bolt-on done.

I've already got the turbo diff, gearbox and 5 stud hubs...the brakes are better than an N/A 33's so there wasn't too much to worry about.

If you really like your car, then go for the conversion...if not buy a gts-t and whack an RB25DET in it.

Dan

[Genesis®]

Ryno - yeah.. most likely i will be like you... keeping the car for a long term that is... had it for almost a year now and getting more attached to it everyday... it has gotten to the point where its so bad when i make it a must to say good nite to her everynite before i go to bed. and yes, i couldn't agree with you more about the tremendous gain in power.

Slip - i admired you for what you had done to your car. from what i read in the forums, your 31 is pretty nasty.. in a good way of cox ..

DAN - hope to see you around southbank someday ... remember to wave... be it your mirage or 34.

any other contributors? i would really like to hear more about this topic ..

glenn

[666DAN]

Damn-it it's not MY mirage! hahaha it belongs to the GF...I'm just an unwilling passenger.

Yeah the attachment to the car is a big factor, I pretty much accepted I'd have no-end of trouble getting a 34 turbo, with a sunroof....and which was as good as my N/A.

Dan

[slip]

thanks dude.

crooser has a 33 GTS. He put the stocko turbo parts on with a link ecu. Not too bad, nothing to write home about though. 6psi max. Now he has an original RB25DET in there. Using the turbo motor has the advantage of a lower compression ratio. You can use more boost, and tuning will be more relaxed. Trying to tune a high compression n/a motor with a turbo on the side of it will be nowhere near as flexible or forgiving as an original RB25DET.

If you want some real hp, i say go for the turbo motor as its much easier to get hp out of with boost/turbo/tuning.

[Ryno]

You have to consider the other differences as well.

4/5 stud hubs, diff, brakes, gearbox, bodywork etc.

You may be better off just buying a turbo one, as it will also have better resale than a converted car

Well Slip,

I've already converted the hubs, brakes and diff to GTSt type M spec, and the gearbox in a GTS25 is the same as that in a GTSt... The only thing separating my car from a GTSt is the engine.

You're right about resale, but I wouldn't be doing all this to my car if I planning on getting rid of it.

Ryno

[CC]

there might be some things that come inherent with the chassis. For example, the R33 GT4 came with a RB25DE, might want to swap the engine for a RB25DET.  

Just my 0.005 cents

What would be an estimated price for this you think?

I have a GTS4 and have contemplated this move ....?

4WD Turbo...sounds good already!

CC

[Cubes]

I'm currently in the process of dropping a RB30DET in to my R32.

Here is what I'm going to replace or have to should I say.

The DIFF. Its started to open wheel so I need to either get my LSD re-shimmed for ~$300 or buy a mechanical for around $800. Every Line diff will start to open wheel as soon as you put some decent power through it. Its just a matter of time which will be sooner rather than later.

The GEARBOX. The R32 GTS-T gearbox's don't like anything over 200rwkw for to long or at all with a decent set of sticky tyres. So I need a RB25DET gearbox.

The BRAKES. With over 450-500hp at the flywheel I am going to need better brakes. I am considering R33 GTS-T front brakes as apparently they bolt straight up and are the same size as R32 GTR fronts but cheaper. OR I could buy new slotted disks all round which should do the job nicely.

As You can see everything I am going to have to replace you will also have to do with the engine conversion So I wouldn't be worried about it costing to much as if you want power which you will you will end up changing the bits anyhow.

The RB25DE head cost me $750 + work & recon which cost another ~$1100. You save $750 right there so you are already better off than what I am.

The RB30E bottom end with forged pistons, crack tested everything, fully balanced cost me ~$3200.

The RB25DE box all up will cost around $1500-$1700 but I am going to wait until my R32 box spits the dummy.

Then there's the turbo which is going to cost over 2k, then injectors then ecu which all up will cost another 2k.

I personally wouldn't sell your R32 and buy another R32 GTS-T as the RB20DET's are laggy. Save up a little and get a R33 with the RB25DET that has much much more potential for the street. The RB20DET is an excellent motor but the RB25DET is better. If you are going to be serious with it and make say 500hp then use the R32 and slap the RB30DET in to it.

Drive both before you make you decision. I'm am pretty sure you will like the instant torque/boost from the RB25DET.

[paulr33]

The RB25DET in a GTS4 is a good conversion, good example of why you would want to convert from N/A to turbo instead of buying the turbo model equivalent as there was no GTST4

[Genesis®]

joel - yup.. driven a 33 series II gtst before and understand what you are trying to say. i probably will give it some thought too before any conversion... right now, i just wanna make my R32 handle better in corners and passes... even with a RB25DE, she's got plenty of torque and throttle response is fantastic...

btw, i came across your website before on the net and didn't realised that you were a member here as well till now...

[Cubes]

The stock RB20DET isn't going to give you that much extra power as after all the RB25DE makes 147kw with more low down torque where as the RB20DET makes 160kw but with more top end/mid torque.

Would be interesting to compare a dead stock RB25DE against a RB20DET in a drag race.

Hows she go against the VS/VX commodores?

What sort of condition is your car in? Pretty much A1?

RB25DET in a R33 GTS4 would be nice though

Thinking about it a little more I would probably buy a R33 T IF I were to do it all again.

[slip]

Genesis, after reading your last post, heres another option.

Bomb the suspension and attend to the braking dept with R32 GTST or R33 Equipment.

Thats what ive done (susp is not as good as id like) and its worked for me. With 78rwkw, peak power @ 4100rpm, and no lsd, its been quickest at Mt Cotton in the time trials a couple of times (mainly Vs R33's) and hangs with 32/33's in the mountains.

If you were not going to do the suspension and brakes, I would bin it for a 33 GTST or preferably a 32 that someones shoved an RB25DET into. Good brakes std, and its easy to find one with aftermarket susp and some mods already.

Food for thought.

[Genesis®]

Joel - i am very tempted to compete with a R32 rb20det as well and see for myself how it goes. i reckon that my launch would be the better of the two before the rb20det turbo kicks in... but then again, i do have that extra 500cc :headbang: ... i will be going for the drag combat and hopefully have a chance to line up against a semi-stock rb20det. have a feeling that it might be a neck to neck at the finish.

my r32 is mechanically A1, both inside and outside. just gotten around to servicing her myself to understand her better. never really had a chance to have a go against the VS/VX commodores but i am sure that chance will come soon in the future.... i have smoke some integras, preludes (type R) before :looney: but then again, i rather play on the track than on public roads... i value my license too much.

Slip - i have seen your car go/behave before during one of the skidpans organized by yourself. i was there with Zi. exactly how much time and effort have you spent on it already?

and yeah, i am planning on changing the front brakes to a 4 pot, pretty much like what Ryno had done to his car. i have more or less work out a timeline for my car.. firstly, concentrate on the handling aspects of it including sways, struts, chambers, coilovers, etc. (i had some very good advice from members like sydneykid.) somewhere in the future, i do have the intention of dumping a rb25det into her.. it would be interesting to see how she goes then...

btw, do you know of anyone here who dropped a rb25det into a r32 here in brisbane?

thks guys

glenn

[Ryno]

I've been door to door with a R32 GTSt before and there was nothing in it. However it was an automatic, so that's what probably evened up the race.

[paulr33]

R32 rb20det vs rb25de

rb20det will win. you wont beat forced induction

i can beat a 5litre v8 5 speed in my rb25det 5speed

[Genesis®]

at launch or straight down?

[Ryno]

If both cars get the revs up before launching, the peak power of the GTSt should have it win.

However if the GTSt is an automatic it can't launch properly, and it also loses about 10% of it's power because of the transmision - meaning it puts about the same peak power down as a GTS25.