Jump to content
SAU Community

Recommended Posts

Hey guys, thinking about building an RB30/26 on the side to put in my 33 GTR.

Has anyone done an accurate cost calculation of the whole conversion?

These are my rough calculations-

RB30 $300

Pistons $700

Rods $600

Sump adapter $1000

Head gasket $450

Gaskets $300

Bearings $150

Main bolts $150

Head bolts $150

Machining $500??

Other stuff (tensioner, cam belt, etc) $300

Total $4600

How does that sound? What have I missed, or miscalculated?

Love to hear cost saving techniques or good sources for the bits.

Thanks.

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/408323-anyone-done-an-rb3026-cost-analysis/
Share on other sites

Ain't that the truth!

The parts cost won't change it's just the extra stuff you don't allow for that adds up. Plus the fact that more power is never enough!

I read your build thread, any ideas what just your engine cost?

What ever estimate you come up with, budget for double.

Word

Remember all the bits and pieces like oil pumps, water pumps, power steering pumps, belts, mods on exhaust ect ect.

Im not saying dont do it, just find someone who has and get all the good news from them.

My 2530 rocks, only thing I wish was different was that I used a NEO head.

I think I've heard about a Neo converted 26 head, anyone know anything bout that?

Sounds like the best of both worlds.

In regards to the standard conversion I'd do 90% of the work myself so labour no probs, just machining I could see blowing out.

It can be done relatively cheaply like mine - stock pistons rods etc - just new rings bearings and rod bolts. You can get adapters for more like $400 these days.

But if you're going to all the trouble anyway and its for your GTR you may as well do the forged pistons, possibly rods, fully balanced new harmonic balancer etc in case you decide you want to rev it to 8000 and make 500kw down the track.

I really wouldn't want a lot more power than what I have now. I reckon the off boost power of the 30 would make it so much better than the 26.

Mid to high 300's would be as driveable as a low 400's 26.

Happy to stand corrected!

Anyone shot preened/prepped standard rods making big power?

Where can you get them for this price?

I agree, you might get just the plate for that price but not plate, bolts, modified pickup, etc.

If I'm wrong please supply the link!

I agree, you might get just the plate for that price but not plate, bolts, modified pickup, etc.

If I'm wrong please supply the link!

Where can you get them for this price?

Sorry guys - seems I got mine at mates rates - my engine builder only makes them for his own engines - says he doesn't have time to make them for general sales.
  • 3 weeks later...

Im intetested to know the answer to turbodragons question about eego in vic... additionally if anyone kbows about legality/roadworthyness of the conversion in qld i would be interested to know as im moving there down the track.

Not 100% sure. With parts,labour and machining.

Well over $10k

all comes back to what u want done, but i was quoted 150$/ph labor in machining such as moving tensioner, fitting oil crank collar and any modding of the head and block...

i put some of my prices below to give you an idea, i get a lot of discount stuff because my machine shop has an account with the company i buy my performance stuff from.. and this is for a 25/30

RB30 $free

Pistons $1280 (JE pistons with CR 8.7:1)

Rods $587 (spool RB30 rods)

Sump GTR $190 (second hand nissan)

Head gasket $230 (cometic)

Gaskets $302 (genuine from NISSAN)

Bearings $111 (ACL race series)

Main bolts $157 (ARP)

Head bolts $150 (ARP)

Machining 5-10 hours labor possibly more..

Tensioners $234 (Nissan)

Studs for tensioners $60 (KUDOS motorsport)

Timing belt yet to buy

my complete total is over 17k, with the above + turbo manifold inj plenum etc etc... i have not paid a cent in machining but if i had i can guarantee it would be well over 17k by now im sure if you look around and that you can get alot of stuff for cheaper and so on good luck with it all, and what ever you can get away with and do your self go for it, as it all adds up in the long run..

Edited by tazzy

Sorry guys - seems I got mine at mates rates - my engine builder only makes them for his own engines - says he doesn't have time to make them for general sales.

Right here's one:

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/car-parts-accessories/nissan/engines/auction-519855036.htm

Its not as easy as you think to build an engine and do a"cost analysis" and stick to it.

What happens when you take your head to the machine shop and it needs new valve guides and seats or its cracked?

If you're looking for ways to save money here and there, forget building an engine FULL STOP.

Do it once and do it right or don't do it at all.

But like NYTSKY said take your budget and double it then you may be close to the final figure.

Another thing I think you missed in your costs is assembly and all the double and triple checking clearances.

This costs money too.

This is assuming you're not assembling it.

But if you are assembling it you can just go and slap it together but don't be surprised if it fails shortly after its finished.

Don't trust any thing anyone tells you, check every clearance 10 times yourself to be sure and if its not right take it back and get it fixed.

Lastly $500 in machining? Double that and more including a head service.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Similar Content

  • Latest Posts

    • I do believe from context he is talking about a S0/S1 R33 RB25 with associated ECU and Wiring for that, and a manual gearbox into a R34 N/A Auto. I don't have the knowledge of all the pinouts and such but my gut feeling from doing my own conversion is to use as much of the R33 stuff that you can. The "car" wiring is quite seperate from the "Engine" wiring when all things are considered. The only things to truly consider 99% of the time is the cluster, reverse lights and potentially disabling the 'not in P/N' immobilizer circuit.
    • A realistic expectattion of how long it has to last also comes down to.... when do you think you will be banned from registering and driving old petrol powered shitters? It's 27 years since that thing was built. It probably rusted out 15 years ago. It was probably repaired and looked OK for another 10. If you do a similarish bodge job now, or perhaps slightly better with some actual rust conversion and glassing, then.... get another 10-15 years out of it, after which you'll only be permitted by the CCP to drive electric cars manufactured in their Shenzen zone anyway. 
    • Let me assume that the concern over a manual ECU is that the NeoDET that you have was an auto and has an auto ECU. That ECU will not be a problem, but you WILL have to Nistune it. And you would have to Nistune it even if you had a manual ECU, because the turbo ECUs will shit the bed if they do not have all the things that they were told they have to have, to be happy. The big one being the TCS CU, which you won't have in your car. Anyway, with an auto ECU (which I have running my originally auto NeoDET in an R32) Nistune allows you to put in a Stagea image which doesn't panic about the absent TCS, and allows you to override a whle bunch of other annoyances that would otherwise see the check engine light on 100% of the time. Also, you can't wind up the power very far on the stock NeoDET ECUs without Nistune, because the boost sensor gets in the way. Nistune allows you to push that problem much further up the dial. Do you even have the boost sensor with the engine? Without it, you are SOL and will need an aftermarket ECU (or to find a sensor somewhere, god knows where). I can't tell you what the wiring loom differences are in a 34. But what Duncan said above needs to be considered. When you say "loom", does that include the transmission loom? Because you will need to swap out the auto tranny loom for the equivalent manual loom, and get rid of the neutral/park start interlock (basically hot wire it).
    • I have had the r3c in for years now, maybe close to 7 years and it has never missed a beat, anyone can drive it. Super easy to drive around town, the hotter it gets does get a little hard but it holds the power easy as 
    • Shit thing to find eh? I guess the big issue is that whatever "fix" you do now, it might slow the rust down but won't fix it. I just wanted to add that in no way is fixing sheet metal in 3 dimensions the place to start with welding....that is a pro only job because its too hard to work out where things should be, let alone doing a clean enough job that it can look OK and still be strong too.  I needed to get a new rear quarter panel on the GTR and it took a pro weeks to get the old one off cleanly, new one on in the right place and looking somewhat like it should have with most of the previous connecting panels in place. Gluing a couple of bits of metal together with a welder in the garage is doable, but that is totally different to doing panel  replacement
×
×
  • Create New...