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Rebuild vs second hand NEO?

Blakeo
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Blakeo Rising Star

Blakeo

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Hi guys, I have a ECR33 97 model. Engine has a cracked ring land. Would it better to rebuild the series 2, or buy a second hand AWD 25det Neo from Japan from ~$3500 tidy it up a bit with new seals and so forth and use that? 

I'm leaning more towards the NEO option but understandably they're very old engines too now, so could be just buying problems. Cheers.

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GTSBoy Grand Master

GTSBoy

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An excellent question. Both answers are correct.

I think the reality is that any Neo you get from Japan may well be the same as any other engine that has spent too many years in Japan. That being the problem of low to zero maintenance and oil changes, etc etc. So any Neo you get from Japan should be considered to be sufficiently risky to warrant planning to pull it apart and rebuild it anyway. That's a significant extra $3.5k impost on top of doing the same to your S2 engine, and the question has to be asked, would you rather have the (somewhat small) betterness of the Neo for $3.5k, or would you rather spend up to $3.5k on even better betternesses for the S2? New ECU? Better triggering? Better oil pump, sump, cam covers, etc?

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Dose Pipe Sutututu Grand Master

Dose Pipe Sutututu

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6 hours ago, Blakeo said:

I'm leaning more towards the NEO option

I would avoid the AWD motor in a RWD using a modified RWD sump and pickup.

The way the pick up is positioned, you'll have oil pick up issues on hard acceleration on a track around bends.

Even with a baffled, gated sump.

I suppose if you don't race on a track and it's used for straight line activities or street use you might be ok.

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admS15 Grand Master

admS15

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I vote for rebuilding current RB. At least you'll know exactly what condition your engine is in afterwards and no future unpleasant surprises. 

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Dose Pipe Sutututu Grand Master

Dose Pipe Sutututu

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5 hours ago, admS15 said:

I vote for rebuilding current RB. At least you'll know exactly what condition your engine is in afterwards and no future unpleasant surprises. 

Best option, at least it's not an engine lottery.

These NEO motors are close to 30 years old, they're doing ok.

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WMDC35 Experienced

WMDC35

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15 hours ago, Dose Pipe Sutututu said:

I would avoid the AWD motor in a RWD using a modified RWD sump and pickup.

The way the pick up is positioned, you'll have oil pick up issues on hard acceleration on a track around bends.

Even with a baffled, gated sump.

I suppose if you don't race on a track and it's used for straight line activities or street use you might be ok.

Yeah, better just to cut the diff off the awd sump and grind down the fins on the bottom.

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WMDC35 Experienced

WMDC35

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If you can get a clean, tested neo from Japan for $3500 these days, it's probably worth getting either way, hard not to be skeptical at that price.

Otherwise probably rebuild the s2.

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WMDC35 Experienced

WMDC35

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13 hours ago, niZmO_Man said:

Yep, back in the day when you could pick up a Stagea RB25 NEO for $1,500 it was worth it. These days... just chuck your V8 or B58 in.

If you're going to go v8 or really any swap now with all the tax, I'd most likely just get rid of the car and start with something else. Unfortunately, I have a mate with a surplus of ls and Ferrari/Maserati v8's that's always tempting me FFS lol.

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Kinkstaah Grand Master

Kinkstaah

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Or buy one someone built earlier! ;)

(realistically V8 mustangs or MKV supras are great).

I see people nowadays putting ZF8's into MK4's, and people putting 370z gearboxes, diffs, axles into R and S chassis and it's like.... just get a 370z at that point and mildly boost the 3.7 instead of the 2L and away we go...

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Kinkstaah Grand Master

Kinkstaah

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My vote is rebuild s2 engine or maybe get a neo (but expect you may need to rebuild that too).

Doing an engine conversion you would have to be a true tragic nowadays and actively be aware there's better/smarter options for value.

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Butters Experienced

Butters

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10-15 years ago, the answer would always be buy a good import motor and so many machine shops make.a hash of an engine rebuild, or they think they are some sort of RB magicians and want 40k.   

 

Now as others have stated, you are buying a VERY old used motor. So rebuild is the correct answer. 

Just finding a machine shop that will both do a good job and charge you a regular price is now your challenge. 

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Blakeo Rising Star

Blakeo

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On 5/10/2024 at 9:47 PM, niZmO_Man said:

Yep, back in the day when you could pick up a Stagea RB25 NEO for $1,500 it was worth it. These days... just chuck your V8 or B58 in.

The complexities involved with getting a v8 swap done, and the sacrifices for clearance etc not worth it imo unless its a drift car or similar. 

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Kinkstaah Grand Master

Kinkstaah

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What if I told you it fit easier than the RB...... ;)

Realistically it's a lot of work, but suprisingly similar IF you didn't have a R33 with literally all of the supporting accessories and electronics and manifolds and cooling ready to go.

If you had literally a bare engine bay and no transmission, it'd be an apt comparison to make. If you just want to make 280-300kw all day just rebuild the RB and get a modern turbo and enjoy life.

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Blakeo Rising Star

Blakeo

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38 minutes ago, Kinkstaah said:

What if I told you it fit easier than the RB...... ;)

Realistically it's a lot of work, but suprisingly similar IF you didn't have a R33 with literally all of the supporting accessories and electronics and manifolds and cooling ready to go.

If you had literally a bare engine bay and no transmission, it'd be an apt comparison to make. If you just want to make 280-300kw all day just rebuild the RB and get a modern turbo and enjoy life.

Yeah I understand what you mean, but the LS swaps I've seen done to r33s (admittedly to drift cars). You have to hammer out the transmission tunnel to fit the t56/tr6060, cut and box the drifters side firewall for head clearance. All stuff that's not terrible, but don't want to do to my cleanish gtst. 

I've decided to buy the NEO and rebuild it, maybe best of both options lol.

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