RB20 S13... finished... well, ok... stage 1

[RBsileighty]

Well she's been done for about 3 weeks... I'm not so sure about the Sileighty any more... I'm really digging the stock/sleeper look.

Finally got some pics (two old suspension pics included)... so here they are... unfortunately the turbo is on it's way out due to the abuse required to clock it (aka a hammer). So a rebuild for it is in order, but with only .4 bar she's pulling pretty hard (ran with my buddy's decat'ed VR4 on the highway). The RS*R is really nice and deep sounding... but it's to loud for continuous use. I'll add a flanged premuffler soon so I can switch out between the two (silencer really kills power). Those permacool fans are awesome!!! My car barely gets to half on the stock temp gauge (KA thermocouple) with them on in very humid 80 deg heat. Today it was sitting between the first and second tick marks. Ok... here are the pics:

[RBsileighty]

[RBsileighty]

[RBsileighty]

[RBsileighty]

Specs:

92 S13 hatch (use to have Hicas... basically got it for the LSD)

RB20DET

Custom mounts... my grandfather and I designed and I built (not the best looking, but requires no hood cutting and very solid... less than 0.0001 inch deflection based on calculations)

Custom dp (joint venture on the creation/welding... my buddy Cole and I did some of the cutting/welding, but I give most credit to my buddy Steve at Stono Body Works Charleston, SC)

MKIV (last gen supra) fuel pump

SARD Racing FPR

Dual 12” Permacool fans

Tein tie rods and ends w/ spacers

SPL SS braided clutch line

Tomei Hicas lock

GReddy 52mm boost, fuel pres, and oil pres gauges (black face, bezel and white needle and numbers) I installed the senders, but my girlfriend made the bezel and installed the gauges... she's a keeper... for many reasons

Hybrid FMIC

Hybrid Oil Catch Can

Optima red top

GReddy Profec B boost controller (own but not installed)

GReddy fuel cut defender (own but not installed)

GReddy Type R Bypass... will run as bypass not bov (own but not installed)

Apex S-AFC fuel controller (own but not installed)

Turbonetics T3/T4

Kei Office Type XT coilovers

APEX pod filter

Set of S15 Spec R seats

RS*R GTII 80mm exhaust

[sweetr33]

looks good mate, dunno if i too much of a fan of the rb20 thing but see how u go, car looks good as a sleeper i would just leave it and drive it but its upto u. goodluck with it all

[RBsileighty]

Thank you very much! Yeah... I agree with you more and more. She'll never be a 100% sleeper, but she's not far from it and will stay close to it since low key is my style. I'm 99% sure all that will happen cosmetically will be loosing the spoiler, fixing the dints, a paint job (the VW Platinum Grey (charcoal color) or BMW Anthracite (which is their charcoal), and 96-98 taillights. Yet... these won't happen until I get a turbo rebuild, 5 lug hubs, brakes (not sure on which ones), larger brake master cyl, RPS clutch, Rega Evo's or Buddy Club P1 QF's, 4 or 6 point cage and Takata harnesses. I almost forgot, I'm going to add a presilencer due to the single muffler RS*R kit is really loud. I'll flange the straight pipe so that I can put it back in when I take it to a road course and keep the silencer flanged so I don't loose my hearing in my left ear.

[Cubes]

The engine temp guage fluctuation is strange.

It shouldn't fluctuate. Thats what thermostats are for.

Unless the temp guage is extremely touchy and will fluctuate a lot between 80-90degree's.

Last time I had my temp guage fluctuate is when the temp sensor was on its way out.

It would sit on 1/4 then after a bit of a hit it would come up to half.

Eventually over time it began to sit on just above the C then nothing.

This would have been over a period of 6+months.

My car will get to operating temp within 2-3km's on a cold morning.

[GTR-Ben]

Hey I like the dash mounted gauges, thats how I want mine in the S13. Did you remove the dash to install them?

When you say custom engine mounts, what did you actually do. As there is only so far you can lower the engine until the sump will hit the cross member. I am just about to make my engine mounts for my engine swap.

[makaveli]

looks great!!!

the rb20 is a strong unit and less prone to detonation due to its shorter stroke.

straight, clean + all the needed goodies = a great car!

i dont like it how people go over the top.

take it easy

Mark

[RBsileighty]

Thanks for the compliments fellas!

The engine temp guage fluctuation is strange.

 

It shouldn't fluctuate. Thats what thermostats are for.

 

Unless the temp guage is extremely touchy and will fluctuate a lot between 80-90degree's.

 

Last time I had my temp guage fluctuate is when the temp sensor was on its way out.

It would sit on 1/4 then after a bit of a hit it would come up to half.

Eventually over time it began to sit on just above the C then nothing.

This would have been over a period of 6+months.

 

My car will get to operating temp within 2-3km's on a cold morning.

I take it you read my other post. The temp stays the same... I guess I wasn't clear in that it really depends on the day (temp outside). On a nice not-so-humid day it's ~170F (what my brand new thermostat is set for)... if I cut the fans on before it gets to that temp it doesn't always get hot enough for the thermo to open... so I have to cut them off for a bit. On a really hot humid day, say 85deg F with 80%humidity it usually rests at the KA's normal level which is ~210F... but no higher. If I get on it for a short bit the T3/T4 is water cooled and brings the temp up (I assume)... but if it's a nice day and not to humid it will come back down to ~170F. The car only runs cold if the fans are on... they are on a switch. Granted... that is a good point since the thermocouple is out of an old KA motor... might be a good idea to pick up a new one like you said. Thanks for the input.

Hey I like the dash mounted gauges, thats how I want mine in the S13. Did you remove the dash to install them?

No dash removal is required. My GF made it with a piece of aluminum sheet metal and cut it to the bezel size of the original air vent. Be sure to tape off the air duct with some duct tape so you don't blow hot/cold air on the gauges... can't be to good for them.

As for the mounts... I just used 1/4 inch steel and moved the mounting location forward. The steel is channeled as you can see in one of the pics and the whole channel is bolted and welded to the crossmember itself. The only part modified was the lower section... which basically just extends the crossmember's mounting location forward. The part that mounts to the motor and the rubber isolators are stock R32 units. The hood only had to be trimmed where the R33 Hybrid FMIC piping kit was hitting... nothing on the motor hits the hood at all.

[GTR-Ben]

Oh didn't notice it was in the heater vent.. duh. Rather keep my heater I think and my gauges are quite large.

As for the engine mount, so you just moved the engine forward? How does this effect where the gearstick is??

See I need to go down, not forward. About 30-40mm.. can only really go 20mm but if I can go forward I can get more.

[Remix-]

Looks great mate. Paint your fmic black for extra stealth

[RBsileighty]

Oh didn't notice it was in the heater vent.. duh. Rather keep my heater I think and my gauges are quite large.

As for the engine mount, so you just moved the engine forward? How does this effect where the gearstick is??

See I need to go down, not forward. About 30-40mm.. can only really go 20mm but if I can go forward I can get more.

This is lower than the R32 member places the motor.... but for a RB30 you would probably have to shorten the verticle mounts as well to get that 30-40mm you are looking for. My shifter is centered. If I didn't move the mounting location (not so much the motor) forward then the back 2 cyl would be in the firewall.

Looks great mate. Paint your fmic black for extra stealth

Thank you very much! I've actually considered having it anodized black/charcoal along with the muffler... we will see.

[GTR-Ben]

This is lower than the R32 member places the motor.... but for a RB30 you would probably have to shorten the verticle mounts as well to get that 30-40mm you are looking for.  My shifter is centered.  If I didn't move the mounting location (not so much the motor) forward then the back 2 cyl would be in the firewall.

I'm guessing your using the KA Cross member? Thats probably where the difference is.

I am using a RB Crossmember and in stock position a RB26DETT will fit and the gearstick will be in the right position, but yes I need to go down more for my engine..

[RBsileighty]

The KA... and most likely a SR or CA x-member will get that height lowered for you, but will require extensions like mine. My buddy used the R32 x-member for his 20 and his fits and the shifter is centered... more or less (the shifter is 12-13mm forward of mine)... but he had to cut a lot of bracing out of the bonnet. My oil pin sits flush with the bottom of the x-member.

Another issue you might run into is the swaybar might not fit up front. Mine just fits and doesn't hit the oil pan. My friend's with the R32 member had to extend his in order to clear his oil pan. I am not sure how it works with the 25's box (I assume that's the trans you are using) and oil pan... I think the 25 trans is longer than the 20's which might explain the shifter being centered... but I'd be surprised if your driveshaft bolts up without having it shortened or getting a custom unit. I'd be very interested to see some pictures of the fitment if you have some available! A 26 in a S13 should be sick!

[GTR-Ben]

Oh ok.

I will take some photo's tonight if I get time of what I am talking about. I have a spare RB subframe and have it bolted to my engine to see how it sits.

I will most likely use an RB25DET box, if not a modified RB26DETT box.

I was thinking you could probably just have a slight bend in the gearstick if it wasn't quite centered, I have seen some factory like this.

I have no problems with the tailshaft, easily modified.

Same goes for the swaybar, I have a cefiro front swaybar that actually bends around the sump. I will be getting this copied and made larger as I did have a 27mm adjustable S13 bar, but yes they don't clear the sump

Some of my pictures are at the link in my sig.

or talk to me on AIM, Skylineben. I have added you already.

[GTR-Ben]

Ok here are the pic of an RB cross member bolted to an RB30 bottom end

You can see the clearance.

[RBsileighty]

I don't know if you've thought of this... but I considered this in the case that I aquired a R32 x-member. It should be pretty easy if you have a welder or access to one.

[GTR-Ben]

Hell no.. much easier to modify where it bolts to the sump. Simply redrill or cut and weld a new plate on.