Advice on building rbs13?

[will_1223]

Hi all, i am over the next few months gonna save enough money to buy myself a s13 rolling shell, as soon as i get the rolling shell and start making that tidy i will begin saving and buying bits to convert it with a rb25 lump in it, having driven my brother in laws r34 gtt i love the way the engine is and know it will be even better in a stripped out s13!! so people although i have read on other threads i need a list of exactly what i will need for the conversion, i will if i can be buying a crash damaged r33 and just using all the bits i need so what will i need from the r33 and what extra's will i need to buy?? Many thanks in advance.

[Stance200]

r33 subframe
prob fabbed
wiring
electric fans
cut downpipe about and re-weld
gearbox mount
ecu

thats about it

[s13ryan]

you can just bolt up the r33 subframe into the s13, and use rb engine mounts instead of buying conversion mounts

[will_1223]

will i need to do anything with power steering or anything like that as i seen that before?

[s13ryan]

i dont know, however im sure others will, this is a conversion im hoping to be doing at the end of the year, with advice from my brother whos rb'd his s14

[M.D.]

Two ways. The strongest and simplest is fitting the skyline front cross member. Something that I'll be changing to with mine eventually.
That way the engine is a strait swap and you will just need to mod the gearbox mount and get the prop cut and shut using the front half of the skyline prop welded to the rear half of the sx prop.
Only down side with this method is that the engine sits too far forward so it's very tight on the rad. And the weight is more past the front struts. Which is not good for handling.
Also it will hit the bonnet ribs so will need them removed.

You can get mount kits which will allow you to just lob it strait in and get the prop chopped. But the ones I have bent and were not man enough. Not sure what they are all like though so some may be better.

As regards to the prop. If you get an rb20 box it will fit strait up to the sx prop. But it's a little weaker than the rb25 box so won't last as long. Although mine and a mates are still ok after years. And I abuse the hell out of mine.

Wiring is not as hard as it looks. Just sit down with the wiring diagrams. Remembering that all your looking at finding is where the rb loom gets power from. And where It feeds the dash from the cabin. The starter and alternator loom can be used from the sx. You just loose one of the knock sensor wires so need to add that in.

Personally id make a fresh loom from all new wires. But then that's me and Im glutton for punishment ha

The power steering is easy. Just put the sx pipes to the rb pump. Or mod the sx bracket to fit the rb engine. Which is what I first did. It's quite close anyway so just needs a big drill lobbed through the holes

[will_1223]

right that has cleared quite a bit up, would i just have to buy things like a slim line radiator and a pair of fans if i use the skyline mounts, also heard about the heater matrix pipes being a pain, i am a mechanic by trade but not done many engine conversions lol, so perhaps i could get the wiring loom made up by someone, get the prop sorted, what about the gearbox tunnel will this require modding and what rear diff should i use? Will the hubs from a r33 gtst fit straight onto the back or is the axle conversion as well?

[M.D.]

You can put the whole rear subframe from a 32 skyline on the back but i don't think the 33 one fits. And personally I wouldn't bother.

You can however fit the hubs diff and shafts to the sx. Not sure how easy it is but it's possible. Just need to swap the diff back plates over.

The tunnel will need a whack around the bell housing to clear the starter and I whacked it back a little too so the heater matrix pipes could pass behind the head and not over it as It looks neater.

You want to be fitting a thicker ally rad or the skyline rad to the car but will need to fit fans to it that are push type from the front of the car

[will_1223]

i only said a slim line one due to the fact its so close to the front, i dont really wanna put other mounts on it if the engine is gonna eventually fall out or something lol, im sure i saw somewhere the the mount off an auto box matches up to the sx and the rb box lol, will do the timing belt while the engine is out as i dont fancy dropping it out again to do that, first thing is first though, get a rolling shell and get it mint first, then go from there, if i can find me a crash damaged r33 gtst for cheap i will go for it, if not i will just have to buy parts. Can i run the standard ecu from the r33 for the time being till i can get an uprated ecu?

[M.D.]

Yeah you can run the stock one. Will obviously work fine on a stock engine. I'm not aware what chips you can get but I'm sure there are a few out there.

[will_1223]

well once i got it up and running with a full exhaust system, decat, air filter and front mount i will run it for a while like that then just save for wotever option i have after that be it remap, ecu etc etc, i have talked about this for years but always something gets in the way, marriage, kid no1, kid no2 on way but we are financially alot better off then we were at those points and i got share paying out soon so will use that money as well, just gotta get my car and i know i will be on my way then.

[s13ryan]

sorry it ifs a daft question, but will the tunnel still need bashing out if you use the r33 front subframe?
as i know its been said that the engine sits alot more towards the front of the engine bay? so just wonderd if it needs smashing out? and also would this create a problem with the whole for the gear stick? or would it still line up?

[M.D.]

The stick sits slightly further forward but it's only by a few inches. And it's no biggie. I think you do still need to beat the tunnel a little around the starter but it's not by that much

[will_1223]

it seems quite a simple conversion, just gotta get the ball rolling, hardest bit will be wiring if i attempt it myself.

[s13ryan]

I think the wiring won't be too bad, have you had alook through a conversion wiring guide? I printed john bennets earlier, seems fairly straight forward I'd probably try and get a company or person to go through and check it once attempted, probably worth doing yourself if your on a budget like I'd be, if not I've seen a few for sale recently one in the breakers yard atm £200

[will_1223]

just trying to find me a rolling shell for cheap enough or to swap my laptop and a projector for lol, i know most people want cash but u never know, got an xbox 360 elite as well but i like that lol. Just want a good car which if it needs a bit of welding i can carry it out quite easily.

[M.D.]

Where did you find this wiring guide mate. Can I have a nose at it. Just fancied havin a look how others have done it

[s13ryan]

http://media.sxoc.com/contributors/s...S13_Jan_10.pdf
here you go mate

[S13_Dan]

I am half way through the journey my self, I sent a pair of looms one RB and my S13 off to a member called Nize. He was recomended by several other members. havent manage to get mine running well tho, according to the rev counter it idols at bout 3000rpm rarther than the 6-700rpm in skyline manual. R33 subframe bolts strait in, have to mount engine on subframe then bolt the lot in from underneath. I have fitted 47mm core rad with two fans that push like mensioned above.

Any ideas for rmp problem? would power fc solve?

Cheers

[royellison]

im going to be doing mine in the summer, got all the bits...just need a greddy plunum (just out of choice)

going to be using custom mounts on a standard s13 cross member.

going to be keeping my eyes to any thread on here related to rb swaps.

also might be worth joining skylineowners.com for more info. i did..been some very usefull stuff from them.