where to find info on what parts to use on SR20

[the hall]

Hi All

my s13 came with a redtop conversion in it, I want to make the engine reliable and add some more power to it, nothing crazy to start but this might change as most of my builds always do!

could someone point me in the direction of any info regarding what's needed or places to get parts from that I don't need to remortgage the house for?

I have no idea what a stock SR20 can handle power-wise but I would like to see 300/350 out of the car, it's not going to be doing any real track work, just hoping to build a nice street car.

Thanks
Gary

[WTFIA]

My redtop S13 is running 287bhp with very basic mods. HKS mushroom filter, local made resonated 3” exhaust turbo back with sports cat, gizzmo ibc boost controller and nistune chip, local made FMIC, everything else is OEM, turbo and injectors are close to max and its a huge difference over factory power for daily driving, real basic just pulls far better and all done for less than £1k.
For 300/350 would imagine a new turbo and injectors would be a must and then possibly clutch, maybe other supporting mods for reliability. Circa 300bhp is a nice safe upgrade for these cars anything more and you can get carried away, my S15 only has 480bhp and thats horrendous to drive anywhere other than on track. Just picked up an S14 recently that has some very tasteful basic mods and pulls like a train with a 295bhp print off but not confirmed that yet as a H-Dev chipped ecu, thats my latest project due to amount of rust on chassis.

[the hall]

thanks for the info that's great!

The car has just had a 2871 Hybrid fitted with a billet compressor wheel and staggered 180 bearings, I am looking to upgrade the injectors and also the fuel pump as they are both old and as you say will run out of puff quite quickly, there is a large FMIC and pod filter on the stock air intake tube (trying to source a metal intake currently), I have a Greddy OLED boost controller to go on from an old project, and exhaust will be on the list after I have sorted some of the body out. doesn't sound like I'm too far from maxing out the engine after an ECU upgrade so that will be good

[WTFIA]

Ahh already have a turbo, sweet, https://www.tuningdevelopments.uk/pr...oducts_id=3603 check TD for hard intake pipe, also gives you the option for Z32 upgrade. By the sounds of it you only need fuel pump, ecu and injectors then.
740cc be the safest option, so many options for those depending on where in country you are and brand loyalties.
ECU again down to brand loyalties, popular at the moment are Link, Syvecs, Haltech, a few old Apexi’s for sale on fb and DW forums and eBay.
Fuel pump, again ebay, H-Dev, Norris, Garage-D, DW, and many many more, I don’t like to take sides, everyone has an argument for every brand these days.

[the hall]

I was looking at going RX7 secondary injectors as I think they are 740cc, I'm not a massive brand "whore" so I'm not fussed about what they are, and OEM injectors must be good! I see there is now the option of R35 MAF as well, its supposed to get rid of some issues that the Z32 has (I ran a Z32 on my CA18 for years and never had an issue). as for ECU I was looking at Haltech purely for the reason that it can go from car to car, so I wouldn't have to buy another ECU just a loom if I ever changed cars. Fuel pump was AEM E85 pump as i run one on my turbo MX5 and seems to do the job okay

[piman2k]

I think you need to slow down and define what you want from the car before throwing parts at it. I can't imagine it's happy on a 2871 with standard injectors and MAF.

What's the engine and fuel system spec that you have?

[green_rs13]

tbh i would stick the z33 blow through MAF on if you choose an ecu option that works with it. on that subject i would go with what your tuner recommends.
but a 2871r, 740s , 3" exhaust, FMIC, walbro fuel pump should see you up 350+ bhp. 400bhp is about where it would max out. just make sure you buy a genuine fuel pump as there are fake ones floating around.

[the hall]

Thanks for the replies guys,

Piman2k, the engine is an SR20DET REDTOP, everything else, as far as I know, is stock, hence wanting to make it all "right", the car is to be used as a nice road car, not drift or track-based, I'm trying to restore it to a nice looking/clean example of a Type X style car. I'm not currently driving the car as I have stripped it back to clean it up and take it away from its drift days back to the road, I will have all the supporting mods for the turbo before its back on the road.

Green_RS13, that sounds like plenty!, the Tuner has said to go link or Haltech, I like the idea of the Haltech as its not car specific other than the loom you use for it at the time, so having an ECU that can go from car to car appeals to me

[piman2k]

Okie dokie, it not driving at the moment makes more sense.

I don't know why having an ECU you can port between cars is a selling point to you, unless you intend to move between cars regularly.

If you have a tuner that you want to use, follow their advice on hardware, even if that is the Haltech. Better a good mapper on an average ECU than an average mapper on a good ECU.

You don't need a fancy ECU for your wants. You could happily run a Nistune or even a Horsham Chip and save yourself a significant chunk of money. Horsham chips are not specific to your car, but are widely suitable.

So to be clear, you've got the engine, a turbo and an intercooler. You'll need:

• A suitable fuel pump (e.g. Walbro 255, Aeromotive Stealth 340 etc)
• Suitable spark Plugs
• A method of boost control if your ECU doesn't come with it
• A MAF or MAP to suit your ECU if it doesn't come with it
• Injectors compatible with your ECU/map of choice
• A freer flowing air filter
• An exhaust, likely with the cats removed

[the hall]

I was looking at a nistune before, but I couldn't find anyone to tune it for me, I'm not a massive fan of generic staged chips and would rather stay away from them really. with the nistune, my ECU has a 62 sticker on it, I assume i would need another 62 ecu with the board on it or a board for that number ecu?

Boost controller, I have a greedy OLED to go in
Fuel pump, AEM E85 340 I think it is
Injectors i was looking at RX7 Reds
MAF would be a Z32 with an apexi / mushroom
exhaust i would have to figure out when the car is running.

[piman2k]

Does the Haltech ECU you want to buy have a MAP sensor?

Staged chips are never as good as bespoke maps, but they were the backbone of this forum for a decade and are no less good now than they were then.

Can't comment on the injectors, never used them. Only every used Nismo or Injector Dynamics.

[the hall]

Im looking at an Elite 1500, looks to have an onboard map sensor yes, I never liked staged chips back when i had my last s13 so that hasn't changed

[Actual_Ben_Taylor]

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...EwD0w8k4TVVhZt

Pretty much covers it.

[markcro]

Does the Haltech ECU you want to buy have a MAP sensor?

Staged chips are never as good as bespoke maps, but they were the backbone of this forum for a decade and are no less good now than they were then.

Can't comment on the injectors, never used them. Only every used Nismo or Injector Dynamics.

I've been running a Horshams Dev Stage 1a chip for the last 13 years. It's been brilliant, and at the time, a cheap option.

[green_rs13]

dont forget a decent clutch.

[markcro]

dont forget a decent clutch.

When I put in the Stage 1a chip, I said to myself that I don't need a clutch as the standard one only had 30k miles on it. A week later it was getting an uprated clutch fitted! :-)

[the hall]

yeah, I agree there is no point in going 1/2 arsed, supporting mods are all on the list to make the required power, it was more about what to use to get there I needed to know. on the lookout for the bits now, so will start a small pile no doubt. I have stripped the inside of the car back to nothing (not that there was much in there) and painted it all now with tractor paint. looks much better than it did, still a long road ahead!

[piman2k]

I've been running a Horshams Dev Stage 1a chip for the last 13 years. It's been brilliant, and at the time, a cheap option.

No arguments here, but there is at least one "tuner" who, with his little disciples, will tell you that Horsham chips destroy engines. To which no-one in the actual S Body world that I know of has ever seen.