Hello,

Long time reader, first time poster.


I recently purchased a 20b Cosmo (been dreaming of getting one for years), and I'm looking to purchase a 2nd gen to install it in.

I have a couple of questions:

1) Does it matter which year 2nd gen I purchase as the shell? Can it be any 86-92?
2) Does it have to be a Turbo? Can I purchase a NA 2nd gen and be able to mount the 20b inside of it? I heard on the grapevine that I will need to buy a Turbo shell because all of the electrical is different.

Any advice/tips/info would be greatly appreciated


Thanks for your help

 

the chassis is the same between turbo and non but i would get a turbo shell because of the upgraded drivetrain. you will need to use an aftermarket EMS to control the engine, not the stock ecu and wiring.

i hope you know what you're doing or have a ton of money to pay someone who does.

 

start reading through the 20B subforum

 

Honestly, I don't know what I'm doing. But yes, I have the money set aside to get it done. I've set aside $10k to get this project started.


I've owned 4 2nd Gens in the past, all stock, minus one, which was a 1990 GTU that I had custom exhaust, 13b rebuild, cold air intake, brakes and suspension upgrades, and LOVED the car - until it was stolen.

Now I would like a nice, 2nd gen with a 20b. I don't need it to be ridiculously tuned. Im just looking for about 350hp and 250+ torque, for a reliable, fun, daily driver.

 

With that said, I'll give you $1000 for the 20b because it will not meet your needs, it will exceed them..... Spending $10k, plus all the stress that goes along with a 20b swap for only 350hp is just retarded....PM if interested
I will even throw in a 93 rew short block, just because I'm a nice guy

 

Don't take it literally. All I mean is I want a reliable daily driver with a 20b in it. I am fully aware of its capabilities, fully tuned. And you want to give me $1000 for my 20b? What an irresistible offer! Thank you. Why don't you PM me your address and I'll send it right away, COD. I trust you.


I understand there are a lot of cynical people out there. Im just looking for some information. If you have it, thank you for sharing.

 

If you are not looking for 600+ then why bother with a 20b??? A properly built 13b will meet your goals and will be easier on the pocket.... Where will you find 20b parts in the future and at what price?? If you have the money and insist you must have a 20b then theres not much I can say but good luck and have fun...

BTW my shipping address is below, please address it to Mr Bush, he's the idiot we put incharge to run the place

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500

 

Sell the 20b, and build up a TurboII if you're looking for that kind of power. Not only will it be cheaper, but it'll also give you more power (at this point).

1) It doesn't matter, it'll fit in either. Just remember, if you buy an N/A you'll have to replace the drivetrain with a TurboII setup...or, at the very least, a TurboII tranny.

2) Same question as number 1.

Tips: Be prepared to have your car off the road for a LONG time, and do A LOT of research before you even pull the 13b. Sure the 20B will bolt in relatively easy, but that said, it's the 'easiest' part of the swap.

 

damn.. by the way your questions sound, it looks like your way in over your head.
this is not a direct swap.
you need a shitload of money to accomodate, and some mechanical experience at that

youll need custom everything.
Ill take your 20b off your hands if you want to trade for a 13bt .
its painted black and blue!!!!

i say you swap it into a miata

 

well it sounds like you have a huge project at hand...

but making a 20b in a 2nd gen with only 350 hp would make it a nice drivable car. and prolly more reliable then a 13b tuned to 350hp.

 

Hey stop trying to take advantage of a noob.. We all know that your 13bt is only worth $200, that's why he should accept my generous offer of $1000... Geez!!

 

You'll have a hard time fitting the 20B Cosmo into a 2nd gen. The Cosmo is a much larger car then the 2nd gen so I don't think you can make it fit even if you cut it up. If crushed into a cube, the Cosmo will fit in a 2nd gen easily but I don't think this is what you want....

Oh, you mean a 20B engine. Well that's a slightly different story. Call it the "Cosmo 20B", the "20B", or the "20B-REW" to avoid confusing people.


Doesn't matter. S4 is a lighter car and may have more miles on it. S5 is a little bit nicer as far as interior quality goes but is heavier.

The chassis between the two is the same, but the drivetrain is not. I suggest a TII since it has a much stronger drivetrain then the NA. You won't be using any of the stock EMS system to control the engine so the electrical is irrelevant.

$10K is a good starting point if you don't know what you are doing. Budget another $10K since you'll be farming some of the work out.

Really? 350HP and 250 FT-LBs of torque? That's all? Don't even bother with a 20B. Find a TII for sale, buy it, and upgrade the turbo. That will get you a reliable, fun daily driver which will be a hell of a lot cheaper and easier to build, and be better on fuel.

Also, moving to 20B forum.

 

Get in touch with Chris Murphy through Modified Auto Salon up in your Area. Hes got many years with the rx-7s...

 

Thank you for all of your help answering the questions.


It seems some of you are thinking it might be a waste for me to place a 20B into a 2nd gen for only 350-400hp.


My apologies - I forgot to mention that I wanted to take the turbo's off and run it NA in my car.



Even still, I understand the undertaking involved. Im sure I'll spend more than $10k. Im not in a hurry and have plenty of time to put this together.



On another note, yes Im a noob when it comes to knowing about the cars mechanically. Unfortunately Ive never learned much about how to work on cars. But I am a rotary fanatic - I own an RX8 right now and have owned 4 RX7's in the past. Surely I can get a pass on being ignorant on mechanics being that Im such a dedicated rotorhead.



Good info though. Thanks again. Perhaps Ill have to reevaluate my plan. Ill keep you guys informed, if you care.

 

1Revvin,

Thank you. Is he in Reno? I googled information and could not find him


EDIT: Nevermind, I just found it. Thanks again

 

I don't understand where you're coming from. You think because you've posted 1,000x on a mazda rx7 forum that means something? I don't get why you're throwing the word noob around and responding to my thread with useless sarcasm.

Im a regular guy, with a lot to learn, no doubt. Im trying to fulfill a dream Im sure a lot of us share and I don't see why you have to be antagonistic.


So what if I dont want to tune my 20b to 600hp. Its not sacrilege to keep it at around 400hp and love my car regardless.

 

What series is your 20b?

If it's not a "C" or a "D" series, then you're most likely going to be rebuilding it after only a few miles of its installation.

Trust me on this; I have a FC with a 20b (early series) and it blew up on the dyno last Saturday. It had less than 200 miles in the FC. It was making about 255 hp on the dyno with stock turbos (Steve Kan tuning session) pumping out a whopping four pounds of boost and had the rev limiter at 7k rpm.

I now have two early series 20b's that need fixing.

Hopefully my third one won't take a major dump like the other two. The third one is a series "D" that I bought the day before the dyno blow-up.

Here is a link to the thread about my 20b to FC...
https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showthread.php?t=408516

Here is a link to the finished product (before the blow-up). I'm calling my car "The Big Sleep".

Check out "The Big Sleep"
https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showthread.php?t=766544

 

Anyone with 5 post count is considered a noob!!!!!
You should have mention that you own a Rx8 in your first line above, that way we know how to answer you .. Welcome to the Rx7 club, you need a thick skin to hang out around these parts unlike the boys over at the Rx8club
Almost every week someone comes on here and ask the same " how-to swap a 20b" question that has been covered millions of times... Once they get the harsh reality of the cost and work involve, they quietly dissapear from the forum never to be seen again.

Why would you want a horse's dick if you plan on ******* a fly???? <- Simple analogy

A 13bT will exceed your goals and you will still have gas money left over.. I'm telling you this because most of the 20b conversions that are started end up unfinish and parted out.. This is not fun & games, It takes careful planing and knowlege to make it happen..don't forget the cost factor
No one is having a crack at you, but when someone comes on here claiming to have a lack of experience and know-how then they start asking about something as major as a 20b swap, you get stupid replies...

Use the search function or check the sticky in the 20b section.... Don't forget about things like added torque from your new 20b motor, you might be needing several new trannys & rearends depending on your driving habits.. There's alot to consider with a conversion like this.. Remember, If it was easy then everyone would be driving a 20b powered Rx7 instead of going on to their 2nd 13b motor..

 

Gordon did I give him bad advice? Even the Mod above had a crack at him




BTW, this thread got started on the 2nd gen section then it got moved to its present location

 

*sigh*
Guess my...

Oh
My
God

...got deleted.


-Ted

 

Your post count is high enough that you can afford to sit this one out;

 

A 20B powered Cosmo is much larger than a 2nd gen (86-91) How are you gong to fit a whole Cosmo into a smaller 2nd gen..............

Perhaps some Michael Jackson morphing...........

REgards

 

Having done this swap myself, I can tell you that absolutely every question you have asked has been answered dozens and dozens of times within the 20B section. The best resource for getting started is RETed's site here:

http://fc3spro.com/TECH/SWAP/COSMO/20b.html

Once you have a grasp on what it is you are doing people will be much more likely to help you if you ask specific questions about specific parts of the install.

Good luck!

 

All this sarcasm and no one posted any valuable info to help this fello
You mentioned that you already have the an engine and you wanted to go NA..
A stock, unopened non turbo 20b will not make 400hp so that means you will need to rebuild the motor and have someone port it... You said your goal is to have a reliable 400hp street car but inorder to reaching that goal on NA, is's not easy nor is it reliable for a daily driver IMO..
Some of the other "helpful" guys around here can get into details of PP, since he's wanting to go NA with 400hp

Here you go buddy.. Start reading

http://fc3spro.com/TECH/SWAP/COSMO/20b.html
https://www.rx7club.com/20b-forum-95/20b-faq-links-370451/

 

Very good info. Thank you everybody.


I was told that a 20b could fit in a 2nd generation, but that it would take some adjustments. Again, I'll admit I don't know a whole lot technically speaking. It must look silly that Im posting these stupid questions and crazy ideas Im sure you guys have seen 1000 times, lol.

That being said, I also admit I jumped the gun buying the 20b before even buying a car for it. To be honest, I'm not exactly sure where to put it. I really like my RX8, despite being gutless, and I wonder about dropping the 20b into that. My brother thinks Im crazy to want to throw that engine in a 2nd gen, so Ive also been looking at 3rd gen shells.

So at this point, Im just getting a feel for what to do. I bought the motor, which will arrive any day now, but I have all kinds of time. Ive been driving either an rx7 or an rx8 for the past 15 years now, mostly all stock ... I think I can be patient with this project.


Im not rich or anything. Im just a 33yr old dork with a wife, 4 kids, a dog and a job. But I have gotten lucky lately with the finances and now I want to fulfill a dream, which is.... Ive always wanted a 350hp-ish Rotary powered car.

Thanks for all the tips and advice ... even the critical kind