i am writing this as some what of a step by step process of "de wiring" and re wiring of my 89 TII with a 20b, please be patient with me cause this will be a really rough draft. while i was doing this for the last 2 day i was taking pics of my process and will post them as soon as i get home


while i was in the states i bought a 84 GSL-SE and paid some one to do ALL the work on it. i've always wanted and incredible street car and i guess now i pretty much got slapped in the face with one. i know that this is pretty much like trying to run a marathon without knowing how to walk but i feel that this is an opportunity of a life time, i also figured that it will be a thousand times more fulfilling if i do a lot of the work myself, not only that but its not like im trying to take apart the engine, port it, re-assemble, custom fit it ect ect, thats already been done for me. so im just going to learn what goes to what and how on the harness to include ECU. the 20b installation topic has been brought up 100's of times but mostly by experts. im a regular guy that loves rotarys and wants to learn how to mess with them. like i said b4, im not rebuliding anything here or even tunning so the most damage that can be done is to the harness itself.





i got really lucky and bought a 89 TII with a 20b and TEC3 with o2 wideband already running for only 3K. i live in japan so these things are possible (once in a million years). i leave in a about a year and am headed back to the states and OF COURSE im taking this thing back with me. i cant take the car back do to weight and legal issues so i have to tear it apart and junk everything i dont need. at first i wanted to put the 20b into the 84 GSL-SE i have in the states but after thinking it over long and hard i have come to the conclusion that putting it back into a 2nd gen would be the easiest way to go since i already know EXACTLY how and were things go. at first i thought my dream car was a first gen with a 20b, but in reality its pretty much any car with a 20b in it, especially in the states. if done rite having a running 20b will put my high up there with the elite. anyway since i have this thing sitting in my driveway i figured that i should "learn it." the car runs but not great because the computer hasnt been tuned, not only that but theres nothing under the dash except for a HUGE nest of wires. i hate clutter and i hate not knowing what im dealing with. so i have decided to tear this thing apart and re-do it. what i mean is im going to re wire the car, putting the engine itself in is sooo damn easy i wont waste my time until i get to the states and have to, the engine mounts are self explanitory and any lines connected are just a matter of loosening and removing. the wire harness on the other hand is a whole different thing.

pics of the past 2 days will be posted soon, sorry bout the long and probably vague story.

 

lots of words.......no point.

the 20b will not just drop into a FC, even with new mounts. do a lil research on here and find out what is all involved before you rip it out for another car.

 

umm...yes it will, if you run it NA or have a single turbo manifold... all you really have to change is the cooling system and everything else is just wiring and plumbing.

most people on this forum only think they are experts and put up a good act (myself included). Anyone can do this swap with some money, time, and patience. Experts can just do it with a lot less of those things.

anyway if it is already wired up and running, why not just unplug the harness at the ecu and take off any body grounds, label anything you remove, and just ship it assembled?

 

this is what she looked like when it was all together

 

now this is my process
i wanted to take EVERYTHING out because i wanted to see what goes to what and ive also never completely done this, so i figured that it would be best to start learning.

 

like i said, this is a rough draft, im kinda calling it as i go, im not a professional story teller or mechanic, this entire process is new to me to include forums.

 

the reason why i dont just want to undo it from the ecu is because " as i said earlier" there is a HUGE mess of wires under the dash and i hate clutter. i also have a desire to learn what goes where why and how. when i get back to the states i know i will have to pay someone for something, i just dont want them to do everything. while im here in japan i also plan on putting all back together and fire the thing back up, almost like practice.

 

 

this a small part of one of the 2 main harnesses. this thing was nothing but a munch of wires clumped together. i sorted everything out and wrapped it in aircraft F-4 tape making sure to leave out enough loose wire for ground and relay hook ups. i plan on doing the same to the rest of the harnesses.

 

heres a pic of the engine mounts, as you can see theres is no custom work done to the actual car. the 20b engine is mounted to the original mounts. the engine falls into place.

 

 

just like PATMAN said earlier. the cooling system and piping are what needs to be modified alittle. as you can see the front has been cut to fit the intercooler and radiator.....not exactly sure if this "needs" to be cut cause i have seen some engine bays with stock positions for these parts.

 

 

the guy that owned this car b4 me custom made a twin turbo manifold and made it all work and most importantly made it fit. of course you would have to use after market turbos cause the stock ones just wont work rite, especially with a manual trans. this actually the first car ive seen with this set up besides the hard core drag racing guys that tow their cars around on trailers.







when i get to the states i plan on just running a single instead of these 2 TO4E turbos. i think this is a little extreme.....not only that but he told me that he's running some huge *** injectors like, not the typical 1600cc and 550's

 

Wow, that's a stupid way of running twins on a 3 rotor...


-Ted

 

If you have to re-weld the radiator brackets and lower the sway bar, then it doesnt just drop in. relocating engine bay/suspension components = not dropping right in. I don't know what the twin turbo system has to do with fitting. why does he need a single turbo manifold or run n/a?

 

because the twins dont easily clear the FC frame rail.

as far as swaybar, it is possible to run without one, the car only handles a little funny.

relocating engine components? he is doing an ENGINE SWAP, of course he has to relocate engine bay components. If you cant figure out how to remount a radiator, probably you should go back to honda civics.

 

damn, one thing that i have noticed is how arrogant or just plain old prikish rotary mechanics can be... from my experience its about 9 out of 10 people...so far since ive started this post ive gotten almost nothing in response except for negativity. anyway, im only doing this for the benefit of myself as a learning experience and for other people like me whether they are dealing with a 12 N/A all the way up to 20b. if your going to criticize then you should do it constructively. but hey , maybe you guys are just upset that i got this whole package for only 3k and everyone else is paying anywhere from 20k-30k HAHAHAHAHAHA......even if i mess something up , i have enough parts to sell that will make me feel better about the whole deal.

 

who said anything about suspension or re welding radiators......my car has the radiator relocated only cause the previous owner opted to, the suspension is all in tact to include sway bar. just like the whole 20b installation process has been posted hundreds of times, theres almost a differnt way to go about it with every one. thats why searching for the answer sometimes only leaves you with more questions. the best way is to do it yourself.....i may be wrong but it sounds like some of you that have a 20b may have payed someone to do the swap.............thats why it may sound like theres tons of work that goes along with it.....the more there is to "do" the more you can get charged....

 

beautiful engine bay. I'll admit I would love to have it.

I can say I have dropped a 20b into a FC. Dropping the motor in and fitting it to the tranny is the easy part of the 20B swap into the FC. It is as if it belonged in there.

Good luck I forsee some long nights ahead of you.

 

"Prikish"?
Prickish?
Is that even a word?
You calling me a "rotary mechanic"?
Nah, can't be, cause I know I'm not one.
Never said I was.

Funny you're very quick to point that out, but you're guilty yourself with the attitude...


"12 N/A"
Are you talking about a "12A" motor?


I really don't give a **** about how much you paid.
I paid $3,000 for my 20B engine.
I paid $3,500 for just my turbos, which means my turbos cost more that your entire package(?).
Wow, I got ripped off!
I should be jumping up and down and stompin' mad cause you paid less than I did!
Sorry to disappoint you, but I really don't care.

I'm smiling cause you get to wrestle with one of those Electromotive units...
I wish you good luck, cause you're going to need it.

Oh BTW, is your car up and running?
Cause, not to state the obvious, but ours one is...


-Ted

 

wow, im sorry for what ever happened in your life to make you this upset. i hope it all works out man. if it was me that caused this then i must say that im actually amazed at the fact that i have had this much impact on someone that i never met........seriously though with all jokes aside im sorry at the "prickish" comment. i wasnt singling you out by using your comment, i was using it as an example of what i usually come across when trying to find help or answers to my questions. thank you for actually justifying it though...i really didnt start this thread to get into pissing contests with people about how much better our cars are from each others and especially our spelling, i wanted to shed some type of lite on the whole complex wiring ordeal from an average joe's point, also to help my own process in case i get into a jam, that way if not by words then by pictures someone could be kind enough to give me some suggestions.

honestly man, what are you trying to prove by cursing and getting all over me about what im doing..................oh and by the way , yes my car DID run but i chose to take it apart in order to do it and learn it for myself.....i do appreciate you wishing me luck cause i do know that i WILL need it..........hey you did say that your running twins on your 20b and you said my set up was stupid......would you happen to have any pics of your set up that way i can maybe change it around and do it the "smart" way

 

i like messing with those Electromotive units......its fun

 

Seriously, did you think you got a rise out of me?
Sorry to disappoint you, but you really didn't.
Maybe my langauge was a little bit "too colorful" for you?
I tend to do that just to put a little "umph" into my replies.
I think if replies were all esoteric and dry, it would make for very boring reading - like reading textbooks for school...unless you're into that kinda thing.
Apologies in advance if I offended you.


I dunno...is it just me, or is it just a matter of basic math?
You have 3 rotors...
How do you divided 3 into 2???
Which means you're going to have some kinda crossover pipe where the exhaust gets collected.
Why go through all that trouble?
Why not go big single?
It's been proven, and it's less complicated than aftermarket twins?

Here's a teaser pic of what we're doing...
What other number divided into 3 very easily?
Like I said, it's basic math...



-Ted

 

Ted....man that project is HOT! Tripples....I like. It looks like its going into an FC. Got any more pics of that thing?