3isacharm

I don't mean to sound like a newb, but I'm seriously considering doing this swap into an n/a chassis. However, I have never seen this done in anything but a FD chassis and have many questions before I come to a final decision. First off, HAS anyone done it? If not, is there anyone around with enough technical knowledge to help me out, as far as tranny alignment, gauge cluster, etc.?
Now, you may be wondering why I want to do such a hurrendous thing to such a beatiful car, with such a profound, proverbial "soul." Simply put, it should blow up less, and take to mods just as well as a 13bt. It won't throw off the balance too much either.
Please, if you have nothing positive to add, do not post, I don't want this thread to go crazy and get locked. Thank you in advance, and hopefully I'll be able to get this thing rolling.
-Brian

Juan

iTrader: (28)

Theres a thread about this somewhere in here. I think the swap would be almost as expensive as going 20B. I'm too lazy right now to look for the thread Do a search for it in this section.

3isacharm

hehe, i've been searching all day long. to sum it up, Reted gets angry and says it's a bad idea, and nobody really gives any tech info.

RXSpyder

As long as you have the money then its possible. I mean since the driveline is already RWD then it should be possible with a few modifications.

Snrub

iTrader: (1)

The SR20DET is a nice engine, but I think it makes more sense to put in a 13BT. I don't know that that either engine would be any more reliable than the other.

kleetuz

iTrader: (2)

If you spend the money that the swap takes you would have one bad *** rx7. I don't know how much silvia's weigh, but I raced a guy that did an SR20DET S4 conversion to his 280 and it cost him close to $10000. With my intake and exhaust and only hitting about 7-8 psi he beat me in a 1/4 race with his rear bumper at my front, he was running 15psi.

3isacharm

snrub, true, it's much easier to throw in another 13b, but i don't want to deal with the reliability issues of a rotary. I'm not out the get huge power out of this thing, but enough so that i can have like 300+ reliable rwhp. i figure this is the only setup that's FR, besides a v8, that will work and not upset the car. rotaries are also louder and attract much more attention. i love the sound, believe me, but getting tickets left and right for noise violations isn't all that great.
i'm worried more about actual problems i will run into performing the swap. i don't want to cut the firewall or anything insane, but if i'm going to have problems with the oil pan and sway bar, or other things i'd like to know ahead of time.

Ryde _Or_Die

Have you heard an TII before? They are quiet, mine is very quiet and I don't even have any cats. The turbo does a great job of changing the sound.

Anyways, sorry I don't have any specific tech help, but I don't think anyone will. If people have done it with FDs you know of, might want to check with them for problems they had.

But don't cut short on rotaries. They can be reliable if done right. A properly built, modded, tuned, and maintained rotary will last.

bingoboy

so if i want a quieter exhaust i should go turbo?

3isacharm

the only quiet ones i've heard have the rb exhaust and, from a personal point of view, don't want something that small. now, how many single exhaust, 3" turbo back TII's do you know of that are quiet and haven't lost an engine? It's not really about being quiet, I want a car that can scream, but not that much. it's also the security that i can throw on intake, downpipe, and exhaust without having to worry about losing a seal.

Ryde _Or_Die

On an NA you can throw on all the bolt-ons you want and not have to worry about the engine if it was built properly and maintained well. With a TII you need to have the proper fuel mods, thats all. The key is starting with a good strong engine and knowing how to mod it right. Unlike how many people think, engines don't just blow because they feel like it.

NismoRx-7

Well, for starters the turbo model of any car is quiet. If the car he was talking about is an n/a then getting it to be quiet with a good exhaust and no cats is a challenge.

To the guy asking about the slivia engine. You can put a jet engine in your car if you have the money. There is no logical reason for you to spend the extra $ to get the same amount of hp as you would with a 13bt or even a 20b. Take it from someone that has raced nissans his whole life starting with datsuns. The silvia is a great engine. But so is the 13B, the only problem i have found with them is getting the seals not to leak. But once you put the "good ones" instead of the oem ones you should have no problems.

Rotorific

iTrader: (1)

The thread is in the third gen section (why on gods green earth would someone swap it into a 3rd gen) Im not gonna start on that subject...grrr. -Gabe

Ryde _Or_Die

I know what rx7s sound like man, lol. Theres a reason i asked about a TII, because NAs are loud when exhaust mods are done. Plain and simply its impossible to make them quick and quiet. He was saying he didn't want to put a 13bt in and that one of the reasons hes trying to get away from rotaries is because of how loud they are.

NismoRx-7

Oh :p

NismoRx-7

I remember reading some guy in Puerto Rico dropping a Grand National Engine into a 3rd gen. He was pulling low 12's and this was about 3-4 years ago..

Felix Wankel

Its a little more complicated than just throwing fuel at it

A straight exhaust TII WILL be loud. ****, mine wasn't too quiet with an HKS catback.

Node

iTrader: (1)

id rather have a BT, or just get a 240sx chassis and a s13 front clip.

HWO

SR20's have upper engine oiling problems, i wouldn't touch one with a 20ft pole

FCdemon

dude, I hear ricky tran has some stolen Honda SR20DET motors in his shop! let's go check it out!

3isacharm

bahahaha! that line pissed me off more than anything else in that movie.

HWO-can you elaborate on this upper oiling problem? what can I do to fix it?

Guys, I have yet to sit down and plan this whole thing as far as costs and everything go, so I haven't come to a final decision yet. However, there's one thing I won't settle for, a n/a, the potential just isn't there, that's why I considered this swap. For the cost of buying a rebuilt 13BT, getting it installed, and cleaning up the rest of the TII body that's most likely beatup anyways, I could buy a decent GXL (which are much easier to find), swap the engine, and have a unique, decently fast, semi-quiet silvia7thingy. I'm also partial to cars that are unique, that's why I like rx7's so much, however, this takes it one step further, and drives me nuts. Besides, this thing will get tons, and tons of attention (probably good and bad).

Snrub

iTrader: (1)

3isacharm: I'm no expert on the SR20DET (or the 13BT for that matter), but it doesn't strike me as able to put out a substantially different amount of power, more reliably. (the '99+ probaby does) What do you think is so unreliable about the 13BT? The cost would not appear to justify what your looking for, if you can even get it.

I'm not trying to be a rotary moralists, but make sure this is going to be as benificial as you think it'll be.

A good exhaust does not have to be noisy to have performance, albeit rotaries are louder.

blackscorpio

why why oh why would you swap an engine of equivalent power and potential into a rx

RevinRx7

iTrader: (3)

Well let me say, I don't like the idea, but i'm on the same level that you are. I like to be different, but at the same time, I also like to have it built quality. I won't tell you to go rotary, but if your looking for more reliabilty/power take this into consideration. A rotary engine has basically 10 parts to it. 5 which are moving. the typical 4 boinger has 89 parts to it 85 which move as detailed in the following link:
Rotary vs piston

Plus there are more reliable seals available for the rotary now. as detailed in this link:
Hurley

You are more financially and just overall most likely better to go with a 13BT, This way you will not need to buy a new EMS to control your engine. I would just say buy a 13BT motor, street port it and buy some hurley seals and your motor will be extremely reliable.

3isacharm

right now, this is just an idea me and a buddy came up with. the sr20 also produces decent torque, for the s13 it's almost equal to the hp. I know it's a strong engine and can handle plenty of boost. I've heard of these things take 20+psi on a stock bottom end and live. Now, I don't plan on doing that myself, but it would take much more work to get a rotary up to that level. I'd also feel safer throwing say a 50shot for ***** and giggles on it than a 13b. also, like i said before, it will be one of a kind.