Another SR20DET swap under way

Sun Oct 03, 2010 9:31 am

Hi,

I'm currently doing a SR20DET swap and was wondering if any zoners had come across or delt with a Thai company called K-conversions. I'm thinking of ordering some engine/gearbox mounts from them. Here's a link to their site...

http://www.k-conversions.co.uk/index.ph ... ducts_id=5

Regards - Alun

Sun Oct 03, 2010 9:39 am

I've heard a lot of bad things with 'k conversions' , a guy on driftworks ordered a 1jz kit for an e36 and the quality was simply shocking. Do yourself a favour and make you own, if you contact theo on here I'm sure he will be able to help.

Sun Oct 03, 2010 12:52 pm

Yes I can only echo the above comments. I was looking at some of their stuff to do a 1jz swap or a 7M-GTE swap into E30 and the pictures of engine mounts and other stuff I saw was shocking. Parts rusty, pigeon shit welding etc.

Sun Oct 03, 2010 3:29 pm

Cheers Guys.

I'll keep clear and get some made up locally.

AJ

Mon Oct 04, 2010 10:07 am

As above Alun, make them up yourself or have them made up.

Procedure would be as follows:
Locate your engine in the engine bay supported by a jack, bricks, blocks of wood (whatever is required to locate the engine in the correct position for your conversion). I found some wooden strips between the E30 cross-member and the underside of the sump quite useful in this regard.

With two engine-mount rubbers fitted to the cross-member you can now get imaginative with as to how you plan to join the engine to the rubbers.

My engine is a Toyota 3S-GTE, but I have no doubt it's very much the same procedure with the Nissan SR20-DET. It did help that I was able to weld these up myself in-situ, continuously cutting, tack-welding and evaluating before finally welding up the finished items. Bits cut out from cardboard will help you to size up the job. You could always start by making a whole mount from cardboard, and then decide how to produce your design in steel.

Mon Oct 04, 2010 6:22 pm

Thanks Geoffbob,

My father in law has just put a Cosworth YB into a Gilbern Invader Mk3 - he more or less follwed the procedure you set out above. I was looking to save time with the k-conversion stuff, but I'd rather have my own ones made for piece of mind.

I'll keep you all updated.

Many thanks Alun

Mon Oct 04, 2010 6:37 pm

Alun, the gearbox mount is very simple to make. Just use the e30 transmission cross member and bolt the Nissan bush on to it - here's a pic to give you an idea:

Now you just need to fit a suitable spacer (I used ice hockey pucks, you can just about make them out in the second pic) between the mount and underside of the gearbox to get the gearbox/engine assembly at the correct angle.

With this done you can bolt it up to the underside of the body and get the engine position just right.

Mon Oct 04, 2010 6:40 pm

If you're going to make single piece metal engine mounts, make sure you factor in the position of the turbo as it sits very close to the original metal mount and necessitates not so straight forward fabrication.

Mon Oct 04, 2010 8:56 pm

Cheers Theo,

I know that I've asked you this before, but do you have any measurements/templates for the mounts you fabbed for your conversion?

Regards,

Alun

Tue Oct 05, 2010 8:36 am

I think this is going to be an intersting thread, I look forward to following your progress Alun. If Theo's project is anything to go by, you are going to have a lot of fun! Best of luck, and don't forget to post pics as you go along.

Tue Oct 05, 2010 5:57 pm

A potted version of the project so far...

Starting point: rusty Q plate 318is bought for a song.

Rust problems addressed.

Got married - project put on ice for ages

Cosmetic surgery and cage fitted

Coilovers

Rear arches cut away and tubbed before fitting E30 M3 fibreglass rear arches

Donor Nissan 200SX

M42 engine/box and loom removed

Rolling shell ready for the conversion

More pics as we progress.

Tue Oct 05, 2010 6:18 pm

You not planning on spraying the engine bay?

Tue Oct 05, 2010 6:21 pm

Subscribed

Tue Oct 05, 2010 6:29 pm

I'm planning to do the whole car Alpine white - including the engine bay - after we've dummy fitted (and then removed) the SR20DET that is.

Wed Nov 03, 2010 9:25 am

GeoffBob wrote:As above Alun, make them up yourself or have them made up.

Procedure would be as follows:
Locate your engine in the engine bay supported by a jack, bricks, blocks of wood (whatever is required to locate the engine in the correct position for your conversion). I found some wooden strips between the E30 cross-member and the underside of the sump quite useful in this regard.

With two engine-mount rubbers fitted to the cross-member you can now get imaginative with as to how you plan to join the engine to the rubbers.

My engine is a Toyota 3S-GTE, but I have no doubt it's very much the same procedure with the Nissan SR20-DET. It did help that I was able to weld these up myself in-situ, continuously cutting, tack-welding and evaluating before finally welding up the finished items. Bits cut out from cardboard will help you to size up the job. You could always start by making a whole mount from cardboard, and then decide how to produce your design in steel.

Hi Geoff, do you mind me asking what transmission do you use alongside your 3sgte in ur e30? Thanks!

Wed Nov 03, 2010 9:32 am

nvm geoff, saw ur thread

Wed Jan 12, 2011 9:54 pm

Please ignore the scruffy looking engine/bay. This is just the first "dummy" fit. Everything will be spruced up and shined for the final fit. Also, apologies for the darkness of the pics. There's so little sunshine in Britian right now!

My E30 is being converted at my good mate's garage and work on it is fitted in around making a living. However, we do have some progress...

Poor old 200SX

Thu Jan 13, 2011 10:27 pm

good progress mate gonna be a good one this, 4 pot turbo's the future of the e30

Thu Jan 13, 2011 11:06 pm

The more i think about this swap the more it makes sense

Lightweight engine with plenty of power.

How hard is the wiring on this swap, that would be the biggest headache for me

Thu Jan 13, 2011 11:12 pm

I came very close over recent weeks to building one of these as i already have a S14 nissan with rusty rear arches! But not sure ive got the energy to do another one!

Fri Jan 14, 2011 12:17 pm

leeparkes wrote:The more i think about this swap the more it makes sense Lightweight engine with plenty of power.

How hard is the wiring on this swap, that would be the biggest headache for me

We're lifting the whole loom from the Nissan donor car and cutting it right back to the minimum needed. The car will end up as a dedicated track/hillclimber running in sports libre class, so won't have lights/dash etc.

Is Theo's car still road legal with lights/ indicators, etc?

Alun

Fri Jan 14, 2011 3:19 pm

Nice engine mounts mate, just the ticket

Just like mine.

No sump issues around the sub-frame I take it? Lucky you. I had to build a whole new sump for my 3SGTE, one of the reasons it's not a popular swap I guess? SR20 seems so much more sensible.

Fri Jan 14, 2011 4:25 pm

Hi, i helped Theo alot with the SR20DET swap, including doing the wiring, fabrication and welding etc. The Nissan car loom is huge, I wouldnt bother with that as it'll take you ages to remove all the redundant systems. We used the Nissan engine loom, and then mated it to the BMW car loom. The e30 car loom is alot smaller and easier to trace. Below is a pic of the Nissan Car loom with engine loom behind. Theos car is road legal and has working dash etc, apart from rev counter which still refuses to work properly! We moved the E30 fuse box inside to where the glovebox usually is. James

Fri Jan 14, 2011 5:04 pm

My mate, Andrew is going to tackle the wiring. He runs the garage I mentioned earlier in this thread. His dad is an auto electrician too, so hopefully it'll be ok. The plan is to strip the loom back when the car is off in the body shop being painted.

The motor went in with no issues at all. Sits in the engine bay nicely and looks as if it should have always been there.

I'll try to get some better/lighter pics this weekend and keep regular updates coming.

Alun

Fri Jan 14, 2011 5:11 pm

Nice work Alun, keep the updates coming. I'll be very interested to see how it performs going up the hill. Are you going to run standard management? Any details on the rest of the car (brake/suspension etc)

Fri Jan 14, 2011 6:25 pm

Theo wrote:Nice work Alun, keep the updates coming. I'll be very interested to see how it performs going up the hill. Are you going to run standard management? Any details on the rest of the car (brake/suspension etc)

Hi Theo,

Yes, standard Nissan management to begin with. As regards suspension, the car is already sitting on SPAX coilovers. The car was an 318is to begin with, so disks front and back, but I havn't got as far as thinking about a brake upgrade yet. Any recommendations or advice you can offer will be greatly appreciated.

I do have some new racing seats, polycarbonate windows, alloy fuel tank, etc. I hope to get it finished to do my favourite local hillclimb (Llys Y Fran in Pembrokeshire) in July.

Alun