RB20DET Into VL Calais... Easy?

[CalaisClown]

Just hoping someone could give me some advice and how much of a "Bolt in swap" a RB20DET Halfcut would be for a Stock Standard VL Calais.. Atmo 6 with Auto.

My Plan was to buy a Halfcut and have someone else do the install, basically dont have the space or equipment required to pull out a transmission and gearbox and know how to do it myself.

Is it a case of using the radiator, and other ancillaries from the half cut adapted for the calais or would using the calais radiator be able to cope.

Hoping someone who has done the conversion before can give me some tips and a guide to problems they encountered and any additional unexpected costs......

I was wanting to the convert the car to manual using the gearbox supplied in the halfcut as well, also is this a bolt in swap or would require stuffing about to line up mounts and shift hole. How much would a manual pedal asembly cost and would a standard vl assembly work on the import box without major hassles.

Sorry for wrong thread its either this or trade her in on a gts-t..... but i love me calais

:gay:

[CalaisClown]

DOH! Not transmission and gearbox........ engine and gearbox.. so tired lol

[LJ38L]

put it into the technical genral thread.

[GTSBoy]

Piss easy swap. Engine falls in... a reaonable amount of wiring to do, new fuel pump a bit of dicking around. Take it to someone who has done one before and they will have it done a 2 or 3 days absolutely tops. (If it has to go out for an exhaust it can soak up another day.)

cheers

[meggala]

I would put the rb25det in costs a bit more but better suited newer and probably lower klms. also has a high power capability stock
meggala

[CalaisClown]

What about cooling, atmo radiator enough or better to get a reco V8 radiator.

Do the hoses from the rb25det.... I assume all rb series motors are the same, to the standard vl radiators align themselves correctly using standard vl hoses.

Fairly obvious question here, Im assuming becuase the calais was released in a turbo model, with the 4wd disc brakes and LSD etc etc This is a totally legal swap and no power to weight issues will prevent it being DOT approved.

As quoted to me by a very (un) helpful DOT inspector "If the car was released from the factory with a turbo motor as an option but not your model it can be DOT approved witha turbo conversion as long as breaking and suspension etc were capable of accepting the power increase" very vague but to me thats a green light. :D

[GTSBoy]

RB20DET into VL is easy to make legal. Requires inspection and sign off as to fitment of correct brakes, but is easy because of newer engine and reduced capacity. RB25 would be the same. Must have standard computer to be legal at inspection though.

Hoses are easy. If the VL ones don't line right up then there is something easily sourced that goes on there, because all the ones I have seen use an off the shelf factory type hose.

I re-read the last bit of your post and see that you want a manual conversion also. This will add time to the job and some stuffing around with cross members, tailshaft, hydraulics and fitting the pedal box etc, but is not really hard to do. Probably add the better part of a day to the work.

If you do go an RB20 you will want to look at a shorter diff ratio.

cheers

[PLAYA]

you dont have to have the standard computer to get it passed. My engineer said u can just tuck it away and get emissions tests ($90) to show your car isnt exeding the limit.

[sir calais]

Holy crap .... you sound exactly like me.... atmo calais - but don't want to say goodbye to it... Personally the RB25 would be the better option but the price will put anyone off. I'm thinking of doing it with a rb25det but with an auto, just not sure how long a jatco will handle it.

[LJ38L]

it took a little under 2 hours for a mate & I to put a RB25DET into a VL. Very easy conversion.

[RB30DEVL]

If you live in New South Wales & want to comprehensively insure this vehicle I suggest you go through an insurance broker or a company like justcars insurance.
It is total stupidity how the NRMA will comprehensively insure a 3 litre turbo VL but not a 2 litre turbo powered VL.
As for fuel pumps,the standard VL one should flow plenty for the RB20,it is good for 280 KW.

[ads24]

i have had the conversion done in melbourne it cost me $4500 which include motor silver top,3inch mandrel bent exuast,supra intercooler,vl turbo auto,microtech mtx8 . i used the orginal radiator from 3litle no probs had the boost turned up to 14psi and has 155rkw:D

[tandy ass]

I've recommended many times to DRIVE a VL with an RB20DET before going ahead with the conversion.

I converted my car to an RB25DET and think it is crud for everyday relaxed driving but fantastic when used as a thrasher. It cost me 3.5 grand to do the conversion and that achieves 161rwkw on around 10psi with all stock bits except for 3" mandrel exhaust and pod filter.

[RB30DEVL]

I have had a nasty run around with advice from engineers in regards to building an RB30DE(T).
ONe down in Sydney was a total moron who thinks that it would never run right with the RB25 heads & management,also that it needed approval & woudn't pass,this other one was P"D off with me because I told him RB25 conversions were legal & he was telling me they weren't (i asked him why there were ADR'D RB25/30DE non turbo Skylines getting around and that some VL's & R31 Skylines had the atmo conversion fitted),he didn't bother replying.
The idiotic one reckoned that there was nothing wrong with fitting an "ATMO" RB25 into a VL and that I should go for that route,they both must think everyone is stupid,the first engineer reckoned that an RB20DET was a more legally viable option but as the bloke at the Toyshop importers in Newcastle said to me,in a VL you will need to rev the guts out of it to get any power out of it.
It was also mentioned in the Zoom magazine "at least" in non turbo form in a VL or Skyline the atmo RB20/25 needs a fistful of revs to cart around the body of those cars which i mentioned.
It was a local mechanic who told me that as long as the engine number stays the same and nothing changes in the bottom end (I.E. RB30 block) approving it should be straightforward (i.e. no approval).
One of the engineers I think was trying to frighten me away from doing it as he reckoned it would cost $900 for the emissions test (and an couple of hundred for a sheet of paper to say it has passed) when in fact the Botany & Lidcombe RTA offices in N.S.W do it for free,another engineer told me that.
If going for an approval,hunt around for the right engineer and also best of all speak to a mechanic & RTA who steer you in the right direction,2 of the engineers I wrote to were just full of crap who know nothing in regards to common sense.
Most importantly go for an engine that will suit your needs,you don't want say a twin turbo VL which keeps going sideways and is illegal,also you don't want a torqueless engine which needs to be revved excessively,don't think that a lower diff ratio will fix all the problems either,an RB20 might still be revving 4000+ RPM @ 100 KPH whereas a manual 3 litre with a standard VL diff can do that speed at 2500 RPM in top gear (probably less when turboed).

[ads24]

to russell booth my rb20 with 4.11 diff revs at 2650 at 100kph not much diff there hey?:p

[tandy ass]

Originally posted by ads24
to russell booth my rb20 with 4.11 diff revs at 2650 at 100kph not much diff there hey?:p

What gearbox do you have?

[ads24]

i have a vl turbo auto !;)

[JabberWocky]

A friend wants to do the rb25det swap as it is the same price as getting the engine reconditioned (rb30et). The rb25det can pull the car can't it ?? Would he better be off with a reco rb30et or a rb25det. The rb25det has more power etc but heard and read many times as to how you have to rev them to get them going ..
Also, had same conversation with my car (EH Holden) and am considering getting the motor off of him and recoing it and putting it in my car ? Would I be better off with his recod rb30et or rb20det/rb25det ? No hybrids yet (rb30det) . Would be nice if this question could be solved for once and for all :)

Hijack finsihed

Cheers

jabber

[tandy ass]

OK, I've never owned a VL turbo but have driven a few stock ones with no modifications.

They are slightly down on power compared to the standard RB30E non turbo motor but have much more torque than the RB25DET below 3000RPM. That said, the RB25DET feels like it has almost double the torque of the RB20DET below 3500RPM.

The RB25DET is more poweful than the RB30ET when it's revving, AFAIK the RB30ET is used to make most power in most cases due to the extra 0.5 litre capacity.

I am still yet to drive an RB30DET or RB30DETT (i'm anxiously waiting :))

[CalaisClown]

Well as much as I want a turbo and now over 25 can afford the insurance...... I have been thinking of a rb25de twin cam head onto the rb30 block. HAve been told this is good for 175kw.... and will be cheaper insurance and basically a bolt on/in swap only requiring a longer timing belt and relocating the tensioning bolt.

Anyone done this conversion or would a rb25det halfcut fully installed be cheaper/more cost effective....... I want to keep it a 3 litre for the extra free torque..... maybe a halfcut using the turbo head and hardware.... so many choices :)

My bro has a NA supra and the sound of that twincam 6 on full noise is music to my ears!

[JabberWocky]

What Bozz says is about right with the rb20det i think. For racing I guess it would be alright but otherwise, lie some else said, depends on how you want to drive it. I know indirectly through a friend who helped a frieind of a friend put a rb20det in a vl and and was very unimpressed. Don't know the details though.
I don't think the twin cam head is very easy to do, my mate looked into it and new manifold, fuel rail and some other exy goodies ($$$) are needed. Again don't know the details.
Driving my mates vlt wagon back from Troppo (Gosford) one morning was interesting as the boost guage sat on 0 at 110kph in fith cog. To me, it had a suprising amount of torque as it was doing it easy with no boost. You would think that a rb30det would have to be similar to a rb26det, would it not ? I would be nice though..

Cheers

Jabber

[doogs]

I'm thinking of putting a RB25DET into my 5Ltr VL Calais, can you guys reccomend any good worshops in melb???

[LJ38L]

Nizpro :D

[tandy ass]

Originally posted by LJ38L
Nizpro :D

Just buy an R32 GT-R, it'll be cheaper :p

Kidding :)

[stimps]

I've done the rb25det conversion on my VL turbo, which was auto. i used the 4 speed jatco at first, spending around 3k on it, and it didnt hold up to it. in the end i cut my losses and put in the rb25det manual 5 speed and have never looked back. I insulated the cooler pipes, and installed nice big cooler, ditched the factory ecu for a E6K and it goes nice:) i can run 18psi all day , unless its a boiling hot day on which i run 15. goes hard:)
apparently the VL turbo tailshaft fits and slides straight into the r33 5 speed, but i had mine converted? im not sure what happened there, but since then ive come into possesion of another vl with a rb25det and r33 a5 speed in it and it was NOT modified so im not sure whats going on there. im assuming there was a change done in the run of r33's in the factory or something. anyway, the point in this mod is DEAD EASY just grab any old VL....get some VN v8 or later model brakes and whole diff assembly, and bolt it all together. Got the blue plate easy as (engineers approval) he was more interested in having a drive than anything else. I have been driving this car around for 2 years now, and Since i have come into possesion of a stocko VL with this engine and gbox, ive pulled both cars apart, and im biulding a twin turbo version, and ill put all the other bits into the stocko VL and sell it off. New brakes, new wheels, on my ol girl. Should be nice. I would reckon that the rb20det motor in a VL would still go well...but under boost it must feel a bit gutless.
ALso, something else I have learned lately, I have recently fixed, tuned and driven a mates car, which is a 180sx with a rb25det squeezed into it. With a E6k. Its a weapon!. He has taken off the ceramic turbo T28 and put on a Rx7 turbo. And I can tell you its the far better choice turbo for this engine. it feels much more open in the exhaust, much better off boost response..and revs all the way to 8grand before power drops off (hits the rev limiter like a truck hitting a brick wall)

anyway, more about the rb25det conversion into a VL on my site
http://www.vlturbo.org

cyas.

[stimps]

oh yeah, heres the new motor so far.


http://www.vlturbo.org/images/newm.jpg