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Many of you will have read about my RB31/RB315 project. This project is the next stage of development. While this new engine's predecessor, (the version 1/2 engine) worked, it had few design shortcomings. There were some build execution issues that could have caused some potential longevity issues. There was also the machining cost issue, that would have prevented the design from ever being able to evolve into a marketable product. Too much custom componentry modifications were required to complete the engine. These things made the engine overly complicated and costly to build to completion. The new engine design resolves these issues. It uses more off the shelf components and require less modification of supporting parts (exhausts, intakes, plumbing cylinder heads etc). I also wanted to reduce the cost of machining, and massively improve the strength of the design. The version 3 design does all this and raises the bar significantly in other ways. A little over 2 years of R&D later I can now make public the completed new engine design. Broad strokes of the design are as follows: Nissan RB26 024U or 05U block can be used. New spacer plate design, 6160 billet alloy New cylinder sleeve design which supports cylinder bore sizes up to 90mm New gasket system for the spacer plate New head gasket design Off the shelf ARP2000 12mm or ARP CA625 studs The block and sleeve designs have undergone FEA to identify stresses that are caused by assembly, combustion pressures and also thermal expansion variations. Along with these changes the machining processes have been completely re-worked. This has been done to reduce the manufacturing costs, but the main reason is to achieve the necessary tolerances to take the engine design to the next level. The entire engine is now 100% CNC machined, and as a result the design can now be mass produced. In keeping with the original concept, the engine is still designed to be streetable. Although the extent of that will be greatly determined by how wild the cam and cylinder head configuration is that would be fitted to the engine. The v3 prototype engine that has been built in the first of the v3 blocks pushes a few more boundries. The engine is quite possibly the first 3.4lt RB26 based engine ever made. Full specs are as follows: RB34/24U - 3.4lt (3360cc) Open Deck Engines V3, 20mm Open Deck spacer plate block Custom Nitto 90mm crankshaft, with SR20 rod journals Nitto SR20 h-Beam rods, with custom oil jets Nitto/JE Pistons, 89mm bore size, 8.9:1 compression Tomei Oil Pump Tomei Complete Step 2 head (Tomei manufactured head will all their top shelf parts) High Octane sump Greddy Intake plenum Full-Race twin scroll / twin gate manifold Two Tial v-band gates Precision 6466 CEA twin scroll turbo, 1.00 housing Custom 4" turbo back exhaust, to 90mm trust titanium exhaust. The fuel system, ECU and electronics are currently the same setup as per the V2 engine so as to allow the engine to be started and run in quickly. They will be upgraded in time once the run-in is completed. The engine was started for the first time today. It is running a little rough when the throttle is cracked open as it wants a lot more fuel. I've since fattened up the map a little and it now seems ready to put on a dyno for run-in and testing. Here are a few pictures and video of the engine running. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lT1Hm-o5SsE&feature=related The complete build will be posted over the next few days. I have a huge library of photos to review. I still need to bleed the brakes and clutch, put on the ac and power steering belts, change the tyres, and put the inner guards and front diffuser back on the car, so there is a fair bit to do before it's driven. Cheers, Ian Swinkels