Building an RB26 from scratch

[BakemonoRicer]

Heck my S15 engine/turbo/plumbing setup cost more than quadruple than your budget and it’s just a 4 banger with all the cream in and around it 

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

9 hours ago, BakemonoRicer said:

Heck my S15 engine/turbo/plumbing setup cost more than quadruple than your budget and it’s just a 4 banger with all the cream in and around it 

So you're saying you've spent $80k AUD? Sure didn't get much for it.

[GTSBoy]

Meth is a hell of a drug.

[Steve85]

Ok, so when I said more than 15k I still had the old US to AUD conversion of 1:2 in my head. 

@nickestevez, I have receipts for around 35k AU of engine parts, plus another 15k AUD of other mods (drivetrain etc). 
What I don't have is receipts for the workshop costs. I imagine it wasn't cheap. (Keep in mind this was many years ago, before GTR tax took off into it's crazy territory it's in now).

If you're committed to the N1 block, grab yourself;

• A decent oil pump
• Forged internals
• Single turbo
• Up-rated fuel system and coils to match
• Drop in cams
• A new ECU.

Then get ready to destroy 3rd gear, over and over!

Edit: Forgot upgraded sump and baffles. You'll need them too.

Edited January 8, 2020 by Steve85

[Steve85]

12 hours ago, BakemonoRicer said:

Heck my S15 engine/turbo/plumbing setup cost more than quadruple than your budget and it’s just a 4 banger with all the cream in and around it 

Sounds like a head gasket... ?

[BK]

I think he can keep within budget if he chooses the right stuff and doesn't buy unnecessary parts. A stock crank will be fine, for keeping costs down and well strong enough. No need to necessarily spend $6k on a billet crank alone like I did for what he's trying to achieve. Same thing with rods, you can spend $1.5k - $2.5k on billet forged rods like Nitto, Crower, Carillo ect, or spend $800 on some Spool forged rods which will be easily up to the task. Careful part selection is definitely key here.

Also depends what he is considering the engine, long engine minus bolts ons is definitely doable. With all bolt ons, not a hope in hell of sticking to budget.

[UWISSH!]

Need to keep in mind that all the little fittings, hoses, gaskets and fluids add up very quickly aswell

[BK]

Yes but a lot of that is " bolt ons' as I mentioned, not the engine. You're absolutely right with fittings, like doing a good fuel system is killer. Speedflow at $60 per metre for AN8 200 series braided hose, $40-$60 a fitting here there ect. For example I used 15 metres of hose mentioned above, what's that, $900 in hose alone ? Same thing though could have gone Aeroflow AN8 for $30 a metre. There are always alternatives when trying to keep costs down. It's always going to be the balance of expensive, or "more" expensive.

[r32-25t]

22 minutes ago, UWISSH! said:

Need to keep in mind that all the little fittings, hoses, gaskets and fluids add up very quickly aswell

This, and I’m picturing he has bought a brand new head and block which are empty castings and needs everything from including guides. 

[BK]

1 minute ago, r32-25t said:

This, and I’m picturing he has bought a brand new head and block which are empty castings and needs everything from including guides. 

Well then budget is well and truly blown...

[nickestevez]

So I am fortunate enough to have access to a shop and a mechanic who will help me for free

$15,000 into parts is what I am aiming for. Again, I would be fine with going over - going to try not to.

This is a build someone put together for me, claiming that it should get me to my goal of ~675.

Anyone have experience with any of these manufacturers?

[BK]

Quite a lot missing there.... Absolutely nothing about head.

[nickestevez]

$15,000 in parts, excluding head and block. also excluding vehicle. $15k for internals, turbo, manifolds, fuel stuff. 

[BK]

Ok so you're really not talking about engine only. That list has good parts, but will be just the beginning.

[nickestevez]

Just now, BK said:

Quite a lot missing there.... Absolutely nothing about head.

right, so valves, springs, cams, bearings, gears, what else?

I need info y'all. I appreciate pointing out the obvious but it would be great if there was someone who could simply share their experience on building an rb26. I imagine that someone mustve created a bill of materials with prices? If thats you, let me know how I can get some advice from you so I can start in the right direction 

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

Shop around, those prices seem awfully high - esp since it's in USD.

You can save a bit of money on the Haltech sensors by getting OEM GM Continental sensors for both the Flex & IAT.

Get a FPR1200 or FP2000 Turbosmart FPR, cheaper - dare say better too - also since you're in the US, get a Tomei HG - proven amazing and cheaper too.

[BK]

I'll try and get my two 32 build threads up soon for reference. We are in the middle of doing the second 32 engine now. The long engine has just been completed and goes a little like this....

05U block - machined to 86.5mm bore

Stock long nose 26 crank fully balanced

ARP race series main / big end bearings

ARP 2000 main studs

Spool forged I beam conrods with ARP 2000 7/16 rod bolts

CP 86.5mm forged aluminium pistons

Platinum 1.1mm block oil restrictor

Nitto oil pump

R32 GTR water pump

Tomei sump baffles

Tomei 1.2mm head gasket

ARP 2000 head studs

Supertech valve stem seals

Supertech single valve springs

New OEM valve guides, valves and lifters

OEM camshaft bolts

Head mild port

OEM harmonic balancer

Stock camshafts with Tomei cam gears (last minute to use stock cams. Have Camtech 272deg / 9.7mm cams to go in, but opted for stock on this engine being 2.6)

Haven't worked out the cost but that is about as budget as you can get for a forged bottom end RB26 I would think.

 

[Steve85]

Here's the full list of my car (a year or so ago at least).

Bear in mind that technology has come a long way since this was put together and I wouldn't put it together exactly the same way if I were doing it again. 

But this should give you some idea of an "old school" build. If nothing else, most of head will be of use to you. 

Hope you find this helpful.

GTR LM Limited Parts Installed.pdf

[GTSBoy]

Just looking at Nick's list, some of the prices seem very off target.

For example.....WTF for ID1300X at >$1300 US?!!!? Suitable Bosch EV14 based injectors, properly matched sets too, are only about $600 Ozzie, or less than half the ID price quoted.

The intake manifold kit, at <$700 US, including a TB, seems ridiculously underpriced. Is it made out of dog food cans?

Things like the Tial wastegates, possibly the turbo....thinking of V-band connections? Start adding some more money.

And I would spend more on a turbo and definitely not buy a Precision.

There's a whole pile of annoying omissions from the list. Exhaust side gaskets. All the factory coolant hoses (or replacement with Speedflow type stuff). Either way, a lot of money hiding there. Spark plugs, coils, wiring looms (which we'll assume are all missing from this head and block in possession). Timing gears, belts, balancer, sensors....the list just blows up.

Whilst it would probably be possible to do a light duty build with sensibly chosen parts and scrape in near the $15k budget.....I'd say that would only be if you started with a complete engine in a car and didn't need to fill all these gaps. Starting with nothing except a block and a head, starts to look like double that value, if not more.

The truth no doubt lies somewhere in between. But just be warned - none of us think you're going to get it done anywhere near the nominated budget.

[nickestevez]