Qs for RB20 Owners

[Chris32]

i just think the RB20 gets sold short, not saying its the equal of the other RB engines, but i dont think its near as bad as people make out. Ever heard of an RB20 owner with a properly sorted turbo setup liek a 2835/3037 etc. Im just ineterested to see how they go. SR20s do ok,

Hi Roy,

as you know my RB20 has been going strong for ages, I can't beleive how tough they are! Mine has made a consistant 200rwkw for almost 40,000kms, and the motor has just ticked over 137,000kms

I picked up a spare not long ago for $400 as well.

One thing I have had on mine for ages is a oil cooler, and I run the oil level a tad higher than normal, just to make sure there is plenty left in the sump.

I'd stick with waht you have mate, I have seen Clints setup as it was, it was good for 12's on a stock motor. Your turbo setup should perform quite similarly

I have thought about every possible option for my car, and I have decided to use the current turbo and upgrade injectors ecu (as you know already) and just enjoy it for what it is.

Clints car that he is building at the moment is a monster, with rebuild RB25/26 etc, but for the sheer cost, as he says, there is 20 grand worth of gear there, I'd be to afraid to break something. RB30's are great as well, but at the end of the day a car is something for YOU to enjoy as a big expensive toy

I reckon your car with a few finishing touches, would be a bloody pearler, and tons of enjoyment

I'd optimise what you have, oil cooler if you already haven't, and enjoy it !

PM me if you are in Adelaide, wouldn't mind catching up

Chris

[GTRgeoff]

I think what Roy is not mentioning here is due to a 'ahem' warranty replacement issue he is stuck with the RB20 as is second hand. This is also adding to the cost and all problems were pretty unexpected....and fairly so.

Playing with engines can be a bit of a gamble and the unexpected can go wrong. All he can do now is swallow the pill, recoup what losses he can and stabilise the spending until he can do the strong engine build. So for now, playing sensibly with an engine that is an unkown quantity is the only logical choice. All RB's are great engines but each has its own idiosyncratic behavior and weaknesses.

If he was blessed with the foresight to see all this coming, the RB31 would now be in and he would be smashing me on the track

[WHITE R32]

ive had my rb20 that has done about 140k for over 2 years with me giving it a hard time... its copped several turbo setups and ecu's and has made 230rwkw on about 17 psi on a pretty safe tune for about 1.5 years now and i havent ever had to even replace the head gasket or pull the rocker covers off it..... i think im just lucky....the amount of people that have told me that every 1 in about 4 rb20det's is a freak and will cop a fair hiding im starting to think its true....i just got lucky

as ive said in the past , if u keep a safe afr with good intercooling concervative revs and look after it as far as servicing goes you should be right for a fair while.... (i only ever use motul turbolight 4100)

and as far as a cheap rb30det setup goes as you have explained above.. i think ill start looking for parts thanks Jon

[WHITE R32]

and sorry a couple of quick q's... ROY: whats this engine flush you do with your engines and does it make them a bit quieter as you said???

SK: i have microtech etc in my rb20 r32 did you say/mean that r32 series rb25de heads accept the rb20det intake and exhaust manifolds??? or was it my mis-interpritation? are all rb25 heads like this??? how easy are they to find also... thanks once again Jon

[Sydneykid]

and sorry a couple of quick q's... ROY: whats this engine flush you do with your engines and does it make them a bit quieter as you said???

SK: i have microtech etc in my rb20 r32 did you say/mean that r32 series rb25de heads accept the rb20det intake and exhaust manifolds??? or was it my mis-interpritation?    are all rb25 heads like this??? how easy are they to find also... thanks once again Jon

Accept yes, match up the ports no, the RB20's are smaller.

Yes, all RB25 heads are like this.

I found one easily 4 years ago, haven't tried since. I use RB26 top ends on RB31DET now.

Hope that answered your questions

[WHITE R32]

ahhh thats nice to know..... i presume a factory rb20det manifold would flow enough for a 450 or so rwhp rb30det?.... if its just a case of match porting the manifold to suit the head thats easy as pie.... is there any thing else that makes the fitting of the manifold to the head difficult like water galleries etc??? and is it my stupid way of thinking or would this mean that if you wanted to you could use a greddy plenum for a rb25 on a rb20 after porting the head slightly to match the intake manifold??? ,and yeah that helps me stir up thoughts of throwing even more cash at my r32 now YOU BASTARD!!!! haha jk

[DCIEVE]

Damn i have the dented sump as well, have had the oil press light come on once under brakes so better sort that one out when its running again. Might replace the oil pump too.

So if i have this right with good tuning an rb20 will live happily at 240odd rwkw, with maybe the exception of adding some forgies. Any other things to pay attention too?

[WHITE R32]

i seriously rekon a good fuel system good intercooling keeping it well maintained and a concervitive tune is the key to any engines health...... why push for an extra 20hp when you risk the chance of blowing the engine in 1000km or so....i could get more power from my car as could most ppl with more timing boost and race fuel but whats the point.....

[Roy]

i seriously rekon a good fuel system good intercooling keeping it well maintained and a concervitive tune is the key to any engines health...... why push for an extra 20hp when you risk the chance of blowing the engine in 1000km or so....i could get more power from my car as could most ppl with more timing boost and race fuel but whats the point.....

But thats the point, no one is going to say, no dont strive for 160hp, that 20hp is going to break the back. But i dont think anyone is going to say that all things being equal that 140hp is the limit of an RB20DET.

So if i have 310rwhp, and i want to chase 330rwhp, am i still 50hp under what a well tuned maintained RB20 can make? Once upon a time 250rwkws was the perceived limit for an RB25, these days its a little over 300rwkws.

[WHITE R32]

yeah i see your point there Roy but what i was getting at is that any smart tuner knows when he is starting to dial in an amount of timing/boost that could be harmfull to the engines health in the short term.....

when my car is tuned its always done to last by having a concervative amount of timing but having said that things can happen and it will let go ( which im sure it will one day ).... but if you keep a reasonable rev cut boost cut and watch things like temperature and oil pressure than its sure to help in the long run.... just common sense basically....

i hope i havent dug myself deeper into the sh!t haha

[Targa Tom]

I used the envelope method.  I got the best quote I could for the bits and machining, then wrote that suppliers name on an envelope.  I put exactly that much money in the envelope and sealed it up.   When I paid for the stuff I gave them their envelope.  The envelopes were the discipline, to make sure I didn't keep asking for a bit more and a bit better and a bit bigger.  Guess what, it came in on budget.....

An Accountant LOL,

It is not the journey, but where you arrive.... or is the other way round. Sometimes the technical challenge gets you in... Keep the RB20 Roy, blow a few bucks, listen to all the ITYS's and have some fun.

It is hard to save money and be passionate too.

If you take the budget point of view... It seems to me the RB30 is the only way to fly..

TT

[Roy]

LOL. Im sticking with the RB20 for the time being.

But im a little concerned about the RB20 wrecker engine i have in the car now. In its first 2000kms in my car its had to put up with it has already been run for about 5 minutes without a water pump:( I cant take a trick!

[Roy]

Im keeping the RB20 and the TD06. (May sell the turbo, still not sure) It made 180something rwkws at 8psi. Only prob is i cant get a clean run at getting the car tuned. I have had rotten luck of late and have been waiting since May for this tune...but fingers crossed tomorrow ill have the resutls and the tuner will be happy with the results:)

[Roy]

...

BTW; ours is up to 170,000 ks' untouched inside with 225 rwkw.  So go for  it.

So is this a street car or does it see track work. Im looking at about 15-20 minute sessions in which time im comfortable i will be able to keep oil, water and inlet temps under control.

...LOL i have my warning lights set very low on my data logger, air temp 45 deg C, oil temp 100deg C and water temp 95deg C so i will know when they start to creep up.

Just got mine tuned to 222rwkws at 17psi to see how it goes. Apparently we can get more out of it but for the moment i wast to get thru a few track days without dramas. So the tuner has done the righ thing and given me reasonable power which i hope isnt stressing anything too much.

[R31 POWER]

Nice power Roy.How does it go at that power level.

[ryan.e]

hey guys i have a rb20 with a hks 25/30, front mount, fuel pump ect and microtech is being set up in a week just wondering if the injectors are ok 4 around 230kws or should they be replaced cheers

[ryan.e]

hey guys just wondering what sort of mods on the rb20 will give you around 230kw and if the injectors need to be changed then?

[R31 POWER]

Adjustable fuel reg might get you there with the standard injectors.I'd say go GTR injectors to be safe.

[Roy]

Much the same as it did at 200rwkws.

Im hoping it means it just pulls a bit harder past 180km/h which is where it started to lose some pace before compared to othercars down straights. I aint going to try and see if it has longer legs on the street, ill wait 2 weeks until im at Phillip Island where before i was only doing 220 down the straight:(

[Interloper]

Hi Roy, Did you end up just getting another 2nd hand RB20? What kind of warranty did it come with?

That 222rwkw is a nice figure did you get ICE to tune it for you? What kind of air/fuel ratio are you running?

Any chance of posting up dyno graph?

Too many questions i know!