how dumb is this idea RB engine in classic vehicle

I find low mile RB25DET engines with transmission, ecm, harness in the $1000-1700 range constantly. I've been semi-considering putting my 54 belair back to a straight 6, but with significantly more than the 125hp that it originally had. current engine is a 330hp vortec small block (copied the vortec 330hp crate to a T) that is enough to toss the old sedan into the 13's with a 2.73 gear. I figure i could sacrifice a little HP in exchange for overdrive and a steeper rear axle ratio.

Other than guys burning me at the stake because, you know, 'murica, is there a downfall to this thinking? How user-tunable is the nissan ecm? like HPTuners is to my LSx engines, similar option? I've found a couple places offering standalone harnesses if the wiring proves to be too daunting.

Just thinking out loud at this point, but there are not a whole ton of modern inline 6 engines, and the GM Atlas is kinda huge. I could probably pick up a whole 2wd trailblazer pretty cheap, but i really do miss having a turbo car, and this might keep me sane and stop me from putting a huge turbo on the 5.3 in my impala.

why not a single turbo 292 i6? Im in the minority here because im anti crossbreed swaps. Im sure the rb is a capable motor but i dont know what kind of torque they make.

not sure how well a 292 would hold up to a turbo, then i'd have to build some kind of injection system or get a blow through carb. i do have a 292.

my nissan has a chevy engine in it...

Ive been dreaming about an RB-T swapped S10 with IRS and flared fiberglass fenders for the challenge, and I approve your message.

Source of el-cheapo RB I6's?

Also, RB's are quite tune-able IIRC...check here:

Skyline owners forum

The 4200 apparently fits, I think there's room for turbo still too.

This guy put one in a Mk3 Supra with an AR5 and boost.

Eh, archaic tech when compared to nissan's incredible RB motor. I say do it, b cause ppl have been putting American v8's into everything Japanese, turnabout is fair play. Not to mention insanely reliable. More so than any American straight six ever will be. I'm not overselling that either.

I stopped going to car shows just because I never see anything amazing anymore. Every muscle car hot rod has the same small block with an edelbrock carb or supercharger. Every Japanese car has a massive turbo and whatever common swap is out there for the chassis. I get to rubber necking about the time a hear "I put a f20c in this T-bucket..." Now you've got my attention.

I seriously wanted to do a 4200 in my 70 Chevelle, I even started collecting parts. It was one of those dream projects that never got far past the planning stage. GM built a test mule with a 4200T that was 400hp.

I have also turbocharged the 250 I6 that was in the Chevelle. It will handle 5-8 pounds of boost if you are conservative with the tune and ignition advance. That was enough power in the Chevelle to make the clutch start slipping in 2nd and 3rd. And the looks you get with a turbocharged 250 I6, running straight out of 3" open exhaust are worth a laugh. Turbo whine for the win.

I say build it. V8s are so overdone.

I think you should ask those guys on the HAMB what they think.

Look up 2JZ Camaro. Collective heads exploded.

Now that the LS has become just another small block option, I think the 2JZ is becoming the new trendy while also edgy "put that E36 M3 on everything" swap.

Trackmouse wrote: Eh, archaic tech when compared to nissan's incredible RB motor. I say do it, b cause ppl have been putting American v8's into everything Japanese, turnabout is fair play. Not to mention insanely reliable. More so than any American straight six ever will be. I'm not overselling that either. I stopped going to car shows just because I never see anything amazing anymore. Every muscle car hot rod has the same small block with an edelbrock carb or supercharger. Every Japanese car has a massive turbo and whatever common swap is out there for the chassis. I get to rubber necking about the time a hear "I put a f20c in this T-bucket..." Now you've got my attention.

I just want to know how there more reliable then any american inline six?

dropstep wrote:

Trackmouse wrote: Eh, archaic tech when compared to nissan's incredible RB motor. I say do it, b cause ppl have been putting American v8's into everything Japanese, turnabout is fair play. Not to mention insanely reliable. More so than any American straight six ever will be. I'm not overselling that either. I stopped going to car shows just because I never see anything amazing anymore. Every muscle car hot rod has the same small block with an edelbrock carb or supercharger. Every Japanese car has a massive turbo and whatever common swap is out there for the chassis. I get to rubber necking about the time a hear "I put a f20c in this T-bucket..." Now you've got my attention.

I just want to know how there more reliable then any american inline six?

I don't know if anyone is putting a turbocharged, DOHC, 24 valve, aluminum head, inline six cylinder in a car for reliability's sake. It's because of a 15 letter word. Maybe you've heard of it? It's called "boooooooooooost"

The only thing that holds you back is parts availability. Yes there are other cars with some parts that will exchange but if you replace everything when you get the motor (they may have only "30k" miles but they were rode hard, put up wet and not expected to last longer than that because of Japanese laws so most were dumped) that said it's EXTREMELY easy to make power with these things, the noise they make is nothing like you hear normally, everyone's heard rb on YouTube but I had the chance to hear a mostly stock rb20 (I had already turned up my nose to that fact) blew by me and oh my god the noise.

So yeah parts availability is the only drawback but if you put on all new parts (gaskets water pump head gasket timing belt) as preventative maintenance then there's no need to worry. So GO FOR IT!!! Besides an rb sounds way better than the other American 6cyl options tossed in here by the "purists"

Edit as for tuning, the stock ecu is capable but not in the sense gm ecus are with hptuners and the like, you can chip them or there's a new add on board that's taken off well in the Nissan crowd that makes it pretty well tunable. it's called nistune

That one guy put one in a Mustang and won the world at dorifutoing.

On a serious note, thought about putting one in the Benz for a while just to get the dang thing on the road. The only reason I did not is they never quite got low enough for me to be brave enough to ask the wife. I say go for it!

It's your car, do it the way you want it.

If you want more torque remember that the RB series also had the rb30. 400+ HP is very achievable with them.

Trackmouse wrote: Eh, archaic tech when compared to nissan's incredible RB motor.

I presume you're talking about the 292 and not the 4200?

I want to put one in an old slant 6 dodge dart. Mopar guys get mad with a smallbock swap, I can only imagine the angst an RB swap would cause.

To me it has to do with the character of the car. Sure you could dangle a 300hp 10,000rpm turbo Hayabusa engine in it too, if you're just looking to show the world how different you can be. But if the 4200 Atlas can be made to fit and run without excessive difficulty, I'd probably want to go that route. Different enough to be full of win...But not so much as to be trying too hard.

As long as you don't have to do anything that can't be undone, I suppose there isn't really a downside to the RB either.

MCarp22 wrote:

Trackmouse wrote: Eh, archaic tech when compared to nissan's incredible RB motor.

I presume you're talking about the 292 and not the 4200?

Yes. That and all the other "old world" straight 6's. Don't g et me wrong. I love seeing an old straight six truck and jeep. Just not for performance.

In reply to MCarp22:

Let's hope the 292, I mean the rb was designed in what 85? Did have valve timing control of sorts before the 4200 was made but still, ones all aluminum and the other iron block, both dohc port inject. wait now that I think about it, I wouldn't call the 4200 much more if any more advanced than an rb but then again it's not archaic..neither are archaic just ones more dated than the other...

Oh op, if you do go though with this the first thing you do is dump the stock turbo (ceramic impeller=time bomb over 12psi) and toss on a pulsar gtir t28, we put one on a ca18 and it was a hell of a factory turbo, exhaust side was just a bit big for the 1.8 though. 2.5 should be happy with it. Or any flavor t28 or t3 really. Then you have NO WORRIES about having more power than that gm crate engine you have in there.

Driven5 wrote: To me it has to do with the character of the car. Sure you could dangle a 300hp 10,000rpm turbo Hayabusa engine in it too, if you're just looking to show the world how different you can be. But if the 4200 Atlas can be made to fit and run without excessive difficulty, I'd probably want to go that route. Different enough to be full of win...But not so much as to be trying too hard. But as long as you don't have to do anything that can't be undone, there isn't really a downside either.

If your transplanting a motor from a different car into another, the car doesn't give a damn what it's going in, your going to go through the same if not more trouble (anti theft and crap) putting in a measly 4200 backed by a crap automatic than just putting in an rb or whatever else. We get it, your crying cause someone wants to put a 'furren motor in a 'merican car. But unless you want to pay for and put the 4200 in I doubt op will want to.

Just to feed the do it crowd....

http://youtu.be/EUhz2MjT1fE

Trackmouse wrote:

MCarp22 wrote:

Trackmouse wrote: Eh, archaic tech when compared to nissan's incredible RB motor.

I presume you're talking about the 292 and not the 4200?

Yes. That and all the other "old world" straight 6's. Don't g et me wrong. I love seeing an old straight six truck and jeep. Just not for performance.

Sorry for posting three times and not multi quoting but they all popped up after I posted. But I think your thinking "old world" as pushrod...dohc is a different flavor and there are ton and tons of inline 6s that make great performance motors. Just ask bmw, Toyota, Nissan, ect....Hell the 4200 is included, it's light and makes what 270hp? But I don't think that's what the op wants..

JtspellS wrote: Just to feed the do it crowd.... http://youtu.be/EUhz2MjT1fE

Now that's borderline sacreligious, who wants a motor that bogs unless the turbo is at full chooch? Now I like rotarys and all but in a heavy auto car...don't see the allure.

Dammit almost 4th consecutive post, need to find something else to do.

Do it. Do it. Do it.