SykVSyx
Well-Known Member
Incredible build, and the wife seems to be supporting you in it, which is always helpful. 
ZFreak's RB26DETT Z32 300zx build...
- Thread starter ZFreak
- Start date
Been out of it for about a month.... oil pan arrived, modified...
Engine will be in hopefully after the first of the year when I have some free time. Been super busy at work lately.
Pics:
Front diff and housing gone:
Bottom cooling fins ground down:
Front baffle reinstalled, axle holes tig welded up and ground smooth:
Before:
Engine will be in hopefully after the first of the year when I have some free time. Been super busy at work lately.
Pics:
Front diff and housing gone:
Bottom cooling fins ground down:
Front baffle reinstalled, axle holes tig welded up and ground smooth:
Before:
ActNow
Well-Known Member
What did you hope to accomplish by modding the oil pan? Just trying to understand your build.
GlassJAw
Well-Known Member
Wow.... just Wow!!
I've seen quite a few conversions done utilising the RB26DETT but this one is just amazing!!
Just finished reading this build from start to this point, and I have a question for you RE: the Cam Gears. Are they held on place by 4 small bolts with locking plates or do the small bolts hold a cover over the main bolt??
It seemed a shame to cover those beautiful Cam gears, but after you polished the RB26 on the front cover, I understood why you have put the front cover back on!!
Now to just con my wife into allowing me to spend money on my hobbies......
^^ Actnow, check the previous page for the reason he modified the sump..... 5.5 Quarts as opposed to 3.3, Thick Alloy as opposed to pressed sheet metal, horrible leaks with RB25 sumps as opposed to perfect fitting RB26 item..... there's a few more reasons but that was all I could remember
I've seen quite a few conversions done utilising the RB26DETT but this one is just amazing!!
Just finished reading this build from start to this point, and I have a question for you RE: the Cam Gears. Are they held on place by 4 small bolts with locking plates or do the small bolts hold a cover over the main bolt??
It seemed a shame to cover those beautiful Cam gears, but after you polished the RB26 on the front cover, I understood why you have put the front cover back on!!
Now to just con my wife into allowing me to spend money on my hobbies......
^^ Actnow, check the previous page for the reason he modified the sump..... 5.5 Quarts as opposed to 3.3, Thick Alloy as opposed to pressed sheet metal, horrible leaks with RB25 sumps as opposed to perfect fitting RB26 item..... there's a few more reasons but that was all I could remember
Last edited:
Oil pan choice:
RB25 is the "cheaper" option, as the RB26 block is already drilled for said oil pan from the factory, but it is stamped steel, has a 1.5qt less capacity, and WILL leak.
The RB26 AWD pan is cast aluminum and will hold almost 6qts of oil. In order for it to fit in my Z, the cooling fins on the bottom had to be ground down, the front diff. hacked off, and the holes for where the axle was had to me closed up. This is why I went this route.
The cam gears are held in place by 4 11mm bolts with 1 locking pin that's on the end of each camshaft. I'd be all for "showing them off" but I'd rather have that "RB26" on the front of the engine.
RB25 is the "cheaper" option, as the RB26 block is already drilled for said oil pan from the factory, but it is stamped steel, has a 1.5qt less capacity, and WILL leak.
The RB26 AWD pan is cast aluminum and will hold almost 6qts of oil. In order for it to fit in my Z, the cooling fins on the bottom had to be ground down, the front diff. hacked off, and the holes for where the axle was had to me closed up. This is why I went this route.
The cam gears are held in place by 4 11mm bolts with 1 locking pin that's on the end of each camshaft. I'd be all for "showing them off" but I'd rather have that "RB26" on the front of the engine.
kn0x47
Senior Member
i just read thru the whole thread...
major props to you man. i cant wait to see it done
major props to you man. i cant wait to see it doneI'm thinking a few more months.
I may attempt to paint the engine bay while it's out, as I had the entire car painted a few years ago when I first bought it. I have about a half gallon of paint left over from that. The bay has turned yellow'ish white from 20 years of heat in that cramped engine bay! It'd be a good time to do it. If I do, it'll slow me down a little bit.
I may attempt to paint the engine bay while it's out, as I had the entire car painted a few years ago when I first bought it. I have about a half gallon of paint left over from that. The bay has turned yellow'ish white from 20 years of heat in that cramped engine bay! It'd be a good time to do it. If I do, it'll slow me down a little bit.
BigAnt
Well-Known Member
Go for it. Make it match close to the outside.
A little update (no pics for this update yet)...
This weekend I got a few things done:
* Replaced rear main seal (used a KA24DE rear main seal from a 91-98 240sx USDM)
* Installed modified oil pan
* Wire tucked the fuse box in the engine bay (now located under the drive side headlight)
* Drilled out the welds and removed the upper radiator support (will go on later)...I had to do this because the engine is too long to drop in the car but the support will fit once the engine is in.
Clutch showed up. 300zx N/A (90-96) 240mm 5 puck sprung clutch. 650 ft/lb holding capacity.
After some talking with a good clutch and flywheel expert (Greg Dupree at Specialty-Z in so-cal), I'm running the stock RB26 flywheel for my application instead of an aluminum one. These clutches eat aluminum flywheels for lunch.
More to come in a few weeks. I'm prepping the engine bay to paint it, but it's been so damn cold here in Texas that I don't want to risk messing up the paint because of the temperature. (I even have a heated garage, but natural gas "open flame" heaters don't go well with toxic paint.)
This weekend I got a few things done:
* Replaced rear main seal (used a KA24DE rear main seal from a 91-98 240sx USDM)
* Installed modified oil pan
* Wire tucked the fuse box in the engine bay (now located under the drive side headlight)
* Drilled out the welds and removed the upper radiator support (will go on later)...I had to do this because the engine is too long to drop in the car but the support will fit once the engine is in.
Clutch showed up. 300zx N/A (90-96) 240mm 5 puck sprung clutch. 650 ft/lb holding capacity.
After some talking with a good clutch and flywheel expert (Greg Dupree at Specialty-Z in so-cal), I'm running the stock RB26 flywheel for my application instead of an aluminum one. These clutches eat aluminum flywheels for lunch.
More to come in a few weeks. I'm prepping the engine bay to paint it, but it's been so damn cold here in Texas that I don't want to risk messing up the paint because of the temperature. (I even have a heated garage, but natural gas "open flame" heaters don't go well with toxic paint.
)More pics to come in a few weeks.
I've ordered the last of the parts needed (a whopping $3000 worth...ouch) to complete this bad boy. It just sucks that I always have to wait for parts from Japan (OEM Nissan), and Canada (Ztune.ca stocks some OEM Skyline parts for my engine).
Ordered, and waiting:
- Tial 46MM wastegate w/0.9bar spring ($550)
- Apexi Power FC D-Jetro w/sensors, controller, and harness for Skyline GT-R R33 (BCR33) ($1750)
- Aeromotive FPR w/SS lines and Earls Fittings (and gauge) ($300)
- Summit "AN Fittings" wrench set ($130)
- NISMO Oil Filter Tree adaptor for running an external oil cooler ($270), Believe it or not, the RB26DETT's didn't have an external oil cooler...they had a "heat exchanger" that was hanging off the side of the engine...you can see it next to the oil filter in my pictures.
- EDIT>> Power FC Tuner Pro Software and used old-school windows 98 laptop ($350)
...and several other misc. parts. It's getting close! Engine should be going in within the next few weeks!
I've ordered the last of the parts needed (a whopping $3000 worth...ouch) to complete this bad boy. It just sucks that I always have to wait for parts from Japan (OEM Nissan), and Canada (Ztune.ca stocks some OEM Skyline parts for my engine).
Ordered, and waiting:
- Tial 46MM wastegate w/0.9bar spring ($550)
- Apexi Power FC D-Jetro w/sensors, controller, and harness for Skyline GT-R R33 (BCR33) ($1750)
- Aeromotive FPR w/SS lines and Earls Fittings (and gauge) ($300)
- Summit "AN Fittings" wrench set ($130)
- NISMO Oil Filter Tree adaptor for running an external oil cooler ($270), Believe it or not, the RB26DETT's didn't have an external oil cooler...they had a "heat exchanger" that was hanging off the side of the engine...you can see it next to the oil filter in my pictures.
- EDIT>> Power FC Tuner Pro Software and used old-school windows 98 laptop ($350)
...and several other misc. parts. It's getting close! Engine should be going in within the next few weeks!
