ae92 20v swap (wiring etc)

[jacobrjett]

sorry for wall of text.

well my motors is leaking oil everywhere and its nearly 300km old etc.

im trying to make up my mind on what im going to do - patch up the old one, or swap to a 20v.

smallport > blacktop.

i am hoping to get an idea of what will actually be required so i dont end up with the car parked up for months while i figure out whats wrong with it.

I am not going through with the swap yet - I just want to get myself as much information as i can so i can decide weather it CAN be an option.

ill need a new radiator because the radiator hoses are mounted differently.

ill probably change the fuel pump, as this ones probably old.

im not sure about fuel pressure/pressure regulator. i assume they are the same. i may go aftermarket because kiwi-corolla mentioned he found the motor improve after bumping fuel to 44 psi was it?

the hose to the fuel rail will be different. easy stuff.

i believe the exhaust manifold from a 20v will bolt right up to a 16v down pipe.

i know the blacktop flywheel is different, but im pretty sure the 16v clutch will still bolt up to it.

they use the same block so i should just swap my alternator and water pump over. i will probably try hunt down a manual steering rack and ditch the air conditioning. maybe ditch AC and find a shorter belt, keeping powersteering.

anyway - all this is easy stuff. i am confident i can suss this out. what im worried about is the wiring.

can someone please confirm if this is the case - this is what im pretty sure, but not positive, will be the go -

remove smallport engine loom entirely, along with coils etc.

replace with blacktop loom, fuse box, coils, etc. put blacktop ecu in cabin



I now have a blacktop loom poking out the firewall. I proceed to wire it all in like i usually would when changing the engine.

the blacktop engine loom should plug right into the ECU without any modification right?

Basically all i need to do now is plug everything in, right?. the blacktop loom will have all the right plugs for the engine already so i just plug everything in.

now on the other side of the firewall - in the cabin. plug the engine loom into the ECU.

I need to find a wiring diagram and cut/splice all the wires under the dash for the speedo, tacho, oil pressure warnings engine check light water temp etc. for the dash loom, into a dash loom plug for the blacktop ecu.

once ive spliced all the dash wires in, have the loom plugged in, turn key and motor will start and i can proceed to thrash the tits off my new 20v

if thats all there is to it, then i will be able to do it myself.

what else would be involved? am i on the right track?

[Rob_GTZ]

Repair the leak in your current motor or find another smallport, save yourself all the hassle. Thrashed 300,00km old smallport is still a better option than downgrading to a 20 Valve.

[RS13]

Repair the leak in your current motor or find another smallport, save yourself all the hassle. Thrashed 300,00km old smallport is still a better option than downgrading to a 20 Valve.

I disagree. If you've got a car you want to keep as a daily driver (with driveability, economy and reliability) then why would you not take a much newer motor, with more torque and power?

He isn't aiming for the moon, he just wants more power reliably and reasonably cheaply in his weekend racer.. I think a blacktop would fit his ideals perfectly. The smallport is probably the best base for modification, but even to get one at the level of a near-standard blacktop, you're looking at cams, compression and tuning minimum.. probably out of the OP's budget and ruining the car as a reliable, economical daily driver.

All IMO.

[Leon]

You're going to spend a lot of money, to end up with a car that isn't as good as the AE111 you used to have and sold.

Yes a 20v conversion is pretty nice (that's what I have in my AE92, although it's a silvertop). But I wouldn't go down that road again having done it once*

*well actually friends of mine did the conversion, because I'm reasonably non mechanical ... not worth asking how much it cost etc because that was 8 years ago now.

[jacobrjett]

Repair the leak in your current motor or find another smallport, save yourself all the hassle. Thrashed 300,00km old smallport is still a better option than downgrading to a 20 Valve.

I disagree. If you've got a car you want to keep as a daily driver (with driveability, economy and reliability) then why would you not take a much newer motor, with more torque and power?

He isn't aiming for the moon, he just wants more power reliably and reasonably cheaply in his weekend racer.. I think a blacktop would fit his ideals perfectly. The smallport is probably the best base for modification, but even to get one at the level of a near-standard blacktop, you're looking at cams, compression and tuning minimum.. probably out of the OP's budget and ruining the car as a reliable, economical daily driver.

All IMO.

this! so much this!

if i had enough money to build a worthy smallport, i wouldnt be putting it in a FWD chassis either.

[jacobrjett]

You're going to spend a lot of money, to end up with a car that isn't as good as the AE111 you used to have and sold.

Yes a 20v conversion is pretty nice (that's what I have in my AE92, although it's a silvertop). But I wouldn't go down that road again having done it once*

*well actually friends of mine did the conversion, because I'm reasonably non mechanical ... not worth asking how much it cost etc because that was 8 years ago now.

im expecting it to be around the $2500-3000 mark to do it properly.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/car-par ... 030925.htm $1300 to door
radiator ~$150
radiator hoses $100
comp test engine on ground, if good then leave short block untouched
fuel pump ~$200?
head bolts ~$150
head mill - DIY (have access)
3 angle valve job - DIY (have access)
trd gasket ~$120
full gasket kit $240
fuel filter $30
air filter $30
fuel rail hose $10
heatshink $20 pack
soldering iron (my one is $&#$%) $50
oil $50
gearbox oil $50 (not necessary)
coolant $50

thats a little under 3k there, thats how id LIKE to do it. of course add a few hundred for hidden expenses. I could save a bit if i decided not to crack the motor. Good thing is i can buy the motor for 1300 then everything else is much cheaper so i can buy a few bits a week until ive got everything I need.

I will never get that money back I dont need to be told that.

[jacobrjett]

I knew this would turn into a debate about 16v vs 20v I really just want to know if I am on the right track as far as the wiring would go for it. I want to figure out of this is a plausible option for me before i jump into anything.

[iOnic]

FWIW I find the smallport nicer as a day to day drive/not revving the shit out of it all the time.

Blacktop is a nice swap but I'm not sold that $2-3k spent on a smallport you already have wont result in a non leaky engine that goes just as well if not better than a stock BT.

[Shrike]

Fix Leak

Add turbo

Profit?

[Rob_GTZ]

So you plan to spend 3K on your $1500 car to make it go slightly better, then when you go to sell find it's still only worth $1500 or less because of a half assed engine conversion. My friend just purchased a AE92 with silvertop conversion, paid $1100 for it complete & running.

Spend $500 fixing the problem with your current motor, if it's only oil leaks as you have said then you're unlikely to be spending anymore than that

[Pelo]

How about spending that 3k doing a DIY rebuild of the smallport, with more compression (bt pistons?), head work, maybe cams, and a megasquirt to release the potential?
Heaps more work, but it could be fun.

[Grrrrrrr!]

Fix leak
sell ae92
buy ae111 with ae92 money + upgrade money.

[Insighttech]

I would fix your current motor and keep the AE92. Most Ae111's are pretty poked unless you want to pay stupid money. Your AE92 has a excellent body, so unless you want to go ZE I wouldn't bother as you would be spending money you are never going to get back. I would wait for one from the damaged auction etc Then you get all the little important bits. When you finish your course and get a decent job. Go buy the Type R you wanted. Then you will be able to adequately maintain it. Let me know if you want to sell your radiator if you do a awap

[Lloyd]

FWIW I find the smallport nicer as a day to day drive/not revving the shit out of it all the time.

This. Even thrashing them the 16Vs are a nicer engine

[Bling]

Fix what you have. Anything more than that is money down the drain. Which has been mentioned a few times already in this thread by people that know 16V and 20V motors like the back of their hands.

[jacobrjett]

im surprised its still cold with the amount of flame going on here

[spoonza6]

Do whatever it is YOU want to do...

Your car, your want, your money, your time...

Sucks people can't read n just advise you on what you asked...

Anyways, think there's a guy who does looms down in welly...on trademe n his work sounds pretty good n all

[Dell'Orto]

We could probably do the wiring side of things for you at work, pretty sure Grotty has done one or two 20 valve swaps before

[Leon]

it's not really flaming though, it's just saying "your outcome will be money spent on what is likely to be an underwhelming outcome"