YATSSS: Yet Another Turbo SSS - Conversion Review
Well finally finished my conversion. Thought I'd just write up a review of what I went through.
I originally decided on a half cut, it sounded easy with the least of hassles. I was just after a cheap bluebird cut - any turbo would probably have been enough for me.
However I ended up finding me a GTi-R front cut locally with full
panels (except bonnet) for $3900.00. After I sold the gearbox ($1100!!)
and other bits and pieces, worked out just $2300 for what I needed. As
a bonus I got a free new dash surround (in great condition) as my
previous one was cracked in a few spots and didn't hold on properly
(like most other N14 owners).
I had to take freight into consideration too, most places wanted $200-$300 to
ship a front cut Australia wide, I found a front cut locally here in
Melbourne, and had it delivered for free.
The engine had a few km, around 110,000 - but I was given a good warranty on the engine, turbo
and gearbox. First thing we did after getting it back was check out the
oil quality in the engine, have a squiz under the rocker cover, and do
a compression test. All seemed fine. The main exhaust manifold gasket
looked a bit split in the middle, but after running the engine it didn't leak, so
I'll leave it until I pull the manifolds off to get them
coated.
Next day or so was spent stripping the front cut, and in the
afternoon we put the front cut on a hoist and pulled the engine out the
top. (Tight fit but needed little persuasion).
I pulled the gearbox
off and removed the flywheel, and compared it to a stock SR20DE
flywheel. The GTi-R one had a larger face and a larger diameter clutch
than the N/A version. The FWD gearbox also had a smaller input shaft
which wouldn't mate up to the GTi-R clutch. The N/A flywheel fitted very
nice onto the GTi-R crank shaft - only problem was that the flywheel
bolts were too big to go through the N/A flywheel..! 10.5mm versus
11.5mm.
I ended up getting the holes drilled out 1mm, the flywheel was
machined like new and rebalanced, all cost $35.00. Bargain!.
Added a new Daiken Extreme SSS clutch for $290.00 (came with clutch, pressure
plate and clutch bearing). Purchased a new chain tensioner ($81), oil filter
and fuel filter, and oil seals for both the rear end and timing ends of
the crank and installed those while finishing up with the bare engine.
After comparing the GTi-R wiring with the stock N14 Japspec wiring - I
decided to use the GTi-R engine and EFI looms. Much easier (for me
anyway). It all plugged completely into the N14 harnesses without any
problems... except for the exhaust gas sensor. On the SSS the exhaust
sensor was connected through the engine loom -- on the GTi-R it went
directly into the engine bay loom, which then connected to the engine
loom. Fortunately the SSS engine bay loom had three unused pins where
the EGO sensor was meant to go, so it was just a 5 minute job to
incorporate the EGO wiring in the same fashion as the GTi-R engine bay
wiring.
Ended up swapping the GTi-R power steering pulley with the SSS
one, as the latter was much smaller, and left more clearance with the
chassis. All other GTi-R sensors/belts/pumps were left
While the engine was out, gave it a good clean with heaps of degreaser and other
weird chemicals.
So on
a Sunday, it came time to rip my engine out. Started at 9am, dropped it
out the bottom and moved it out of the way.
Managed to do it without
disconnecting the air-conditioning compressor, just pushed it out of the
way and hung it with some wire. Pulled the gearbox off, gave it a quick
clean, and bolted it up to the GTi-R engine. Fit nicely except for 2
bolts that didn't line up. Others who has done conversions seemed
to think that was OK so I left it.
Went to mount the drive shafts, and
found that GTi-R block only had holes for 2 out of 3 of the bolts for
the drivers side drive shaft mount. Ended up welding up a bracket and
bolting it to another unused hole that was 5cm away.
Cross member was
modified (cut up a bit, squashed, re-welded and resprayed.), then the
time had come to mount the engine in.
Really was rather easy, used all the SSS
engine mounts and brackets. Did the drivers side and passenger side
mounts first using a forklift, the hoist, and a hydraulic jack to line
them up. Then just removed everything, lifted it up, and mounted the cross member
and front/rear mounts.
I used and installed the GTi-R radiator/fans as they were of better
condition and quality than my old SR20 parts. The GTi-R accelerator
cable had to be used as it was suited to the position of the quad
throttle bodies, versus the single throttle (in a completely different
position) on the atmo SR20 engine.
Wiring all plugged straight in, the GTi-R front exhaust was
welded up to mate with the SSS stock exhaust (a restriction I know),
and all the fuel lines/vacuum hoses connected.
My intercooler piping
was rather cheap, $145 all up including mandrel bent pipes. For the
turbo outlet we actually cut up a SR20DE inlet manifold for a nice 90
degree cast alloy bend. Intercooler was from a Mazda RX-7, I didn't want
to use the stock GTi-R cooler, and there is no room for a front mount
without cutting up the bar or sacrificing aircon (screw that!).
The GTi-R sump was a tiny bit bashed, so we pulled it off, knocked it out
straight, resprayed it and put it back on the engine with a fresh seal
of liquid gasket.
I had all my exhaust/turbo shields (three pieces -- the main manifold
cover, a turbo exhaust cover, and the front turbo cover) HPC coated by F1 Performance in Blackburn. Nice and
schmick.
BEFORE: Main manifold
shield. Shiny bits were where I had attacked it with a wire
grinding brush, but realised I would have little success.
AFTER: All installed, cleaned and HPC coated. mmm.
After
filling it up with fluids (oil, coolant, gearbox fluid, power steering
fluid) we went to start her up. First time the engine started, plugs weren't in properly and I flooded the poor beast . Let it drain a bit,
cleaned it out with a compressor, and tightened up the plugs. Turned
over after that, the sound of it idling was music to my ears.. Ahh..
Cold starting is a bit rough at the moment, I am going to replace all
the plugs/dizzy rotor and cap and get it tuned up later. The engine
also needs a bit of a steam clean, degreaser only cleans so much.
Fun as hell though, acceleration is amazing. I have a temperature
sensor measuring the intercooler core temperature, night-time driving it
averages 16 degrees, on hot days it sits around the low 30s, few
degrees below ambient, so it is obviously getting minimal flow. I am
going to measure manifold air temp at some stage soon instead to get a
more meaningful readout. The RX-7 cooler is also only about half the
size of the GTi-R cooler, and flows less - I assume because its only
designed for a what, 1.3 L rotary engine? Still, for the moment, I'm damn happy.
I think next investment is
going to be an LSD gearbox and suspension work, _then_ an exhaust upgrade for more power
=). My friend (RWD owner/fan) who assisted me in the conversion was surprised at how decent the car was with so much power, he expected it
to handle pretty badly. Score one N14!!..
All up money spent:
- Intercooler (ex Mazda RX-7): $150.00
- Engine/Looms: $2300.00
- Clutch: $290.00
- Chain Tensioner: $81.00
- Filters: $20.00
- Flywheel Machining/Balancing: $35.00
- Intercooler Piping: $143.00
- Exhaust / Turbo shields HPC coating: $80.00
- Oils/Fluids: $60.00
- Labour for Mechanic who assisted with the hard parts and let me use his workshop: $380.00
- Mechanics entertainment at me shearing off 2 bolts in the back of the GTi-R block with an over-excited rattle gun: Priceless. (For him!). Ended
up welding up a piece of steel to them, and twisting the stumps out of the holes..
- Sale of old SR20DE engine (minus rocker cover) to someone who just blew a farkin rod out the side of their block (not mentioning any names............... SUPER
CHAD!): $400 cr
- Sale of old computer/unused parts: $200 cr
- Potential sale of old GTi-R rocker cover: $80 cr.. (I want to put the stock SR20DE rocker cover back onto this engine).
Total money spent: $2860.00. For a GTi-R turbo engine ! kewl 'eh!.
For more pictures, click
here.
