Shortblock rebuild part list, SR20DET

[Rich260z]

Hey I'm starting to order parts to do a complete rebuild on my SR20. End goal is 350whp or around there, but for now I will be using stock cams and stuff. This list is just for the shortblock.

So far I have ordered:

Eagle rods
Wisco Pistons
ARP rod and head bolts
ACL connecting rod and main bearing
ACL thrust washers
Cometic top end gasket kit
Felpro front and rear main seal and T/C seal
ACT Heavy Duty clutch kit
ACT streetlite flywheel
OEM flywheel bolts
OEM timing kit, with the Mazworx tensioner

Am I missing anything? Was thinking about a new oil pump, but I haven't torn the motor down yet to see if its fubar or not.

Other random tid bits, I'm using a fake greddy intake, 550cc injectors, garrett gt2871, and some knock off tubular manifold since that all came with the engine. ECU will be haltech.

The point is to overbuild this since I will be using this for DD purposes, but I want room to grow. I want the block overbuilt, as I don't want to remove it. Head can come off later for machine work, port work etc..

Any recommendations are appreciated.

FYI this is going into a datsun

[2muchboost]

Might as well go with a new oil and water pump if your over building anyway. Freeze Plugs are also cheap enough to swap out while the block is out. What about ARP Flywheel bolts....overbuilding anyway right?

[Rich260z]

oem flywheel bolts have already been ordered, plus I don't plan on making 600 ever. If my clutch starts slipping then when I get a new clutch I'll go arp.

didn't think of water pump for some reason, thanks

[Mikester]

Hey I'm starting to order parts to do a complete rebuild on my SR20. End goal is 350whp or around there, but for now I will be using stock cams and stuff. This list is just for the shortblock.

So far I have ordered:

Eagle rods
Wisco Pistons
ARP rod and head bolts (Eagle rods come with ARP rod bolts)
ACL connecting rod and main bearing (Send back and get OEM Nissan Bearings)
ACL thrust washers (Send back and get OEM Nissan Thrust washers)
Cometic top end gasket kit (Send back and get OEM gasket kit)
Felpro front and rear main seal and T/C seal (Comes with OEM gasket kit)
ACT Heavy Duty clutch kit
ACT streetlite flywheel
OEM flywheel bolts
OEM timing kit, with the Mazworx tensioner

Am I missing anything? Was thinking about a new oil pump, but I haven't torn the motor down yet to see if its fubar or not.

Other random tid bits, I'm using a fake greddy intake, 550cc injectors, garrett gt2871, and some knock off tubular manifold since that all came with the engine. ECU will be haltech.

The point is to overbuild this since I will be using this for DD purposes, but I want room to grow. I want the block overbuilt, as I don't want to remove it. Head can come off later for machine work, port work etc..

Any recommendations are appreciated.

FYI this is going into a datsun

Wiseco pistons/Eagle rods, ARP studs- OEM everything else and it will be built for far more than a 2871 can put thru it.

You can re-use your oil pump, but you may consider and S14 oil pickup... and an aftermarket oil pan (Tomei, Moroso, GReddy)

As far as gaskets go, OEM Nissan gaskets are built for the long haul... They are the way to go. If you are dead-set on a MLS head gasket, get Tomei, APEXi or Cosworth and be sure to do the necessary prep work.

Also, for a 2871, you may consider going 740 or 850cc on the injectors to keep the duty cycles down & leave room to grow.

[VNG704]

Tubular mani? brace it and make sure you have a flex joint in the dp.

[ForeignMuscle]

I don't understand why people waste $300 on Eagle rods. Might start a shit fest but whatever. They are junk. There I said it.

Normally rods that come with ARP's have an upgrade option for ARP 2000 material.

If your over doing this build with all these nice forged components that will never benefit you for your goals then why wouldn't you just buy a new oil pump? Saying you can reuse an oil pump is a pretty vague statement. You can reuse rods and pistons too...

The oil pump has a tolerance that you should check with a feeler gauge or you can do as I would when spending 4 digits on any engine, buy a new oil pump. Waterpump is no big deal. If and when it goes out just slap a new one on. It's not a hard to reach area.

S14 pickup is a must have.

With that being said, I would never build a block all forged and such for less than 450whp. Especially not for DDing. You said that as if it is more grueling than racing.. You could save yourself a lot of money buying factory rods and pistons instead of the forged ones.

As for ACL bearings they are awesome. Can't go wrong for the money.

Cometic gaskets= shit.

Felpro seals, why? OEM main seals. No sense at all in even risking using another so so brand. OEM main seals with aluminum silicone, done.

Also, flywheel bolts. Clutch slipping has not a thing to do with upgrading flywheel bolts, but when your torquing them down in sequence per the FSM and they start stretching and snapping when brand new, you'll wish you would have paid the same price for ARP's.

Overall, if you never plan on seeing over 450-500whp with this engine then your just blowing money for no reason. I'm not just giving a spectators opinion either. I have a fully forged, balanced, blue printed, custom clearanced SR20 and yea it's cool if you want 600whp, but there is no sense in the money spent at all to just cruise around with 400hp and 20psi. Factory sr's can handle that all day everyday.

If you decide to build it anyway then congrats! You'll have a blast with your new toy either way. Just wanted to give you my opinion and maybe save you a little money.

[EsChassisLove]

My eagle rods have been through two builds now. They're fine. Just get them balanced.


You won't see 350whp with stock cams. Unless you run e85 and raise the boost to 20+psi.

Your bottom end is nothing without a good top end to match.

[ForeignMuscle]

[QUOTE=EsChassisLove;5166954]My eagle rods have been through two builds now. They're fine. Just get them balanced. [QUOTE]

For the price, no they're really not. For $50 more you can buy Manley. A name that any professional builder would take seriously. I didn't knock them to start an arguement, but I've seen what I've seen from growing up in the pits of a race track. I know of not one builder or driver that would recommend them. Lots of people on here run them though. Of course they are doing fine in a 100hp or less per cylinder engine..

Factory sr20det rods are just as strong.

OP, EsChassis is right about the cams. Pump fuel and stock cams isnt going to even get you 350 with that turbo.

[Mikester]

Saying you can reuse an oil pump is a pretty vague statement.

The oil pump has a tolerance that you should check with a feeler gauge or you can do as I would when spending 4 digits on any engine, buy a new oil pump.

S14 pickup is a must have.

Overall, if you never plan on seeing over 450-500whp with this engine then your just blowing money for no reason. I'm not just giving a spectators opinion either. I have a fully forged, balanced, blue printed, custom clearanced SR20 and yea it's cool if you want 600whp, but there is no sense in the money spent at all to just cruise around with 400hp and 20psi. Factory sr's can handle that all day everyday.

If you decide to build it anyway then congrats! You'll have a blast with your new toy either way. Just wanted to give you my opinion and maybe save you a little money.

Damn dude, you're cranky today- :kiss:

Correct, good sir- I prolly could've been clearer.

BTW, I still fault YOU & 4x4le for not bringing the benefit of an S14 pickup to my attention until after my motor went together ;)

I don't really look at it as blowing money- I look at it as building an engine with room to grow like OP said in the beginning. You know as well as I do that 300, 350- even 400hp can get a guy salivating wanting 'more power' pretty quickly. I think OP might just know his own vices and is being real with himself.

However, I TOTALLY disagree with OP's notion of building up the bottom, putting the top on, then pulling it BACK apart later to do head work... Why break the seal? I think it would make far better sense to build the top to handle more as well from the get-go... and where 'room to grow' basically just means changing cams & retuning. I have a feeling this Datsun is going to be raced more than OP is letting on :)

[ForeignMuscle]

Damn dude, you're cranky today- :kiss:

Correct, good sir- I prolly could've been clearer.

BTW, I still fault YOU & 4x4le for not bringing the benefit of an S14 pickup to my attention until after my motor went together ;)

I don't really look at it as blowing money- I look at it as building an engine with room to grow like OP said in the beginning. You know as well as I do that 300, 350- even 400hp can get a guy salivating wanting 'more power' pretty quickly. I think OP might just know his own vices and is being real with himself.

However, I TOTALLY disagree with OP's notion of building up the bottom, putting the top on, then pulling it BACK apart later to do head work... Why break the seal? I think it would make far better sense to build the top to handle more as well from the get-go... and where 'room to grow' basically just means changing cams & retuning. I have a feeling this Datsun is going to be raced more than OP is letting on :)

Haha did I come off as an asshole again, Mike?? :coolugh: I think what I type and my attitude must not match often. I'm sorry lol.

I had an engine go because of a "worn" oil pump. It looked and rotated fine, but eventually scuffed my rod bearings and ruined the crank. I would definitely never build a new engine without replacing the pump. It's one of the cheaper items on the list when you compare it to the other parts.

I agree with Mike on the head. When you offset your times of building certain areas of the engine you're asking for trouble. Something that was not upgraded will break and then cause damage to new parts. I understand if you don't have funds for everything at once though. I built my sr one piece at a time.

As for the building of the bottom end I guess I'm just more for leaving them factory because mine is built and I have so much in it that I often wish I would have just used a factory engine and replaced the bearings and opened the ring gaps a little and made 450-500whp with bolt ons. It can be a head ache building an engine, but in the end it is yours, OP, and only you can decide what you want. I will say people under estimate these engines in factory trim.

[patsS14]

my friend has a built bottom end s13 sr stock head. running i think 850cc sard injectors 2871r external wastegate at 25 psi with race fuel put down 392 whp and 390 lbs-tq.
oh and bored .20 cp pistons eagle rods...

[ForeignMuscle]

my friend has a built bottom end s13 sr stock head. running i think 850cc sard injectors 2871r external wastegate at 25 psi with race fuel put down 392 whp and 390 lbs-tq.
oh and bored .20 cp pistons eagle rods...

Why the hell would he waste all the time and money for that and use factory cams? He would make over 450hp easily with just a set of JWT s3 or s4's. Race gas, factory cams. Seems legit..

I was being an asshole right there ^ :wavey:

[patsS14]

money i guess lol his name is sean forester and works at z fever in tampa fl. car is mean for his setup tho i think he said it made about 350 whp on pump gas dont remeber the boost tho

[Mikester]

I made 350-360 on pump gas with stock bottom/top ends in Okinawa. Appropriate mods, a mean little APEXi turbine & a great tune.

I would have thought a 2871 could lay down 350 on stock valvetrain & good tune... I know they are great turbines, but I personally am glad I didn't settle on one lol.

OP, you should build the top if you're gonna build the bottom. Do lots of research, use proven combinations of stuff & you will be fine.

[2muchboost]

@FOREIGN I am right there with you about the Oil Pump and ARP Flywheel bolts. Those suckers are almost the same price as OEM and add a piece of mind that they wont snap.

I wish the same argument could be had about rods on the 2JZ motors...Eagle (pretty stout in the 2j world for anything under 1k rwhp) Rods $450+, Manley Turbo Tuff $1,300+, Carillo $1,600+, Pauter $1,050+, BC $1,000+.......man I miss the SR world lol.