s13 sr20det swap...advice needed please!

[shaoyang951]

I currently have a blown blacktop s13 sr20det in my s13 and I am getting a redtop sr20det longblock to swap in. After researching and asking around, I was told that i can use my blacktop wiring harness and ecu to run the redtop sr20det???? And for my main question, is it easier for me to just leave the tranny on my chassis and just unbolt the engine itself out and then swap in the replacement engine or will it be easier to just pull the tranny with the engine out together and then detach the old egine and bolt the new engine onto the same tranny then swap it back in??? Any help or advice will be great!!! Thanks.

[sidedrifts13]

take the motor and tranny out together its easier, also how bad is your black top? do you want to sell it?

[junbugs13]

if yur a smallerguy like me im 5.6 and like 130 its easier for me to just un bolt the traany and leave it in the chassis but if yur a bigger guy then i would just pull motorand trans both way to me r easy if you dont want to have to buy trans oil and pull the drve shaft out the i would the pull the motor only its up to you:2f2f:

[shaoyang951]

if yur a smallerguy like me im 5.6 and like 130 its easier for me to just un bolt the traany and leave it in the chassis but if yur a bigger guy then i would just pull motorand trans both way to me r easy if you dont want to have to buy trans oil and pull the drve shaft out the i would the pull the motor only its up to you:2f2f:

I am smaller than you bro, im like 5'2 and like 130 and im new to the nissan scene so this will be my first nissan swap. I use to touch Hondas all day and done several swaps in Hondas so I have a pretty good idea on what to do. I usually did all my swaps with the tranny attached so I would think that since my s13 is rwd, it will be even easier to leave the tranny in too so all i need to do is unbolt the engine from the tranny, unbolt the engine mounts, the downpipe and just unplug all the wirings from the harness necessary. Thanks for the reply!!

[shaoyang951]

take the motor and tranny out together its easier, also how bad is your black top? do you want to sell it?

My blacktop is still in pretty good shape. It wasn't me who blew it, I bought it like that. I got screwed! But its all good, i bought it with the blktop with new clean sr harness, new paintjob, kouki tail lights, jdm front conversion and basic boltons for only $2700. I gave it a compression test after i got the car home and its reading 100psi across all four so i know its not a headgasket or something only. But the timing does seem to be off so I don't know. I do plan on selling it but I will need to wait and see first because Im buying a longblock from gdimensions for $1300 and might need to swap a few things over to make it run if needed. And thanks for your reply, I dont really wanna take off the driveshaft and etc so i would prefer to leave the tranny mounted on but if i NEED to pull it out with the engine then i will do that.

[240sx123$]

Its not a big deal to pull the tranny with the motor, and itll be a hell of a lot easier to line everything up when its going back in with the tranny still on.

[shaoyang951]

Its not a big deal to pull the tranny with the motor, and itll be a hell of a lot easier to line everything up when its going back in with the tranny still on.

Yeah, that makes sense. But i have no idea of how to take off the driveshaft, shifter, the tranny mount. Ill prolly try to pull the engine out itself first, if it doesnt work then ill pull the tranny with the engine. I was just wondering if it was possible to pull the engine out without the tranny. Thanks.

[240sx123$]

It is possible, but I think its much easier to undo those few things you mentioned and bring the tranny with the motor. Those top bellhousing bolts are 10x the bitch to get to when you compare that to the shifter, driveshaft, and trans mount. Those three things you can pretty much figure out by looking at them.. When I swapped my trans with the motor in the car, i had to use like 2' crazyleg extensions with a swivel socket to get those top bolts out.

[shaoyang951]

It is possible, but I think its much easier to undo those few things you mentioned and bring the tranny with the motor. Those top bellhousing bolts are 10x the bitch to get to when you compare that to the shifter, driveshaft, and trans mount. Those three things you can pretty much figure out by looking at them.. When I swapped my trans with the motor in the car, i had to use like 2' crazyleg extensions with a swivel socket to get those top bolts out.

Damn, so its like that? Ill prolly take a look at the bellhousing bolts and give it a shot. If it is too hard to get to then ill just pull the whole thing out. Thanks!

[filip9999]

I pulled the trans out by itself and it wasn't that bad, the shift has couple 12mm bolts holding a plate down, u undo those and then with snap ring pliers u take the snap ring out hat holds the shifter inside the trans, drian the trans fluid, undo the mount and driveshaft ( put the parking brake on and undo the nuts that hold the driveshaft to the trans. to get the top trans bolts it woud be easier if u jack the front of the engine up and the transmission will start to till downwards towards the rear and still a long extension and swivel socket will be needed, although i was doing a clutch i recommend u pull the whole thing out together it will save u so much time swapping accessoires over and manifolds and such....

[JMJS13]

i would recommend pulling the tranny and motor together, is gonna be a pain to line up motor mounts and tranny if you leave it in, IMO but GL

[shaoyang951]

Hey all! I got my swap done!!!! I decided to do the swap without pulling the tranny out with it. I always used this method while I was in the Honda scene doing Honda swaps and it was pretty easy. Same results, I can see how it would be easier to line up the tranny and engine if I pull em out together but I pulled the engine by itself and left the tranny in. Got it done within a few hours only. Lining up the tranny and engine wasn't too bad. Took me a few pulls and tugs and I got it. Thanks all for your inputs!