Building a solid Sr

[espey34]

Hey guys new to the forum and I guess you could say to the sr20 world as well. I've been sitting on a 91 det engine and accumulating parts for about the last 10 years now but am finally getting motivated to get back into finishing my build.

The engine will be going into my 96 Nissan hardbody pickup and I have quite a few questions about what parts to go with etc.

So far I have:
Eagle rods
Araias 8.5:1 pistons
Arp rod,main,head fasteners
Hks step 2 272 cams
Rocker stoppers
Sard 850cc injectors
Aem end
Greddy inatke

All I really plan on doing is cruising around on a nice Saturday afternoon making noise and maybe do the odd auto-x and drag day with the truck.

I haven't decided what route I want to go for turbo yet but I was really hoping to be in the mid to high 400 hp reliably.

After doing some reading I am starting to wonder if I should be going solid pivot or not and if so should I go with a 264/272 cam setup?

Also wondering what is my best route for valves, springs, retainers etc.. And is it really worth going oversized on the valves?

Also if you guys could point me in the right direction of a good turbo and top mount manifold setup that would be awesome. I appreciate any input!




2011 silverado LT crew
Gibson cat back, Airaid Jr
Kooks 1-7/8
long tubes and y-pipe, blackbear tuning, rough country 2.5", go rhino dominator 2 steps

[jr_ss]

My biggest piece of advice for you, being new here and all, do some research. There is a plethora of information on this site. Building an SR has been covered many, many times.

[TheRealSy90]

Bin the rocker stoppers, no need to waste money on solid pivots. Modify the rocker arms for dual rocker arm guides and you'll never toss a rocker. For an even more solid setup you could throw in hydrolic lifters from a roller rocker DE as they behave like a solid lifter at high rpm's.

[Kingtal0n]

For 350 horses or less, use a stock sr20det, S3 cams, stock springs, gt2871r ->64 and fuel it

for 351 horses or more, use a 2jz-gte or lsx engine, single turbo does wonders


It will cost less to install an oem bottom end 2jz/lsx engine (perfectly happy at 500~bhp) than the headache / time consumption of building any engine, especially an sr20det @500bhp.

the sr20det (and others like it) are difficult to build properly, take planning, cleanliness, serious attention to detail. Here is a short list of recent failures (assembled and failed within a short time period / sold as parts)

SRs that built and failed quick:
http://zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=535520
http://zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=569861
http://zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?p=5765974
http://zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=579996
http://zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=586960

[cotbu]

SRs that built and failed quick:
http://zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=535520
http://zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=569861
http://zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?p=5765974
http://zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=579996
http://zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=586960

XD! That list is getting longer!
I don't agree with the theory though!

From a Highly Tuned Note 4.5!!!

[TheRealSy90]

SRs that built and failed quick:
http://zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=535520
http://zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=569861
http://zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?p=5765974
http://zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=579996
http://zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=586960

All of those builds failed due to builder error, guaranteed. Too many people throw in off the shelf bearings that are all the same size instead of plastigauging every single bearing and ordering the correct size for each one. It's not a damn small block 350.

[Kingtal0n]

All of those builds failed due to builder error, guaranteed. Too many people throw in off the shelf bearings that are all the same size instead of plastigauging every single bearing and ordering the correct size for each one. It's not a damn small block 350.

exactly, and isn't just bearings either; some are dropping thrust washers, dropping valves, improper quench and detonate, debris clogged orifices cause oil starvation (more common than you would think), incorrect endplay / runout, wrong parts flatness (mating surface of head, oil pump, and block will leak), bad compression due to improper ring break-in or cylinder preparation (did you rent a deck plate?), improper cylinder to piston clearance (do not use the manufacturer's recommended piston/wall... it takes experience and application to know), even your choice of engine: previously run engines that failed might have debris floating around that even intense machine shop cleaning procedures will not remove, making your entire build and all your efforts meaningless.

There are more than hundreds of ways to screw up a build. So either plan to build a few of them, or have mazworx do it, or just run a stock engine like the 2jz-gte longblock @ 500rwhp and call it a day, eliminate the possibility of poor assembly. If you figure 5k for a build, you can blow 3 to 5 2jz-gte engines apart for the same cost, not to mention the decrease in down-time (you can throw the engine in / rip it out the same day with no trips to the machine shop)

I've also got two friends, local, who had their share. One went the same route as the thread op; brand new forged everything, ported, top mount, etc... put the whole thing together in the car and 1 cylinder is low compression. Bad ring / improper ring seat. Car is being parted out already because of it, never drove it.
Another friend's sr20det failed due to debris a short while after being built with all new forged parts. He went 2jz-gte stock engine after that, parted out.
Neither has a thread to reference, and so many others I am aware of do not either. This is a very very common thing, to build an sr20 and then be forced to part out.

I would not hesitate to build a stock one; this warning does not apply to those with building experience and the right tools. It is only those "first timers" who think that adding a few forged parts to an engine makes it bullet proof. If anything the forgies only slow it down :coolugh:

[TheRealSy90]

I would not hesitate to build a stock one; this warning does not apply to those with building experience and the right tools. It is only those "first timers" who think that adding a few forged parts to an engine makes it bullet proof. If anything the forgies only slow it down :coolugh:

Quoted for truth.

At the same time, I don't believe in parting everything out just because of a failed engine build. I'm in this shit for the long haul, not just to be the cool kid on the block that year. Too many people do these crazy builds, run into problems, and then sell off everything trying to recoup some of their hastily spent cash!

Honestly, building an SR should be kept to the experienced people. Anybody can add everything to a cart and throw it in a block and call it a built engine (80% of zilvia builds)... Either keep the engine stock and reliable, or swap it with something more powerful from the factory. Hell, i built a spare engine for my car and am still running my stock one for 6 years now because it's just reliable as fuck.

[cotbu]

I think all the real techs have their gripes about each engine they work on. Like myself, i think the sr20det weak spots are, the rocker arms, and pistons. I know people brake the chain guide and ruin bearings all the time. When i pulled my now 10yr old sr20 bearings this winter, my bearings were worn, but not spun or damaged. And i still have the plastic chain guide.;)

My point is. The sr20det can be made a solid trouble free engine, imho by replacing the pistons and running a dual guide setup. And regular maintenance. Now i have my own procedure for doing this, but I wouldn't say the sr is a crap engine and shouldn't be built, because i see these as issues.

SERIOUSLY I dont know where to put the blame when an egine fails, but i would probably blame you anyway, just because.

From a Highly Tuned Note 4.5!!!

[Croustibat]

I think all the real techs have their gripes about each engine they work on. Like myself, i think the sr20det weak spots are, the rocker arms, and pistons. I know people brake the chain guide and ruin bearings all the time. When i pulled my now 10yr old sr20 bearings this winter, my bearings were worn, but not spun or damaged. And i still have the plastic chain guide.;)

My point is. The sr20det can be made a solid trouble free engine, imho by replacing the pistons and running a dual guide setup. And regular maintenance. Now i have my own procedure for doing this, but I wouldn't say the sr is a crap engine and shouldn't be built, because i see these as issues.

SERIOUSLY I dont know where to put the blame when an egine fails, but i would probably blame you anyway, just because.



I totally agree on that.

I know quite some high powered SRs and CAs. The only ones that fail are badly maintained, or built by a random bob. Or both. These engines are tough, but only if they are maintained and used properly.

[TheRealSy90]

Actually all i've done to mine for the last 6 years is change the oil, bolt on parts and smash the rev limiter haha.

[espey34]

Well reading all this shit makes me want to say fuck it and buy a vk56 or an LS for it.

for the record the engine will be sent to a reputable builder that is experienced with high horsepower Japanese engines.



2011 silverado LT crew
Gibson cat back, Airaid Jr
Kooks 1-7/8
long tubes and y-pipe, blackbear tuning, rough country 2.5", go rhino dominator 2 steps