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Tue Dec 04, 2007 5:38 pm

ok so here is my situation. i have a single seater buggy that i race up here in northern california in the VORRA series. the buggy runs great and is very competative but like every guy who is racing, they are always on that search for more power. a very good friend of mine own a datsun 510 fab and custom shop and has all but convinced me to put an nissan SR20 into my buggy. he has the motor, the wiring, and will make me stainless exhaust and an aluminum radiator. he mainly dose SR20det swaps which are the turbo versions but since i cant run a turbo na is fine with me. they dynoed one a while ago with a stock SR20 and it was 148hp and 155tq at the wheels of a datsun 510.

now my questions are. do you think that with the extra length of the motor that it will put to much weight on the rear and cause the buggy to just do wheel stands all day? will the extra weight cause funny handeling? and does anybody have any pictures of a baja or a rail with this swap performed? also, any of you guys that have done inline 4cyl swaps had weight distribution problems?

here is a little info about the car.. wheel base 102", tranny is 3 rib built by rancho with super dif and new 1st-4th, rear susp is 3x3 arms with swayaway tortions and custom made 3" body shocks, front is 10" over beam with fodrill 2 1/4 arms with swayaway leafs and fox shocks.

current engine is a very angry little 1835...

thanks in advance for any insight..

Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:22 pm

i just recenty installed a 22r in my rail, handling is a little different do to the added weigh. remember its not only the engine, its a radiator and coolant too. i made brackets to lower my gas tank and radiator as far as i could, also added bigger torsions...heres a pic

Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:27 pm

Are you allowed to run coil overs in your class?

If not, some heavier bars will probably be in order. Also, the front end will handle differently and will tend to push through corners a bit more.

Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:30 pm

does it just pull wheel stands everywhere now? are those stock rear arms too?

Tue Dec 04, 2007 6:42 pm

rickosuave1987 wrote: Are you allowed to run coil overs in your class?

If not, some heavier bars will probably be in order. Also, the front end will handle differently and will tend to push through corners a bit more.

yes coil overs are allowed.. and i will probably change to coil overs in the rear. maby switching out to 3x5 arms???

Wed Dec 05, 2007 4:38 pm

well i ordered the adapter kit and clutch set up from kennedy :D and put my motor set up on the classifieds for sale http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=539283 so i guess im pretty commited now!! haha i will start posting pics as parts arrive. 3 or so weeks for the adapter kit. but im getting my motor this weekend and will be getting it ready. whoo hoo!!

Wed Dec 05, 2007 5:40 pm

twistingawrench wrote: does it just pull wheel stands everywhere now? are those stock rear arms too?

not at all....arms are only 1" over. good luck on your conversion... :wink:

Thu Dec 06, 2007 2:10 pm

With 3x3's the effect of the engine weight will be less due to the fact the rear wheels will be back further. So you shouldn't worry about wheelies. As Ricko said, it will have more understeer than it has now.

Thu Dec 06, 2007 2:45 pm

yea thats kind what im trying to avoid.. i think that going with 5x5 arms instead of the 3x3s that ive got will help transfer some of the weight to the front. i have the battery tool kit and power steering box all mounted up front as far as possible to help distribute the weight. do you think that those 5x5s would help? thanks

Fri Dec 07, 2007 8:02 am

Hey 1FASTHOE, how much does the 22 r weigh? Also, what diameter torsion bars do you run? I'm considering the same engine in my next rail.

Fri Dec 07, 2007 10:33 am

the longer arms will help out and like was said you may need to upgrade to coil overs . sounds like you may need to learn to redrive the car next year.

Fri Dec 07, 2007 12:33 pm

yea coilovers are in the near future anyway.. it looks like im gonna have to bust ass on getting this project done so i can go practice with it a few times before the season starts agin.. ohh well just an excuse to spend more money. haha

Fri Dec 07, 2007 4:58 pm

bonehead wrote: Hey 1FASTHOE, how much does the 22 r weigh? Also, what diameter torsion bars do you run? I'm considering the same engine in my next rail.

27MM, might want to go 28MM... not sure on the weight ?

Mon Dec 10, 2007 1:00 pm

ok so i went out and bought a new engine stand and threw my new/used sr20de engine up on it and started to tear it down. im not taking the head or anything off, just all the crap i wont be using and then sending out the brackets and intake and valve cover out to be powder coated.

in case you guys were wondering. the engine with the stock exhaust manifold and all the accessories on it weighed right around 305lbs the way it came out of the car. i think after im done taking all the crap off and have a stainless header on there it will be around 285 or so. at least thats what im hoping for. :-) ohh plus the radiator and fans and coolant, but i havent added up those weights yet..

Mon Dec 10, 2007 8:32 pm

what kind of rad. are you going to use ?
i like the orange 510 in the back ground... :wink:

Mon Dec 10, 2007 10:48 pm

how come you didnt go with the turbo sr20?

Tue Dec 11, 2007 12:59 pm

hey just a thought im running a mazda 12 a with a 4 bbl and a kcr trans 412 ring and pinion a great combo for short track the rotary weighs less than 40 pounds more and there is a radiator involved in the front wicked easy swap

Tue Dec 11, 2007 1:23 pm

1FASTHOE wrote: what kind of rad. are you going to use ?
i like the orange 510 in the back ground... :wink:

well im still kind of up in the air about what radiator to use. its either going to be a scarcco syle griffin or we were thinking about running 2 smaller radiators in series. i think that it would look freaking cool with 2 smaller ones but im gonna have to see what kind of room i have after the install.. DUDE!!! that orange 510 in the back ground is soooo damn cool!! just finished a full chromoly tig welded cage, its getting a rack and pinion swap with an sr20det and custom made rotors with zo6 calipers. ill take some pics of that thing tonight if i get the chance. :-)

Tue Dec 11, 2007 1:27 pm

shegel wrote: how come you didnt go with the turbo sr20?

i wish i could but i cant run turbos or superchargers in the class we are running. :( but with all the mods i can do to this engine i think ill be happy with it for a while..

ohh and as for the rotary, i thought about that but i wanted to go fuel injected and since my buddy makes the wiring harnesses for these engines and he knows them inside and out, i can drag his ass to the races as my know it all mechanic. plus factory redline on these engines is 7200 and with eliminating the rev limiter they will safely pull 8200rpm i figure thats enough at the moment. hhahaha

Wed Dec 12, 2007 6:22 pm

got to work on the motor last night for a while it got new oil pump and front cover, new water pump, and powder coated pullys and a few brackets. more powder coated parts to be coming soon, like the uper and lower intake and valve cover. also ordered my clutch disk and oil accumulator today. :D whoo hoo!!!

here is a better picture of that 510 that was in the background. ill take some more of it too as it comes along. no its not a vw but its cool reguardless.