It's a natural progression for most 240 owners-pick up a used chassis, beat the hell out of the KA (unless it craps out on you first), swap in a SR20DET because hey, we could all use more power, and proceed to spend frivolous amounts of money on bolt-ons to make that SR scream. When all is said and done, we'd guesstimate roughly 300 to 350hp would be satisfying, but by that point your car becomes fairly unstreetable as well. Your last alternative forces you to buy a beater Honda and let the Nissan sit in the garage, only to be driven on weekends because quite frankly, it's too damn scary to drive it like it's a normal car. We suggest another alternative for you 240 enthusiasts (and no, this doesn't require you placing any rainbow stickers on the back bumper)-how does RB power sound to you?
Gary Narusawa, along with Marco Vargas at SR20Store, recently kicked things off righteously for his own company, Syko Performance, with the release of a bolt-on swap kit that will allow all S13 and S14 owners to swap in the coveted RB25DET (or RB26DETT for those willing to go the extra mile). The kit's designed for easy RB25 installation mainly because an RB26 does require more modification to fit properly, but both will fit. The kit includes all the mounts and accessories you'll need to make it fit like it came from the factory. Once all is said and done, the jump in power is enough to make you think twice about why you even went SR in the first place (I know I did). As of press time, Syko Performance is only selling a DIY kit for the RB25DET, and during the next few months their RB26DETT package will only be available as a fully installed service by a qualified shop like SR20Store due to the complexities of this swap. Keep in mind, however, that just like the SR20DET swap, an RB25/RB26 engine conversion is not smog-legal and should be used for off-road use only, unless you like paying huge smog fines. Follow along as Gary and Marco give the SR20Store's S13 an engine conversion worthy of the gods.
 1. First things first-pull...  1. First things first-pull whatever motor's sitting in your engine bay. KA, SR, CA-get it out and refer to a manual if there are any pressing issues. Chances are that if you are removing a SR like Marco, you know a thing or two about engine swaps, so this should be fairly easy, although time consuming. |  2. Once the engine has been...  2. Once the engine has been removed, be prepared to start unbolting the engine brackets, crossmember and sway bar (if equipped). Syko's RB swap kit is designed to work only with the factory Skyline R33 GTS-T engine crossmember and metal engine brackets, so if you're thinking about ghetto-fabbing this thing together, then this kit isn't for you. |  3. If you're planning for...  3. If you're planning for the RB26 swap, Gary suggests a modified RB26 oil pan since he's seen a few engines go broke with the RB25 pan in place, not to mention an RB25 pan is missing a few key bolts towards the backside of the transmission that should not be left unmanned, especially when dealing with an engine conversion of this caliber. The RB26 oil pan needs to be modified to clear the front sway bar and have its side cut and welded to eliminate AWD. |
 4. Upon test-fitting the Syko...  4. Upon test-fitting the Syko RB26 downpipe, you'll see clearly that the oil return on the rear turbo must be modified to clear. |  5. Gary goes the distance...  5. Gary goes the distance for S13/S14 tuners by providing you with a new downpipe (RB26 shown), engine mounts, sway bar spacers and transmission adapter brackets that allow you to mount the transmission to the crossmember perfectly. |  6. The RB26 has to use an...  6. The RB26 has to use an RB25 front crank pulley to allow for more clearance from the radiator as well as proper alignment with the power steering pump since an RB26 crank does not line up with the RB25 power steering pump. Switching to the RB25 power steering pump is recommended to eliminate the HICAS pump on the R32 RB26DETT engine. |