Rotay engine swap???

Has anyone seen any info on doing a swap for a s14 with a 13b, or 20b mazda rotary???

i dont see how this will benefit you in any way, but sure if you have money coming out of your A$* then sure go ahead and have fun with that one

Rotary swap would be neat, it won't be cost effective mind you =p

It actually wouldn't be bad. A rotory engine is capable of amazing numbers. If you try it do a number of thing: record everything, take lots of photos, and remember who your inspiration was :)

i dont see how this will benefit you in any way

yeah, more power and better weight distribution is for chumps. :uhoh:


meggala.com theres a pic of one in an S13 but no info.

Do It!!!

how much would it cost? Because my cousin has an extra 13b turbo and he told me it would be nice to put it in my car. He built his own 13b motor and he told me all i need to do is basically buy the motor mounts and get the ecu and do some tranny work and voila. But its sounds to easy to me.

i dont see how this will benefit you in any way...
You don't think the wankel would be an upgrade over a KA, SR, or CA?? Think again, my friend.

It would cost more then buying a damn FC.

It wouldn't be cheap, but it WOULD be of benefit. It would be an absolute beast.

Feasability level would be low though.

Weight distribution would be a laugh and a half. Great track car, drifting would be a challenge.

At least you'd be able to outrun the Nissan purist lynch mobs.

What Does Eveyone Assume Everything Would Cost So Much.....

Simply Put If You Don't Have The Skill To Do It Yourself Why Bother Doing It? Everything Will Cost You 10x More Than If You Did It Yourself!

My buddy owns a shop that specializes in RX7s so forget about install costs, the 2 of us can do it as a project. My main reason for considering this would be the benefit of weight distribution, being such a unique project, and the potential of the 13b.

It would be perfect for time attack/track. Unbelievable handling.

My main concerns are making custom motor mounts, Geting the ECU/electronics to work(the easiest way would be to salvage them from an RX7).

The engine I've priced out at about $1500 shipped. But I don't know what I'm going to do about the tranny, if it fits great but I'm still just throwing around the idea.
After preping the engine and doing the swap I'll save up to start looking at other upgrades like bigger turbos ext...

What Does Eveyone Assume Everything Would Cost So Much.....

I agree with surfman, I've already shaved atleast $800 just by doing the re-wiring of the whole car, All I need are custom engine & tranny mounts cuz I can't weld, and someone to custom fab me a dash gauge, I don't want to use the S14 cuz it only goes to 120mph, and then rewiring the sho harnes to the S14 gauge cluster will be a bitch.
Anyway, as long as you've got the knowledge anything is possible, but if you can't then I would sauggest going the cheaper route. I think it will be greatly advisable if you've got a strong interest in cars, got take some Auto-tech classes at your local community college, I tell you it will really help, you'll get an idea of how things should go, know how to get what you want and best yet, you get to cut the cost in over half.
I see my self messing with cars for the rest of my life even if not as a carrer and I'm comfortable knowing I can do most things, except for the comp and tunning part of it, that requires alot of education.

Oh yeah, and the weight distribution is gonna be really tight. Remember they put an SR20 in the 350Z for better weight, weight distribution means alot if you are a pro or trying to go into really intense racing.

would the steering column and some be able to fit properly??

i would think the driveshaft would need to be modified

if you do get it to work go to shows and win some prizes LoL

and unless its your daily driving car i wouldnt deal with all the extras lik radio, a/c, etc.

Oh yeah, and the weight distribution is gonna be really tight. Remember they put an SR20 in the 350Z for better weight, weight distribution means alot if you are a pro or trying to go into really intense racing.
Good point. I wish people would recognize this more. The SR is an animal for the weight. So many Americans want to jump on the RB bandwagon with an RB20 instead of an SR. The SR is SO much smaller weight-wise, and displacement is virtually the same.

My son is doing an RB swap (RB20 out...RB26DETT in) currently and after working with so many SRs the RBs seem so HUGE. The SRs are like toys in comparison, but thr SR20DET makes so much more sense than an RB20DET.

The wankel isn't as gigantic as and RB though is it?

The wankle engines are very small, I saw one, they are about as long as two cyl, they are usually tons lighter than 4-strokes cuz they got very little reciprocating mass and most of the valve trin is gone.

it's a freakin 1.3L, geos have that kinda of engine size!! But cool thing is they put a lot of power, if u know a lot about those engines, they seem like a very good and simple engine. Dont have to worry about valves or pistons going bad or knocking cuz they dont have pistons, their rotors. weird thing is that it doesnt put a lot of torque.

yeah, but u need to take care of them(rotarys) or they will burn up on u...few have seen 200k+ miles most only see 80-100k

honestly, chassis wise, your goin to step down from a RX-7. the RX-7 weights 2800lbs. pretty light. a S13 weights 2600lbs. so thats a 200lbs difference. however its not as wide. also your degrading from a double wish bone suspension to a mac pherson strut. also the chassis is alot more flexiable. so to make it as stiff as a RX-7 you would need bracing which will bring it closer to the original weight of the RX-7. also by putting in larger brakes will also bring the weight closer to the RX-7.

now considering all that. the chassis of the FD is soo much more superior to the S13. even the S14 and S15 handles notically better. but that will totally negate the weight difference, and still degrading the front suspension.

so what is the point? why put a superior engine in a inferior chassis that hardly weights less in the end?

My son is doing an RB swap (RB20 out...RB26DETT in)


RB26 Laurel. Yummy!

RB26 Laurel. Yummy!
Finally got the registration done today. It is gonna be pretty cool. Pics coming soon.

The Superiority Of The Rb20 Over The Sr20 Lies In The Extra 2 Cylinders.... This Has Been Gone Over And Over Again And A 70lbs Weight Difference Is Not Even Noteable. Thats Really A Intake And Exhaust Manifold Swap.

As For The Rx-7 Chassis Comparison..... Why Would You Need To Brace The Car To Act Like A Rx7? Thats Stupid You Would Want The S-chassis To Handle Like A S-chassis. Under Hard Driving Conditions I Actually Prefer The S-chassis Plantend Feeling As Compared To The Rx7s Tail Happy Hard Cornering. I've Driven The Cars In Question (s13/4, Fc/d).... Fd Is By Far Superior But Its Development Had Greater Funding And Its Price Range Was Almost Double That Of The 240sx In The Same Modle Year.

Rotaries Are Very Reliable.... Anything Said Other Wise Is Internet Myths And Down Right Fear Of Superiority. The Rotary Engine Itself Is Very Light And Compact Its All The Crap That You Put On Top Of It Thats Adds Up And Looks Like A Freaking Jungle Of Hoses.

Why Does Everyone Assume That When You Swap Engines You Need All The Chassis Bracing Of The Previous Car?

Hell My 280z Case In Point Would Be A Perfect Example Of Why Your Intellegence Is Lacking. The 74 Camaro Had A Hard Frame With Quad Roof Crossbeams And Rear Trunk Supports.... My 280z Is A Uni-body With Strut Tower Bars. The Engine From That Camaro Was Put In The 280z And The Power Was Doubled And I Have No Problems With Chassis Flex And Handling Abilities Have Actually Increased.

The Superiority Of The Rb20 Over The Sr20 Lies In The Extra 2 Cylinders.... This Has Been Gone Over And Over Again And A 70lbs Weight Difference Is Not Even Noteable...
2 extra cylinders? Same freaking displacement. The number of cylinders is meaningless. The length of the engine places a completely Different setup for center of gravity over the front axle. It rides higher and takes up MUCH more space. If one is to do an RB swap....don't screw around with and RB20...what a waste of space and time....go RB25 or 6...

2 Cylinders Doesn't Matter?

Ok Why Wouldn't F1 Race Teams Just Put A Ka24de In The Car Rather Than Build A 8 Cylinder 2.4l? Number Of Cylinders Has Alot To Do With Power. The Rb20 Is Very Potent And Has Just As Much Potential If Not More Than The Rb25.

With A Rb20 And A Rb26dett Valvetrain (which Is Possible It Only Takes Custom Bearings) The Rb20 Can Rev Out To Well Over 10k Rpm. Match That With The Proper Cam, Intake Setup, And Turbo And You Have A Very Potent Race Engine.

Just Let Me Pose This To You I've Had 2 Rb20dets, 2 Rb25dets, And 1 Rb25de.... I Settled With The Rb20det, Now Why Would I Do That If It Was Worthless? Nope Its Because I Realised More Power, More Revs, And Lower Costs.

As For Weight Distribution.... There Was A Thread On Nico That Someone Weighed Their Car With A Rb25det And A Stock Car And The Weight Distribution Was Still The Same.... The Weight Difference Is Mainly In The Tranny Which Sits In The Center Of The Car.

And Cylinder 2 Sits Over The Front Centerline.... Thats Less Over Hanging Weight Than A Ka.

i was comparing a FD to a S13. in this case there is no comparison. my arguement is that the S13's chassis is very weak and very flexible stock. as compared to a stock FD chassis, the S13 chassis is trash. so it would defeat the purpose of swaping a engine in a weak flexable chassis with inferior suspension that hardly weights less. that was my argument. your defense was swapping in a 350 into a 280Z. well the difference in weight is pretty big comparing a old F body to a old Z chassis, so the weight difference would make up for it.

but all i'm sayin is that the S chassis is very flexable and weak stock wise. so why swap in a rotary from a FD into a S13? you honestly think strut bars will make up the difference in torsion ridgidity of a chassis? maybe from both ends, but it won't prevent it bending down the middle. also your main goal is for handling right? then those 2 factors definitly will cause inferior handling. cheap front suspension with very narrow track, and by putting even less weight over the strut suspension, the car is more prone to understeer compared to a FD. also i as i will mention again, with the chassis bending, the suspension isn't even doing all the work, and with the chassis flexing your alignment angle is goin to be varied slightly depending on load and bumps on the road. which again will effect handling.

so why? there is no handling or weight advantages from doin this swap.

if your talkin about a FC. then alright maybe thats different because the FC got this weird multilink trailing arm set up in the rear. but with a FD. no way. and about the slightly tail happy handling biase of a FD can easily be changed with a slightly harder setup in the front.

however if your talkin about cost, then yes you can get a S chassis for much cheaper then you can get a FD. so in the end it all comes down to the mighty dollar.

Thats Not Entirely True... A Camaro Rs Like The One I Got My Motor From Weighs 3250.... My Car Weighs Stock 2830.

Ok Here Is Another Thing.... Rb Swaps. Your Taking A Motor From A Car With Far Superior Suspensions And Chassis Rigidty And Throwing It Into A Weaker Car With Great Results. A Rotarty Doesn't Produce Near Enough Torque To Cause Chassis Bending In Stock Form.... With A Sr20 And 13b Being Pretty Similar In Power Output With The Sr Having More Torque Your Arguement Is Negated By Fact.

You Do Relize The 13b Was Founbd In A Few Mazda Cars Right? Not Just The Fd.

GASP!!!





Blasphemy!

I will not even bother............................................ ..






NUFF SAID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would like to thank you all for your input!!! When ever I post questions you guys always give me alot to chew over and I appreciate it.
To answer some of the quaries out there let me tell ya what the full project is....
This swap would go into my 96' s14 chasis. "S14" have loved it since the release and have been craving it ever since. The RX7 is an awsome car but after driving both I prefer the cornering and overall handling of my s14 besides the looks. With my TEIN SS coilovers and front and rear sway bars I can't ask for more. I'm in the process of aquiring parts for the 300zx brake upgrade for the front, once I'm finished with that I'm putting all of my attention on this swap.
I've heard great things about big custom intake manifolds for the 13b putting out some monster power numbers.

The Rb20 Is Very Potent And Has Just As Much Potential If Not More Than The Rb25.
If that were true why the hell did Nissan even BOTHER with an RB25?

Because Its Cheaper (from A Manufacturer Standpoint) And Easier To Get 30 Hp By Increasing The Displacement And Compression Ratio.

I would like to thank you all for your input!!! When ever I post questions you guys always give me alot to chew over and I appreciate it.
To answer some of the quaries out there let me tell ya what the full project is....
This swap would go into my 96' s14 chasis. "S14" have loved it since the release and have been craving it ever since. The RX7 is an awsome car but after driving both I prefer the cornering and overall handling of my s14 besides the looks. With my TEIN SS coilovers and front and rear sway bars I can't ask for more. I'm in the process of aquiring parts for the 300zx brake upgrade for the front, once I'm finished with that I'm putting all of my attention on this swap.
I've heard great things about big custom intake manifolds for the 13b putting out some monster power numbers.
you should consider putting the 13B-RE in it :naughty: