Nissan Skyline RB engine into E46

**Banoodle** · 08-20-2013, 04:34 PM

Hi all,

I'm so close to completing an engine swap, the RB20DET R32 Skyline engine into my old 323Ci:

It runs and moves under it's own steam but I cannot get the temp gauge working, I have rev counter and speedo but after 20 seconds of the car idling the temp gauge shoots to hot and the red light comes on despite the engine being cold.

Excuse the mess, its a work in progress!

Now I believe I have the right two pin plug attached to the temp sender but it's not happy, any ideas as I'm stumped, I cannot see what pin it connects to in the ecu that feeds back to the instrument cluster on Autodata.

Thanks

P

**bry195** · 08-21-2013, 09:48 PM

I dont know enough about what you have or what you are doing to the car but....my e38 did the same stuff to me. I unhooked both battery leads and touched them to each other for like 30 seconds to drain the caps and hooked everything back up. problem solved. the e38 has to recalibrate or something and thats the way it does it.

**Beat92240** · 08-22-2013, 08:30 AM

Pretty neat seeing another RB guy on here! Too bad you didn't have a 26 though I have a ton of spare parts left over.....
Put up a video when shes done!

**Please hate** · 08-22-2013, 09:24 AM

Looks nice I haven't seen this swap done before if you don't mind me asking how much is the estimate two do this swap??

**Zodiacbw** · 08-22-2013, 11:41 AM

The E46 cluster is looking for a temp input from the DME over the CAN bus.

**Johnbennett103** · 08-23-2013, 08:59 AM

Please post more pictures! Looks like a great project.

**Thaniel** · 08-23-2013, 05:07 PM

Need more info on what wiring you have? You kept the dme? My guess is the sender you are using is giving the dme a value it deem as an error. It then just gives up and sends the needle full hot. But it also does that if the can bus messages are sent strangely. By the way great work on making a unique swap.

**Banoodle** · 08-24-2013, 02:25 AM

Thanks for the replies

I wimped out for now and got a separate gauge!

Please Hate - I chose the RB20 mainly for cost reasons, I got an entire front subframe/engine/box for £800, it came with an OS Geiken twin plate clutch that sold for £230 and 2 Tein coilovers that I sold for £90!

Considering that the clutch was on it's way out on the M52 and that alone for the part was £500, I though why not. And an RB25 would fit straight in at a later date but the transmission tunnel might need some massaging with a sledgehammer.

I have a background in Nissans so I brought Nistune and for now will get the power to around 320bhp and go from there if I feel like it, maybe replace the R33 T3 with a GT2871R when funds allow.

I'll post some more pics soon as I'm a few days away from having it tested and taxed.

the biggest hassle was finding a sump/oil pan as only the RB30 and RD28's had them and finding one was a nightmare, I ended up buying a Nissan Patrol but got my money back by selling the RB30 block to a skyline owner

Thaniel,

I kept the original BMW ECU in place as I knew not much would work without it but I think I've got the wrong sensor, I'm on a tight timescale now as the car I'm running about in is due for anoth 6 months of UK road tax and theres no point paying out £140+ to drive it for a week so I just need to get the BM back on the road.

The full spec of the car will be:

1999 323Ci
RB20DET
Ported and polished head
RB30 rear sump
RPS clutch
RB30 flywheel
Mercedes MB100 clutch slave cylinder 1" bore
Walbro 180/200/240sx fuel pump
R33 steel turbo
Front mount plenum
Nistune mappable ECU
345mm front discs and Willwood calipers
M3 rear subframe, Diff & 330mm rear discs
180/200/240sx Greddy Front mount intercooler
Adjustable FPR
Custom 3" bore exhaust

**auaq** · 08-24-2013, 08:16 PM

Hmmm ... RB swap is lovely, but sadly since we drive on the other side of the road it is a bit difficult to deal with the exhaust manifold getting in the way because of the steering column. You lads are lucky!

**Banoodle** · 08-25-2013, 03:12 AM

Originally Posted by auaq

Hmmm ... RB swap is lovely, but sadly since we drive on the other side of the road it is a bit difficult to deal with the exhaust manifold getting in the way because of the steering column. You lads are lucky!

The steering column is the same reason why I didn't turbo the M52, that was my original plan, the same reason made the 1JZ or 2JZ swap a pain.

I took it for a bit of a test drive yesterday and although it is only running 7psi it sounds awesome and spat flames

**auaq** · 08-25-2013, 09:10 PM

Originally Posted by Banoodle

The steering column is the same reason why I didn't turbo the M52, that was my original plan, the same reason made the 1JZ or 2JZ swap a pain.

I took it for a bit of a test drive yesterday and although it is only running 7psi it sounds awesome and spat flames

In regards of turbocharging any bmw engines and putting in the 1j/2j swap, then you lads aren't lucky.