How much to get a SR20 det swapped in?

[chunstone]

I have been wondering how much it would cost to have a SR20det swapped into my wagon. Seems like there are lots of parts and knowledge out there.
As I'm not a mechanic, I am looking for a price of the complete swap done by someone who would stand behind their work.
Thanks.

[okayfine]

I have been wondering how much it would cost to have a SR20det swapped into my wagon. Seems like there are lots of parts and knowledge out there.
As I'm not a mechanic, I am looking for a price of the complete swap done by someone who would stand behind their work.

Few people go this route, so it's tough to nail down a price. A ballpark guess would be $6000 plus engine, probably more, but perhaps less since you already have things like the fuel and cooling systems. Would be easier to buy a swapped car from someone reliable on The Realm or local to you. If you're fixin' to have this done to your wagon, I'd start calling places like Troy's, perhaps Steve Epperly of ZTherapy, or DGR (James Johnson has been happy with his work) and get real quotes from real shops. Perhaps Specialty Engineering is closer to you? In the end, perhaps you're rid of your VG that may only need some valve seals, but what new problems have you opened up for yourself with a turbo swap?

If you're not a mechanic I wonder why you bought the wagon you did. I also wonder why, in the mean time, you haven't acquired the/some skills in that regard under your 510 ownership period. Even if you get a swapped 510 from a shop, you're still going to have to deal with the regular maintenance and with things that pop up related to your swap. Likely the swap candidate engine will have no real history, so you don't know much more about it than what it looks like under the valve cover (if you even take it off) or what the compression is like (if you even test it). Between that and everything involved in the installation (nee: wiring), if/when something does go wrong, then what?

Perhaps as a stop-gap you can find someone to buy your VG swap and instead install an L-series back into it. Keeps it simple, makes it quick, gets you back on the road so you can enjoy your wagon. You'll also have money in your pocket and you can get used to things mechanical with the tried-and-true L-series. Then, when you're ready, you can take on another swapped 510.

If it were me, I'd take the collective solutions to your issues offered here and on the BB list, have them put into practice, then see where you are. If nothing else, might also be easier to have one of the aforementioned shops do the sorting of your VG swap - would certainly be cheaper. Find the right shop and you will also learn something.

[Ahut2000]

I have a sr20det swapped 510 wagon making 300whp i'd sell you. Body wise it needs minor attention but interior and mechanical wise everything is good.

[dp61]

If you want to pay someone you'd be looking around $10k inc parts. That is what McKinney Motorsports has quoted in the past....

[510-Trevor]

I agree with Okayfine, but with a little twist. Instead of undoing your current swap, find yourself a local mid 80's 300zx or 200sx(V6) that runs good. This way you can verify the condition of the motor. Now all you need is somebody to help R/R the motor (and ECU?).

With your location you should have no problem finding both.

PS: If you need to change anything (like the intake) to make the motor fit in the dime, do so prior to the swap so that you can see the motor run with the mods.

[okayfine]

I agree with Okayfine, but with a little twist. Instead of undoing your current swap, find yourself a local mid 80's 300zx or 200sx(V6) that runs good. This way you can verify the condition of the motor. Now all you need is somebody to help R/R the motor (and ECU?).

I do like this idea better, except Neil's issues quite likely surround the cylinder heads he has. Given his parts list in his sig, he'd probably want to transfer them over to the new mill. It would be magnitudes easier to fix what he has and rock on, but to this point he's been unable or unwilling to do so.

Still, swapping in a known-good VG could be accomlished relatively quickly, leading to downtime similar, if not less than, swapping back to an L-series. My thought with that was to get him going on doing his own mechanical stuff and a mild L-series is relatively mechanically simple. No matter which path he chooses, obtaining mechanical knowledge is a necessity.

[chunstone]

Thanks for the replys and thanks for all the help.
The reason I have asked the question is that recently a fellow here sold a complete plug and play VG 30 for a very low price of $2k. I would have given him $4k for it if I would have had the oppurtunity but the only day that I did not check this site.... It just seemed like the fellow had put a lot of energy into that setup.......

That makes me now believe that anything other than a SR20det in a 510 will never fetch it's full potential and since I have several issues maybe a complete rebuild, I might be money ahead to do what he did. 510 Keeper had someone else do his swap and has been enjoying.........
I know that next time I would demand wiring diagrams and road testing as well as dyno testing. See! I'm learning.

If the perimere engine for these 510 buggys are SR20 det then I would like for anyone interested to send me a quote.

I just drove my wagon and it cuts out and backfires along with the other things metioned above. I have ordered a leakdown tester....
As far as my engine goes I if anyone here can help me I would be willing to pay a good wage and travel to help get this thing going. Please feel free to PM me.

[okayfine]

The reason I have asked the question is that recently a fellow here sold a complete plug and play VG 30 for a very low price of $2k. I would have given him $4k for it if I would have had the oppurtunity but the only day that I did not check this site.

Why would you spend $4000 to replace what you already have? If you wanted (and could) spend $4K to swap in an SR or something, that's one thing, but to do what you propose is financially foolish.

If you want to pass on your cams and heads, just do what James said, buy a runner 300ZX, yank the engine, install it in place of your own. You'd have to do the same work as installing that PnP engine, this will be cheaper. What's the downside? Then you can sell your current VG with the heads and cams to someone to make back what you spent on the 300ZX. Win-win.

That makes me now believe that anything other than a SR20det in a 510 will never fetch it's full potential

This is a meaningless statement. A 510 "fetches" it's full potential when it is driven. Engine choice, beyond having a functioning engine, has no real bearing upon that, unless you're talking about selling a swapped car for the most amount of money possible. Then, possibly, an SR20DET is seen as the premier. Any other context is left up to the beholder.

and since I have several issues maybe a complete rebuild, I might be money ahead to do what he did.

You may or may not have "several" issues, you have not done the testing necessary determine what issues you ACTUALLY have. In any case, any issues you actually have, up to and including necessitating a complete rebuild, would still cost a small fraction of your $4000 dream engine swap, and half a small fraction of your installed-while-you-wait SR20DET swap. Explain how that would be money ahead?

510 Keeper had someone else do his swap and has been enjoying.

And old510ballz here had his swap performed by someone else and has redone everything about it. Also, his swap was performed by the same person who did James' swap.

I just drove my wagon and it cuts out and backfires along with the other things metioned above.

Because you have never bothered to attempt to fix what ails it, despite all the suggestions of the BB list. Quit bitchin' about it and start turning some wrenches on it.

Bottom line is, what happens when something goes wrong with your spendy new SR20DET swap? Who's going to fix that? You're going to be $10K poorer and STILL have a 510 you won't drive and can't fix. Swapped cars still go wrong all the time. If you can't fix it, and won't even try, a swapped car is not for you.

[JDM510]

10k to do a motor swap plus parts??? yeah mckinney is a RIP off!!!!!


i just finished my swap within one week and spents less then 1k!!!!!!


guess i need to open up a shop!!!!

[okayfine]

10k to do a motor swap plus parts??? yeah mckinney is a RIP off!!!!!

i just finished my swap within one week and spents less then 1k!!!!!!

guess i need to open up a shop!!!!

But, see, you have a horrible habit of lying and making yourself look like a complete idiot. No one would go to your shop.

[JDM510]

yeah your right huh cuz all my lies and miss information i could never pull off a motor swap huh???

[okayfine]

yeah your right huh cuz all my lies and miss information i could never pull off a motor swap huh???

Chris, your reading comprehension blows.

[JDM510]

no i can read im just harping on old comments you have made...

[okayfine]

no i can read im just harping on old comments you have made...

That are no less true today.

In any case, you didn't swap an SR20DET into your car for $1000 in a week. Nevermind you sold your car to some guy overseas (oh, right...). You can't buy an SR20DET for $1000. That, there, ends it.

Whatever you did with whatever you had for whatever you spent, you don't have McKinney overhead (shop space, tool cost, employees, etc.). To compare what you may or may not have done with what McKinney can do for a price is to compare rotten apples to fresh oranges. No one is claiming whatever point you were trying to make about McKinney being more expensive than DIY. We all know that.

[JDM510]

10k thats alot of overhead for a hack job

i have personaly delt with mac and let me just say it was not a experence i will ever do again....


also why a sr20???? total FAN boy motor if you ask me!!!!! i would rather have a ka-t powerd car ANYDAY!!!!