SR Powered

Today I started to install the three Stri gauges I had ordered. I was a bit hesitant about starting this as I thought it would involve some more cutting and splicing. To my surprise I found that Stri includes a plug and play harness with each gauge! All I had to do was make four splices for the initial power and ground. The harnesses include plenty of wire and they plug right into the sensor (which is included).

I also installed the oil pressure and water temperature sensors in their locations. Right now I am working on drilling the holes that will house the three gauges in the radio delete panel. Once I get that all set I am going to try to snap some pictures of my progress.

Turbo Project

Today I took the plunge and drilled and tapped the block for the oil drain on the turbo. As I stated in part one the tools you will need to do this are as follows:

• Drill
• 23/32 drill bit
• 1/2″ NPT tap

It is suggested that you use cutting fluid when tapping the hole. I forgot to purchase the cutting fluid and could not find it locally, so I used motor oil in lieu of the cutting fluid. The motor oil worked well for me, but you need to be particularly careful to ensure that you do not break the tap in the hole.

The following details the process that I used to drill and tap my block.

First, you need to drain the engine oil. After this is done place the drain plug back into the lower pan. This will keep the excess oil in the pan once it is removed, which allows you to carefully dump it without making a mess. Next remove the lower oil pan by removing the 10mm bolts that fasten it to the upper pan. Once the bolts are removed it may be tricky to separate the lower pan from the upper without damaging the fairly soft lower pan. There is a special tool that is designed for this job, but it is also possible to complete the task carefully with a screwdriver and hammer.
Removing the lower pan will reveal the oil pickup and baffle plate. I opted to remove the baffle plate next to get it out of the way. Next comes the removal of the upper oil pan which can be a challenge.

Following the FSMs instructions, you will need to remove two 10mm nuts on the side of the engine that is closest to the transmission. These two nuts are concealed by a plate that needs to be removed (two 10mm bolts). Removal of these nuts is particularly tricky with the engine in the car. I was able to get them out using a short 10mm socket, a universal joint, and an extension. From here you just follow the FSMs instructions for removing the rest of the bolts. Ensure all needed bolts are removed before attempting to remove the upper pan.

Once all of the bolts are removed, the FSM suggests that you use one of the bolts that mate the engine to the transmission (on the engine side) to thread through an open hole in the pan. This will separate the upper pan from the block. This would work great with the engine out of the car, but I did not have the clearance to follow through with these instructions. Luckily there is a small gap between the upper pan and the block where you can use a screw driver to pry. This gap is located on the front part of the block closest to the transmission. Use a beefy screwdriver to pry. Once one side is separated, work your way around the rest of the pan. Once the pan is free, remove it and set it aside.

With the pans out of the way you can start the drilling process. I suggest using a straight edge and a ruler to find the exact center of the boss you are going to drill. I was able to use a regular 19 volt cordless drill since my radiator was not installed. With the radiator installed, space will be tight if you try to use anything but a right angle drill. With the exact center of the boss marked, I used a very small drill bit to start. Pay close attention to the angle of your drill bit. If you have the drill angled too high, the bit will break through the back of the block in a bad spot. This will become a big problem as you step up to larger drill bits. There is no set increment for the drill bit sizes, just increase the size of the bits as you see fit. The last bit you use is the 23/32” bit.

With the hole drilled, it is time to tap the block. Again, the use of cutting fluid is encouraged; however motor oil can be used in a pinch. The process I used seemed to work well. For every full turn of the tap, back it out half a turn. This will slow your progress a bit, but it will help clear some of the shavings out of the threads. Once you reach the end of the hole, back the tap out all the way. After thoroughly cleaning the tap (I used motor oil for this), chase the threads a few more times to clean them up. I then cleaned the newly tapped hole with motor oil again to make sure all of the shavings were removed.

After the hole has been tapped, ensure your fitting threads properly. If it does, replace the pans in reverse order being sure to follow the FSMs instructions, torque specs, and order.

After doing this for the first time, the process is not overly complicated. It does require great care to ensure you do not damage your block. I know some people feel that they can manage the shavings by keeping the upper pan in place and using compressed air. My feeling is that following this process will ensure the job is done correctly. Plus the removal of the upper pan allow you to see exactly where the drill bit is breaking through the back of the block.

Keep in mind that this is just a guide. I take no responsibility for any damage that you may inflict on your block by following this guide. Happy drilling!

Chris' 2000 Sentra SE, Turbo Project

Today I unofficially ended the naturally aspirated part of the Sentras life! While working on the oil feed and drain for the turbo, I decided to remove the rest of the Hotshot header. Seven years of salted PA roads took their toll on the exhaust system! If it wasn’t for the electric impact gun, I probably would have resorted to a hammer and chisel! Eventually the cat-back is going to have to come out, but that is going to require that I cut the bolts so for now it just dangles under the car.

After that ordeal, I drained the engine oil and removed the oil filter. With the oil filter removed, I unscrewed the factory oil pressure sender (for the factory dummy light) to make way for the Custom Steel oil distribution block. This block provides two 1/8 NPT ports (one for the oil feed and another for an oil pressure gauge) as well as a 1/8 BPST port for the factory oil pressure sender. In order to relocate the oil pressure sender, I had to extend the wire by a few inches. From there it was just a matter for routing the oil feed line and bolting the oil distribution block to the axle.

The rest of the supplies I needed to drill and tap the block for the oil return arrived earlier this week. I still need a factory exhaust gasket, but that will not hold the process up at this point.

Gauges have been a sore spot for some time now. My initial decision was to go with all 45mm Omori gauges. That was simple enough, until I tried to actually find the gauges! It seems that Omori Japan went out of business, but their North American wing was/is going to take over production. Right now inventory is lagging as they try to play catch-up. Another problem I ran into is the fact that Omori NA has not seen a demand for a water temperature gauge, so they will not be making one of those in the foreseeable future. Currently the only 45mm gauges that are available are boost and EGT.

After measuring my center console, I may have enough room to mount 52mm gauges which would allow me to run at least boost and oil pressure (since I’m not interested in EGT at the moment). So I bit the bullet and ordered 52mm boost and oil pressure gauges from J-Spec Tuning. If they don’t fit in the center console, I will seek to mount them in a clean way on the steering column.

J-Spec Tuning is the only place I could find online that seems to have a decent inventory of Omori gauges. I called them a week ago and the guy I spoke to was extremely helpful and polite. Not to mention he was full of information about what was going on with Omori. He mentioned that in June Omori may be releasing a 45mm oil pressure gauge as well. Another point of interest he brought up was the fact that the new Omori gauges will use different sending units. This means you cannot mix and match the old gauges with the new sending units. Keep that in mind if you find a used set of gauges for sale.

So now I await the arrival of the gauges. It looks like it is going to rain the next few days, so chances are I won’t get to tap the block this week. Once I do that, I will post the process I used as promised.

Chris' 2000 Sentra SE, Turbo Project

One major part of turbo charging an SR20DE is creating an oil return path for the oil that is exiting the turbo. This process can be nerve-racking since many people opt to drill a hole in the block for the oil return. Some people choose to run the return right into the oil pan, but I have heard varying opinions on doing that so I choose to stick with the tried and true method of tapping the block.

The process of tapping the block is not overly complicated, it just requires great care as a mistake here can put you in a bad place!

Drilling and tapping the block requires a few tools:

• Drill
• 23/32 drill bit
• 1/2″ NPT tap

22/32 is the final size the hole will need to be before you can tap it using the 1/2″ NPT tap. It is recommended that you use smaller drill bits to start and progressivly build up to the 22/32 bit. This will reduce the likleyhood that the block will be damaged during the drilling process.

Connecting the oil drain from your turbo to the hole in the block will vary by application. I have an oil return flange on my turbo that gives me a -10 AN threaded outlet. I speced-out the needed fittings from AN Plumbing. In this case I used a -10 AN fitting on the turbo side and a -10 AN to 1/2″ NPT  45* fitting on the block side. Once again I will be using the Koul Tools product to assemble the lines, since they worked very well with my -6 AN lines.

In part two of this series, I will detail the process I used to drill and tap my engine block.

Chris' 2000 Sentra SE, Turbo Project

Today I installed the fuel lines that I created yesterday. I also took this opportunity to install the water feed and return lines for the turbo as well. In addition, I assembled the intake manifold for what I hope will be the last time.

I found that there may be some clearance issues with the temperature sender for an aftermarket water temperature gauge when used with the Custom Steel water adapter. It appears that there may not be enough room between the water adapter and the alternator bracket. I will address this issue when the time arises.

Here are some of the things I want to take care of before I can try to start the car.

• Secure the ECU grounds on the back of the block
• Finish the wiring of the IACV
• Cap an unused coolant nipple
• Mock up part of my old CAI with the MAF and filter (To start the car in N/A form)
• Finish the vacuum routing for the IACV-Air Regulator
• Connect vacuum line for EVAP purge solenoid

Some of these things are not needed to start the car, but they are things I would like to get done. I will post updated pictures when I make some more progress.

Chris' 2000 Sentra SE, Turbo Project

Building your own AN lines can be a great source of frustration for many car enthusiasts. This is the first time I have attempted to make my own lines, and I thought that doing some research first would make the job easier. Unfortunately I found that almost everyone had a different method on of what worked for them.

There were a few times when I was trying other processes that I thought about scrapping the idea of using braided stainless steel line. Earls Performance Plumbing has a system of creating custom hoses using their Super Stock hose and Super Stock hose ends. The Super Stock system is a push-on type system. This may sounds a bit flimsy, but the system is designed to hold around 250PSI without the use of hose clamps! Take a look at the Earl’s Store #1 (anplumbing.com) YouTube page for videos on how the Super Stock hose is assembled. The following is my account on what process worked well in my case using Earl’s Perform-o-Flex hose and Swivel Seal hose ends.

The first step I took was to mark the braided stainless steel line at the length I needed it. For this I ended up using regular masking tape, since I found using other types of tape (electrical, etc) did not have an impact on the amount of fraying caused by the cutting process.

Next I cut the hose, being sure to leave about 1/8” of tape on the side of the hose that will be inserted into the AN hose end socket. To perform the cutting, I ended up using my Dremel with a reinforced cutting wheel. The down side to this is that you will go through the wheels quickly when using stainless steel hose. In addition, depending on the size of the hose, you may not be able to cut through the entire hose with one cut. This is because the diameter of the Dremel wheels is not that large. Using -6AN hose, I had to make two cuts (one on the front and one on the back). If you already have an angle grinder, I suggest getting a cutoff wheel for that instead. In any case, you will still be able to make a clean cut with minimal fraying using a Dremel. Just make sure you have plenty of cutoff wheels!

After the hose is cut to length, the freshly cut end needs to be inserted the socket portion of the AN hose end. This is probably the most difficult step in the entire process. Some people suggested using a small screwdriver to wedge the hose into the socket, but this requires a somewhat elegant touch which I don’t possess. I came across a tool called the Koul Tool from Koul Tools LLC. This tool makes inserting the hose into the socket much less difficult. In addition, it reduces the likelihood that you will scratch the socket during this step.

Once the hose is in the socket portion of the hose end, you need to assemble the rest of the hose end. For this step you need to secure the socket and hose in a vice. Summit Racing sells the vice jaw liners made by Earl’s Plumbing. I suggest using these, since they will not only properly secure the hose and socket, but it will also reduce the likelihood that the vice will scratch the finish on the socket. Next, I coated the nipple portion and the threads on the hose end with engine oil. After this, I thread the hose end into the socket until there is only about a 1/16” gap between the socket and the hose end. You should be able to use a regular chrome open ended wrench for this, but if you wish Earl’s sells special wrenches that are designed to prevent scratching of the hose end. During this process, ensure that the hose has not backed out of the socket by using a reference mark. If the hose has backed out, you should start over.

That’s all that’s needed. A few people have suggested that you rinse the hose with some solvent to make sure it is clean. For my custom fuel lines, I will probably run some gasoline through them to ensure they are clean and that any debris is flushed out.

This is the process that worked for me, but your results may vary. It will take some practice to get it right. I scratched up my first few hose ends, but I slowly got better as I gained more experience. Below is an example of some of my first lines. You can click on the image to be taken to my gallery with more pictures.

Chris' 2000 Sentra SE, Turbo Project

Taking advantage of some warmer (I used that term loosley) weather, I have been doing some workon the turbo setup.

I purchased a used B14 valve cover and confirmed that it fit on my engine. SInce it did, it will be going to the powder coaters along with a few other parts. I am waiting on a few more parts to arrive so that I can button up the rest of the B14 intake manifold conversion.

Today I focused on getting the turbo parts in order. They came back from Sawin Technologies a few weeks ago. I painted them with some high temp engine paint, just to match the other powder coated parts. Below is a link to the gallery with pictures of the newly finished parts.

The rest of the weekend I will be working on wiring a few things up, and hunting down some properly size fuel hose.

Things are moving slowly, but they are moving!

Gallery of Swain coated parts

Chris' 2000 Sentra SE, Turbo Project

When I was installing the top portion of the B14 intake manifold (along with the throttle body) today, I discovered what has been a known issue for a while.

What happens is that the B14 intake manifold puts the throttle body closer to the valve cover. In addition the roller rocker engine valve cover juts out just a bit more than a standard SR20DE valve cover. This causes the rod that the throttle plate connects into to rub against the valve cover. Not only will the scratch up an non coated valve cover, but it would quickly rub the finish on a painted or powder coated valve cover (which I planned to do).

A secondary problem to this is that the roller rocker valve cover has the PCV closer to the distributer side of the valve cover. The standard DE valve cover has the PCV located right next to the oil fill cap. I call this a secondary problem because you can still run the roller rocker valve cover with a custom hose from the PCV to the intake manifold. However, since I want things to look as stock as possible, I want to run a factory PCV hose.

The throttle body rubbing issue can be solved in a few ways:

1. Use Outlaw Engineering thermobloc spacers. These will move the intake manifold further away from the valve cover, providing more clearance.
2. Use a regular DE valve cover. This will allow for better clearance of the throttle body. In addition it will allow you to use the factory PCV hose from a B14, since the PCV is in a different location.

Note: A regular SR20DE valve cover will fit on a roller rocker engine, but a roller rocker engine valve cover will not fit on a regular SR20DE.

Chris' 2000 Sentra SE, Turbo Project

The last few coolant hoses and clamps I was waiting on arrived earlier this week. Today I installed the lower portion of the intake manifold as well as installing the injectors, fuel rail, and the injector wiring harnesses.

The injector harness for injector number four will not seat properly, so I have to check that out tomorrow. I may need to solder on another connector. One thing I did not realize is that the JWT fuel rail requires that the B14 air regulator unit be relocated. Right now this is not a big deal, since it seems like the air regualtor may not be needed (more research will be required).

Other then that, I need to try getting the B14 hoses for the heater core coolant inlet and outlet. The B15 ones could work, but they are a bit stretched out after almost ten years. In addition, I am going to do the same for the main vacuum hose that goes to the brake booster. I’m not sure that I can get the B15 one to work without kinking it.

I will be doing a bit more work tomorrow, so I will try and grab some pictures of the progress.

Chris' 2000 Sentra SE, Turbo Project

Today I installed the B14 water neck, thermostat housing, and a new thermostat. After that I spliced the B14 TPS harness in place of the B15 one.

I also took the time to mock up the lower portion of the B14 intake manifold. This was more or less to see how everything would sit, as well as to attempt to find some smaller parts I may need. This is an important step, as no matter how through you are there will always be small things that you overlook. For example, today I discovered that I had not order hose clamps for the coolant tube that connects the intake manifold to the coolant neck. I also need an EGR block-off plate.

After recreating my ECU conversion spreadsheet today, I think I may have discovered an error in my wiring. It’s not a huge deal, but it is something I have noted in case it causes issues on startup.

Not a whole lot of progress was made, but I’m OK with that, as long as everything is done correctly.

Chris' 2000 Sentra SE, Turbo Project