Nissan SR20DET Swap Guide — S13 / S14 240SX

The SR20DET is essentially the engine the 240SX was always meant to have — the JDM S13 Silvia came with the SR20DET from the factory. It nearly bolts right in with the right harness adapter.

Sourcing your engine: JDM SR20DET engines from Japanese S13 or S14 Silvias run $1,200–2,000 for a good core. The Red Top (early S13 spec) and Black Top (later, with better flowing head) are both excellent. Black Top is preferred for serious builds.

The swap requires a JDM SR20DET wiring harness or an adapter harness. UpRev and Xcessive Manufacturing make plug-and-play adapter harnesses for a clean install.

Fuel: The stock fuel rail and injectors (370cc) are fine to about 280whp. For 300whp+, upgrade to 550cc Nismo injectors and a Walbro 255 fuel pump.

Factory boost is 7–8 PSI from the stock T25 turbo. With a boost controller at 14 PSI, you are at about 220–230whp. For real power: swap the T25 for a GT2860R or Garrett G25-450. At 20 PSI you will see 310–330whp.

ECU: The stock ECU can run the engine but is limited. UpRev Osiris is the most popular tune for stock ECU. For modded builds, the Haltech Platinum Sport 2000 or a Link G4X is the better call.

Drift-specific setup: Budget for an S14 5-speed with a shorter final drive ratio for improved response under load.