Thread: NA AWD SR20DE Info

Hey everyone. Well I finally got off my ass today and took apart the junk motor that came with my shell.

I've seen a thread similar to this on the old forum before. I'm just adding to the previous info to say what I have confirmed.

Pistons are flat tops so 10:1 COmpression.
Another cool thing I found was 5J Exhaust valves. I read on the old forum that the 5J was stamped on sodium filled exhaust valves. ONce I pull the valves out i will confirm the 7mm diameter on the stems.

So if any of you run into a Sr20 with 78E stamped on the block and it does not have a turbo or the oil return at the bottom of the block well then gents you have yourself a 10:1 motor with Sodium valves. MIght be useful to some guys that might run into this rare one at the engine importers.

Head is 53J high port. Block is the 78E version.

Another good way to tell, is it has " UK 101" stamped on the side of the head next to the disty. I'm guessing it means UK 10:1 .IIRC . Them engines were indestructible ....

This is common knowedge that all 10 to 1 motors have sodium filled exhaust valves. No need to confirm this.

All UK 10 to 1 motors are easy to spot as they all come with the burgandy valve cover. UK 10 to 1 s come lowport and highport

I've purchased 3 JDM SR20 engines from my local importer, all have turned out to be 10:1 w/ sodium valves (I've eventually torn each one apart and verified) All of them from a glance looked just like any other SR20DE I've seen. Never really bothered to look at the numbers stamped on the head/block tho.

so whats the advantage of this motor? can someone post a pic of the valve cover or motor.. theres a import place down in baltimore that sells motors and im going to probably pick my own motor and if i spot this i will get it..

From my understanding, if you spot an NA SR20DE with a red valve cover, its almost certainly a UK 10:1 motor (Unless someone swapped valve covers).

For all the rest of the JDM SR20DEs, its just a luck of the draw, not sure anyones come up with a way to tell from the outside if its a 10:1 or 9.5:1 motor.

Forget about trying to get a 10 to 1 over 9.5 to 1 motor the power diffrence is not worth it. To much wasted energy. You mostlikely will get a 19 to 1 motor just close your eyes and pick

.5 more compression is only worth 5 more CHP at best

man 5 more is better then nuthing. i fi had a chance to pick my own motor and it has a little more HP for the same price then why not?

NOt a super advantage but seeing as 10:1 motors are sold for more if you can sneak a buy in hey why not. I don't think this motor is a UK, since its the awd block.

Just to make life more difficult with spotting them, the highports also came with the slightly bronzed and straight up unfinished cover. I've had one of each of those out of the Sunny GTI's i've bought and had both of them apart. Red valve cover is more of a Primera thing.