Thread: SAFE to run a RR head w/ P10 valve cover? No oil tubes

For a while now I've been working on converting my 1997 1.6L A/T Sentra to use a 2001 2.0L A/T Sentra drivetrain. I gave up on staying with an automatic transmission as it would require a 2001 ECU which would either be NVIS locked or require a lot of extra things such as a fuel tank temperature sensor. I picked up a 1996 200SX SE-R to use for parts and it had a P10 engine, JWT ecu, and LSD manual transmission that I'm now swapping in my Sentra.

Through the course of this project I've found that many of the things from the 2000+ models are not compatible and so far am left with a

-2001 complete block
-2001 complete head
-1996 intake manifold, throttle body
-1996 distributor
-1996 wiring harnesses

I first tried putting it all together with the 2001 valve cover still on the motor, but found that it's an extremely tight fit between the throttle body and valve cover. It also makes running the PCV line very tricky when using the 1996 throttle cable bracket on the 1996 intake manifold. Out of curiosity I put the valve cover from my 200SX on the motor and it fits. I am wondering however if the change in the valve cover design, being that it functions as the PCV oil separator, compensates for removing the camshaft oil tubes in the 2001? Will the camshafts be sufficiently lubricated no matter which valve cover I use without oil tubes in a RR head? Can the DE oil tubes be installed on a 2001 RR head? I know that the oil separator would have to be installed as well if I did this.

At this point I'm left wondering if I should even still try to run with the RR head in this car, or would a DE head (higher revving) on a RR block (4CW) be the overall best way to build the motor with what I have?

your best bet would be using a de head for the cam options and availability. but I am using 96 intake manifold coolant gallery and a bluebird valve cover on my roller rocker without any issues.

Do some more research on the RRs. There are a few out there making decent power.

Do what ever is easier for you. If you do use the 96 head you can still use the RR valve cover and get rid of the oil separator.

There are some problems with using the RR valve cover and the 96 intake manifold. The 1996 throttle control ends up so close to the 2001 valve cover you can't measure it with a feeler gauge, and there are similar clearance issues with the PCV valve and throttle cable bracket though I did rig up some piping to get around that. I can live with this setup if I need to...

The main question I have though is about the head lubrication in the RR head. It doesn't have the oil tubes that run above the camshafts, but it does have an oil separator in the VC above the camshafts. If I switched valve covers to make everything fit better, I don't know if it would starve the head of oil at all because now the oil separator wouldn't be above the cams

You have everything to run the rr head so why not. Its a better head. Not much oil flows through either seperater system so it wont make a difference. Wont starve the cams of oil either with the non rr valve cover.

I read that you said the throttle body is a tight fit with the rr valve cover. Does it still function properly though? Could you take a picture for me? I'm trying to use my rr valve cover with my 99 lowprt de manifold and coolant lines. I like it better.

I have a rr valve cover on my p10. Im using a lowport manifold with no issues at all.

Tomas can you take a picutre of the valve cover and throttle body?

No prob. I posted my ride thread. I have a pic of the engine. If you need more just let me know.

Thanks!

Thanks!