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Thread: HowTo: SR20VE Swap Into a B15

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Posts: 1-10 of 24
2007-12-12 17:03:07
#1
HowTo: SR20VE Swap Into a B15
Hello all,
Here is some info I have previously posted on B15Sentra, but I have tweaked it to make it a bit more complete. This is a work in progress, so please let me know if you wish to have something added and/or changed.

What is needed:
-SR20VE engine
-Solenoid switching hardware (I used an AFC Neo’s VTEC output)
-B14 JWT or Calum ECU (with VE MAF and VE 333cc injector program)
-Proper header for the SR20VE
-B15 harness
-B14 ECU connector
-SR20VE injector subharness
-New B15 OEM belts (not necessary, but much easier to change when the engine is out)
-B15 OEM oil pan
-2 B15 SR20DE oil filters
-4 NGK BKR6E-N-11 spark plugs
-4 ft of 3/4 heater core hose (with 2 matching "screw type" collars)
-4 ft of fuel line
-Solder wire and heatshrink (lots)
-SR20VE MAF sensor and connector
-Maxima MAF to cone filter adaptor
-Cone filter
-Fluids


1st Part: Prep Work
1) Remove SR20DE engine. I will not go into the details for this, as it is a general "remove stuff that is in the way, unplug wires and hoses, unscrew the mounts and pull the thing out" kind of deal.
2) Remove all that remains of the harness on the SR20VE. You will also need to remove, but keep the injector subharness. Also keep the VVL solenoid plugs and the both AAC plugs (one brown, one purple).
3) Remove the B15 injector subharness. It also includes connectors to the B15 IACV.
4) Remove all of the cut tubing on the VE. Swap whatever hoses you can from the B15 engine (hoses that do not connect to the "car side").
5) Remove the VE distributor, and install the B15 distributor. You will need to grind off the lower ear of the distributor, so it clears a part of the head. It will stay in place fine with just the top screw holding it. Re-time the distributor, and screw it in place.
6) Swap A/C compressor brackets, AC compressors, starters, PS pumps, and alternators (leave the VE water pump on there). Install new belts.
7) Install the B15 TPS, water temp sensor, and oil pressure sensor on the VE.
8) Install the new spark plugs and wire them to the distributor using the B15 wires.
9) Take out the EGR temp sensor, and the top part of the EGR solenoid, and zip-tie them to the bracket behind the VVL solenoids.
10) Install the B15 harness on the SR20VE/plug in whatever can be plugged in.
11) Remove the B15 tranny. Install it on the SR20VE.
12) Swap engine and tranny mount brackets

At this point, you may also want to tackle "specific" items you may want to do with the engine out of the car, such as installing gauge sending unit adaptors, etc.

You are now ready to put the engine in. Once again, this is a straightforward process, which I will not get into.

2nd Part: Wiring
1) Splice the VE injector connectors into the B15 injector subharness. I do not recall the exact wire colors, but this may help you save the time I had to take to figure it out. You have a common wire to all injectors on both harnesses (they were B/R on the B15 harness). These will go together. For the rest, the colors "somewhat" match. You will see what I am talking about when you have it in your hands. I only figured that the colors matched once I was done. I went through the process of following each wire so it matches, but I can now assure you that matching the similar colors will work.
2) Splice the AAC (brown) connector into the B15 harness. Connections are as follows (B15 to VE):
BR to SB
G/W (any of the 2) to BR/Y
3) Reconnect the injector subharness.
4) Splice the B14 ECU connector to your B15 harness. Connection instructions can be found here: http://www.jgycustoms.com/b14wiring.htm
5) Splice the B15 MAF sensor harness wires into the VE MAF sensor connector. Wiring is as follows (B15 harness to connector):
B to W
G to Or
W to W/R
R to nothing (isolate)
6) Wire up the solenoid triggering system. With the AFC Neo, this is done exactly as you would wire up an SAFC-II. The only difference is the VTEC control wire, which is the pink wire. You will need to ground one of the wires on both solenoids (doesn't matter which one, as solenoids have no polarity), and connect the pink AFC Neo wire to the remaining wire on both solenoids.

At this point, you will need to reconnect all of the remaining hoses, sensor plugs, relays, and B14 ECU. I will not get into details about this, as it is pretty straightforward. You will need longer fuel and heater core hoses. One of the heater core feeds is actually on the opposite (right) end of the engine. You will also need to use the "screw type" collars on the firewall side, to squeeze the hoses on, as the VE pipe connectors are a bit larger than the B15 ones. You will need to either use a B14 WAI hose or the stock VE top intake hose, or your idle hose will be too small (the B15 TB has a sort of "bypass" cut out, which is why you do not need this hose on a B15 engine. Be careful not to connect a water line to something expecting vaccum. You will also need to swap the evap control valve at this point. It connects near the VE TB.

Also, you may want to swap oil pans at this point. I re-used the VE pan, as mine was not damaged, but I still took it out to make sure everything inside was fine.

3rd Part: Prepping the Engine for Startup
1) Empty all remaining oil out of the engine and tranny.
2) Install a new oil filter.
3) Fill up the tranny, power steering, and coolant.
4) Fill up the engine with regular cheap oil. Keep your good oil for later, as you will flush it fairly quickly. I also use Motul Engine Cleaner, which does a good job at taking gunk out.
5) Program your solenoid activation system.

You are now ready to start your car up. Turn the key, and hope for the best. Check under your car for leaks. Let it run for about 20 minutes, wait for it to cool down, and do a full oil change. You can now use your good oil. Don't forget to change the oil filter again. Fine tuning on a dyno with a wideband O2 sensor is also recommended. You can then enjoy the VE and look at upgrade options, such as cams, a good header, bigger exhaust, etc.
2008-10-27 04:50:30
#2
i have a 1998 200sx, im doing a ga16de to a sr20ve swap... would this info apply to that kind of swap???
2008-10-27 15:46:27
#3
you need to get a lot of 1.6-to-2.0 parts first

try this thread
http://www.sr20-forum.com/howtos/2474-ga16de-sr20de-general-cost-thread.html
2008-10-27 16:25:14
#4
Thank you for the information
2008-10-27 16:25:46
#5
the engine i got came with engine, auto tranny, ecu, harness and sensors from a 97 - 01 nissan primera, so in order to do the swap i'd have to change out transmission or can i still use it, i was told to buy a ecu and harness from a sr20de (which i already got) i was told it would be some plug-n-play some re-wiring
2008-11-06 14:14:53
#6
The auto tranny that comes with most VE engines (mine came with no tranny but a clutch, which still baffles me to this day) is actualy a CVT trannny and from what I heard, is both complicated to install and power-hungry.

If you have a B14 or B13 SR20 ECU + the matching harness, you are good to go. About the different sensors, though, I don't know if using the VE items will work. I did not want to have to troubleshoot when I installed mine, so I swapped the sensors I knew worked with my ECU, except for the IACV stuff, since that part was basically impossible to bolt on to the intake mani without building an adaptor.
2008-12-02 05:48:16
#7
having trouble trying to figure out how to re-wire the aac and iacv from my sr20ve to a sr20de harness. any suggestions on which wires to splice into???
2008-12-24 13:09:05
#8
I may be a little late (sorry, I had not noticed yor post), but what harness are you using?

The important connector is the brown one. The purple one is to get the idle working with the AC on, so you can focus on that one later.
2009-11-06 22:15:06
#9
....
Last edited by briggity on 2014-04-09 at 21-40-12.
2009-11-06 22:20:09
#10
Are you in the middle of the swap? What questions do you have?
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