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Thread: Power difference btwn head swapped DE and a real VE?

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Posts: 1-10 of 44
2010-06-08 04:21:47
#1
Power difference btwn head swapped DE and a real VE?
Thinking about just going with a head swap on my DE. It's in really good shape, low mileage, and pulls hard, I don't want to jerk it out just to put in another motor. Plus I can save some $, theoretically, over buying a whole VE.

How much power do sr20ve head swapped DEs make vs. real VEs? I think it should be about the same if you got a decent tune...which might be just as much $ as the actual head swap. Just looking for opinions here right now so that I can have a plan- I don't have shop access or $ to make this a reality right now but I want to have a good plan.
2010-06-08 07:07:52
#2
Just get a real ve. They go for like 750 on some importer sites. By the time you buy a ve head, and buy whatever other crap to make it work, you have spent the same amount of money.

Plus, you need to rev a ve out to make it go fast. A de bottom end isnt going to want to rev that high. People shift stock ve's w/ n1 cams @ 9 grand. How long do you think a de bottom end is gonna rev to 9k? Thats how stock bottom end ls/vtecs blow up.
2010-06-08 07:17:23
#3
what are you talking about? if anything the de bottom end is much more stout. And show a site where VE's are 750..
2010-06-08 08:23:16
#4
.....................
Originally Posted by mikeb23ft
Thinking about just going with a head swap on my DE. It's in really good shape, low mileage, and pulls hard, I don't want to jerk it out just to put in another motor. Plus I can save some $, theoretically, over buying a whole VE.

How much power do sr20ve head swapped DEs make vs. real VEs? I think it should be about the same if you got a decent tune...which might be just as much $ as the actual head swap. Just looking for opinions here right now so that I can have a plan- I don't have shop access or $ to make this a reality right now but I want to have a good plan.


Yes spend the extra $100 and get a whole VE motor that way you can run bigger cams and get a nice high volume oil pump.
2010-06-08 13:49:26
#5
Originally Posted by TheRealNighthog
what are you talking about? if anything the de bottom end is much more stout. And show a site where VE's are 750..
Ebay
2010-06-08 13:53:18
#6
Well to answer the original question, the power potential difference is really down to the difference in compression ratios. The DE will likely have 9.5:1 static compression and the VE's have what? I dunno. Around 10.3:1 am I right? I have no idea but it's quite a bit higher.


Knowing what I know about the VE oil pump, I wouldn't put a VE head on a DE bottom without also getting the VE oil pump. With those VVL solenoids you really want the higher pressure from the VE oil pump. Without it you'll be very low on pressure at high rpm.
2010-06-08 14:10:29
#7
You should just buy an sr16ve, take the head and oil pump off of it, then sell the rest. Then turbo and vvl your de. I think you can do that with an sr16 head, but I'm not sure. Doing just the head swap would be a mistake, you wouldn't make much more power.

Why not just turbo your de? Less trouble, removing and exhaust manifold and tapping a few holes sounds easier than removing a head. Sure there's a little intercooler piping, but I did it with only getting a flange welded at a muffler shop. Spent 100 bucks on pipes and couplers and another hundred on a used intercooler. Turbo manifolds with turbo and lines go cheap on here all the time. Then you will make almost twice as much power and torque and less if you desire. I haven't driven any vvl sentras, but I've driven light vtec hondas and a celica gts, and given lots of rides in my turbo car, and from their experience and mine, turbo is a lot more impressive. Plus your car will sound more like a jet engine than a lawn mower when your done.
2010-06-08 15:09:17
#8
Originally Posted by TheRealNighthog
what are you talking about? if anything the de bottom end is much more stout. And show a site where VE's are 750..


JDM Engine Depot

Im not talking about boosting the thing, I'm talking revving it. Idk maybe I'm wrong, but I would rather take a stock ve to 9k than a de. Thats just my 2 cents anyway. I'll take the nice oil pump too.
2010-06-08 23:12:05
#9
ve has beter piston rings so there is less friccion. Ve are 4cw crank. 100+ psi oil pump.
2010-06-09 02:13:50
#10
this thread is so full of mis-information, i'd suggest doing your own research. and FAST!!
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