Odd motor swap. Non-MSP related

[Tuners and Rods]

So I thought maybe I waould ask around and see what I got for opinions. I've got a spare El Camino with no Motor. It's a 1980 originally base trim nothing worth restoring. I've got this idea in my head that I want to do some odd motor in it and I've got a couple ideas.

A. A four Rotor Wankel engine
or
B. A RB26DETT

Either would cost me about the same to start the going price for two boosted 13b motors is about the same as the R26. Both would cost about the same in the long run once all upgrades are done. And both will fit with plenty of room to spare. So I'm torn. by the time this project comes around I'll have a 300+hp Bluesmobile, a 200+hp Wrangler and a 500+hp Gmc Caballero, so I need something different

 

[hornsfan10609]

2JZ

But seriously I like the 4 rotor Idea, Mazda all the way. RX-Camino

 

[Tuners and Rods]

Everyone swaps 2JZs though

 

[PointFive]

Why are these your only two choices? With that giant engine bay you could fit any engine you wanted. How about a 5.4 liter BMW V12? Or an LS1? Obviously you want to do something unique, which I whole-heartedly applaud. If those are your two choices, I'd go with the RB26. The four-rotor would be cool, but with a heavy vehicle like an El Camino, you need torque. A turbocharged RB26 would give you some nice, juicy torque.
From your list of current vehicles, it sounds like you know what you're doing, so I'm assuming you've already considered the custom motor mounts and upgraded fuel system that an RB would require. Not to mention transmission issues. And how in god's name are you going to get an RB26 wiring harness to play nice with the flintstone-era electronics in the Camino?
I've got an idea. You've got that huge truck bed in the back that you probably aren't using, and there are god knows how many '90's Cadillacs out there in the junkyards. Take the entire front clip from an Eldorado or a STS or something, with the transaxle and the Northstar V8, rip out the live axle your Camino has, and put the entire drivetrain and front subframe from the Caddy into the back of the Camino.
Now you've got a powerful, lightweight V8, independent rear suspension and a quality transaxle in the rear of your 1980 El Camino. On second thought, get another Caddy front clip and put it in the front. Two Northstar V8s, all-wheel drive, and way more power than you'll ever know what to do with. If someone can do this with a first-gen Hyundai Tiburan, then you can do it with an El Camino.

 

[Tuners and Rods]

I could do that But that would be a fabrication nightmare. I'm not that wild about the Northstar series of engines either. Nor do I like Transverse mounted engines. The El Camino is only 3500lbs so it doesn't take much to motivate. Trans is going to be a Tremec T56 six-speed no matter. The BMW motor would be good but I've seen to many issues with BMWs and I'm not impressed with the performance. I'm going to go full standalone if I don't get a harness and CPU with the motor

 

[PointFive]

I agree it would be a nightmare, but imagine the burnouts you could do with one tranny in drive and the other in reverse!

 

[dandan2]

Rb would be cool but let's be honest man, everything about the 2jzgte would be waaaaayyy cheaper in the long run. Why pay 3 times more for a motor when u have just as much if not more potential with the 2jz. Alota people swap them because it's the smart thing to do.

 

[thecrash91]

i say four rotor simply because it is my favorite engine ever. so much revs, so much hp! youll need to fill the bed of the camino with gas though and bypass your OEM gas tank if you want to get more then 30 miles away, haha!

 

[_Chris]

a 4 rotor motor is more than just two 13b slapped together. a complete rebuilt 13b by someone that knows what there doing is going to be 5k. Any less then that and that motor will not last. a 4 rotor is a completely different animal the E-shaft alone will cost you 6-10k. Go with a piston engine and enjoy the car and don't be worried about popping the motor because you looked at it funny. As much as I like them rotary motors are not the most reliable motor.

 

[StealthWyvern]

Stuff a grand national motor in it!

 

[blkspdfreak]

"RX-Camino" sounds badass, but a boosted ls motor would be hard to beat. and the el camino's were fairly light right?

 

[Tuners and Rods]

At 3500 lbs it's light, the body is pretty much hollow. I know about the custom E-shaft for the 4-rotor and took into consideration the cost comparing the builds. Some of the parts will be expensive but then again there are fewer expensive parts to put into it. But essentially it is two 13Bs put together with some tweaks. I was going to boost the 4 rotor or the RB. Comparative price of a 2jz is around 5k for a used motor which is what I will be starting with with only 3 for the RB or the 2 13b motors needed and internals cost is comparable. As for the LS series if I wanted to stay with a GM motor I would do an LSX or a Bill Mitchell Hardcore 632ci but I want to get away from the General on this one since I'm using the base design motor for all the new 5.3l engines in my '79.

@Pointfive you could actually set them up to be in drive at the same time. Might be a good project for a bigger truck.

 

[Outlawstar98]

A four Rotor Wankel engine is USELESS, unless you want MASSIVE power, like above 1500hp EASILY. 13b is all you need with a nice turbo setup and you can get 600-800HP. And to top it off to tune a 4rotor is not easy at all. You are looking at over 20k+ in just work alone to get that done. Thats why you dont really see 4 rotors even though it can toss massive power around its useless unless you have the money to support a team of people to work on it every weekend (aka a RACE team)

 

[Tuners and Rods]

That said yet 3 rotor engines seem to be rather common as far as Wankel engine mods go. I don't see why more 4 rotors aren't. Engine timing is much easier to calculate when you're working with 90 degrees of offset as opposed to 120. But that's just me I guess. This won't be a DD so power is the goal. No engine over 600hp is truly reliable as far as mileage works, a small block 454 suffers the same problems. They both have advantages maybe in the future I'll end up doing both since I have a knack for collecting cars.

 

[tweety2300]

Rb26 is harder to get parts for however the rb25 has a big parts market and can make just as much power. I've put s*** tons of research time into it because I plan on putting one in a 240 when I have the money. A properly tuned rb25 can easily hold 500+hp and be a reliable dd a couple have been built putting out over 1000 at the wheels

 

[o0n8]

duramax diesel and make it run on veggy oil.

 

[thecrash91]

duramax diesel and make it run on veggy oil.

**** it, use bicycle petals. **** the haters, haters gonna hate.

 

[HKPRO5]

Posting in wrong section.

 

[Tuners and Rods]

**** it, use bicycle petals. **** the haters, haters gonna hate.

Uuuuuhhhhhhh what? As for the Duramax. It's been done and so has a Cummins.

 

[_Chris]

That said yet 3 rotor engines seem to be rather common as far as Wankel engine mods go. I don't see why more 4 rotors aren't. Engine timing is much easier to calculate when you're working with 90 degrees of offset as opposed to 120. But that's just me I guess. This won't be a DD so power is the goal. No engine over 600hp is truly reliable as far as mileage works, a small block 454 suffers the same problems. They both have advantages maybe in the future I'll end up doing both since I have a knack for collecting cars.

The 4 rotor never came from mazda, A 3 Rotor did thats why there are more 3 rotor motors out there then 4.