Sr20DE vs SR20DET

[PDX-G20]

Pardon my ignorence, but I've searched the forum and read that the SR20DE is a better building block or starting point than the DET, if this is the case, why so ? Thanks

[Fraychild]

...For real... I didn't know that....? A better building block you say?... mmmh.... thank God I was looking into putting a Turbo instead of swapping the DET....

[Geo]

Originally posted by PDX-G20
Pardon my ignorence, but I've searched the forum and read that the SR20DE is a better building block or starting point than the DET, if this is the case, why so ? Thanks

Whoa. Hold the phone there partner. That's not the whole story.

This story is one that absolutely cannot be separated from cost. I am an advocate of starting with an SR20DE to build high hp turbo engine when rebuilding the engine. You just end up wasting your money on the DET stuff. You will replace the manifold, turbo, injectors, fuel rail, and MAF for starters. While the BB DET has sodium filled valves, you can get just as good thermal management by coating the valve faces with Swain thermal barrier coating. The DET has piston coolers, but you can have those added by JWT.

For a low hp turbo (roughly stock DET range), it certainly costs less to turbo the DE using used DET parts. But, the toss-up is the fact that wtih a DET a lot of people end up with a newer engine. It's a gamble though.

So, there is much more to this story and even more than I've written here, but the picture shouldn't be painted with such a broad brush.

[PDX-G20]

Thanks for the reply Geo. I have 80 k on my motor now, so I think I'm better off building this one rather than getting det. But what the cost of the oil squirter addition from JWT, any Idea ? And can you put the sodium filled valves and than coat them with the trermal stuff? Will this be even better or will it not make a difference.

[GDubinVegas]

wow I never knew that, but what about us people who dont have know how, or the luxury of a shop in their city to do the work for them? Will the cost of turboing your engine, be cheaper than the cost of having swap done? and in the long run wich engine is stronger, your SR20DE gone T or the SR20DET?

[GDubinVegas]

please ignore the cost part...