Mandatory Supporting 200SX Modifications

Before beginning 200SX tuning, there are a few things that need changing urgently before pursuing more power to keep the S14 safe for the road and to reduce chances of engine failure or you crashing due to the rear wheel drive nature of the car. I recommend you get these out of the way in order to maintain reliability and prolong engine life and also will avoid you getting any nasty surprises which could lead to engine failure. Once you have followed this through, you can begin to proceed further with 200SX tuning.

 

Please see my 200SX parts catalogue for the best deals on the parts below.

 

Fuel Pump

The standard Nissan fuel pump is not capable of flowing as much fuel as aftermarket items and the more power you run means that the fuel pump has to work harder and will inevitably fail which can be detrimental to your engine. A popular choice among enthusiasts is to buy a Walbro 255 litres per hour pump which goes for anywhere between £75-£110.

 

Spark Plugs

The standard spark plugs are fine for the standard power the 200SX engine runs but they will get very hot and even melt if used at higher boost levels. It is recommended to upgrade the plugs to colder grade 7 variants. The choice of tip is yours from copper through to iridium. However, I recommend changing the plugs every 6000 miles and going for the cheaper copper tipped variants. This should help keep the spark as strong as possible and also keep costs down making maintenance of this car even cheaper.

 

Turbo Oil & Water Feed Pipes

I recommend replacing the oil and water feed pipes to the turbo for a set of flexible turbo coolant & oil pipes to make turbo removal and install so much easier and to eradicate problems with the original hard pipes cracking which could cause serious damage to your engine. The best time to do this is when your turbo gaskets next fail (saves labour charges and work time as it's a long but straight forward job) so you are not required to do this straight away.

 

Boost Gauge
Before attempting any power related modifications, I recommend you buy and fit an accurate boost gauge from a well known brand so you have an idea of what boost your car is running and also to identify any boost related problems you may be experiencing such as boost creep. At standard power, the boost reading should be 7psi in the first 2 gears and 10psi in the last 3 gears.
 

 

General Maintenance

It is recommended to change the oil and filter on your 200SX every 6000 miles or under to maintain reliability and avoiding engine problems especially if you drive your car hard. The SR20DET engine is very strong and will go on forever if serviced regularly. I recommend you use a genuine Nissan oil filter and fully synthetic 10W50 oil.

 

 

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