Classic B13 Sentra SE-R Breakdown - Project Car Stories

The Nissan B13 Sentra SE-R is a staple of 90’s sports compact performance, and MotoIQ, history. Mike and Martin sit down to talk about our highly asked about SE-R, our personal affinity to the chassis, and some future plans.
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[@Redmongoose-rdm]

Big up to Sport Compact Car Magazine, no other magazine was better.

[@rushmatic]

I really love this update… waxing poetic about the old B13 really brings me back 20+ years ago

[@carlosruelas8781]

Fun Fact: The b13 was so popular in mexico that they continued production until 2017.

[@marcuskelley9591]

Nissan is a Japan car

[@octopoops8527]

Tsuru

[@JNAMOTORSPORTS]

Rear suspension isn’t the same

[@enigmaticcruz2483]

​@@marcuskelley9591 you don't say?!

[@enigmaticcruz2483]

​@@JNAMOTORSPORTS Nissan Tsuru was basically a facelifted original B13 base Sentra. Nissan essentially took the base 1992 Sentra and produced it until 2017 with a facelift.

[@GregKPerry]

Martin and Mike - So nice to see you both still working on and loving B13s. Miss being part of the ownership group, but I remain always interested in these cars. Take care, guys!

[@s5filty]

My gen 2 coyote 5.0 broke down on me and my buddy decided to let me borrow his b13 sentra ser. Boy did he made a mistake.. I fell in love with the legendary b13 ser and now it became my daily :) 5.0 is back and running but the looks I get in the Ser is priceless

[@bc8Sooners]

so so nostalgic. I first know M. Kojima of Sports Compact Car magazine from owning my 97 200SX SE-R (with Neo VVL JDM engine swap). Sold the 2 doors to someone in Arizona when we have our first daughter. Ended up with a 07 Forester XT to haul the family. Part of my youth, no regret selling it though, the XT automatic has been mod to death and still reliably hauling our family of 4 in 2023.

[@ClassicConsoleReview]

I love my SR20DET NX2000. Spoke with Mike a few times when I was building it. I recreated the motoIQ 70v transmission mount for mine as well. Awesome video

[@jeanlibido8502]

Excellent presentation. I bought my 91 SE-R on December 1990 after recommendations from Car and Driver. I bought a 1994 SE-R April 2005. I never regret having those. "Fun to drive ". Nothing like these cars.

[@terryvincent8405]

Oh man this takes me back! Mike is THE SE-R guru!

[@SiCaRiI_DaGgEr]

GREAT video Mike and Martin! I jumped into the B14 chassis with the 200sx SER in 98' before jumping into the B15 SER Spec V in '02 which I still have w/ 64k chassis miles and 32k engine miles. Car is running like a dream and I will never get rid of it! I know MIke hates the Spec V with the intensity of 1000 suns 😁.....The good ole days when Mike was doing a B15 Spec V build which I would like to see you guys do. What better way to go back to your roots!

[@WRCDMB]

I love this episode, I lived in the Islands when I was younger a few of my dads friends had fully built B13-B16 like all out track cars that looked like show cars or rallied and podium in the Western WRC event

[@benjaminnolastnameforyou7938]

Great times for motorsports compared to now.

[@shiloh5199]

We had a 91' b13 2door with a 1.6l, what a great vehicle and got well over 300k b4 we sold her in good running condition.

[@TrackSol]

My very first car in 1999 was a 98 GXE sedan automatic. Was planning on swapping in an SR20DET and converting to manual. Then I crashed it and got a Honda del Sol. 20+ years later and I'm still into Hondas (still have the del Sol, also have an EK hatch), but I still appreciate those B13 and B14 Sentras and 200SX's.

[@troyfankell6581]

The Sport Compact Car days made B13/14 chassis a viable track car platform option. Especially with all the crazy ideas from Mike and Dave. With dets from a Bluebird or Avenir, the fwd SR was an affordable swap.

[@konglee7284]

91-94 Sentra was the best year of the Sentra for me I had a 93 SE-R... I still miss it.

[@ALVNCREDIBLE]

More Sentra SE-R content pls! After the sr20forum hasn't been the same, it's difficult to find fwd sr20 content on the internet

[@JuanRomanMagdaraog]

I miss my 1992 SE-R. It was a super fun car

[@jamdc2000]

Damn! My first car was an XE B13 Sentra '91, amazing car, had it for 13 years

[@neog4822]

My dad loved the b13, used to have many until he got rear-ended with his last one and insurance wouldn't let him buy anything back, including the wheels he kept thought-out moving countries and everything. They were called "sunnys" for us. I'll buy one back again but so difficult to find!

[@llaprad1]

Love this! Mike was my instructor at the convention in Alabama…early 2000s? My first track event!

[@SR20VE-]

Ooooo they put a 20ve in with N1s and H series rods😍🥰 And it had buddy club p1 like wheels. I have a P11 with a factory 20ve, 16ve rocker cover and buddy culb p1s also a manual swapped with an Autech n15 gearbox. Going to give the kelfords N1/p12 hybrid cam a go

[@aristocrap]

I once had a 4-door '94 Sentra Limited Edition that had a full SE-R swap. I miss it everyday.

[@barrywilliams685]

Can't wait to see more on the B14 and I might have to steal the idea on the rods. I never thought about it lol

[@LOUROK-SR20]

This was great. More b-Chassis sr20 content please. Got me thinking about Feal Suspension.

[@motoiq]

Feal is the best suspension for the chassis.

[@paulsterling2610]

@@motoiq my only regret is that while japan had the gti/gti-r for b13 in jdm market there was no b13 coupe

[@paulsterling2610]

@@motoiq there is also a sr16ve n1 spec engine

[@paulsterling2610]

@@motoiq love the fact that u have the facelifted nissan sunny gts front bumper

[@yunggai]

Mike wrote articles about installing Jim Wolf camshaft for the SR20DE in a B13.

[@larswolfe]

As always love the story time from you guys!! Keep up the good work and hope to see you at the track soon!!

[@raulfileto]

Thanks Martin and Mike for some sr20 talk! We need to get the band back together soon.

[@slgpph]

I know this is old now, but the header to get for the SR20DE was a 4-1 made by AEBS. It had some fitment challenges but freed up the most power. My buddy got his header in 1999 and had just the pop charger and Greddy SP exhaust. His car felt very strong and was equal to my 99 Civic Si with bolt ons.

[@motoiq]

The rarest header.

[@cctrans29]

Very nice SE-R. Another car I have seen in the background that I am a fan of since High School. Is a yellow 76 Corolla SR-5 . Looks like the one Scottie Kanemura owns. It is gorgeous. Is that Scottie's car? Love your channel and the knowledge you share.

[@motoiq]

He used to own it.

[@cctrans29]

@@motoiq whoever bought has a premier example of that year SR-5. As nice as that green original 73 out there in LA also.

[@getignited114]

Love it. I've had a B13, VE B14 and P11... Now a Q50 haha love it

[@bend185ont]

Thing is so rad!! As always killer content

[@jacksonduval4995]

92 SE-R was my 1st car. Blew the motor smh. 20 years later wanted another one but couldn't find one. Ended up with a 95 240sx

[@JorgeMartinez-iq2tc]

Would love too see videos of the B14 build

[@hifiman4562]

Nice. I've had a few SE-Rs, NX2000s and G20s. Can't find one nowadays.

[@ForeignGarage-z8l]

I've been working on a g20

[@cjburn2758]

I would kill for a 1993 Nx2000. I just figure I will have to pay way up.

[@blakelip3]

Hated the NX2000

[@cjburn2758]

@@blakelip3 Uglier car for sure, but had better brakes and was a better handling platform.

[@blakelip3]

@@cjburn2758 never seen the wagon versions but those ugly taillights always stood out that’s how I remember that car lol

[@conemachine]

Such a great car even with its shitty suspension. I've owned four and got custom shocks for SE-R No. 2. Won my first and only trophy at the SCCA Solo Nationals in 2001.

[@kevin-ns4sk]

I am doing an N15 sedan SR20 Two

[@j.barrett9424]

It's me. I"ve been asking for 2 years

[@joeschintzius5534]

Loving the fwd SR20 stories, how about an update on the P10?

[@religionofspeed]

Yes! More FWD Nissan content inbound!

[@datsun2401972]

How about a new review of the 300ZX TT? It's been a while since I've read the old sport compact car magazines. I'd love to hear how the old metal compares to the newer Z's and supra.

[@ziyaadsr20]

I think you mean the SR16VE N1.. Nissan didn't do an SR20VE N1

[@konic40]

chassis related to the Nissan Pulsar GTiR right, those were turbo 4wd

[@joelpizarro2915]

Do you guys still do this setup

[@Adrian_Zuniga]

Could you guys do vids in more B13 suspension upgrades or tweaks ?

[@dalehart8687]

Its actually not the Mexican taxi front end, Its the Sunny GTS 2 front end ... thats the JDM version of SE-R

[@Ztaal3]

Wish you would do one like this on that nice G20 in the back :P

[@Ren200Z_MotoringLife]

G20 ( primera) video please

[@renatoperez8792]

I love Tsurus

[@brianbenavides236]

What’s up with the white Z32?

[@jamesh8155]

Have a 93 with the 1.6l it has around 400,000 miles on it but in poor condition in Ohio roads rust a car out, it's made for a small person I layed the pedal down can't talk bad about the 1.6 it had power lol it just couldn't get no traction it has a small exhaust tip like a garden hose.

[@jamesh8155]

Also pretty good on gas on a highway it probably got 50mpg I know mine did when it had fresh sparkplugs I ran them ngk plugs with factory wires even if I had to get them from a junkyard, can't run a cheap set of wires they all burnt up on me ended up staying with factory wires only.

[@jamesh8155]

The seal on the distributor started leaking oil so I got one that same size was for a dirt bike shifter it would rot the rubber grommets on the distributor then the pieces would get inside where the pickup disk for the electronic ignition is and one time a grommet fell off It had yellow fire on 2 cylinders and blue on the other 2 I kept unplugging the injectors over and over and it came to me ain't no way 2 injectors go bad at the same time I took the distributor apart and straitened out the pickup disk it ran good enough to get back home I fixed it and it happened again so I ran no grommets on the distributor in case and i might end up keeping it since the GM vehicles rust out faster and breakdown way more, the older the Nissan is the better it is.

[@jamesh8155]

I also replaced fuel pump and injectors over a long time the car had 300,000 something miles and only a injector fail lol the original starter went out at 350,000 the armiture in the starter went bad the positive brushes were almost burnt away

[@jamesh8155]

Original ball joints went bad at 325,000 way to many other normal replacement parts like brakes, rear hub bearing destroyed at 380,000 miles if you keep putting parts in certain cars they will go forever probably going to keep it.

[@blackcanyongarage]

Hey, is that the blue b13 from the background!?

[@JNAMOTORSPORTS]

What happened to the red Turbo Magazine SER B13 that had like 350-400hp

[@motoiq]

it actually had over 500, it got sold and is somewhere in Texas I think.

[@mustafakemalboyacoglu684]

i using it with ga16ds (converted with eccs type intake manifold, standalone ecu + coil on plug dist.less ign.). i loved this video thank you for it. and i have a question, i need a 4-2-1 headers for my ga16 how i can get engineered brand like a obx or hotshot as online in this time? and i need ad22vf front calipers could you help me b13 uncle! thank you

[@motoiq]

OBX is chinese junk stolen from Hotshot. Hotshot is no longer in business.

[@SilviaSaintGspot]

Hey @MikeKojima this made me think of the red B13 Chuck Johnson have/had? He have/had a white one also right? Does Anhyi still have that NX?

[@motoiq]

It was a B12 actually, he still has it. She still has the NX.

[@macantonioc]

@@motoiq Love my B12. Have an SR20DE but not Turbo like Chuck's B12!

[@nicopotgieter453]

Very cool and informative. Do you run a special engine oil to help and keep engine alive for track for the high oil temps?

[@motoiq]

Just high quality synthetic.

[@nicopotgieter453]

@MotoIQ thanks for the reply, friend. If I may be so bold to ask which oil brand and viscocity you use? If you my answer off course(sponsors are sensitve rightfully so) You guys with (racing/engineering) background, I always appreciate info and advice.(BTW long time fan Moto IQ) Would appreciate it if you could guide and recommend oil for N/A sr20 vvl circuit racing. In my country, choices are limited in the 10w60 range to -Motul 10w60 x8100 -Petronas Racer Synthuim 10w60 -Liquid Moly synthoil Race 10w60 -Castrol Edge 10w60 on full synthetics -Revanol 10w60 Track Racers here mostly use Shell 15w40 Diesel oil cause they get good wear protection for much more affordable price(can swap oil after every race affordably)probably cause of the high Zinc content 1300ppm vs the above mentioned oils which by law are all the 800'sppm but have off course much thicker film to protect. We do not have the fancy US and Australian High Zinc oils. Accept Redline and Royal purple, but they are literally 2.5times the price even 2 times more expensive than Motul Appologies for the long build-up. With the affordable abovementioned 10w60 synthetics, is it advisable to boost the additive package with zinc additive?(e.g, Redline Break in oil additive ,luckily only product affordable from Redline range) Or boost with Liquid Moly Mos2(mobyluim)?, luckily very affordable. Most US and Australian race oils have very high moly and phosphorus/zinc over the 2000s Is it advisable to add mobyluim(Liquid Moly mos2) or Red Line Break in Fluid to 10w60 with the low zinc (800's ppm range) to boost oil additive package. Both? or just one of the two? We in southern Hemisphere(very hot in summers here over 100 fahrenheit regularly in spring and summer) The old school race v8 guys here by us use 20w50 Revanol (Break in oil) as a race oil (2500ppm Zinc/Phosphorous) is mineral oil and very affordable with tremendous results flat tappet cam race v8's. But afraid the 20w to thick for an SR20 vvl. Must mention is high in Phesherous/Zinc but has no cleaning agents and no friction modifier(MOS2) but they swap after every race meet(v8 racers believe uilimate cheat code here and believe to be best even the high quality full synthetic European oils, as thy bulletproof the flat tappet camshaft with stiff springs) We've had guys running on high milage 25w60 Shell mineral oil on Drag turbo SR20's with very good results I must mention. But they run for short amounts I trust high viscocity synthetics better on hot track days? Advice would be greatly appreciated your recommended path you would choose on hot climate Track SR20 vvl N/A with our limited choices here in my country.

[@motoiq]

Any good 15w50 synthetic. All of the brands you mentioned would apply. Very early SR's would make HLSA noise with thicker oil but it was not harmful, just annoying.

[@nicopotgieter453]

@MotoIQ thanks for reply.

[@dandiegidio7729]

I just had a horrible day. This helps.

[@ls22ls22]

Eran buenos la versiónes Americanas o Japoneses de los 90's con bolsa de aire,4 frenos de disco,control crucero, Quemacocos,Y algunos con tracción en las 4 llantas,fuera de los motores para competencia VVL SR, Luego en México lo destruyeron para hacelo "baratos" kzbin.info/www/bejne/fKPJYautrbudq80

[@whitewalker9622]

What are your thoughts on the QR20DE and QR16DE?

[@motoiq]

Pretty much hate that engine.

[@whitewalker9622]

@@motoiq Ough, why? what´s worse?

[@motoiq]

It's weak and underbuilt, the bore stroke relationship and the stroke to rod length ratio is not conducive to high performance, it's been plagued by reliability problems.

[@phijef89]

When the he'll is Nissan going to bring back the damn SE R?????????????

[@j.barrett9424]

Nope that's a tsuru grille and headlights and a JDM GTS bumper

[@tonymuthafuckingunn]

Bring back the B15 project car and finish it.

[@motoiq]

That car is long sold and gone.

[@tonymuthafuckingunn]

@@motoiq :O

[@zethjugos1250]

Used to have a b13, essentially my first car since i was the only one using it. It had power steering and nothing else. We lived in a compound full of mechanics and they sort of gave the GA16 of my little car a tune. Loved it when guys scratch their heads whenever i kept up with their civics and lancers back then😅😅😅

[@warracer03]

The B13 is by far the best generation Sentra followed by the B15... This is, as expected from a build on MotoIQ, top quality.

[@hotshtsr20]

B15 either had an SR that didn’t rev… Or didn’t have an SR. FAIL. :)

[@warracer03]

@@hotshtsr20 I liked the QR25DE from the se-r or spec-v , sure it had its issue but it was capable.

[@malice930]

I owned a p10 g20t and b15 specv. Preferred the b15 . Loved the torque, short geared tranny and LSD from the b15.

[@hotshtsr20]

@@warracer03 compared to the 7500rpm SR20, the QR was a bit of a wet splat. Torque was nice, but other than 1-3000rpm, not noticeably more than the SR. Open deck meant any boost was head gasket failures, where idiots like me pushed well over 400whp on completely stock SR20s ($300 at the JDM importers to boot!) with just cams, fuel and big turbo setups. I’ve owned P10s (including the grey one in the background), B15, B14 and driven lots of B13s. B14 didn’t quite have the B13’s playful handling, but was considerably lighter and more tossable than a B15.

[@marksr20ser]

B14 is much better than the b15 imo 😊

[@claymclendon]

Wow! Love this update. I really miss my B13. This video brings back lots of memories from the old SERCA days. I remember my first SERCA meet up where Martin took my B13/GTi-R for a drive and scared the absolute crap out of me. Miss all you guys!!

[@dimacypher]

Thank you all! Great car, great story! How about the B14 and its bad stock suspension?) Love the look of the B14 haha... I have one with the N15 Pulsar front end swap.

[@xFactoryUSA]

Maxima rear end for the us with the 200sx b14, not that bad just tall but a sporty soft, still very Nissan, the b15 was gross 🤢

[@ohmfab]

Still have my '92 SE-R since 1997. I echo everything about the scene as we were happy to just have something different than the Hondas and focus on performance. Few parts back in the earlybdays and I remember we did a letter writing campaign to get AGX shocks stateside. Did so many SE-R club meets, autox, track days and was lucky ennough to meet Mike a couple times. I developed one of the first rear strut tower braces back in the day and it was fun to see the difference at the Autox. Car needs some love and rust repair now but cant bear to part with it. Great memories with the car and more so the community around it! Love the more recent SR build series, would love to see a VE or max NA DE build.

[@taylorc2542]

B13 SE-Rs are almost always black, white, or blue. Never seen a blue one.

[@XenomorphLV426]

Nissan VVL > VTEC per Mr. Kojima himself.

[@boosteddaily1294]

RIP MOOSE RIP CHARLIE RIP MOYO

[@richardtpgusa7236]

Funny I started with the B110 and my contact was the same guy who developed the FAT motor.. interesting...and funny

[@MansManShorts]

Back in 1991 this car was arguably King of Compacts. In the states anyways.

[@justinphillabaum4245]

Love this car...in Mexico right now thinking differently about all of these tsurus I am seeing.

[@Cheeseypoofs85]

i miss my 93 se-r SO BAD. got t-boned 5 months after getting it. totaled. i was planning on dropping a bluebird in it

[@tracymorgan571]

this is the best generation of sentra. the newer generations have the inferior rear suspension geometry. you are making a big mistake. if you sell this car i am unsubscribing from your channel.

[@Isza707]

I currently own a 2001 Infiniti G20 im swapping the block at the moment but i love them the sr20 is great!🙏

[@mrcartease]

this is a forever car with the time history and memories

[@JustAnotherHouseCat]

Ive always been a Nissan guy, it wasnt until I bought a B14 Sentra that I realized why guys were into Sentras. I would love to see more SR content, especially covering what most guys do wrong and causes a lot of issues for others. Also the Roller Rocker setup

[@kendrickwilliams3696]

I've got a 92 and 97 se-r both with the limited slip and 5 speed. The 97 used to be moms daily for 6 years. She loved it. Now I've had it for 17 years.

[@danarama92]

mike was a huge contributor in my 93 ser turbo build. so much respect for this gentleman.

[@hypefilms6061]

looking around to fine a b13 or b14 myself for a street daily driver

[@davidbarrera3071]

I have a 2 door autumn sunburst b14. It was my first car and I’m never getting rid of it. In April I’m about to paint it and give it life again with a new suspension and Cat since I’m in California I can’t wait to drive it every day again I really appreciate this video

[@eppyz]

Had a 2001 Sentra SE and was part of SERCA myself👍 Good Times😎

[@coldvaper]

Whats that blue B13 in the background....

[@RadDadisRad]

Mike I remember the Disco Potato Sentra that you guys built back in the late 90s and was some what of a Garrett R&D program with the GT2860RS

[@johnurdialez5435]

Just met mike at super lap last week learning from him was huge in building my ve91nx2000

[@jtekwurkz389]

that motor refresh is a unicorn. can you pls feature the g20 (p10) next; interested on the refinements that made it onto the car.

[@theorigin1891]

Ahh the se-r net meet in cypress CA 2000

[@bossM1ke..]

We Have the same car and engine! 😍🔥

[@terryl9996]

The term ricer came from R.I.C.E. (Racing Inspired Cosmetic Enhancements) and refers to the "tuner" car culture which inspired 'Fast & Furious'.

[@sock979]

My mom had a 94 infinity G20 touring when I was a kid, which I think is basically the same as the SE R and that's what I learned to drive on and it was the s*** I didn't realize how awesome it was until later but even as a kid we had 5 acres and we lived out in the middle of nowhere in Arizona and I used to get that thing up to 70 mph on this track I built in my backyard and it was just such a freaking awesome car and it was all stock cuz I didn't know about modding cars back then but it was so nondescript but it had that great engine. You could get them with manual transmissions. It had a limited slip differential stock and since it was an infinity it had all the nice stuff too like leather and a nice audio system and stuff and it was just a great car. I think we put like a quarter million miles on it before someone crashed into us and it got totaled

[@malice930]

Please do a video on the p10 racecar

[@DkBu-zy6ui]

Just picked up a 1994 B13 Sentra coupe. It's an XE with the ga16de manual trans, but knowing me....an SR is in its future. Sourcing parts now for full nx2000 brake conversion (rear disc conversion too) and looking into suspension options. My first car was a b12 sedan and I always wanted a b13 coupe. Finally got one and it's clean and almost totally rust free. I can't wait to give this thing the love it deserves and it will become my new daily.

[@kmatax9237]

miss seeing b13s on the street... great looking car.... nissan should bring something like this back, same look, same proportions, 160-200hp 4 cyl and keep the price low ....if you build it, they will come

[@nathanpeachs2704]

Always loved, what we called, Bluebirds or Pulsars in New Zealand and Australia. Mum had a Japanese import, non Sr20 engine and was pretty good. One day a buddy took me for a ride in his new car Nissan Palsar Gti-r. Ive always loved that engine since then!!

[@slfrules1]

Nissan does have some silly low rod ratios. Like the 2.5's is aweful! Somehow they don't tend to slap too loud for 150k+ This Sentra is silly nice. IMHO the VQ40 is their most slept on engine. Rod ratio is great, crank is crazy stout although i've seen 1 out of a NV2500 break between 3/4 & 5/6, heads look like they should flow (but not like a VE), just open deck. Never tried Falken but i love the Potenza Re-71R

[@charlessturm3007]

I was living in Peru and we have a B13 club down there. Mine was a 2014. I had made a center console that fits a 9 in screen like stocks and I had made some new trailing arms for the rear. Anyway I can show you my car so you guys can tell me how it looks?

[@TheScotchula]

Was lucky enough to have a B13 SE-R as my first car. I'd love to get another some day but man are they getting hard to find.

[@JavoCover]

In the USA unfortunately, but in Mexico or Chile they are bargain and everywhere. You can at least import almost the whole car as spare parts from Mexico.

[@bennyhill3642]

Cant say i understood what you guys were saying lol Dad was the mechanic, and i was tge carpenter, thank GOD i was learning a little. Gr8 Video. And sound like regular guys in your voices... Sounds like you may have close or better than 30,000.00 in that car after ur purchase LOL And again i really i joyed the Vid.. GOD Bless😇😁😇

[@JohanGavieres]

The car I wish I still had. One I’ll sale off something to hunt down another SER b13