This LS-Swapped Supercharged Nissan Skyline Is Not Your Average JDM

Key Takeaways

• Mikey from Hoonigan Project Garage has swapped out the RB25 motor in his R34 Skyline drift car for an LS1 motor, which could seem blasphemous in the JDM community.
• The RB motor is known for its oiling issues, especially during high RPMs and G-forces, which are common in drifting. The LS motor, on the other hand, is reliable and easier to work on.
• Despite some issues with the fuel pump and rear differential, Mikey’s LS-swapped Skyline is finally able to drift reliably at Willow Springs Raceway.

Regardless of whether you’re a JDM fan or not, the legend of the Nissan Skyline permeates throughout the automotive ether. Nissan’s Halo sports car was the example of an affordable and infinitely tuneable giant killer, with the turbocharged straight-six RB engine at the heart of the Japanese car’s legacy.

Now, there’s no right or wrong way to build a project car, and doing an LS swap is becoming so popular these days that it’s become something of a default option for so many big-power builds. However, like the Toyota 2JZ, the Nissan RB motor is hallowed ground, and swapping it out for an American V8 might appear blasphemous within the community.

However, Mikey from Hoonigan Project Garage has decided to do just that with his R34 Skyline drift car build. Despite the car’s appearance, though, this Skyline isn’t a GT-R, but instead, the rear-wheel drive GT-T with the less coveted RB25DET Neo motor. Unfortunately, this project build isn’t all plain sailing, and Mikey and the Hoonigan team have their work cut out just to get this V8 Skyline working, let alone drifting.

Why Has Mikey Swapped Out The RB For An LS Motor?

LS-Swapped Supercharged Nissan Skyline Key Details

• Despite looking like a GT-R, this R34 Skyline is the rwd GT-T model which came with the RB25DET Neo engine
• Mikey is building the Skyline as a drift project and has swapped out the RB25 for an LS1 motor, originally found in his grandfather’s burned-out C5 Corvette
• The LS1 has now been supercharged and produces 740 wheel horsepower, or 870 hp at the crank
• Mikey’s aftermarket differential and his welded stock diff both have locking issues so Mikey has to install a 350Z diff to get the car to drift
• As with many project builds, this Skyline has some issues, but the car does finally make it to the track and drifts reliably

Despite being a tuning icon, Nissan’s RB engines aren’t without their problems. The biggest problem RB motors encounter is oiling issues, whereby too much oil gets pumped into the heads and can’t escape back down into the block due to the small oil return passages. This can lead to oil blowing into the cam breathers and into the inlet, where it combusts, leaving the pistons and crankshaft starved of oil – ultimately causing engine failure.

This isn’t an inherent issue when running the car on the street, but RB oiling issues tend to happen when the engine hits high RPMs and high G-forces – essentially the two prerequisites for drifting. Mikey did learn to drift in this Skyline using the RB motor, and while the engine is in pretty good shape, he does find that the inlet has a lot of oil residue when removing it from the car. Conversely, LS motors are renowned for their reliability and ease of working on, and making big power is not only easier but more affordable, too.

However, the logistics are not the main reason Mikey is swapping an LS motor into his R34 Skyline GT-T. In fact, the LS motor that now sits under the hood of this Nissan used to belong to Mikey’s grandfather. Mikey credits his grandfather for getting him into cars as a kid, and one of his prized possessions was his C5 Chevrolet Corvette.

Sadly, his grandfather’s Vette was the victim of a house fire in 2021. Fortunately, Mikey managed to salvage the engine, recondition it, and rebuild it with only the original block and the crank remaining. Mikey went to show his grandfather his LS-swapped Skyline a few months back, and he was elated that the engine continues to live on. Since then, Mikey has supercharged the LS motor, with the car making about 740 whp, or 870 hp, and 666 lb-ft of torque at the crank – more than enough to get the rear tires spinning.

Mikey Takes The LS Skyline To Willow Springs… And Hits Problems

1998 Nissan Skyline GT-T LS1 Swap Specifications

(figures courtesy of YouTube @ Hoonigan Project Garage/classic.com)

After running the R34 with both the RB25 and the N/A LS1 without issues, Mikey is off to Willow Springs Raceway to shake down the newly supercharged Skyline. As with most project builds, there are always teething problems. Only a few minutes after hitting the track, the ECU puts the car into limp-home mode, forcing Mikey to pit to try and diagnose the issue.

Luckily, Mikey’s friend and performance technician, Andrew, has come along for the shakedown and quickly gets to work figuring out the Skyline’s issues. After some investigation, Andrew discovers the Skyline’s fuel pump is gone and the car is only receiving fuel from the surge tank. Andrew explains that the ECU then sees the lack of fuel pressure and puts the car into limp mode to protect the engine. Unfortunately, Mikey has to call it a day and head back to Hoonigan HQ to fix the issue.

The Fuel Pump Gets Sorted, But The Rear Differential Is Next To Cause Problems

With a new fuel pump in the main tank and a new surge tank with dual fuel pumps now installed, the next issue that Mikey needs to address is the rear diff. Unfortunately, the Skyline will only lock the rear wheels while turning right, with the car refusing to lock up while initiating counter-clockwise.

Before taking the current differential off the car, Mikey enlists fellow Hoonigan member Angelo to weld the stock R34 rear DLSD in case the diff already installed on the Skyline is completely toast. After welding the backup diff, Mikey removes the original diff and discovers that the teeth are completely shredded. This leaves Mikey little choice but to install the welded stock differential into the car and see if that will remedy the car’s problems.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to have fixed the issue, and the left rear wheel refuses to lock up under initiation or spin at all when Mikey tries to do a burnout. Fortunately, the differential from a Nissan 350Z is a similar size to the R34 GT-T, so Mikey takes the diff from his girlfriend’s car and, with the help of a GK-Tech conversion kit, installs it in the back of the R34, finally allowing the rear wheels to lock up and spin properly.

This LS Skyline R34 Finally Gets A Full Drift Shakedown At Willow Springs

After a week of hard work, Mikey returns to Willow Springs to give the Skyline a proper test. Things start a bit shaky, with the engine power cutting out during transitions and the coolant temperatures spiking aggressively. After a quick re-tune and adjustment of the idle and redline, Mikey heads back onto the Old Balcony section of the track for more testing.

Thankfully, the 350Z diff holds up well, with Mikey able to plant the power down and keep the wheel speed going during transitions. This Skyline could use a few essential drift mods like a hydraulic handbrake, wheel angle kit, and some more camber adjustment, but even for a relatively novice drifter like Mikey, the R34 still hooks up and slides with ease. The engine does begin to misfire towards the end of the day, but Mikey is happy that most of the issues have been resolved, and this LS-swapped Skyline drift build is slowly but surely coming together.

Source: YouTube @ Hoonigan Project Garage, classic.com