2JZ-GTE vs RB26DETT: specs, power and tuning headroom compared

The 2JZ-GTE is bigger and torquier. The RB26DETT is smaller, shorter-stroke and built to rev. Both are cast-iron straight sixes with twin turbos, and both were rated at 280 PS in Japan.

Past that, they solve the same problem in different ways. Here's what the factory numbers, the tuners and the parts catalogs say.

Specs side by side

The headline gap is 429 cc. The 2JZ-GTE displaces 2,997 cc from a square 86.0 mm bore and 86.0 mm stroke. The RB26DETT shares the 86.0 mm bore but uses a 73.7 mm stroke for 2,568 cc (Wikipedia: JZ, Wikipedia: RB).

Spec card comparing the 2JZ-GTE and RB26DETT on displacement, bore and stroke, turbos, power, torque and cars fitted — Same bore, very different stroke: 2,997 cc against 2,568 cc

Spec	Toyota 2JZ-GTE	Nissan RB26DETT
Displacement	2,997 cc	2,568 cc
Bore x stroke	86.0 x 86.0 mm	86.0 x 73.7 mm
Compression	8.5:1	8.5:1 (R34 V-spec II)
Block	Cast iron, closed deck, seven main bearings	Cast iron
Head	Aluminum, 24-valve DOHC, belt-driven cams	Aluminum, 24-valve DOHC
Turbos	Sequential twins, CT20 (JDM) or CT12B (US)	Parallel twins, ceramic turbine wheels
Throttle	Single throttle body	Six individual throttle bodies
Japanese rating	280 PS	280 PS
Export rating	320 hp at 5,600 rpm (US)	Not sold new in the US
Production	1991 to 2005	1989 to 2002 (Skyline GT-R)

Sources for the table: Wikipedia, HP Academy and JDMBuySell, which quotes Toyota and Nissan catalogs. The 2JZ's closed deck and seven main bearings come from HP Academy (HPA).

Sequential vs parallel turbos

This is the biggest design split. The 2JZ-GTE runs two turbos in sequence: one works from low rpm, and the second is brought in by valves as revs rise (JDMBuySell). Japanese cars got CT20 turbos with ceramic turbine wheels. US cars got CT12B turbos with steel wheels (HPA).

The RB26DETT splits the exhaust instead. Cylinders one to three feed one turbo and four to six feed the other, so both spin all the time. Wastegates held stock boost to about 10 psi (Wikipedia). The R34 moved to ball-bearing turbos but kept ceramic exhaust wheels.

Diagram comparing the 2JZ-GTE's sequential twin turbos with the RB26DETT's parallel twin turbos — The 2JZ stages its turbos with valves. The RB26 runs both at once

Each has a cost. HP Academy says the 2JZ's sequential system "is complex and can suffer from reliability issues," especially at the changeover. The RB26's plumbing is simpler, but small turbos on a 2.6-liter engine need revs to make boost.

Factory power and torque

On paper the ratings match. Both makers advertised 280 PS (276 hp) under Japan's informal power cap. Wikipedia notes that enthusiasts widely believe the RB26 really made closer to 320 PS.

Torque tells them apart. Nissan rated the R32 GT-R at 353 Nm (260 lb-ft) at 4,400 rpm. The R33 V-spec was listed at 368 Nm and the R34 V-spec II at 392 Nm (289 lb-ft) (JDMBuySell: RB26DETT).

Toyota's Japanese figure was 431.5 Nm (318 lb-ft) at 3,600 rpm, rising to 451 Nm (333 lb-ft) with VVT-i from August 1997. The US Supra Turbo was rated at 320 hp at 5,600 rpm and 427 Nm (315 lb-ft) at 4,000 rpm (JDMBuySell).

Grouped bars of factory horsepower and torque for three 2JZ-GTE versions and three RB26DETT versions — Every 2JZ-GTE version out-torques every RB26DETT version

The weakest 2JZ beats the strongest RB26 on torque by about 26 lb-ft. That's displacement at work.

Which cars got them

The 2JZ-GTE went into the Toyota Aristo (JZS147) from 1991 and the Supra RZ and Turbo (JZA80) from 1993. The later Aristo V300 (JZS161) used it until 2005 (Wikipedia: JZ). Gearboxes were the V160 or V161 6-speed manual or the A340E 4-speed automatic.

The RB26DETT powered the Skyline GT-R in R32, R33 and R34 form, from 1989 to 2002. Nissan also fitted it to the Stagea 260RS wagon and the GT-R Autech Version 40th Anniversary sedan (Wikipedia).

If you're shopping for a car rather than an engine, our Supra Mk IV legacy story covers the JZA80. What those cars cost now is in how much is a Mk4 Supra worth.

Known weak points

Both engines are tough, but neither is flawless. The RB26's best-known flaw is the oil pump drive.

RB26DETT. On pre-1992 R32 engines, the crank surface that drives the oil pump was machined too small, which can break the pump at high rpm. Nissan widened the drive from the Series 3 R32, and aftermarket collars are common (Wikipedia). Fast Car warns that original ceramic turbos are "likely very old and very fragile by now" and suggests about 12 psi on them (Fast Car). It also flags weak factory ignition, uneven airflow between the front and rear cylinders, and main caps walking at high power.

2JZ-GTE. HP Academy lists the sequential changeover, fragile JDM ceramic turbine wheels, worn valve stem seals and coil packs that fail as boost rises. On a stock engine the main bearing caps are "the first internal item to let go," at roughly 800 hp. JDMBuySell, citing MotorTrend, adds the timing belt tensioner bracket, the oil pump seal and the crank pulley on older engines.

The VVT-i engine has its own trade-off. HP Academy says the VVT-i head limits how aggressive you can go with cam grinds. On the plus side, Toyota still sells new block and head parts, but only for the VVT-i version.

How much power on stock internals

Both bottom ends are good for about 600 hp, according to the tuners we read. The difference is how the engines get there.

Engine	What the tuners say about stock internals	Source
2JZ-GTE	"Easy 600hp," with 600 hp a sensible limit for hard driving	HP Academy
2JZ-GTE	About 500 to 600 hp is the sensible ceiling	NZ Performance
2JZ-GTE	Stock engines kept under 600 whp tend to last	Real Street Performance
RB26DETT	A healthy stock bottom end is "reliable even at 600bhp"	Fast Car
RB26DETT	Stock turbos, fuel system and MAFs top out around 400 to 450 bhp	Fast Car

The 2JZ's extra 429 cc means more torque at any given boost, so it can reach the same power with less boost. Every source agrees on the catch: a bad tune or detonation will kill either engine at any power level (NZ Performance, Real Street Performance). For a gentler starting point, see is a stage 1 tune safe.

What the engines cost now

Prices move fast and depend on condition, so treat these as examples. In 2019, NISMO Heritage listed a new RB26 cylinder head at 187,000 yen (about $1,698) and a standard block at 170,000 yen (about $1,535). An N1 block cost 450,000 yen (about $3,833) (The Drive). The same article put used RB26 long blocks at about $4,500 to $4,800.

UK importer JDM Garage currently lists a used 2JZ-GTE VVT-i from an Aristo V300, with about 132,000 km, at £5,999 (JDM Garage UK). Its forged RB26 rebuild is £12,917 on an exchange basis (JDM Garage UK).

Which one fits your build

Big power on a budget: 2JZ-GTE. More displacement, more torque and new VVT-i block parts from Toyota.
High-rpm character: RB26DETT. The short stroke and six throttle bodies are built for revs.
Originality in a GT-R or Supra: keep the engine the car came with. Modified Supras have sold for less than original ones in recent sales.
Daily driving: either, at modest boost. Budget for fresh turbos, coils and a timing belt on any engine this old.

Common questions

Is the 2JZ-GTE stronger than the RB26DETT?

On stock internals, the tuners we read put both near 600 hp. The 2JZ makes that power with more torque and less boost, which is easier on parts.

Why were both rated at 280 PS?

Japanese makers kept to an informal 280 PS cap in that era. Export Supras were rated at 320 hp in the US and 326 bhp in the UK.

Does the VVT-i 2JZ make more power?

Not on paper. Toyota kept 280 PS but raised torque from 431.5 Nm to 451 Nm.

What's the RB26 oil pump problem?

Early R32 engines have a short crank collar that only engages a few millimeters of the pump drive. An extended collar or a long-nose crank is the usual fix.

Sources

Featured image: Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 V Spec II by TTTNIS (CC0). Source