My Fifth and Final RB26 Engine for the R34 GT-R

Renowned photographer Mark has worked with Top Gear for many, many years. When he is not behind the camera, he is buying inappropriate cars. Here, he shares his addiction with the world.

Skyline GT-R ownership: four destroyed engines

Destroy an engine once, shame on you. Destroy an engine twice, shame on me. Destroy an engine four times? You have completed Level 3 Skyline GT-R ownership.

So why all the previous rebuilds? There are two clear reasons. The first is the hopeless specialists who have worked on the car in the past; the second is the inconvenient truth that RB26 engines are not as brilliant as the internet would have you believe. Not unless you are willing to address every weakness at considerable cost.

It is fair to say that I have occasionally run this engine at more than twice its original power. Yet, considering what builders in Australia and New Zealand are now producing, it is entirely possible to create a ‘reliable’ RB engine making two or even three times the standard horsepower. Some have been taken to ridiculous heights beyond 1,800bhp.

After all, this engine design is approaching 40 years old. The RB26 first appeared in 1989, in the R32 GT-R. Even in 2025, tuners across the globe continue to develop new upgrades, helped in part by the engines’ rising values and collectability.

R34 GT-R refresh without shortcuts

I know this all too well, because the ‘refresh’ of my R34 GT-R has now spiralled completely out of control. No original part is being retained: it will receive fresh Nissan glass, a new wiring loom and replacement interior upholstery. That also means I have gone beyond the stage where corners can be cut, which is why my fifth and final engine - and I genuinely mean final - is currently sitting on a pallet in Australia, awaiting shipment to the UK.

Dahtone Racing is among Australia’s most respected RB specialists, responsible for some of the quickest and most powerful Skyline GT-Rs in the world. Having poured money into poorly assembled, substandard rebuilds previously, I have decided that, as with the rest of the R34, nothing original will be reused this time. Yes, I probably ought to have done this after the first engine failure, but Skylines still cost £20,000 at the time.

Dahtone Racing RB26 engine specification

Right then: the specification for the new engine. Take a deep breath, because it gets rather nerdy. It starts with a brand-new RB26 block, fitted with a Nitto wide-journal 2.8-litre stroker kit, PRP block brace, ARP studs, ACL bearings, Hi Octane sump and an ATI 1,000bhp crank damper. It also has a Tomei head gasket, entirely new seals, a new water pump, belts and a Barns single-stage external oil pump.

There is a fresh cylinder head too, incorporating Supertech valve springs and Tomei cams, along with PRP cam gears, a PRP trigger kit, CAS bracket and LS1 alternator kit. Every fastener and flange is either zinc-coated or powder-coated as well.

That is only the short version of the specification. It does not include the machining, balancing the rotating assembly, setting clearances, modified oil squirters or the many, many hours of labour involved. And this is only the engine block: the turbo, intake, fuelling and everything else are still to be added.

I imagine you are recoiling at the cost while also approving with a nod. I am told this engine should run happily at around 800bhp without launching valves into the atmosphere. There is, however, also the possibility of mapping it for spicy E85 fuel and breaking the magical 1,000bhp barrier. That is completely pointless for a road car which will be more than quick enough on V-Power. But, obviously, that is exactly what I am going to do. I had better start saving for engine number six.