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How much power does a mostly stock S15 SR20DET actually make in 2026?

In this episode of the Right Hand Drive Guys Podcast, Bobby and Aaron talk through Aaron’s first real dyno experience with his SR20-swapped Nissan—and what started as a simple baseline pull turns into a much bigger conversation about horsepower, reliability, and what actually makes a street car fun.

The car is running a mostly stock S15 SR20DET with basic bolt-ons, a mid-mount intercooler, exhaust, stock clutch fan, and even a catalytic converter. On stock boost, it lays down 189 horsepower on a Mustang dyno. With the boost turned up to roughly 14 psi, it wakes up to 223 horsepower and 234 lb-ft of torque.

Not huge numbers by internet standards—but that’s exactly the point.

The guys talk about why lower-horsepower cars can sometimes be more fun, more reliable, and better for actually developing driving skill than constantly chasing bigger dyno numbers. They also get into the hidden costs that come with more power: more fuel, more tires, more maintenance, more broken parts, and more time spent working on the car instead of driving it.

Aaron also breaks down what might come next for the SR20, including ECU options, squeezing more out of the factory S15 turbo, and whether chasing 300–330 horsepower makes more sense than tearing into an engine that currently works perfectly.

Bobby compares that mindset to his own R33 and R34 GT-R builds, and the guys discuss why they’re both becoming more interested in maximizing stock-ish setups rather than building cars that constantly live on the edge.

They also talk about Maine’s limited performance-shop scene, Aaron’s experience at Limp Mode Tuning in Portland, old-school dyno days, and why supporting knowledgeable local shops matters if enthusiasts want those resources to stick around.

Sometimes the best build isn’t the one with the biggest number.

Sometimes it’s the one you can actually drive.