Buy one camshaft, bolt it in, done? Not with this part. HKS has started selling its RB26 STEP2 280° EX exhaust camshaft separately for all three generations of the Nissan Skyline GT-R — and along with it, owners of the legend are signing up for a genuine headache. The price in Japan is ¥60,500 including local tax. The part for the BNR34 carries part number 2202-RN139, while BNR32 and BCNR33 owners need 2202-RN133.
This camshaft used to live only inside fully built HKS engines. Now you can buy it on its own — if you have the nerve to see the job through. Valve duration runs 280 degrees, with 10.2mm of lift. Paired with HKS STEP2 uprated valve springs, the manufacturer says the engine can handle roughly 10,000rpm. Don't celebrate that number too fast, though: the real rev ceiling is set by whichever camshaft, intake or exhaust, has the lower limit.
Here's where it gets interesting. This is not a straight swap for the stock camshaft, and HKS doesn't pretend otherwise. The maker requires uprated 22001-AN001 springs and machining of the cylinder head to leave a 0.5–1mm clearance between the lobes and the metal. The camshaft's smaller base circle also forces a full valve lash adjustment. HKS is blunt about installation, too: leave it to a specialist shop.
Want smoother delivery? HKS recommends pairing the new cam with its RB26 V CAM SYSTEM STEP Pro variable valve timing setup, though it stops short of calling that combination mandatory. The camshaft itself was built first and foremost for track use, not daily runs to the shops. HKS is upfront about the trade-off: more output and higher revs mean higher oil and coolant temperatures, and more strain on the lubrication system.
So the camshaft's price tag is really just the opening line of the bill. Owners also need to budget for the springs, engine teardown, head machining and the tuning that follows. Even after all that, HKS won't promise a specific power gain — the real number depends on the turbos, intake, exhaust and overall condition of that particular RB26DETT.
Nissan recently said it will extend the warranty on its EVs to six years.
