joshuaho96

For a daily just run Akebono ceramic pads. That's what they're optimized for. Obviously don't try to run it on track or anything like that.

OBD1 is a catch-all term for pre-OBD2 which could have basically any connector design and protocol. I really don't understand this attitude against using data logging for issues that can be multi-causal and subtle. A no-start situation or something like that sure the scan tool does nothing but if it runs like shit it can often be a sensor issue. When a friend of mine reliably had issues with his N54 not able to stay running eventually I narrowed down the issue to a faulty fuel pressure sensor. Only way I could do that was a scan tool to look at the fuel rail pressure and see shadow codes for fuel pressure. Then check against a pressure gauge. Is reflexively firing up the data logger probably a bad habit? I guess, it can encourage people to not listen/observe but on these old OBD1 cars just taking a log really doesn't do anything by itself. You still have to synthesize everything you know and think about what it all means.

Breather for it. If it's anything like the GTRs it should run up to the top of a bellhousing bolt.

What basics? With these OBD1 ECUs it's not like the ECU will give you any real clues, it's not really doing any sanity checking of sensors/sensor data. My experience is actually a lot of sensors tend to be the source of the issue first and foremost, and checking everything gives you a direction to investigate. MAF/O2/STFT/LTFT should all kind of make sense. You can try little tricks of the trade like tapping the MAFs to see if it triggers a stumble, things like that. But once you've done a compression test knowing whether you have an air leak or fuel delivery problem is kind of hard to narrow down without sensor data. And you don't really know if all your sensors are making sense unless you can interrogate the ECU directly about what it's seeing for sensor data.

I'm aware, but unless you're actually seeing the voltage the ECU is seeing and you're able to verify the sensors are actually working I find it hard to just trust STFT/LTFT. I will say, logging the ECU comes naturally to me because it's one of the lowest effort methods of diagnosis and I do similar things in my day job all the time. Staring at 20+ charts looking for something that isn't quite right isn't for everyone. NDS1 allows you to log almost everything so that's normally what I do and then sort out the data later.

I agree once misfires happen it's basically worthless, but the hope is you can see what's happening in the run up to that.

If it's reading full rich prior to a misfire that gives one directional hint, if it's already reading lean, etc. If it's reading pretty cleanly stoichiometric then suddenly drops out from a misfire that suggests it's not air mass estimation that's the problem. Could be ignition, could be something more subtle. Could be the CAS has decided to start dropping out at random or the drive pin is worn leading to excessive lash and trigger errors. LTFT can tell you the same but it's slower to react and if this is a recent issue it might not have stabilized. STFT stuck in one direction vs fluctuating back and forth can be used instead but I like to read O2 voltages anyways and interpret directly. If the O2 voltages make no sense in general or are super slow to react it could also be a failing O2 sensor. There's no real error correction for failing O2 sensors in these cars.

What do LTFTs look like? What do MAF voltages look like? O2 sensor voltages/AFRs? Knowing O2 voltages especially when it sputters would help a lot.

TPS sensor needs to be adjusted such that idle voltage is 0.45V, then relearn the TPS if applicable. From what I recall in the R32 GTST and similar ECUs they care far, far more about the actual TPS closed switch but later models seem to only keep track of voltage.

Oh yeah, always always always turn over an engine by hand first.

Adjusting the idle screw is usually (emphasis on usually) just covering up deeper issues. Stuff like the cold start valve not closing properly. Throttle shaft seals on the way out. Coolant temp sensors getting out of spec. Coolant temp sensors especially can be a bear to diagnose because they can fail subtly. My dad just spent weeks chasing down his high idle. He cleaned the coolant temp sensor and everything but the resistance curve just drifts over time and if it's been 20+ years they also get super slow to respond as well. Has a massive effect on fuel economy as if it's off the ECU is going to run richer and command high idle for far longer than it should otherwise.

It's more like on average the things I see a lot of things going wrong. Yes, usually the people who reach out are the ones who are having problems but on average it feels like mechanics and tuners here aren't really competent. I swing between thinking my standards are just way too high and wondering whether people really are just this dumb. I just had the strangest 10+ reply argument on a Facebook group over someone insisting that the factory R34 GTT boost control solenoid reduces boost pressure to 5 psi when it's on and raises boost pressure to 7 psi when it's off despite showing the exact plumbing in the factory service manual and the solenoid behavior detailed in the FSM.

I say it often, none of this stuff is really Skyline-specific per se. But in general there's not a lot of people who actually know what they're doing. A lot of people charging like they do. Agile software development probably isn't the greatest idea for an engine controller.

For me at least the reason why it bothers me is because it's indicative of a deeper problem. And that will nag at me forever. Especially because I have tailpipe emissions testing + evap leak testing every 2 years.

The RPM is just a target, the ECU will adjust things to try and hit that target but it's by no means guaranteed. If the IACV duty cycle is 0 or something like that and it's actually closing up fully then the idle is as low as it can physically go without reducing ignition timing. The problem can be something like the cold start valve in the IACV not closing fully, worn throttle shaft seals, torn rubber diaphragm in the brake booster allowing unmetered air, etc.

If it's been tuned idle rpm can be changed.

The bumper you're talking about looks like this: Rear wing is this different version which is more GTR-esque:

That is the option code, not the VIN. Regardless all of that production is considered series 2: https://gtr-registry.com/en-ecr33-vin-table.php

Type "M2" means it's a series 2. I would not be shocked to learn that the production changeover was somewhat lax and a late 12/95 production car actually got mostly series 2 parts with a bit of series 1 leftover. Post the VIN and it'll be easier to investigate.

As a general rule removing rubber fuel hose is so difficult I would replace it if it hasn't been done in the last 5 years. The risk you damage the liner or one of the inner layers is pretty high if it's not almost brand new. BMW's recommendations around coolant hoses is similar. My R33's fuel hoses at the fuel tank were so perished that they were ready to burst FYI.

Yeah, that's what he's referring to as far as I can tell. His profile picture shows what he's talking about. Two fuel hoses at the front of the manifold but it's terribly zoomed in.

I really doubt there's a restrictor. Most likely it's just marked so you orient the hose if there's something special about it like sheathing positioned in a specific area to avoid rubbing a hole into it. Or they don't want you to mix up which hose goes where. The one with the filter goes to the fuel rail, then the regulator. Then on the way back it goes through the damper. If there was a restrictor on the damper line it would artificially raise fuel pressure and reduce the ability of the FPR to actually regulate pressure.

I have seen a case where the starter motor shorting against the casing caused a massive voltage drop + so much EMI that it caused all the sensors to spew garbage data at the ECU. Test the battery to make sure it has acceptable CCA/capacity first, I have gotten "brand new" batteries before that couldn't even power a 10W light bulb without dying probably because it sat in a warehouse too long without being charged. Only easy way to diagnose this 100% is put an oscilloscope on the battery and also look at key sensors to see if there's any clues.

There's a bunch of smaller shops that don't quite attract Singer money but are still hiring from that same pool of labor. Those are the body shops that you go to when you can't afford a Singer, but your old Porsche needs some serious bodywork. You can't exactly take those cars to the usual insurance body shops. When I say restomod, I mean they'll do something other than 100% OEM/OEM-equivalent aftermarket parts R&R. In the Porsche world this would be stuff like taking a 50k 964, doing a bunch of deferred maintenance/unwinding the nightmares the previous owners did to the car because a lot of people that own these cars tended to be penny wise, pound foolish types, then maybe some relatively simple off the shelf modifications to things like suspension, transmission, engine, headlights, etc. and you've spent 130k USD. When even the worst houses in the poor neighborhoods are worth 1M USD and the nice houses in wealthy neighborhoods are worth 3-10M USD suddenly 130k spent on a 50k car seems cheap.

If you talk to restoration/restomod specialists in the coastal US they will turn their noses up at 150k USD jobs. Things are mildly insane here these days.